John Denver : "Rhymes and reasons" Guitar tabs

Play full song John+Denver - Rhymes and reasons

Send "Rhymes and reasons" Ringtone to your Cell

Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 01:25:20 -0800
From: John Blair 
Subject: TAB: Rhymes and Reasons by John Denver

Rhymes and Reasons
By John Denver
>From "John Denver's Greatest Hits"
RCA  PCD1-0374

In the liner notes John says that this represents some of
his best lyrics. He gave us joyous and beautiful songs.
I'll miss him.

Transcription (and any errors) by jwblair@ix.netcom.com

I started this with the lyrics and chords from the 1992
transcription by hackes@uni-paderborn.de (Markus Brakweh)
(Thanks Markus)

The song is played in the key of G in dropped D tuning (DADGBE),
but the guitar is tuned down two half-tones to CGCFAD and sung
in the key of F.

Note-> CGCFAD  (dropped D, tuned down two half tones)
       ++++++
G      550003 (standard G chord in dropped D)
D/F#   400002 (actually D6sus4/F#(?). Since the 5th string is not
               played I just slide the 550003 G down to 440002)
G/B    x2000x (part of a bass run)
D      000232
Dsus4  000032 (thumb emphasizes the high g bass string)
C      x32010
Bm     x24432
Em     222000 (the 5th string isn't played so I just finger 202000)
Am     x02210

There are two 12-string guitars playing pretty much the same
thing in unison. Both guitars use the same basic picking pattern.
Generally everything is eighth notes, but occasionally they will
leave out the second note (1) or the last note (2), making the
preceding thumb note a quarter note.

 1/8 ->
------------2-----------(2)---
----(1)-----------1-----------
------------------------------
---------T-----------T--------
------------------------------
--T------------T--------------

Note that this is the basic pattern. The actual strings that are
played vary depending on the chord being played. There is also a
slide guitar that sometimes steps on the 12-strings so that it's
hard to hear what they are playing.


12-string vs 6-string note:
You're not going to get the same sound with a 6-string as you
would with the 12-string, and more than just the lack of fullness.
If you play on a 6-string you will think that John is playing
notes on the 1st and 2nd strings that are in fact being played by
the thumb hitting the high-octave bass strings, particularly the
thumb striking the third string with its high-G as seen in the
Dsus4 in the intro.


OK, here's the general tab.

Intro/outro:
     G stuff (finger 000087 and then add notes)
e-|---------7-----------10--------8----7------------------
B-|---------------8----------8--------------8-------------
G-|------0-----------0---------0----------0---------------
D-|--0---------0-----------0---------0--------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------


     C (finger 000988)       G (finger 000087)
e-|-----------8-----------------------7-------------------
B-|-----8-----------8-----------8----------10-------------
G-|--------9-----------9-----------0------------0---------
D-|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0----------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------


     Dsus4
e-|----------2-----------2----------2-----2---------------
B-|----------------3-----------------------------0--------
G-|-------0-----------0----------0-----0------------------
D-|--0----------0-----------0-----------------0-----------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------


     G                                     to verse
e-|-------------------------------------------------------
B-|----------0-----------3----------3-----------3---------
G-|----0-----------0----------0-----------0---------------
D-|-------0-----------0----------0-----------0------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5----------5-----------5----------5------------------
                                           So you


     G               D/F#            C
e-|--------3-------3-------2-------2-------0-------0------
B-|----0-------0-------0-------0-------1-------1----------
G-|--------------------------------------0----------------
D-|------0-------0-------0-------0---------------2--------
A-|----------------------------------3-------3------------
D-|--5-------5-------4-------4----------------------------
    speak to me of sadness,  and ...


     G               Em               Bm
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------2-------2-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------3-------3---------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------4-------4-------
A-|-----------------------------------2-------2-----------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2----------------------------
     winter          Fear that is ...


     C               D
e-|--------0-------0-------2------2-----------------------
B-|----1-------1-------3------3---------------------------
G-|------0---------------2--------------------------------
D-|--------------2--------------0-------------------------
A-|--3-------3--------------------------------------------
D-|------------------0-------0----------------------------
     seems to ....the


     G                 D/F#             C
e-|---------3--------3-------2-------2--------0---------0-
B-|-----0--------0-------0-------0--------1---------1-----
G-|-----------------------------------------0-------------
D-|-------0--------0-------0-------0------------------2---
A-|-------------------------------------3---------3-------
D-|--5---------5-------4-------4--------------------------
   dreams that have escaped ....


     G               Em               G
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------3-------3-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------0-------0---------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------0-------0-------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2--------5-------5-----------
  forgotten      You tell me ....


     D
e-|--------2-------2--------2-------2---------------------
B-|----3-------3--------3-------3-------------------------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0-------0--------0-------0-----------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--0-------0--------0-------0---------------------------
     want to be my ...


     C
e-|--------0-------0---------0-------0--------------------
B-|------------1---------1-------1------------------------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------2-------2---------2-------2----------------------
A-|--3-------3---------3-------3--------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------
    wonder where we're going....


     G                     D
e-|--------3---------3----------2-------2-----------------
B-|----0---------0----------3-------3---------------------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------0----------0-------0-------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5---------5-----------0-------0----------------------
     rhyme and where's the ...


     Em                G
e-|--------0---------0-------3-------3--------------------
B-|----0---------0-------0-------0------------------------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------2---------2-------0-------0----------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--2---------2-------5-------5--------------------------
    you who cannot ...


     D                                 Am
e-|--------2-------2-------2-------2---------0-------0----
B-|----3-------3-------3-------3---------1-------1--------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0-------0-------0-------0---------2-------2------
A-|------------------------------------0-------0----------
D-|--0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------
     here we must begin   To ....


     Am
e-|--------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0------
B-|----1-------1-------1-------1-------1-------1----------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2--------
A-|--0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------
     children...                             ....


     G        D/F#      C       G/B
e-|-------------------------------------------------------
B-|--------3--------3--------1--------0-------------------
G-|----0--------0--------0--------0-----------------------
D-|------0--------0--------2--------0---------------------
A-|--------------------3--------2-------------------------
D-|--5--------4-------------------------------------------
     graceful way  of  ....


     D       Dsus4
e-|--------2-------2-------2-------2----------------------
B-|----3-------3-------3-------3--------------------------
G-|------2-------0-------0-------0------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--0-------0--------0------0----------------------------
     wind                    ....


     G                 D/F#             C
e-|--------3--------3-------2-------2----------0-------0--
B-|----0--------0-------0-------0--------1---------1------
G-|----------------------------------------0--------------
D-|------0--------0-------0-------0------------------2----
A-|------------------------------------3---------3--------
D-|--5--------5-------4-------4---------------------------
    children  and the flowers ....


     G               Em               Bm
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------2-------2-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------3------3----------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------4-------4-------
A-|-----------------------------------2-------2-----------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2----------------------------
   brothers  their laughter and ...


     C               D
e-|--------0-------0-------2------2-----------------------
B-|----1-------1-------3------3---------------------------
G-|------0---------------2--------------------------------
D-|--------------2--------------0-------------------------
A-|--3-------3--------------------------------------------
D-|------------------0-------0----------------------------
     clear a cloudy ....


     G               D/F#             C
e-|--------3-------3-------2-------2--------0-------0-----
B-|----0-------0-------0-------0--------1-------1---------
G-|---------------------------------------0---------------
D-|------0-------0-------0-------0----------------2-------
A-|-----------------------------------3-------3-----------
D-|--5-------5-------4-------4----------------------------
     music  of the mountains and ....


     G               Em               G
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------3-------3-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------0-------0---------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------0-------0-------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2--------5-------5-----------
  rainbow  They're a promise of ....




     D                G  (the slide guitar covers the)
e-|--------2-------2--------------------------------------
B-|----3-------3------------0-------3-------0-------------
G-|---------------------0-------0-------0-------0---------
D-|------0-------0--------0-------0-------0-------0-------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--0-------0--------5-------5-------5-------5-----------
    blessing for  ....


     Am   (12 strings but it's something like this...)
e-|-----------0---------------0---------------------------
B-|-------0h1-----1-------0h1-----------------------------
G-|-----2---------------2---------2-----------------------
D-|-------------2---------------2-------------------------
A-|--0------0--------0------0-----------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------


     Dsus4            D
e-|--------2-------2--------2-------2---------------------
B-|----3-------3--------3-------3-------------------------
G-|------0-------0--------2-------2-----------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--0-------0--------0-------0---------------------------
                            Though the



     G               D/F#             C
e-|--------3-------3-------2-------2--------0-------0-----
B-|----0-------0-------0-------0--------1-------1---------
G-|---------------------------------------0---------------
D-|------0-------0-------0-------0----------------2-------
A-|-----------------------------------3-------3-----------
D-|--5-------5-------4-------4----------------------------
     cities start to crumble ...


     G               Em               Bm
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------2-------2-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------3------3----------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------4-------4-------
A-|-----------------------------------2-------2-----------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2----------------------------
   around us     The sun is  ...


     C               D
e-|--------0-------0-------2-------2----------------------
B-|----1-------1-------3-------3--------------------------
G-|------0---------------2--------------------------------
D-|--------------2---------------0------------------------
A-|--3-------3--------------------------------------------
D-|------------------0-------0----------------------------
     colder than the ....


     G               D/F#             C
e-|--------3-------3--------2-------2--------0-------0----
B-|----0-------0--------0-------0--------1-------1--------
G-|----------------------------------------0--------------
D-|------0-------0--------0-------0----------------2------
A-|------------------------------------3-------3----------
D-|--5-------5--------4-------4---------------------------
   written:  From the desert  to ....


     G               Em               G
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------3-------3-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------0-------0---------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------0-------0-------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2--------5-------5-----------
    lead us  By the hand and by ....


     D
e-|--------2-------2--------2-------2---------------------
B-|----3-------3--------3-------3-------------------------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0-------0--------0-------0-----------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--0-------0--------0-------0---------------------------
     comfort you and ....


     C
e-|--------0-------0---------0-------0--------------------
B-|----1-------1---------1-------1------------------------
G-|------0-------0---------0-------0----------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------
A-|--3-------3---------3-------3--------------------------
D-|-------------------------------------------------------
    innocence and trusting...


     G                 D
e-|--------3-------3---------2------2---------------------
B-|----0-------0---------3------3-------------------------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0-------0---------0------0-----------------------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5-------5---------0-------0--------------------------
     teach us to be  ....


     G                 D/F#             C
e-|--------3--------3-------2-------2----------0-------0--
B-|----0--------0-------0-------0--------1---------1------
G-|----------------------------------------0--------------
D-|------0--------0-------0-------0------------------2----
A-|------------------------------------3---------3--------
D-|--5--------5-------4-------4---------------------------
    children  and the flowers are  ...


     G               Em               Bm
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------2-------2-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------3------3----------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------4-------4-------
A-|-----------------------------------2-------2-----------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2----------------------------
   brothers  their laughter ....

     C               D
e-|--------0-------0-------2------2-----------------------
B-|----1-------1-------3------3---------------------------
G-|------0---------------2--------------------------------
D-|--------------2--------------0-------------------------
A-|--3-------3--------------------------------------------
D-|------------------0-------0----------------------------
     clear a cloudy ...


     G                C               D
e-|--------3-------3--------0-------0-------2-------2-----
B-|----0-------0--------1-------1-------3-------3---------
G-|-----------------------0-------0-----------------------
D-|------0-------0------------------------0-------0-------
A-|-------------------3-------3---------------------------
D-|--5-------5------------------------0-------0-----------
   song that I am    singing ....


     G               Em               G
e-|--------3---------------0-------0--------3-------3-----
B-|----0---------------0-------0--------0-------0---------
G-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|------0---------------2-------2--------0-------0-------
A-|-------------------------------------------------------
D-|--5--------5--4---2-------2--------5-------5-----------
    believers       Come and stand ....


     D               C                          (to outro)
e-|--------2-------2-------0-------0--------0-------0-----
B-|----3-------3-------1-------1--------1-------1---------
G-|----------------------0--------------------------------
D-|------0-------0----------------2-------2--------2------
A-|------------------3-------3--------3-------3-----------
D-|--0-------0--------------------------------------------
     find  a ....

The outro is like the intro, but ends with a strummed 550003


Here it is again with just the chords:

Rhymes and Reasons
John Denver

(Intro: G C G Dsus4 G)
       G              D/F#            C             G
So you speak to me of sadness ...,
Em               Bm               C              D
Fear that is within  you now ...
        G                  D/F#
And the dreams that have ...
        C                   G
And the hope that ...
    Em               G                  D
You tell me that you need me ...
        C
And you wonder ...
            G                     D
Where's the rhyme and ...

         Em               G             D
And it's you who cannot .....
            Am
To seek the wisdom of ..
        G        D/F#   C       G/B      D  Dsus4
And the graceful way of ...

        G                D/F#           C              G
For the children and the flowers are ....
      Em                 Bm               C              D
Their laughter and their ...
         G            D/F#              C             G
Like the music of the mountains ....
          Em             G
They're a ...
        D            G      Am  Dsus4 D
and the ...



           G               D/F#            C            G
Though the cities start to crumble ...
    Em            Bm              C               D
The sun is slowly fading and ...
      G                 D/F#          C                    G
It is written: From the desert to ...
       Em              G               D
By the hand and by the heart ...
         C                                 G              D
In their innocence and ...
        G                D/F#           C              G
For the children and the flowers are ...
      Em                 Bm               C              D
Their laughter and their loveliness ...
        G              C            D              G
And the song that I am singing is a ...
Em               G               D             C    (intro)  G
Come and stand beside us, ....

jwblair@ix.netcom.com

Send "rhymes_and_reasons-tab" Ringtone to your Cell