Tape From California Chords by Phil Ochs

_ _ _ _ _ _ Who's _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ that coming down the [Db] road?
A sailor [Ab] from sea. _ _
[Db] He looks a lot [Fm] like me.
I saw [Eb] him anywhere _ [Gb] at the _ [Eb] stair. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ Feathers on his fingertips,
[Db] A halo around [Ab] his spine.
_ [Db] He must have lost [Fm] his mind.
He should [Eb] be put away, [Gb] _ right away.
[C] _ In the [Cm] corner of the night,
[Db] He handed me [Bbm] his water pipe.
[Fm] His eyes were [Bbm] searching deep inside [Eb] my _ head.
Here's what he said,
[Abm] _ _ Sorry I can't stop and talk now.
[Db] I'm in kind of a hurry anyhow.
[B] But I'll send [Gb] you tape from _ [Ab] California. _ _ _
_ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ _
_ New York City has exploded,
_ And [Db] she's crashed upon [Ab]
my head.
[Db] I dove beneath [Fm] the bed,
By [Eb] his potty-nailed, [Gb] burning _ _ [Eb] head. _ _
_ _ _ The landlord's at my window,
_ _ [Db] The burglar's at [Ab] my door.
_ [Db] I can't take it [Fm] anymore.
I [Eb] guess I'll have to _
[Gb] burn the trash.
[Cm] _ _ Someone's banging on the [Db] wall,
But there's no [Bbm] party to recall.
_ [Fm] _ Singer [Bbm] of the shadows [Eb] of his soul. _
Oh, he's been told,
[Abm] _ _
Sorry I can't stop and talk now.
[Db] I'm in kind of a hurry anyhow.
But [B]
I'll send you [Gb] tape from _ [Ab]
California.
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Db] _
_ _ From the mirror of my [B] mantle,
To [Db] the velvet on my [B] bed.
_ _ [Db] _ Trapped upon [B] a stolen stake,
[Abm] A _ Barrymore [Eb] at bed.
_ [Ab] My rhymes are all [Gb] repeating,
_ _ [Ab] _ Ballads are growing [Gb] _ blind.
_ [Gm] _ Words have [Ab] turned to water,
[Fm] The women turn [Bb] to _ wine. _ _ _ _
[Eb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The draft board is debating,
_ If [Db] they'd like to take my [Ab] _ life. _
[Db] I'd sooner [Fm] take a wife
Than [Eb] raise a child or two.
[Gb] _ Wouldn't [Eb] you? _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Peace has turned to poison, _
[Db] And the flag has blown [Ab] a few. _
[Db] Even _ courage [Fm] is confused. _
[Eb] And now all the brave
[Gb] Are getting to _
[Cm] graze.
Century is bending, _
[Db] Have a very [Bbm] happy ending.
[Fm] To the victor go [Bbm] the ashes of [Eb] the stars.
_ Seeds in the soil.
[Abm] _ _ _ Sorry I can't stop and talk now.
I'm [Db] in kind of a hurry anyhow.
But [B] I'll send you [Gb] tape from _ [Ab] California.
_ _ [Ebm] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [Abm] _
_ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [Eb] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Lower power,
_ Fuller brush,
[Db] Man's farming out [Ab] his friend. _
[Db] I stabbed him with [Fm] my stem,
And [Eb] then I tapped his skull
[Gb] With my [Eb] rope. _ _ _ _ _ _
He crawled around and signed himself.
Now [Db] he's crawling after [Ab] _ me, _
[Db] Dropping acid in [Fm] my teeth.
He [Eb] wants to save my soul.
[Gb] Rock and roll.
[Cm] _ One of us must understand,
[Db] It's not the [Bbm] drug that makes a man,
[Fm] Than a poster [Bbm] of a movie star.
Walk [Eb] _ by,
He must have been high.
[Abm] _ _ Sorry I can't stop and talk now.
[Db] I'm in kind of a hurry _ anyhow.
But [B] I'll send [Gb] you tape from _ [Ab] California. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _
Half the world is [B] crazy,
And [Db] the other half is [B] scared. _ _
[Db] _ Madonna's due,
[B] _ Diminue,
[Abm] The naked [Eb] millionaire. _ _ _
[Ab] The anarchists [Gb] are rising, _
[Ab] While we're racing for [Gb] the mill. _ _
[Gm] It doesn't take [Ab] a seer to see,
[Fm] The scene is coming [Bb] soon. _ _
_ _ _ [Eb] So _ _ _ _ _ _ _ who's that coming down the road,
[Db] _ Sailor from [Ab] sea?
_ [Db] He looks a lot [Fm] like me,
I'd come [Eb] in anywhere, _ _
[Gb] Had you [Eb] stay. _ _ _
_ _ _ Now a flyer round his fingertips,
[Db] A song around [Ab] his spine,
[Db] He must have found [Fm] his mind,
He should [Eb] be put away [Gb] _ _ anyway.
[Cm] _ _ Rounded by this water,
_ [Db] Now I'm boarding [Bbm] at the border,
[Fm] When the echoes of [Bbm] my _ ecstasy,
[Eb] _ _ _ _
Wish I was [Abm] here.
_ Sorry I can't stop and talk now.
I'm [Db] in kind of a hurry anyhow.
But [B] I'll send you [Gb] tape from [Ab] California.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _