Coreys Coming chords by Harry Chapin

Corey's Coming (short version)

Words and Music by Harry Chapin


(capo 5th fret)

D - C/D - Am - C  - G - A

 D
Old John Joseph was a man with two first names

     Em                  A                   G      Em     A7sus4 - A7
They left him in the railroad yard when they took away the trains

         D
And only one run a week comes on roarin' down that line

   Em              A             G     D
So all he's got to worry about is time


  Em              A7        Bm                    F#m
I come by in the evening to hear 'bout where he's been

   Em               Cmaj7    Fmaj7          A7
He says come on sit down kid where shall I begin

           Em            A7               Bm            F#m
He starts telling me the stories and the glories of his past

        Em              Cmaj7        Fmaj7         A7sus - A7
But he always saves the story of his Corey for the last


                D                       Em
And he says, my Corey's coming, no more sad stories coming

   A                                    G        Em        A7sus4 - A7
My midnight, moonlight, morning glory's coming aren't you girl?

    D                         Em7
And like I told you, when she holds you

    A                     D
She enfolds you in her world

D - C/D - Am - C - G - A


D
I was quite surprised to find out all the places that he knew

Em                A               G   Em       A7sus - A7
So I asked the town's folk if his stories were true

           D
Well they said old John was born here, he's lived here all his life

Em                 A    G    Em     D
He's never had a woman, let alone a wife

Em                   A7       Bm           F#m
And very soon you'll find out as you check around

      Em          Cmaj7        Fmaj7          A7
That no one named Corey's ever lived in this town

  Em             A                 Bm               F#m
I chided the the old man about the truth that I had heard

        Em               Cmaj7     Fmaj7         Asus4 - A7
Well he smiled and said reality is only just a word


                 D                       Em
Can't you see my Corey's coming, no more sad stories coming

   A                                    G      Em          A
My midnight, moonlight, morning glory's coming aren't you girl?

     D                        Em
And like I told you, when she holds you

     A                  Dm
She enfolds you in her world


                Dm/E         Dm/C            DmaddG
I came by one evening but he did not hear my shout

Gm              A#6/F        Em7b5            A7addG
I looked in the window and I saw the fire was out

Dm                Dm/E       Dm/C         DmaddG
When he would not wake up I forced in the door

      Gm                   A#6/F       Em7b5        A7addG
And I found that old John Joseph would tell stories........ no more


     Dm            Dm/E          Dm/C            DmaddG
The scene at the graveyard just three of us were there

Gm                A#6/F    Em7b5              A7addG
Me and the grave digger we heard the parson's prayer

[NO CHORD]
He said we need not grieve for this man

                       D
For we know that God cares

D
They put the cold dirt over him and left me on my own

Em             A               G     Em   A7sus4 - A7
When at last I looked up I saw I was not alone

     D
So I said if you're a relative he had a peaceful end

                 Em             A7sus4 - A7 - A7sus2  - A7
That's when she said my name is Corey,

        G        Em      D
You can say I'm just a friend


D                       Em
Corey's coming, no more sad stories coming

   A                                      G     Em        A7sus4 - A7 - A7sus2 - A7
My midnight, moonlight, morning glory's coming aren't you girl?

    D                         Em
And like I told you, when she holds you

       A                D     C/D - Am - C - G - A
She enfolds you in her world


    D
So that's the old man's story, I'm glad you came tonight

           Em             A7                 G       Em     A7sus4 - A7
You see a busted down old railroad yard sure makes a lonely sight

        D
You may wonder why a young man would work out here alone

         Em         A7                 G    Em      D
Well the job pays enough to keep some flesh on my bones


      Em         A7            Bm            F#M
And I confess I get to missing the old man a bit

            Em        Cmaj7    Fmaj7         A7sus4 - A7 - Em7 - A7
And there's one other reason I guess I could admit


                 D                       Em
Can't you see my Corey's coming, no more sad stories coming

   A                                    G        Em       A7sus4 - A7
My midnight, moonlight, morning glory's coming aren't you girl?

    D                         Em
And like he told me, when she holds me

      A        Em7 A  D      C/D - Am - D