I Was Alive Back Then chords by Kevin Devine

Song: I Was Alive Back Then
Artist: Kevin Devine
Album: Instigator

Tuning: Eb

Chords:

    G  C  D  Am B7 Em A
eb|---------------------|
Bb|-0--1--3--1--0--0--2-|
Gb|-0--0--2--2--2--0--2-|
Db|-0--2--0--2--1--2--2-|
Ab|-x--3--0--0--2--2--0-|
Eb|-3--3-----------0----|

G                C
All my lives are coming through
     G                 D
And, even though there isn’t room
  Am             D  G       Fill 1
I save seats for my selves
Am                   D    G     Fill 1
Invite them in, wish them well
Am                   G             D     Fill 2
The way I feel & the way I guess I felt

C          G
I was 23 & crazy
C                            G
Frightened, overwhelmed, and angry
C                     B7
You said, “That’s not how I see you
    Em               A
You treat yourself unfairly
      Em               A
Don’t treat yourself unfairly.”

Chorus:
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D    Fill 3
I was alive back then
           G     Fill 4
I remember when

G
It was Christmas
C
We were wrestlers
G
Bay Ridge Parkway
D
Our apartment
Am             D    G      Fill 1
We were fast & best friends
Am           D      G      Fill 1
We were just little kids
Am                      G
You were Lenny Dykstra
            D      Fill 2
I was Wally Backman

C                        G
This was before I got so lonely
C                       G
With my lovers, with my family
C
Scared of living
B7
Scared of dying
Em              A
Scared of being happy
           Em            A
I couldn't let myself be happy

Chorus:
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D    Fill 3
I was alive back then
           G     Fill 4
I remember when

G
I was 20
C
Kolankowski
G              D
Asked me who I thought I’d marry
Am         D    G    Fill 1
I answered your name
Am              D     G    Fill 1
Years before we would date
Am                G             D       Fill 2
Years before he’d officiate our wedding

    C
You never “know”
              G
You’re never “ready”
C                            G
But all your fear is just confetti
C                B7
Let it blow all 'round your bedroom
Em               A
When it gets too heavy
      Em             A
Don’t let it get too heavy

Chorus:
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D
I was alive back then

C                         G
No one asks you if you’re ready
C                            G
When they’re handing you the baby
C                         B7
My mother said, “Son, you can’t imagine
       Em                    A
You’ll have your mind blown, honey
          Em             A
You’ll be crazy in love, honey.”

Chorus:
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D
I was alive back then
       C    G    D    Fill 3
I was alive back then
           Em    B7   G    A
I remember when
       C    G    D   Fill 3
I was alive back then
            Fill 4     G
Now, I am again

Fill 1

eb|-------|
Bb|-------|
Gb|-----0-|
Db|-0h2---|
Ab|-------|
Eb|-------|

Fill 2

eb|------------|
Bb|-3---1p0----|
Gb|---------2--|
Db|------------|
Ab|------------|
Eb|------------|

Fill 3

eb|-----------0---3---2---|
Bb|---1---3---------------|
Gb|-----------------------|
Db|-0---0---0---0---0-----|
Ab|-----------------------|
Eb|-----------------------|

Fill 4

eb|-------------------------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------------------------|
Gb|-----------------------------------------------0-|
Db|-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-0-0-4-4-4-0-0-0-2-2-2-0-----0h2---|
Ab|-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-0h2-------|
Eb|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------|