Star in the Black Sky Shining

Written by John Stewart

John's intro to this song in a concert goes along the following ....“If I had to do a concert and there was only one song you could do...well, it would be this one...Star in the Black Sky Shining...” ´Nuff said.

’Star in the Black Sky Shining’ is on the excellent “Havana” CD, Appleseed Recordings, 2003.

Thanks, Charlie, for doing most of the work.

Chords used:

A7 (short)

E-------------

B------2------

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

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

A-------------

EXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A7/4

E--------------

B-----------3--

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

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

A--------------

EXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Em11

E-------------

B-------------

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

D-------------

A-------------

EXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first beat is a note and the other two are chords. We have used small letters for the notes, example: (a) and the usual capital letters for the chords, example: (D). You keep your left hand in the (D) formation and just move the finger that plays the first beat bass note around. Then there's an occasional Em7, A7 or A7/4 at the end of the lines. Remember, small letters are single notes on the bass strings. Then two soft strums of the chord.

Capo 2nd fret

Intro: (D) - then, move the appropriate finger to make the note, playing the rest of the strings below the note for beats 2 & 3.

(d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a) (d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a)

(d)There was a (d)woman

I (c)saw on the (c)street,

I (b)swear she was (gb)(Em11)wearing

The (b)(Em7)moon on her (a)(A7) feet.

She (d)(D)said, "Do you (c)know me?"

And I (b)said, "I don't (bb)know."

She (g)(G)told me to (gb)(Em11)listen

And (b)(Em7)then I could (a)(A7)go. (A7/4) (A7)

And (d)(D)there was a (d)boy

Who I (c)found on the (c)road,

I (b)said, "Are you (gb)(Em11)lost

With (b)(Em7)nowhere to (a)(A7)go?"

And he (d)(D)said, "No I'm (c)not,

I be(b)lieve that you (bb)are."

And he (g)(G)told me to (gb)(Em11)sit

On the (b)(Em7)hood of the (a)(A7)car. (A7/4) (A7)

He said, (g)(G)"I am the (a)(A7)course

That the (d)(D)river is (d)winding,

And (g)(G)I am the (d)(D)horse

That the (e)(Em7)angel is (a)(A7)riding,

And (g)(G)I am the (a)(A7)source

Of the (d)(D)love you are (g)(G6)finding.

Do you (e)(Em7)know who I (gb)(Em11)am?

It is (a)(A7)blinding, (A7/4)(A7)

(g)(G)I am the (d)(D)star (a)(A7) (A7/4) (A7) (hold)

In the (a)(A7)black sky (d)(D)shining."

(d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a) (d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a)

(d)(D)There was a (d)dog

Who had (c)followed me (c)home,

(b)He was not (gb)(Em11)young,

But (b)(Em7)not fully (a)(A7)grown.

And he (d)(D)said, “Do you (c)know me?

We (b)spoke on the (bb)phone,

(g)(G)I was a (gb)(Em11)king

And the (b)(Em7)world is my (a)(A7)throne.” (A7/4) (A7)

He said, (g)(G)”I am the (a)(A7)flame

In the (d)(D)heat of the fire,

And (g)(G)I am to (d)(D)blame

For the (e)(Em7)tongue of the (a)(A7)liar,

And (g)(G)I am the (a)(A7)same

As the (d)(D)birds on the (g)(G6)wire.

Do you (e)(Em7)know who I (gb)(Em11)am?

It is (a)(A7)blinding, (A7/4)(A7)

(g)(G)I am the (d)(D)star (a)(A7) (A7/4) (A7)

In the black sky (d)(D)shining.”

(d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a) (d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a)

And (d)there was a (d)thief

Who was (c)tied to a (c)pole,

At his (b)feet was a (gb)(Em11)list

Of the (b)(Em7)things that he (a)(A7)stole.

And I (d)(D)said, “I am (c)only

(b)Playing a (bb)role.”

And he (g)(G)asked if I (gb)(Em11)dared

Look (b)(Em)deep in his (a)(A7)soul.(A7/4) (A7)

He said, (g)(G)”I am the (a)(A7)heart

Of the (d)(D)warrior child,(d)

And (g)(G)I am the (gb)(Em11)moment

That the (e)(Em7)beast becomes (a)(A7)mild,

And (g)(G)I am the (a)(A7)part

Of the (d)(D)soul that is (g)(G)wild.

Do you (e)(Em7)know who I (gb)(Em11)am?

It is (a)(A7)blinding,

(g)(G)I am the (d)(D)star (a)(A7) (A7/4) (A7) (hold)

In the black sky (d)(D)shining, oh.

(d) (c) (b-b-a) (d) (c) (a-hammer-b-g-a)

And I (c)(C)come from the (b)(Em)light,

It is (a)(A7)blinding, (A7/4)

For (g)(G)I am the (a)(A7/4)star (A7)

In the black sky (d)(D)shining, (c)oh. (b)

(middle g)(D4)Mm (middle f#)(D)Mm

(middle e)(A4)Mm (d)(D)Mm.

Charlie Woodward, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Art Faller

Here comes a little surprise version. We have reason to believe that when John played “Star” live in recent years, it went something like this:

Intro in single notes d..c..b a g a with a little “brush” on the strings in (D)formation, switching to (A) formation at the end,

or:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D, highlight d-note) (D7, highlight c) (D6, highlight b) single notes

on G-string: a g a; repeat

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

That continues into the verse as d c b a

(D/d)There was a (D7/c)woman I (D6/b)saw on the (single note a)street,

I (D/d)swear she was (D7/c)wearing the (D6/b)moon on her (a)feet.

She (D/d)said, “Do you (D7/c)know me?” I (D6/b)said, “ I don´t (a)know.”

She (G)told me to (D)listen, and (A)then I could (D)go..

She said, (G)”I am the (Em)course that the (A)river is (D)winding,

(G)I am the (Em)horse that the (A)angel is (D)riding,

(G)I am the (D)source of the (A)love you are (Bm)finding, (A)

Do you (C)know who I (C/B)am?

It is (A)blinding,

(G)I am the (D)star

In the (A)black sky (D/d)shining.” (D7/c) (D6/b)

(single notes on G-string: a g a)

(D/d)There was a (D7/c)boy who I (D6/b)found (a)on (g)the (a)road,

I (D/d)said. “Are you(D7/c) lost with (D6/b)no(a)where (g)to (a)go?”

He (D/d)said, “No, I´m (D7/c)not, but I be(D6/b)lieve that you (a)are.”

And he (G)told me to (D)sit on the (A)hood of the (D)car.

He said, (G)“I am to (Em)blame for the (A)tongue of the (D)liar,

And (G)I am the (Em)flame in the (A)heat of the(D)fire,

And (G)I am the (D)same as the (A)birds on the (Bm)wire, (A)

Do you (Cknow who I (C/B)am?

It is (A)blinding,

(G)I am the (D)star

In the (A)black sky (D/d)shining.” (D7/c) (D6/b)

(single notes on G-string: a g a)

(D/d) (D7/c) (D6/b) (single notes on G-string a g a)

(D/d)There was a (D7/c)dog who had (D6/b)followed me (a)home,

(D/d)He was not (D7/c)young, but he was (D6/b)not fully (a)grown.

He (D/d)said, “Do you (D7/c)know me?” We (D6/b)spoke on the (a)phone,

He said, (G)”I am a (D)king and the (A)world is my (D)throne.”

He said, (G)“I am the (Em)cry of the (A)woman who´s (D)dying,

(G)I am the (Em)wings of the (A)sparrow who´s (D)flying,

And (G)I am the (D)hope of the (A)child who is (Bm)crying. (A)

And I (C)come from the (C/B)light,

It is (A)blinding.

(G)I am the (D)star

In the (A)black sky (D/d)shining.” (D7/c) (D6/b)

(single notes on G-string: a g a )

(D/d) (D7/c) (D6/b) (single notes on G-string: a g a)

(D/d)There was a (D7/c)thief who was (D6/b)tied to a (a)pole,

At his (D/d)feet was a (D7/c)list of the (D6/b)things that he (a)stole.

He (D/d)said, "I am (D7/c)only (D6/b)playing a (a)role",

And he (G)asked if I (D)dared look (A)deep in his (D)soul.

He said, (G)"I am the (Em)heart of the (A)warrior (D)child,

And (G)I am the (Em)moment the (A)beast becomes (D)mild,

And (G)I am a (D)part of the (A)soul that is (Bm)wild, (A)

And (C)I am the (C/B)answers

You´re (A)finding.

(G)I am the (D)star in the (A)black sky (D)shining,

(D/d)I am the (D7/c)star (D6/b) (single notes: d c# g a)

In the black sky (D/d)shining.” (D7/c) (D6/b) (single notes: a b c# d)

Charlie Woodward, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Art Faller

5/2003