Cody

 

Written by John Stewart

 

‘Cody’ is one of my favourite songs.  The imagery is astounding.  Even if you strip ‘Cody’ (don´t get any funny ideas, Charlie!  Charlie´s cat is named Cody) of the great melody, you still have an outstanding poem. 

John has recorded ‘Cody’ four times up to now, first on “Signals Through the Glass – The Songs of John Stewart and Buffy Ford”, Capitol Records, 1968, then on “The Phoenix Concerts”, RCA, 1974, re-released as CD (“The Complete Phoenix Concerts”) by Bear Family Records, then on “The Last Campaign”, Homecoming Records, 1985 (there´s also a CD with a different title, “American Hero”, NEC 1988), and finally on “John Stewart and Buffy Ford Live at the Turf Inn, Scotland”, Folk Era, 1996. 

We prepared two versions for you.

 

 

"American Hero" aka "Last Campaign" version

 

Capo 2nd fret

 

(G) (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string) (G,high notes run:

c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D)

(G) (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string) (G,high notes run:

c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D)

Cody (G)sang (G/F#)to (Em)me,

A (Am7)song about the (D7)great Montana (G)sky. (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string) (G,high notes run:c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D)

Cody (G)sang(G/F#) to (Em)me,

And (Am7)I could see Mon(D)tana in his (G)eyes, (G/F#) (Em)

(G7, pull off f to e)

(Am)I could see Mon(D7)tana in his (G)eyes. (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string)

(G,high notes run:c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D)

 

Cody’s (G)hair (G/F#)is (Em)long,

And (Am)dirty as the (D7)rivers of L.(G)A. (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string)

(G,high notes run:c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D)

Cody’s (G)mind (G/F#)is (Em)gone,

You (Am7)never know just (D)what he’s gonna (G)say, (G/F#) (Em) (G7)

No, you (Am7)never know just (D)what he’s gonna (G)say. (A)(D)(Em)

 

See him fall out on the (A)road,

Oh, (C)won’t you go and (D)help him on his (G)way? (A)(D)(Em)

See him fall out on the (A)road

The for(C5)gotten son of (D)some old yester(G)day,(G/F#) (Em)(G7pe)

The for(Am7)gotten son of (D)some old yester(G)day. (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string)

(G,high notes run:c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D) (hold)

 

Cody (G)starts (G/F#)to (Em)tell

(Am)How he led the (D)wagons to the (G)sea, (C6, hammer on C-note on B-string)

(G,high notes run:c pull off to b-c-b-a, last note already on…)(D)

Cody (G)starts (G/F#)to (Em)yell,

And he (Am7)waves his gnarled (D)hand to follow (G)me, (G/F#) (Em) (G7pe)

And he (Am7)waves his gnarled (D)hand to follow (G)me. (A)(D)(Em)

 

He’s been (C)living for so (Bm)long,

(C)Cody’s begging, (D)"Please, take me a(G)way." (A)(D)(Em)

He’s been (C)living for so (Bm)long,

The for(A)gotten son of (E4/G)some old yester(D7)day.(G7)

 

Cody (C)sang (C/B)to (Am)me,

A (F)song about the (G)great Montana (C)sky. (F)(G)

Cody (C)sang (C/B)to (Am)me,

And (F)I could see Mon(G)tana in his (C)eyes,(C/B) (Am7) (C6)

And (Dm)I could see Mon(G)tana,

(C)I could (Em7)see Mon(Am)tana,

I (F)swore I saw Mon(G)tana(hold)  in his (C)eyes. (F,f-e) (G) (C)

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

Charlie Woodward, Art Faller & janhauenstein@gmx.de

 

 

 

"Phoenix Concerts" version

 

Capo 2nd fret

 

(G)(G) (C, high notes run: e-e-d-c to…) (G, b-d-b-d)

(C, high notes run: e-e-d-c to…) (G, b-d-b-d)

(C, high notes run: e-e-d-c to…) (G, b-d-b-d) (D)

Cody (G)sang(G/F#) to (Em)me,

A (Am)song about the (D)great Montana (G)sky. (C)(D)

Cody (G)sang (G/F#)to (Em)me,

And (Am)I could see Mon(D)tana in his (G)eyes, (G/F#) (Em)

(Am)I could see Mon(D)tana in his (G)eyes.

(C, high notes run: e-e-d-c to…) (G, b-d-b-d) (D)

 

Cody’s (G)hair (G/F#)is (Em)long,

And (Am)dirty as the (D)rivers of L.(G)A. (C)(D)

Cody’s (G)mind (G/F#)is (Em)gone,

Ah, you (Am)never know just (D)what he’s gonna (G)say, (G/F#) (Em)

Yeah, you (Am)never know just (D)what he’s gonna (G)say. (A)(D)(Em)

 

See him fall out on the (A)road,

Oh, (C)won’t you go and (D)help him on his (G)way? (A)(D)(Em)

See him fall out on the (A)road

The for(C)gotten son of (D)some old yester(G)day,(G/F#) (Em)

The for(Am)gotten son of (D)some old yester(G)day.

(C, high notes run: e-e-d-c to…) (G, b-d-b-d) (D)

 

Cody (G)starts (G/F#)to (Em)tell

(Am)How he led the (D)wagons to the (G)sea, (C)(D)

Cody (G)starts (G/F#)to (Em)yell,

And he (Am)waves his gnarled (D)hand to follow (G)me, (G/F#) (Em)

And he (Am)waves his gnarled (D)hand to follow (G)me. (A)(D)(Em)

 

He’s been (C)living for so (Bm)long,

(C)Cody’s begging, (D)"Please, take me a(G)way." (A)(D)(Em)

He’s been (C)living for so (Bm)long,

The for(A)gotten son of (A/G)some old yester(D)day.

 

Cody (C)sang (C/B)to (Am)me,

A (F)song about the (G)great Montana (C)sky. (F)(G)

Cody (C)sang (C/B)to (Am)me,

And (F)I could see Mon(G)tana in his (C)eyes,(C/B)(Am)(Am/G)

(Dm7)I could see Mon(G)tana,

(C)I could see Mon(Am)tana,

(F)I could see Mon(G)tana(hold)  in his (C)eyes. (F,f-f-e) (G, d) (C)

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

janhauenstein@gmx.de, Charlie Woodward & Art Faller

 

2/2003