I'll Take A Melody

Lyrics: Allen Toussaint
Music: Allen Toussaint

I've seen the rain pouring down
The sky was grey with a speck of blue
Peek through a hole in the clouds
The sun was screaming, "hey you"

As you ramble through your sorrow
Seem like everything come out wrong
I'm living in yesterday's tomorrows
I know something's helping me along

Chorus
I'll take a melody and see
What I can do about it
I'll take a simple C to G (note 1)
And feel brand new about it

I understand why the old fisherman
Sail alone, sail alone, sail alone
(Sail alone, sail alone)
Someday he'll be gone

I hear you talking 'bout your troubles
Everybody's got their troubles too
You can make them burst like bubbles
If you know just what to do

You know I've been called a dreamer
Dreams that never will come true
But I've been called so many things before
Tell you what I'm gonna do

[chorus]

I understand why the old fisherman
Sail alone, sail alone, sail alone
(Sail alone, sail alone)
Someday he'll be gone

[chorus]

Shine on, keep on shining
Shine on, keep on shining
Shine on, keep on shining

Shine on, keep on shining
Shine on, keep on shining
Shine on, keep on shining

[etc]
Notes
(1) It sounds to me as if in what seems to have been the original recording, Frankie Miller sings "a simple D to E", "a simple G to E" and "a simple G to C" in the successive choruses. Garcia sticks to "G to C" throughout.

Jerry Garcia Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     15 May 1975 Jerry Garcia Collection, Volume 1 Legion Of Mary
     18 Nov 1975 Jerry Garcia Collection, Volume 2: Let It Rock Jerry Garcia Band
     studio 1976 Reflections Jerry Garcia (note 1)
     studio 1976 All Good Things (additional disc) Jerry Garcia Band
     21 May 1976 Don't Let Go Jerry Garcia Band
      7 Nov 1976 Garcia Live Volume 17 Jerry Garcia Band
     28 Feb 1980 After Midnight Jerry Garcia Band
     19 Oct 1987 Pure Jerry 3: Lunt-Fontanne: Best Of The Rest Jerry Garcia Band
     10 Jun 1989 Electric On The Eel Jerry Garcia Band
      2 Sep 1989 Pure Jerry 5: Merriweather Post Pavilion Jerry Garcia Band
 
Other Recordings
      2017 Some Climb SomeRiseSomeFall
Notes
(1) also on the compilation The Best Of Jerry Garcia


Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com
For sheet music, see:
          Jerry Garcia Songbook (vocal line and chords)

 


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