My Dear Helen chords by Andy Shauf

Chords with lyrics

The tuning I've seen him use is C#C# Standard, with a capo on the 1st fret, but you can just tune to D.

Chords:
G+G |320xxx|
C/GC/G |332xxx|
E5E5 |022xxx|
A5A5 |502xxx|
C5C5 |334xxx| (Guitar Pro tells me it's a C5C5 but I don't think it actually is...)
C majorC |3320xx|
Am/GAm/G |3322xx|
D/AD/A |554xxx|

Strumming pattern is pretty straight forward.
Not hard to figure it out if you find a video of him playing it.

G+G              C/GC/G
my dear Helen it's been a while since we've talked.
E5E5             A5A5
Charlie and I haven't been up to a whole lot.
   C/GC/G             C5C5
he's slowing down a little and my knee's acting up,
      C majorC                Am/GAm/G
yeah we're quite a pair of geezers moving slower than molasses.
     C/GC/G             D/AD/A
you'd be laughing if you saw us, you always loved to tease.

 G+G               C/GC/G
I dug up an old bottle of your raspberry wine,
    E5E5                  A5A5
so I'm slouched out on the porch-swing just taking my time.
  C/GC/G             C5C5
my mind keeps turning out these pictures of you,
     C majorC                 Am/GAm/G
you were dancing in the kitchen and I was enjoying my view.
  C/GC/G            D/AD/A
oh Charlie was squirming just two steps behind you.

G+G           C/GC/G
my dear Helen do you remember when you said
       E5E5                A5A5
that you'd be waiting at the gates so you could sneak me in?
    C/GC/G              C5C5
well it sure was funny but it still caught in my throat,
      C majorC              Am/GAm/G
and when I think about it now, it still makes me choke.
    C/GC/G                D/AD/A
and I wonder if those gates would ever open up for me.

G+G            C/GC/G
Helen my dear, I do have something to tell.
 E5E5               A5A5
I don't know how to start so I guess I just will.
      C/GC/G               C5C5
see, these nights have been hot, it's that muggy sort of air.
    C majorC              Am/GAm/G
doesn't let me get to sleep so I usually just lie there
  C/GC/G          D/AD/A
on top of my quilt with Charlie by my feet.

   G+G             C/GC/G
last night as I laid there frustrated and tired,
   E5E5            A5A5
I was sat up in my bed by the hens starting wild.
      C/GC/G                 C5C5
I thought, 'that fox is back again, he's gonna rob me blind.
     C majorC              Am/GAm/G
I don't know how he gets in but I'd better make him fly'.
   C/GC/G              D/AD/A
so I took my leaning rifle out the door.

 G+G             C/GC/G
I fired off a shot aiming far into the heat.
    E5E5              A5A5
and as soon as it was flying I felt weak in my knees.
    C/GC/G               C5C5
I heard shoes turning gravel and then tires spitting rocks.
     C majorC           Am/GAm/G
I heard a gasp for air and my stomach tied in knots.
 C/GC/G               C5C5
Charlie started whining with his tail between his legs.
  C majorC             Am/GAm/G
we wandered out slow but my heart was breakin' ribs.
   C/GC/G                 C5C5
I couldn't hear nothing and there was a girl lying twisted,
  C majorC             Am/GAm/G
my hands were trembling and I felt that she was limp.
   C/GC/G              C5C5
her pulse wasn't tapping so I felt sick to my stomach.
 C majorC            Am/GAm/G
Charlie was frozen, so I went for a shovel
    C/GC/G           C5C5
and I buried her body, I didn't know what else to do.
      C majorC                 Am/GAm/G
if I'd only aimed a little higher if I'd only thought before I fired.
    C/GC/G             C5C5
I hope God can forgive me, I hope you forgive me too,
      C majorC          Am/GAm/G
I'm just a tired old man just waiting to join you.
   C/GC/G            C5C5
so here I am slouched on this old porch swing,
 C majorC                Am/GAm/G
thinking about heaven, thinking about everything.
    C/GC/G                C5C5
so be waiting by those gates, you might need to sneak me in,
     C majorC              Am/GAm/G
I don't know how they feel about us accidental killers.
     C/GC/G             C5C5
I don't know how they feel about us tired old men.
     C majorC              Am/GAm/G
I don't know how they feel about us tired, old, murdering men.

C/GC/G C5C5

     C majorC              Am/GAm/G