You Can´t Look Back

 

Written by John Stewart

 

John recorded ‘You Can´t Look Back’ three times, first for “California Bloodlines”, Capitol, 1969, best CD re-release is the double CD “California Bloodlines/Willard”, Beat Goes On, 2001. 

The version you´ll find below is from “The Phoenix Concerts”, double LP, RCA, 1974, CD re-release as  “The Complete Phoenix Concerts” (with two bonus tracks), Bear Family Records, 1990.  Same song also on “Forgotten Songs of Some Old Yesterday”, RCA compilation LP, 1980 (currently unavailable).   

The latest recording is on “A Night at Jimmy Duke´s – Johnny And The Nasty Britches”, Neon Dreams, 2002. 

In the key of C every time.  You can´t look back!  Well, you can, but you shouldn´t do it too often.  And if you do, Don´t Look Back In Anger.  Great song.   

Play it.

 

 

(C)(hold)

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back

(G) When you're moving (C)on,

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back,

Buddy, you got to (G)go and sing your(C)song.

(Bass notes C-B-A to...)

 

(G) Where did they go

(Bass notes B-A-G to...)

(F) All the good times I used to (C)know?

(Bass notes C-B-A to...)

(G) Long time ago

(Bass notes B-A-G to...)

(F)I loved a woman,

I loved a woman, never let her (C)know.

 

You can't look (Dm)back

(G) When you're moving (C)on,

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back,

Buddy, you got to (G)go and sing your (C)song.

Hey, you can't look (Dm)back

(G) When you're moving (C)on,

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back,

Buddy, you got to (G)go and sing your (C)song.(F)(C)

(Bass notes C-B-A to...)

 

(G) Stumble and fall,

(Bass notes B-A-G to...)

(F) I'm not the man that I was at (C)all.

(Bass notes C-B-A to...)

(G) Words on the wall,

(Bass notes B-A-G to...)

(F) And I do believe,

I do believe I might have (C)blown it all.

(Dm) (G) (C)  (Dm) (G) (C)(C/B)(C/A)(C/G)(C)(hold)

 

But you can't look (Dm)back

(G) When you're moving (C)on,

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back,

Buddy, you got to (G)go and sing your (C)song.

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back

(G) When you're moving (C)on,

Oh, you can't look (Dm)back,

Buddy, you got to (G)go and sing your(C)song.

(C/B)(C/A)(C/G)(C)(F)(G)(C)

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

Art Faller, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Charlie Woodward

 

11/2003