Bolinas

 

Written by John Stewart

 

'Bolinas' is a song I love very much.  It´s on “The Lonesome Picker Rides Again” (Warner Brothers, 1971, re-released as CD by Line Records,  1990) and also on “John Stewart and Buffy Ford Live at the Turf Inn, Scotland” (Folk Era, 1996).  The guitar accompaniment is absolutely beautiful and it´s well worth your while to try to play the delicate interweaving of little single note runs, picking patterns and chords.  I promise it´s not as difficult as it looks at first glance.  For those who lose patience and for those who can´t play it this way, an “easy guitar” version is provided below.  Put a capo on the fourth fret for the “Picker” version ( which is the one we did) and on the third fret for the one from “Turf Inn”.  And, before you get your greedy fingers on this beauty, a word about Mr. Charles Woodward.  I had always supposed these runs and patterns were too difficult for me so I never really tried to play it the way John and Fred “The Flash” Carter did.  Sent the song to Charlie.  Back it came.  There were all those pretty little runs and patterns.  Not as difficult as they sounded.  I added a little something here and there, and now we´ve got a version that is very close to the  way the song was played (at least we think so).  Good ears, great job, Charlie.  The last word goes to my team partner:  "This is a beautiful  song... downright haunting when sung by the right person (Buffy)."

        Fj7
E-----------------
B-1---------------
G---2-------------
D-----3-----------
A-----------------
E-----------------

         Fj9
E-----3-----------
B-1---------------
G---2-------------
D-----3-----------
A-----------------
E-----------------

    "short" Bm7
E---2-------------
B-----------------
G---2-------------
D-----------------
A---2-------------
E-----------------

Capo 4th fret

Single notes on D, G and B-string: f# g b f# g b f# g b
f# e d (C)(accentuate notes on high strings) e e (Em7/B) d e
(Am) c (single notes:)e e d b (D) d e (Am) c d (Em) b
g a-(hammer on and pull off)- g (D-string:)f# (Em)  
(start pattern on D, G and B-string for first part of verse:)

B--------open-------open-------
G---open-------open------------
D-2-----------4-----------------

e g b f# g b  
(e)Time(g)in (b)Bo(f#)li(g)nas
(b)Is (e)so (g)ve(b)ry (f#)small,(g) (b)
The (e)clock(g)on (b)the (f#)court(g)house
(b)Ain't (e)wor(g)king (b)at (f#)all, (g) (b)
And the (Am7)Mayor of Bolinas
(Am/C)Is (Am)digging for clams,
But (Fj7)folks in Bolinas,(D)(hold)
They don't give a (begin pattern: e..)damn.
(continue pattern:) g b e g b e g b e g b  
(no f# movement this time)

(new pattern on D, G and B-strings for first part of verse,
bass notes G (5th fret), F# (4th fret), E (2nd fret) and
D (play the string open), all played on the D-string:)

B---------open--------open---------open-----------open----
G----open--------open---------open-----------open---------
D-5th---------4th----------2nd-----------open--------------

(5)Two little (4)figures,
(2)Far down the (open)road,
(5)Chasing the (4)trains
As (2)far as they (open)go,
But the (Am)train disappears
In (Am/C)its (Am)own westward dot,
And the (Fj7)two little figures
Now (Fj9)stand on the (D)spot
Where (G)all that (Bm7)mighty (Em)iron
(G7)Had (C)ro(C/B)lled.(Am)
(high notes run on B and G-string:) b d b g aa b c b g a (hold)
And the track now is (begin pattern: e…)cold.
(continue pattern on D, G and B-string:) g b f# g b e g b f# g b
 
When the (Am7)world
(D) Was spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am7)wind(Am7/G)
(D/F#) Carry it (G)on …
(high notes run on B and G-string: b b-c c-d b-a-g)

When the (Am7)world (Am/G)
(D/F#) was spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am7)wind (Am/G) (D/F#) (hold)
Carry it (begin pattern: e…)on …
(continue pattern on D, G and B-string:)g b f# g b e g b f# g b

(e)Time(g)in (b)Bo(f#)li(g)nas
(b)is (e)so (g)ve(b)ry (f#)small …g b e g b f# g b e g b f# g b

When the (Am7)world
(D) Was spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am7)wind(Am7/G)
(D/F#) Carry it (G)on …
(high notes run on B and G-string: b b-c c-d b-a-g)

When the (Am7)world (Am/G)
(D/F#) was spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am7)wind (Am/G) (D/F#) (hold)
Carry it (begin pattern: e…)on …
(continue pattern on D, G and B-string:) g b f# g b e g b f# g b

(e)Time(g)in (b)Bo(f#)li(g)nas
(b)Is (e)so (g)ve(b)ry (f#)small,(g) (b)
The (e)clock(g)on (b)the (f#)court(g)house
(b)Ain't (e)wor(g)king (b)at (f#)all, (g) (b)
And the (Am7)Mayor of Bolinas
(Am/C)Is (Am)digging for clams,
But (Fj7)folks in Bolinas,(D)(hold)
They don't give a (begin pattern: e…)damn.
(continue pattern:) g b f# g b e g b f# g b e g b f# g b f# g b e

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

janhauenstein@gmx.de & Charlie Woodward
 

"Easy guitar version" (You can even leave out the bass and high notes runs - still sounds good)


Capo 4th fret

(Em)  (bass run E D B)(C)(C/B)(Am)(high notes run e e d b d)
(C)(Cj7)  (high notes run a g f#)(Em)
Time in Bolinas is so very small,
The clock on the courthouse ain't working at all,
And the (Am)Mayor of Bolinas (Am/C)is (Am)digging for clams,
But (Fj7)folks in Bolinas,(D) (hold)
They don't give a (Em)damn.

Two little figures far down the road,
Chasing the trains as far as they go,
But the (Am)train disappears in (Am/C)its (Am)own westward dot
And the (Fj7)two little figures now (Fj9)stand on the spot
Where (G)all that (Bm7)mighty (Em)iron (G7)
Had (C)ro(C/B)lled…(Am) (high notes run b d b g a) (hold)
And the track now is (Em)cold.

When the (C)world(C/B)(Am)  
Was (D7)spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am)wind(Am/G)(Am/F#)
(D7)Carry it (G)on…(C)(G)
When the (C)world(C/B)(Am)
Was (D7)spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am)wind(Am/G)(AmF#) (hold)
Carry it (Em)on.

Time in Bolinas is so very small…

When the (C)world(C/B)(Am)
Was (D7)spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am)wind(Am/G)(Am/F#)
(D7)Carry it (G)on…(C)(G)
When the (C)world(C/B)(Am)
Was (D7)spinning a (G)song,(G/F#)(Em)
And it whistled (Em/B)the (Am)wind(Am/G)(Am/F#) (hold)
Carry it (Em)on.

Time in Bolinas is so very small,
The clock on the courthouse ain't working at all,
And the (Am)Mayor of Bolinas (Am/C)is (Am)digging for clams,
But (Fj7)folks in Bolinas,(D) (hold)
They don't give a (Em)damn.

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

janhauenstein@gmx.de