INTRO:    G   ^  v   G6    ^  v
       e||-----3--3---------3--3----||
       B||-----0--0---------0--0----||
       G||o----0--0---------0--0---o||
       D||o----0--0---0h2---2--0---o||
       A||--------------------------||
       E||--3-----------------------||


 INTRO Recitation (over riff above):
   "I started out writin' this song about . . . [insert own music gods!]"

   Notes: * each chord name below = one entire "bum-chicky-bum-chicky";
          * (...sus4) = add sus4 to 2nd half of measure)


 VERSE 1: (add sus4 to 2nd half of G measures at will)

          G             G               G              G
 See him wasted on the sidewalk in his jacket and his jeans,
          C              C                G        G
 Wearin' yesterday's misfortunes like a smile--
 C              C              G     G/F#        Em
 Once he had a future full of money, love, and dreams,
            A7                 A7          D (...sus4)    D
 Which he spent like they was goin' outa style--
         G                 G               G             G
 And he keeps right on a'changin' for the better or the worse,
  C                 D               G       G
 Searchin' for a shrine he's never found--
         C           C             G            G
 Never knowin' if believin' is a blessin' or a curse,
            C            D                G        G
 Or if the goin' up was worth the comin' down--


 CHORUS:
         C            C
 He's a poet, he's a picker--
          G              G
 He's a prophet, he's a pusher--
         D              D               D                 G
 He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned--
         C             C                G               G
 He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
        D              D              D               G       G
 Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.

 (modulate whole-step up)   A (...sus4)    A (...sus4)


 VERSE 2: (add sus4 to 2nd half of A measures at will)

         A              A             A                 A
 He has tasted good and evil in your bedrooms and your bars,
            D          D          A      A
 And he's traded in tomorrow for today--
  D                D                 A       A/G#    F#m
 Runnin' from his devils, Lord, and reachin' for the stars,
      B7              B7              E      E
 And losin' all he's loved along the way--
              A                    A               A              A
 But if this world keeps right on turnin' for the better or the worse,
            D            E           A      A
 And all he ever gets is older and around--
           D               D            A              A
 From the rockin' of the cradle to the rollin' of the hearse,
      D (or Bm)    E                A       A
 The goin' up was worth the comin' down--


 CHORUS
         D            D
 He's a poet, he's a picker--
          A              A
 He's a prophet, he's a pusher--
         E              E               E                 A
 He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned--
         D             D                A               A
 He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
        E              E              E               A        A / G# F#
 Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.

 E                            E                E              A (coda riff)
     There's a lotta wrong directions on that lonely way back home.

 CODA Riff:                                              AM6
    1    2   &   3   &   4   &           1        2       3 (hold)
E|----------------------------------|---------------------/2-----------| |
B|----------------------------------|---------------------/2-----------| |
G|----------------------------------|-----2---------------/2-----------| |
D|-------------------2---4---2------|---------------------/2-----------| |
A|--0----2---3---4------------------|-------------0========0-----------| |
E|----------------------------------|----------------------------------| |
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