The Eyes of Sweet Virginia

Written by John Stewart

‘The Eyes of Sweet Virginia’ is from “Blondes”, Allegiance Records (1982), re-released as CD by Line Records (1990). There´s a fine live version on the double CD “Front Row Music- Before the War”, Neon Dreams (2001). John plays the song in the key of C both times.

(C)(C/B)(Am)(C)(F)(G)(C)(C/B)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(C)(Dm7) (G)

(C)(C/A)(C)(F)(G) (“Bass” run, starting on “empty” G-string:GEDCB)

(C)(C/B)(C)

For the eyes of sweet Vir(Dm7/C)ginia

Were (C)headlights on the (Dm7/C)road,

A (C)beacon (C/B)for the (Am)weary (C)heart

That (Dm7)hardens (Dm7/C)as it (G)goes.

In the (C)eyes of sweet Vir(Dm7/C)ginia

The (C)fields of Kansas (Dm7/C)lay

And (C)stretched to (C/B)Cali(Am)fornia,(C)

A (Dm7)hope for (Dm7/C)better (G)days.

Mm,(C)hang (C/B)on (Am)dreams,(C)

(Dm7)you ain't (G)seen it (C)all,(C/B)

(Dm7/C)I just want it (G)all.

And (C)I will (C/B)search for(Am)ever,(C)

(Dm7)Here a(Dm7/C)mong the (G)stones,

Oh, to (C)find (C/D)a (C)girl (G/B) (hold)

Who looks like (C)ho(C/B)o(Am)ome.(C) (Dm7-5th fret-)(G)(C)(C/B)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(C)(Dm7)(Dm7/C) (G)

And the (C)one-night stands are the (Dm7/C)lost patrol

Of the (C)taxi dancer (Dm7/C)days,

And (C)rock´n (C/B)roll's a (Am)sailor,(C)

In (Dm7)port for (Dm7/C)just a (G)day.

In the (C)eyes of sweet Vir(Dm7/C)ginia

Was (C)something I had (Dm7/C)lost,

It's (C)something (C/B)how your (Am)life will (C)fall,

is to (Dm7)how the (Dm7/C)heart is (G)tossed.

Mm, (C)hang (C/B)on (Am)dreams,(C)

(Dm7)you ain't (G)seen it (C)all,(C/B)

(Dm7/C)I just want it (G)all.

And (C)I will (C/B)search for(Am)ever,(C)

(Dm7)Here a(Dm7/C)mong the (G)stones,

Oh, to (C)find (C/D)a (C)girl (G/B) (hold)

Who looks like (C)ho(C/B)o(Am)ome.(C) (Dm7-5th fret-)(G)(C)(C/B)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(C)(Dm7)(Dm7/C) (G)

(C)(C/A)(C)(F)(G) (“Bass” run like intro)(C)(C/B)(C)

For the eyes of sweet Vir(Dm7/C)ginia

Were (C)headlights on the (Dm7/C)road,

A (C)beacon (C/B)for the (Am)weary (C)heart

That (Dm7)hardens (Dm7/C)as it (G)goes.

In the (C)eyes of sweet Vir(Dm7/C)ginia

The (C)fields of Kansas (Dm7/C)lay

And (C)stretched to (C/B)Cali(Am)fornia,(C)

A (Dm7)hope for (Dm7/C)better (G)days.

Mm,(C)hang (C/B)on (Am)dreams,(C)

(Dm7)you ain't (G)seen it (C)all,(C/B)

(Dm7/C)I just want it (G)all.

And (C)I will (C/B)search for(Am)ever,(C)

(Dm7)Here a(Dm7/C)mong the (G)stones,

Oh, to (C)find (C/D)a (C)girl (G/B) (hold)

Who looks like (C)ho(C/B)o(Am)ome.(C) (Dm7-5th fret-)(G)(C)(C/B)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(C)(Dm7)(Dm7/C) (G)

And (C)I will (C/B)search for(Am)ever,(C)

(Dm7)Here a(Dm7/C)mong the (G)stones,

Oh, to (C)find (C/D)a (C)girl (G/B) (hold)

Who looks like (C)ho(C/B)o(Am)ome.(C) (Dm7-5th fret-)(G)(Bass run:EDCB)(C)

Charlie Woodward and janhauenstein@gmx.de

Charlie Woodward plays the song in G, but you hear C, too-

Capo 5th fret! Here´s what he says:

I use the (Am7/G) more than regular (C) to maintain that

dominant G bass line in the song.

If fingerpicking, stay near the top. The D chords have

that little trill from the 1st & 2nd strings, but through

most of it the bass notes dominate.

The Eyes of Sweet Virginia

John Stewart

Capo 5th

(G)(G/Gb)(Em)(G)(C)(D)(G)

(G/Gb)(Em)(G)(Am7) (D)

(G)(G/Gb (Em)(G)(Am7) (D)

(G)(C)(D) (single notes b-a-g-f#-a played on bass strings) (G)(G/Gb)(G)

For the eyes of sweet Vir(Am7/G)ginia

Were (G)headlights on the (Am7/G)road,

A (G)beacon (G/Gb)for the (Em)weary (G)heart

That (Am7)hardens (Am7/G)as it (D)goes.

In the (G)eyes of sweet Vir(Am7/G)ginia,

The (G)fields of Kansas (Am7/G)lay

And (G)stretched to (G/Gb)Cali(Em)fornia,(G)

A (Am7)hope for (Am7/G)better (D)days.

Mm,(G)hang (G/Gb)on (G)dreams,

(Am7)You ain't (D)seen it (G)all,(G/Gb)

(G)And I (G/Gb)don't want (Em)much,(G)

(Am7)I just want it (D)all.

And (G)I will (G/Gb)search for (Em)ever,(G)

(Am7)Here a (Am7/G)mong the (D)stones,

Oh, to (G)find (G/A)a (C)girl (D) (hold)

Who looks like (G)ho(G/Gb)oh(Em)me.(G)(Am7)(D)(G)(G/Gb)

(G)(G/Gb)(Em)(G)(Am7)(Am7/G)(D)

And the (G)one-night stands are the (Am7/G)lost patrol

Of the (G)taxi dancer (Am7/G)days,

And (G)rock´n (G/Gb)roll's a (Em)sailor,(G)

In (Am7)port for just a (D)day.

In the (G)eyes of sweet Vir(Am7/G)ginia

Was (G)something I had (Am7/G)lost,

It's (G)something (G/Gb)how your (Em)life will (G)fall,

Is to (Am7)how the (Am7/G)heart is (D)tossed.

Mm,(G)hang (G/Gb)on (Em)dreams,(G)

(Am7/G)you ain't (D)seen it (G)all,(G/Gb)

(G)And I (G/Gb)don't want (Em)much,(G)

(Am7)I just want it (D)all.

And (G)I will (G/Gb)search for(Em)ever(G)

(Am7)Here (Am7/G)among the (D)stones,

Oh, to (G)find (G/A)a (C)girl(D) (hold)

Who looks like (G)ho(G/Gb)oh(Em)ome.( G)(Am7)(D)(G)(G/Gb)

(G)(G/Gb)(Em)(G)(Am7)(D)

(G)(C)(D) (single notes b-a-gb-played on bass strings)(G)(G/Gb)(G)

For the eyes of sweet Vir(Am7/G)ginia

Were (G)headlights on the (Am7/G)road,

A (G)beacon (G/Gb)for the (Em)weary (G)heart

That (Am7)hardens (Am7/G)as it (D)goes.

In the (G)eyes of sweet Vir(Am7/G)ginia,

The (G)fields of Kansas (Am7/G)lay

And (G)stretched to (G/Gb)Cali(Em)fornia,(G)

A (Am7)hope for (G)better (D)days.

Mm, (G)hang (G/Gb)on (Em)dreams,(G)

(Am7/G)You ain't (D)seen it (G)all,(G/Gb)

(G)And I (G/Gb)don't want (Em)much,(G)

(Am7)I just want it (D)all.

And (G)I will (G/Gb)search for(Em)ever,(G)

(Am7)here (Am7/G)among the (D)stones,

Oh, to (G)find (G/A)a (C)girl(D) (hold)

Who looks like (G)ho(G/Gb)oh(Em)ome.(G)(Am7)(D)(G)(G/Gb)

(G)(G/Gb)(Em)

(G)(Am7)(Am7/G)(D)

And (G)I will (G/Gb)search for(Em)ever,(G)

(Am7)Here (Am7/G)among the (D)stones,(hold)

Oh, to (G)find (G/A)a (C)girl (D) (hold)

Who looks like (G)ho(G/Gb)oh(Em)ome.(G)(Am7)(D)(single notes c-b-a-g-f#)(G)

Charlie Woodward

And now, ladies and gentlemen, here comes something

John does not play - but it works, too.

I´ll probably continue playing this free adaptation

(I guess I learned the song “from memory”).

The Eyes of Sweet Virginia John Stewart

(For the intro, hum chorus so you know which “length”

the chords have)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(Am/E) (F) (G)(G/B)(C)

(G)(G/B)(Am)(Am/E) (F) (G/D)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(Am/E) (F) (G/D)

(G)(G/B)(C)(C/B)(Am)(Am/G) (F) (G) (C)(F)(C)

For the eyes of sweet (C/E)Vir(F)ginia

Were (C/E)headlights (F)on the (C)road,

A beacon (C/B)for the (Am7)weary heart

That (F)hardens (C/E)as it (G/D)goes.

In the (C)eyes of sweet (C/E)Vir(F)ginia,

The (C/E)fields of (F)Kansas (C)lay

And stretched to (C/B)Cali(Am7)fornia,

A (F)hope for better (G)days.

Mm, (C)hang (C/B)on (Am)dreams,(Am/E)

(F) You ain't (G)seen (G/B)it (C)all,

And I (G)don't (G/B)want (Am)much,(Am/E)

(F)I just want it (G/D)all.

And (C)I will (C/B)search fo(Am)rever,(Am/E)

(F) Here among the (G/D)stones,

(G)Oh, (G/B)to (C)find (C/B)a (Am)girl (Am/G)(F) (G) (hold)

Who looks like (C)home..(C/B)(Am)(Am/G)(F) (G)

And the (C)one-night stands (C/E)are the (F)lost patrol

Of the (C/E)taxi-(F)dancer (C)days,

And rock´n (C/B)roll's a (Am7)sailor,

In (F)port for (C/E)just a (G/D)day.

In the (C)eyes of sweet (C/E)Vir(F)ginia

Was (C/E)something (F)I had (C)lost,

It's something (C/B)how your (Am7)life will fall,

Is to (F)how the heart is (G)tossed.

Mm, (C)hang (C/B)on (Am)dreams,(Am/E)

(F) You ain't (G)seen (G/B)it (C)all,

And I (G)don't (G/B)want (Am)much,(Am/E)

(F) I just want it (G/D)all.

And (C)I will (C/B)search fo(Am)rever,(Am/E)

(F) Here among the (G/D)stones,

(G)Oh, (G/B)to (C)find (C/B)a (Am)girl(Am/G)(F) (G) (hold)

Who looks like (C)home..(C/B)(Am)(Am/G)(F) (G)

(C)(C/B)(Am)(Am/E)(F) (G/D)

(G)(G/B)(C)(C/B(/Am)(Am/G)(F) (G)

(C)(C/B)/Am)(Am/G)

For the (C)eyes of sweet (C/E)Vir(F)ginia

Were (C/E)headlights (F)on the (C)road,

A beacon (C/B)for the (Am7)weary heart

That (F)hardens (C/E)as it (G/D)goes.

In the (C)eyes of sweet (C/E)Vir(F)ginia,

The (C/E)fields of (F)Kansas (C)lay

And stretched to (C/B)Cali(Am7)fornia,

A (F)hope for better (G)days.

Mm, (C)hang (C/B)on (Am)dreams,(Am/E)

(F) You ain't (G)seen (G/B)it (C)all,

And I (G)don't (G/B)want (Am)much,(Am/E)

(F) I just want it (G/D)all.

And (C)I will (C/B)search for(Am)ever,(Am/E)

(F) Here among the (G/D)stones,

(G)Oh, (G/B)to (C)find (C/B)a (Am)girl(Am/G)(F) (G) (hold)

Who looks like (C)home...(C/B)(Am)(Am/G) (F) (G)

And (C)I will (C/B)search for(Am)ever,(Am/E)

(F) Here among the (G/D)stones, (hold)

(G)Oh, (G/B)to (C)find (C/B)a (Am)girl(Am/G)(F) (G) (hold)

Who looks like (C)home.(C/B)(Am)(Am/G)(F) (G)(G/B)(C)

janhauenstein@gmx.de

2002