Willard
‘Willard’
is the title track of the 1970 Capitol Records album, best re-release as BGO Records
double CD (2001) (together with the even better “California Bloodlines” (69) ).
This is a
great song.
Many of the
distinctive “bass run notes” are really played on the “middle strings,”
What John
plays sounds like the first G-sections as a G5 (no high E-string, add d-note
on B-string) plus the bass run, same at the end of the choruses. You´ll hear.
I myself
play ‘Willard’ in F without a capo. E asier to get the distinctive notes there.
Capo 4th
fret
(G)
Willard, he's a (G/F#)loner,
(G/E)
Living by the (G/D)railway,(G/E)(G/F#)(G)
Living
(G/F#)by (G/E)the (G/D)tracks
(G/B)Be(G)side
his (Am7)home.(D7)(D7/A)(D7)
[D7s: on
B-string, hammer on c pull off to b, 2x. Repeat where appropriate.]
(G)
Willard, he's a (G/F#)loner,
(G/E)If
you're going (G/D)his way,
Say
hel(Am7)lo, he ain't got (G)no one to call his (D7)own. (D7/A)(D7)
(G)
Soldiers of (G/F#)glass,
(G/E)
Standing by the (G/D)trash, (G/E)(G/F#)(G)
Willard's
(G/F#)co(G/E)loured (G/D)bottles
(G) In a
(Am)line. (D7)(D7/A)(D7/A)(D7)
(G)
Soldiers of (G/F#)glass,
It's
(G/E)funny you should (G)ask,
But they're
the (C)only friends he (G/B)has to pass the (D/A)time,
They're the
(G)only friends he (C)has to (D)pass the (G)time.(G7)
And his
(Am7)Mama knows that (D)he was once a (G)child,
(C) Mama,
she was the (D)first one to hear his (G)cry.
And my
(Am7)Mama knows that (D)I was (D7)once a (G)child,
Could it
(Am7)be we're all just (D)Willard in dis(G)guise?
Could it
(C)be we're all just (D)Willard (D7) in dis(G)guise?(G/F#) (G/E) (G/D)
I (G)hear
they're tearing (G/F#)down
All the
(G/E)buildings in his (G/D)town, (G/E)(G/F#)(G)
The house
(G/F#)where (G/E)Willard (G/D)Jeffer(G/B)son
(G)
(Am)Stayed.(D7)(D7/A)(D7)
But (G)they
can't tear him (G/F#)down,
No, he will
(G/E)always be a(G/D)round
'Cause he's
as (Am)hard as all that (D)old black (D7/A)river (G)clay. (G7)
Yet his
(Am7)Mama knows that (D)he was once a (G)child,
(C) Mama,
she was the (D)first one to hear his (G)cry.
And my
(Am7)Mama knows that (D)I was (D7)once a (G)child,
Could it
(Am7)be we're all just (D)Willard in dis(G)guise?
Could it
(C)be we're all just (D)Willard (D7) in dis(G)guise?
Oh,
Willard, he's a (G/F#)loner,
(G/E)
Living by the (G/D)railway,(G/E)(G/F#)(G)
Living
(G/F#)by (G/E)the (G/D)tracks
(G/B)Be(G)side
his (Am7)home.(D7)(D7/A)(D7/A)(D7)
(G)
Willard, he's a (G/F#)loner,
(G/E)If
you're going (G/D)his way,
Say
hel(Am7)lo,he ain't got (D)no one to (D7)call his (G)own.
(finger Am,
play [descending] c-b a-g e-d, then, on G-string slide from a to a# to b)
© John
Stewart, All Rights Reserved
janhauenstein@gmx.de, Charlie Woodward
and Art Faller
December 2004