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Downtown Train
Tom Waits
Note: The key of the original recording is
somewhere between D and Eb--instruments were not tuned to concert pitch (or the
studio's tape machine was off-speed).
This version is a little higher, in the key of E.
Use power chords with palm-mute throughout.
Intro: / E - - -
/ A - B - / x2
E
A (½) B (½)
Outside another yellow moon
E A (½) B (½)
Has punched a hole in the nighttime
E A (½) B (½)
I climb through the window and down to the street
E A (½) B (½)
I'm shining like a new dime
A B
The downtown trains are full
A B
With all those Brooklyn girls
C#m B
They try so hard to break out of their little world
E A (½) B (½)
You wave your hand and they scatter like crows
E A (½) B (½)
They have nothing that will ever capture
E A (½) B (½)
your heart. They're just thorns without the rose
E A (½) B (½)
Be careful of them in the dark
A B
And if I was the one
A B
You chose to be your only one
C#m B
Oh baby now, can't you hear me now
Chorus:
E A
Will I see you tonight
E A
on a downtown train
E A
Where every night is just the same
F#m B
You leave me lonely now
E A (½) B (½)
I know your window and I know it's late
E A (½) B (½)
I know your stairs and your doorway
E A (½) B (½)
I walk down your street and past your gate
E A (½) B (½)
I stand by the light at the four-way
A B
You watch them as they fall
A B
Oh baby, and they all have heart attacks
C#m B
They stay at the carnival, but they'll never win you back
Chorus
E A
Will I see you tonight
E A
on a downtown train
E A
Where all of my dreams, they fall like rain
F#m B
Oh baby, on a downtown train
Instrumental (uses three-over-four rhythm):
/ E - B - / E - B - / E - A - / B - - - /
/ E - B - / E - B - / E - A - / B - - - / Bsus4 - - - /
Chorus (don't sing last line)
E A
Will I see you tonight
E A
on a downtown train
E A
Where all of my dreams, they fall like rain
F#m B
on a downtown train
E A (½) B (½)
on a downtown train
E A (½) B (½)
on a downtown train
E A (½) B (½)
on a downtown train
End on E
This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
