The key to getting this song to sound just like the original is to play a standard G chord with fingers 1, 2 & 3 and then use finger 4 (index) to tap on and off fret 1 string 2 then again fret 2 string 3 (verses only, not the chorus). Listen to the song to get the feel for the strum and the tap on/off timing. It’ll come to you easily enough … enjoy!
[Verse 1]
G G I've been long, a long way from here G Put on a poncho, played for mosquitoes, G C* And drank 'til I was thirsty again
G G We went searching through thrift store jungles G Found Geronimo's rifle, Marilyn's shampoo G C* And Benny Goodman's corset and fan
[Pre-Chorus]
D C D Well, o.k. I made this up… I promised you I'd never give up
[Chorus]
Am C G D If it makes you happy it can't be that ba-aa-aa-ad Am C G If it makes you happy then why the hell are you so sad?
[Verse 2]
You get down, real low down You listen to Coltrane, derail your own train Well who hasn't been there before?
I come round, around the hard way Bring you comics in bed; scrape the mold off the bread, And serve you French toast again
[Pre-Chorus]
Well, o.k. I still get stoned… I'm not the kind of girl you'd take home
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
G G We've been far, far away from here G Put on a poncho, played for mosquitoes, G C* And everywhere in between
[Pre-Chorus]
D C D Well, o.k. we get along… so what if right now everything's wrong?
[Chorus & close]
C* - this particular C chord is played similarly to the preceding G chord with your pinky on the string 1; G note (fret 3). When changing from the preceding G chord merely drop fingers 2 and 3 one string down
[Intro] || (A) (G6/A) | (G6/A) | (A) (G6/A) | (G6/A) || || A G6/A | G6/A | A G6/A | G6/A || F5 | C | C |
[Verse 1] [A] " [G6/A] Son," she said, [A] "Have I got a [G6/A] little story for you. [A][G6/A] What you thought was yor [A] daddy [G6/A] was nothing but a... [A][G6/A] While you were sitting [A] home alone at [G6/A] age thirteen, [A][G6/A] Your real daddy was dyi [A] ng. [G6/A] Sorry you didn't [F5] see him [C] But [Cadd9] I'm [C][F5] glad we [C] talked."
[Chorus 1] Oh, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still al [A] ive. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live, hey, [B] oh.
[Verse 2] [A][G6/A] Oh, she walks slowly [A] a [G6/A] cross a young man's room. [A][G6/A] She said, "I'm [A] ready [G6/A] for you." [A][G6/A] Well I can't remember [A] anything [G6/A] to this very day... [A][G6/A] 'Cept the look. [A] The [G6/A] look Oh, [F5] you know [C] where. [Cadd9][C] [(C)] Now [F5] I can't [C] see, I just [E] stare. [G]
[Chorus 2] [D] I'm still a [A] live. Oh, I [E] ... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live, hey, oh.
[Intrumental] || B | B | F# | F# || || B | B | F# | F# || || B | B | F# | F# || || B | B | F# | F# ||
[Bridge] [A7][Asus2][Dsus2] "Is something wrong?" sh [A] e sa [Asus2] id. [Dsus2] Of course [A7] there [Asus2] is. [Dsus2] "You're still alive," [A7] she [Asus2] said. [Dsus2] Oh and do I de [B*] serve to be? [Bsus2][E] [E] Is that the ques [B*] tion? [Bsus2][E] And is [B*] so, [Bsus2] if [E] so, who an [B*] swers? [Bsus2] Who [E] answers?
[Chorus 3] [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, [D] I'm still a [A] live. Hey, [E] I... [G] oh, I'm still [D] alive, [A] yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
