Written by Eric Andersen
Recorded 4 March 1970
during the Self Portrait sessions,
and released on Bootleg Series 10:
Another Self Portrait (2013)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem
This is one of the songs where Dylan seems not to have rehearsed the song too well before going into the studio: In the first verse and chorus, he maintains the slight distinction between the two, chord-wise, but as the verses progress, this distinction fades, and what remains at the end is the constant repetition of the same falling bass figure.
It's a wonderful song, though, beautifully performed.
The G variants are suggestions.
G7sus4 3x3010
G7/6 323000
C Em
You've long been on the open road,
Dm G G7/6
You've been sleeping in the rain,
C Em
From the dirty words and muddy cells
Dm G
Your clothes are smeared and stained,
C Em
But the dirty words and muddy cells
Dn G
Will soon be judged insane *)
C F
So only stop and rest yourself
Dm G G7sus4
Till you are off again
C F
And take off your thirsty boots
C F
and stay for a while,
C /b Am /g
Your feet are hot and weary,
Dm G G7sus4
from a dusty mile,
C F
And maybe I can make you laugh,
C F
maybe I can try,
C /b Am /g
I'm just looking for the evening,
Dm G7sus4 C
and the morning in your eye.
Now, tell me of the ones you saw,
As far as you could see,
Across the plain from field to town
A-marching to be free
And of the rusted prison gates
That tumbled by degree
Like laughing children, one by one,
who look like you and me
C F
And take off your thirsty boots
F G7sus4
and stay for a while,
C /b Am /g
Your feet are hot and weary,
Dm G
from a dusty mile,
C /b Am /g
And maybe I can make you laugh,
Dm G G7
and maybe I can try,
C /b Am /g
just looking for the evening,
Dm G G7sus4 C
and the morning in your eye.
C Em/b
I know you are no stranger
Dm G
down the crooked rainbow trails
C /b Am /g
From dancing cliff-edged shattered sills
F Dm G G7sus4
Of slandered, shackled jails
C /b Am /g
But the voices drift up from below
Dm F G
As the walls are being scaled
C /b Am /g
Yes, all of this, and more, my friend,
Dm G G7sus4
Your song shall not be failed.
C /b Am /g
And take off your thirsty boots
F G
and stay for a while,
C /b Am /g
Your feet are hot and weary,
Dm G
from a dusty mile,
C /b Am /g
And maybe I can make you laugh,
Dm F G G7
and maybe I can try,
C /b Am /g
just looking for the evening,
Dm G i C
and the morning in your eye.
*) Andersen's original has: "Will soon be hid in shame"