Cowboy in the Distance

Written by John Stewart

This is what Tom De Lisle wrote about the “Havana”-CD version of ‘Cowboy in the Distance’: "I've marvelled previously how John could take ‘Cowboy’, one of his studio gems of the recent past, a classic, and make it into a somewhat different song that is newly affecting in its own right. It's the same song but it's not, ya know? And such a standout.”

He´s right, you know. ‘Cowboy in the Distance’ is on “Buster”, Neon Dreams, 2000, identical version on “Johnny Moonlight”, same label, same year. There is a fine live version on the double CD “Front Row Music – Before the War”, Neon Dreams, 2001. And the song is on the “Havana”-CD, Appleseed Recordings, 2003.

We have prepared two versions for you, first the “Havana”-CD version, where we concentrated on the capoed-up guitar (left channel) – but we have thrown in some notes from the other guitar and the banjo, too. Some of the high-notes runs are really played on the “middle strings”, you´ll hear which ones. Scroll down – there´s the version from “Buster” and “Johnny Moonlight”. I think the latter might be preferrable when you play and sing solo.

From the “Havana”-CD:

E--------3------

B--1------------

G-----2---------

D--------3------

A-------(3)-----

E--1------------

E--------3------

B--1------------

G---------------

D-----2---------

A--------3------

E-X-------------

Capo 7 th fret

She's (C)running through the (G)cornfields (F)of New York City,
And I'm (C)driving by the (G)cornfields (Dm) of Illinois.(G)
And I (Cj7)wonder how the (G)dream feels (F)in New York (Dm7)City,
The (C)same as the (Am)dream that I (F)had in Illi(G)nois.
(single notes on G-string: a-b-a-g)

And she's (C)skating down the (G)backroads (F)of Joplin, Missouri,
(C)Skating down the (G)avenues of (Dm)New York City, (G)too.
And I (Cj7)wonder how the (G)wheels sound in (F)Joplin, Mis(Dm7)souri?
The (C)same as the (Am)sweet singing (F)wheels in (G)New York (C)do.

And she (G)shines like a (Am)diamond (highlight a-c g-b)
To this (F)runner(G) in the (C)night.(highlight e-c-g)
I'm a (G)cowboy in the (Am)distance,(bass run:F-E-D-C-A)(hold)
Waiting for the (C)light. (F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)(F/A)

There's a (C)girl who's in (G)love in (F)Joplin, Missouri,
There's a (C)girl who's in (G)love in (Dm)New York just the (G)same,

In (Cj7)love with the (G)boy out (F)chasing his (Dm7)dreams,
In (C)love with a (Am)boy, and she (F)never knew his (G)name.
(b-hammer on c-pull off to b, on B-string) (hold)

There's a (C)telephone that's (G)ringing (F) in Joplin, Missouri,
There's a (C)telephone that's (G)ringing in (Dm)New York plain as (G)day.
(Cj7)Waiting for a (G)call in (F)Joplin, in Man(Dm7)hattan, yeah,
(C)Waiting for a (Am)call from the (F)boy who (G)ran a(C)way.

And she (G)shines like a (Am)diamond(e-c-a-e-e-c-a, partly on next words)
To this (F)runner(G) in the (C)night.(e-g-e-d-e-d-c)
And I'm a (G)cowboy in the (Am)distance,(bass run: E-F-E-D)(C5)(hold)
Just (G)waiting for the (C)light.(G) (F) (C) (G) (Dm) (G)

(Cj7) (G) (F) (Dm7) (C) (Am) (F) (G) (hold)

She's (C)running through the (G)cornfields (F) of New York City,
And I'm (C)driving by the (G)cornfields of Mis(Dm)souri, it seems.(G)
(Cj7)Wonder if she (G)knows there's a (F)cowboy in the (Dm7)distance,
And I (C)wonder if she (Am)knows that she's (F)in the (G)cowboy's (C)dreams?

And she (G)shines like a (Am)diamond (G)(Am)
To this (F)runner(G) in the (C)night.(f-e-c)
I'm a (G)cowboy in the (Am)distance,(bass run: F-E-D-C)(F/A)

(G)Waiting for the (Am)light.(c-e-c, c-e-c, c-e-c)

And she (G)shines like a (Am)diamond (e-g-e-d-c)

To this (F)runner(G) in the (C)night.(e-g-e-g-e-d-c)

I´m a (G)cowboy in the (Am)distance,(e-g-e-d-c-b-a) (hold)

Just (G)waiting for the (C)light.(g--e-f-e-d-c-b-a(on F-chord))

(C, g--e-f-e-d-c-b-g(on F9-chord))

Just (G)waiting for the (C5)light. (C/E)(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)(F/A)

Just (G)waiting for the light.(C5) (C/E)(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)

(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)

(C5) (C/E)(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)

(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C)(F)(C/E)(Dm7)(C) (C5)

janhauenstein@gmx.de & Art Faller

This is the version from “Buster” and “Johnny Moonlight”

(G, highlight high g-note) (D/F#, highlight f#-e-d) (C, highlight e)

(G) (D/F#) (C) (G) (D/F#) (C) (G) (D/F#) (C)
She's (G)running through the (D/F#)cornfields of (C)New York City,
I'm (G)driving by the (D/F#)cornfields of (C)Illinois.(D)
I (G)wonder how the (D/F#)dream feels (C)in New York City,
It´s the (G)same as the (Em)dream that I (Am7)had in Illi(D)nois.

She's (G)skating on the (D/F#)backroads of (C) Joplin, Missouri,
She's (G)skating on the (D/F#)avenues of (C)New York City, too.(D)
(G)How do the (D/F#)wheels sound in (C)Joplin, Missouri?
(G)Same as the (Em)sweet singing (Am7)wheels in (D7)New York (G)do.

And she (D)shines like a (Em)diamond
To this (C)runner(D) in the (G)night.
I'm a (D)cowboy in the (Em)distance,(bass run: E-D-B-D)(C)
(D)Waiting for the (G)light.(D/F#) (C) (G) (D/F#) (C)

There's a (G)girl who's in (D/F#)love in (C)Joplin, Missouri,
There's a (G)girl who's in (D/F#)love in (C)New York just the same,(D)
In (G)love with the (D/F#)boys out (C)chasing their dreams,
In (G)love with a (Em)boy, and she (Am7)hardly knows his (D)name.

There's a (G)telephone that's (D/F#)ringing in (C) Joplin, Missouri,
There's a (G)telephone that's (D/F#)ringing in (C)New York plain as (D)day.
(G)Waiting for a (D/F#)call in (C)New York in the city,
(G)Waiting for a (Em)call from the (Am7)boy who (D)went a(G)way.

And they (D)shine like a (Em)diamond
To this (C)runner(D) in the (G)night.
I'm a (D)cowboy in the (Em)distance,(bass run:E-D-B-D)(C)
Just (D)waiting for the (G)light.(D/F#) (C) (G) (D/F#) (C)
(G) (D/F#) (C) (G) (D/F#) (C) (D)(G) (D/F#) (C) (G) (Em) (Am7) (D)

She's (G)running through the (D/F#)cornfields of (C)New York City,
I'm (G)driving by the (D/F#)cornfields of Mis(C)souri, it seems.(D)
I (G)wonder if she (D/F#)knows there's a (C)cowboy in the distance,
I (G)wonder if she (Em)knows that she's (Am7)in the (D7)cowboy's (G)dreams?

And she (D)shines like a (Em)diamond
To this (C)runner(D) in the (G)night.
I'm a (D)cowboy in the (Em)distance,(bass run:E-D-B-D)(C)
Just (D)waiting for the (G)light.(D/F#) (C) (D) (G)
(D) Cowboy in the (Em)distance,(bass run:E-D-B-D)(C) (D) (G) (D) (G)
Just a (D)cowboy in the (Em)distance,(bass run:E-D-B-D)(C)
(D) Waiting for the (G)light,(D) (Em)(bass run:E-D-B-D)(C)
(D) (G) (D) (G) (D) (G) (bass run:E-D-B-D)(C)
(D)Waiting for the (G)light.

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

janhauenstein@gmx.de, Art Faller & Charlie Woodward

December 2004