Tuning:

To Live Is To Fly (live at The Old Quarter) Townes Van Zandt **Notes** On the verse, Townes often slides up and down the neck between a G major (Gmaj) chord on the 7th & 8th frets and an open D chord. It's a D shape open chord on the 7th fret. Just play a D on the first 4 strings with the "D" (4th) string played open. Don't strum the "A" (5th), and big E (6th) strings.

^Gmaj 6th 7th 8th e|----]--2--]-----| b|----]-----]--3--| g|----]--1--]-----| d|----]--0--]-----| a|----]-----]-----| E|----]-----]-----|

He also plays a little riff when going from G to D at end of the verse. The tab for the riff... e|--x------------------2-| b|--x------------------3-| g|--x--------------2---2-| d|--0---0-2-0----0-------| a|--2----------2---------| E|--3--------------------| Also, remember, Townes fingerpicked so to get it real close you have to do that. Playing live, he also improvised slightly on different recordings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Intro] e|--------7----------2-------------------------2--| b|--------8----------3-------------------------3--| g|-----7--7------2---2----------------------2--2--| d|--0---------0----------0-----0-2-0-----0--------| a|--------------------------0---------2-----------| E|------------------------------------------------| [Verse 1]

^Gmaj Won't say I l^Dove you babe, ^Gmaj Won't say I n^Deed you babe, But I^D'm gonna g^Aet you babe, and I w^Gill not do you w^Drong.

^Gmaj Livin's mostly wa^Dsting time, ^Gmaj And I waste my sh^Dare of mine, But ^Dit never fe^Aels too good, so l^Get's don't take too l^Dong.

[Bridge 1]

Well you're s^Goft as g^Dlass, and I'm a g^Gentle m^Aan, And we g^Dot the sky to t^Aalk about, and the wo^Grld to lie u^Dpon. ^A ^G ^D

[Verse 2]

^Gmaj Days up and d^Down they come,^Gmaj like rain on a co^Dnga drum, Forg^Det most, rem^Aember some but d^Gon't turn none a^Dway.

^Gmaj Everything is n^Dot enough, ^Gmaj and nothin' is too m^Duch to bear, Whe^Dre you've been is g^Aood and gone all you k^Geep is the gettin' t^Dhere.

[Chorus 1]

Well to l^Give is to ^Dfly, all ^Glow and h^Aigh, So ^Dshake the dust off ^Aof your wings, And the s^Gleep out of your e^Dyes. ^A ^G ^D

[Verse 3]

^Gmaj It's good-bye to a^Dll my friends,^Gmaj it's time to ^Dgo again, I'l^Dl think of all the ^Apoetry, and the ^Gpickin' down the ^Dline. ^Gmaj I'll miss the s^Dystem here,^Gmaj the bottom's low and the ^Dtreble's clear, B^Dut it don't pay to ^Athink too much on the ^Gthings you leave ^Dbehind.

[Bridge 2]

Well I m^Gay be g^Done, but it w^Gon't be l^Aong, I'll be a-^Dbringing back the m^Aelody, and the r^Ghythm that I f^Dind. ^A ^G ^D ^A ^G ^D

[Verse 4]

^Gmaj We all got h^Doles to fill, ^Gmaj and them holes are ^Dall that's real, And ^Dsome fall on you ^Alike a storm, so^Gmetimes you dig your ^Down. ^Gmaj The choice is y^Dours to make, ^Gmaj and time is y^Dours to take, S^Dome dive i^Anto the sea, some ^Gtoil upon the ^Dstone.

[Final chorus]

Well to ^Glive is to ^Dfly, all ^Glow and ^Ahigh, So s^Dhake the dust off ^Aof your wings, and the ^Gsleep out of you ^Deyes. Well s^Dhake the dust off ^Aof your wings, And the ^Gtears out of your ^Deyes... ^A ^G ^D

Townes van Zandt - To live is to fly