Written by Bob Dylan
Intro: A
F#m
Sixteen years,
A E F#m
Sixteen banners united over the fields
D E
While the good shepherd grieves
F#m A E
Desperate men, desperate women divided,
F#m D E A
Spreading their wings 'neath the falling leaves.
F#m
Fortune calls.
A E F#m
I stepped forth from the shadows, to the marketplace,
D E F#m
Merchants and thieves, hungry for power, my last deal gone down.
A E F#m
She's smelling sweet like the meadows where she was born,
D E A
On midsummer's eve, near the tower.
(Interlude)
F#m
The cold-blooded moon.
A E
The captain waits above the celebration
F#m D E
Sending his thoughts to a beloved maid
F#m A E
Whose ebony face is beyond communication.
F#m D E A
The captain is down but still believing that his love will be repaid.
F#m
They shaved her head.
A E
She was torn between Jupiter and Apollo.
F#m D E
A messenger arrived with a black nightingale.
F#m A E
I seen her on the stairs and I couldn't help but follow,
F#m D E A
Follow her down past the fountain where they lifted her veil.
(Interlude)
F#m
I stumbled to my feet.
A E
I rode past destruction in the ditches
F#m D E
With the stitches still mending 'neath a heart-shaped tattoo.
F#m A E
Renegade priests and treacherous young witches
F#m D E A
Were handing out the flowers that I'd given to you.
F#m
The palace of mirrors
A E
Where dog soldiers are reflected,
F#m D E
The endless road and the wailing of chimes,
F#m A E
The empty rooms where her memory is protected,
F#m D E A
Where the angels' voices whisper to the souls of previous times.
(Interlude)
F#m
She wakes him up
A E
Forty-eight hours later, the sun is breaking
F#m D E
Near broken chains, mountain laurel and rolling rocks.
F#m A E
She's begging to know what measures he now will be taking
F#m D E A
He's pulling her down and she's clutching on to his long golden locks.
F#m
Gentlemen, he said,
A E F#m
I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes,
D E
I've moved your mountains and marked your cards
F#m A E
But Eden is burning, either get brave for elimination
F#m D E A
Or else your hearts must have the courage for the changing of the guards.
(Interlude)
F#m
Peace will come
A E F#m
With tranquility and splendor on the wheels of fire
D E F#m
But will offer no reward when her false idols fall
A E F#m
And cruel death surrenders with its pale ghost retreating
D E A
Between the King and the Queen of Swords.
F#m A E
F#m
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The "Interlude" is:
Ab Eb C# Ab
e|----------------------------(repeat 3 times)-||-------------------------||
B|---------------------------------------------||-------------------------||
G|-4-6-7-6-6~---4-4~----2-2~-------------------||-4p2---2-2-2~-4p2---2-2~-||
D|---------------------------------------------||-----4------------4------||
A|------------------------------------------ --||-------------------------||
E|---------------------------------------------||-------------------------||
Full
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Half
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Half
key step down
Full
key step down
