Long Strange Golden Road chords by The Waterboys

Tuning: Standard tuning

Difficulty: novice

SONG:  LONG STRANGE GOLDEN ROAD
ARTIST: THE WATERBOYS
TAB BY: DON CZARSKI
EMAIL: GUITARZAN7@HOTMAIL.COM

     LONG STRANGE GOLDEN ROAD
        THE WATERBOYS

INTRO:
Cm Bb  Cm Bb  Cm Bb  Cm Bb

VERSE:
   Cm       Eb
I was longing to be wooed
   Ab     Cm
I was ready to be humbled
    Ab         Cm
by the words that you had written
    Bb      Ab
by the syllables you mumbled
       Cm     Eb
yeah, I was ready in my heart
  Ab       Cm
to have my heart invaded
    Ab       Cm
by the fervour of your passion
    Bb       Ab
yes, I came to be persuaded

VERSE:
      Cm        Eb
But when I heard your ragged voice
      Ab        Cm
something switched in my perception
    Ab      Cm
and I knew I was the victim
   Bb      Ab
of a beautiful deception
    Cm      Eb
all my once exact beliefs
   Ab        Cm
like tangled threads unravelled
       Ab       Cm
I walked out, stunned and liberated
 Bb       Ab
and so began my travels


CHORUS:
     Ab      Eb
Keep the river on your right
     Bb       Cm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Ab         Eb    Bb
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Ab     Cm
Keep your eye on the road
 Bb        Cm
remember what you told her
        Ab Fm   Cm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
      Cm       Eb
You better get yourself a coat
     Ab      Cm
said the handsome taxi driver
    Ab        Cm
and he sighed like seven bridges
    Bb       Ab
like a natural-born survivor
    Cm       Eb
as we drove into the night
     Ab       Cm
I could feel the forest jangling
     Ab      Cm
all the choices laid before me
      Bb     Ab    Eb
and their consequences dangling


VERSE:
     Cm       Eb
We came upon a stricken ship
   Ab          Cm
that must have once been splendid
 Ab        Cm
the captain as he died said
      Bb       Ab
“Boys, our revels now are ended”
      Cm     Eb
I heard a wild holy band
     Ab       Cm
playing jazz that was outrageous,
    Ab        Cm
that recalled the days of rapture
     Bb             Ab
when our love was still young and contagious


CHORUS:
     Ab      Eb
Keep the river on your right
     Bb       Cm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Ab         Eb    Bb
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Ab     Cm
Keep your eye on the road
 Bb        Cm
remember what you told her
        Ab Fm   Cm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
   Cm       Eb
In a dim-lit motel room
     Ab      Cm
two sad lovers were discoursing
    Ab    Cm
on the dignity of exile
     Bb     Ab
and the merits of divorcing
     Cm        Eb
she said “all certainty is gone”
    Ab        Cm
but he leapt up, still denying,
     Ab        Cm
cried “I won’t believe the flame I lit
  Bb     Ab
is dead or even dying”


VERSE:
 Ab   Cm          Eb
She left him drooling in the dust
     Ab        Cm
and with rucksack packed begun her
Ab          Cm
bitter journey to the border
     Bb        Ab
which is where I wooed and won her
     Cm     Eb
she was Aphrodite, Helen, Thetis,
Ab      Cm
Eve among the satyrs
     Ab        Cm
She was Venus in a v-neck sweater
     Bb      Ab
she was all that ever mattered


CHORUS:
     Ab      Eb
Keep the river on your right
     Bb       Cm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Ab         Eb    Bb
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Ab     Cm
Keep your eye on the road
 Bb        Cm
remember what you told her
        Ab Fm   Cm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
   Cm        Eb
Like Dean Moriarty’s ghost
      Ab       Cm
I came in quest of secret knowledge
    Ab      Cm
in the winter of my journey
    Bb       Ab
to a crumbling Druid college
     Cm        Eb
there I read the books of lore
   Ab       Cm
and contemplated in seclusion
    Ab       Cm
but I took my leave embittered,
 Bb          Ab
still in love with my illusions


VERSE:
Ab   Cm       Eb
In the drizzling Irish rain
   Ab       Cm
as a tender dawn was breaking
   Ab       Cm
in a doorway I stood spellbound by
   Bb           Ab
the ancient music they were making
      Cm         Eb
I took my breakfast with the Gods
    Ab       Cm
on a blushing summer morning
    Ab         Cm
till a wind blew them all away
    Bb      Ab
I had misread every warning


CHORUS:
     Ab      Eb
Keep the river on your right
     Bb       Cm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Ab         Eb    Bb
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Ab     Cm
Keep your eye on the road
 Bb        Cm
remember what you told her
        Ab Fm   Cm
this is all in code,  my dear



VERSE:
    Cm      Eb
Under cold electric light
  Ab        Cm
I watch the scenes mutating
    Ab        Cm
like an old time frontier ballad
   Bb    Ab
or a carousel rotating
      Cm       Eb
As if in a moment from a film
 Ab         Cm
with astonishing precision
   Ab       Cm
the camera zooms in close
    Bb        Ab
and a figure comes into vision


VERSE:
     Cm     Eb
I’m in Tokyo, it’s dawn
     Ab      Cm
and it’s raining hallelujahs
     Ab       Cm
down the bright-lit neon canyons
      Bb       Ab
along the sidewalks of Shibuya
   Cm        Eb
I’m trying to take a stance
   Ab         Cm
and rise above my contradictions
     Ab            Cm
but I’m just a bunch of words in pants
   Bb        Ab
and most of those are fiction


CHORUS:
     Ab      Eb
Keep the river on your right
     Bb       Cm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Ab         Eb    Bb
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Ab     Cm
Keep your eye on the road
 Bb        Cm
remember what you told her
        Ab Fm   Cm
this is all in code,  my dear


CHORUS:
     Ab      Eb
Keep the river on your right
     Bb       Cm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Ab         Eb    Bb
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Ab     Cm
Keep your eye on the road
 Bb        Cm
remember what you told her
        Ab Fm   Cm
this is all in code,  my dear


INSTRUMENTAL/OUTRO/SOLO:

(CHORUS CHORDS - 3x's)

Ab Eb Bb Cm Ab Eb Bb   Ab Cm Bb Cm Ab Fm Cm
Ab Eb Bb Cm Ab Eb Bb   Ab Cm Bb Cm Ab Fm Cm
Ab Eb Bb Cm Ab Eb Bb   Ab Cm Bb Cm Ab Fm Cm


===================== CAPO 1st FRET ======================


SONG:  LONG STRANGE GOLDEN ROAD
ARTIST: THE WATERBOYS
TAB BY: DON CZARSKI
EMAIL: GUITARZAN7@HOTMAIL.COM

     LONG STRANGE GOLDEN ROAD
        THE WATERBOYS

CAPO: 1st FRET

INTRO:
Bm A   Bm A   Bm A   Bm A

VERSE:
   Bm       D
I was longing to be wooed
   G      Bm
I was ready to be humbled
    G         Bm
by the words that you had written
    A       G
by the syllables you mumbled
       Bm     D
yeah, I was ready in my heart
  G       Bm
to have my heart invaded
    G        Bm
by the fervour of your passion
    A       G
yes, I came to be persuaded


VERSE:
      Bm        D
But when I heard your ragged voice
      G        Bm
something switched in my perception
    G       Bm
and I knew I was the victim
   A      G
of a beautiful deception
    Bm      D
all my once exact beliefs
   G         Bm
like tangled threads unravelled
       G        Bm
I walked out, stunned and liberated
 A        G
and so began my travels


CHORUS:
     G       D
Keep the river on your right
     A        Bm
and the highway at your shoulder
     G          D     A
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     G      Bm
Keep your eye on the road
 A         Bm
remember what you told her
        G  Em   Bm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
      Bm       D
You better get yourself a coat
     G       Bm
said the handsome taxi driver
    G         Bm
and he sighed like seven bridges
    A       G
like a natural-born survivor
    Bm       D
as we drove into the night
     G        Bm
I could feel the forest jangling
     G       Bm
all the choices laid before me
      A      G    D
and their consequences dangling


VERSE:
     Bm       D
We came upon a stricken ship
   G          Bm
that must have once been splendid
 G         Bm
the captain as he died said
      A       G
“Boys, our revels now are ended”
      Bm     D
I heard a wild holy band
     G        Bm
playing jazz that was outrageous,
    G         Bm
that recalled the days of rapture
     A             G
when our love was still young and contagious


CHORUS:
     G       D
Keep the river on your right
     A        Bm
and the highway at your shoulder
     G          D     A
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     G      Bm
Keep your eye on the road
 A         Bm
remember what you told her
        G  Em   Bm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
   Bm       D
In a dim-lit motel room
     G       Bm
two sad lovers were discoursing
    G     Bm
on the dignity of exile
     A      G
and the merits of divorcing
     Bm        D
she said “all certainty is gone”
    G        Bm
but he leapt up, still denying,
     G         Bm
cried “I won’t believe the flame I lit
  A      G
is dead or even dying”


VERSE:
 G    Bm          D
She left him drooling in the dust
     G        Bm
and with rucksack packed begun her
G           Bm
bitter journey to the border
     A        G
which is where I wooed and won her
     Bm     D
she was Aphrodite, Helen, Thetis,
G       Bm
Eve among the satyrs
     G         Bm
She was Venus in a v-neck sweater
     A      G
she was all that ever mattered


CHORUS:
     G       D
Keep the river on your right
     A        Bm
and the highway at your shoulder
     G          D     A
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     G      Bm
Keep your eye on the road
 A         Bm
remember what you told her
        G  Em   Bm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
   Bm        D
Like Dean Moriarty’s ghost
      G        Bm
I came in quest of secret knowledge
    G      Bm
in the winter of my journey
    A       G
to a crumbling Druid college
     Bm        D
there I read the books of lore
   G        Bm
and contemplated in seclusion
    G       Bm
but I took my leave embittered,
 A           G
still in love with my illusions


VERSE:
G    Bm       D
In the drizzling Irish rain
   G        Bm
as a tender dawn was breaking
   G        Bm
in a doorway I stood spellbound by
   A            G
the ancient music they were making
      Bm         D
I took my breakfast with the Gods
    G       Bm
on a blushing summer morning
    G         Bm
till a wind blew them all away
    A       G
I had misread every warning


CHORUS:
     G       D
Keep the river on your right
     A        Bm
and the highway at your shoulder
     G          D     A
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     G      Bm
Keep your eye on the road
 A         Bm
remember what you told her
        G  Em   Bm
this is all in code,  my dear



VERSE:
    Bm      D
Under cold electric light
  G         Bm
I watch the scenes mutating
    G         Bm
like an old time frontier ballad
   A     G
or a carousel rotating
      Bm       D
As if in a moment from a film
 G         Bm
with astonishing precision
   G        Bm
the camera zooms in close
    A        G
and a figure comes into vision


VERSE:
     Bm     D
I’m in Tokyo, it’s dawn
     G      Bm
and it’s raining hallelujahs
     G       Bm
down the bright-lit neon canyons
      A       G
along the sidewalks of Shibuya
   Bm        D
I’m trying to take a stance
   G         Bm
and rise above my contradictions
     G            Bm
but I’m just a bunch of words in pants
   A         G
and most of those are fiction


CHORUS:
     G       D
Keep the river on your right
     A        Bm
and the highway at your shoulder
     G          D     A
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     G      Bm
Keep your eye on the road
 A         Bm
remember what you told her
        G  Em   Bm
this is all in code,  my dear


CHORUS:
     G       D
Keep the river on your right
     A        Bm
and the highway at your shoulder
     G          D     A
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     G      Bm
Keep your eye on the road
 A         Bm
remember what you told her
        G  Em   Bm
this is all in code,  my dear


INSTRUMENTAL/OUTRO/SOLO:

(CHORUS CHORDS - 3x's)

G  D  A  Bm G  D  A   G  Bm A  Bm G Em Bm
G  D  A  Bm G  D  A   G  Bm A  Bm G Em Bm
G  D  A  Bm G  D  A   G  Bm A  Bm G Em Bm



=========== IN CONCERT THEY PLAY IN THIS KEY ===============

SONG:  LONG STRANGE GOLDEN ROAD
ARTIST: THE WATERBOYS
TAB BY: DON CZARSKI
EMAIL: GUITARZAN7@HOTMAIL.COM

     LONG STRANGE GOLDEN ROAD
        THE WATERBOYS

INTRO:
Dm C   Dm C   Dm C   Dm C

VERSE:
   Dm       F
I was longing to be wooed
   Bb     Dm
I was ready to be humbled
    Bb         Dm
by the words that you had written
    C       Bb
by the syllables you mumbled
       Dm     F
yeah, I was ready in my heart
  Bb       Dm
to have my heart invaded
    Bb       Dm
by the fervour of your passion
    C       Bb
yes, I came to be persuaded


VERSE:
      Dm        F
But when I heard your ragged voice
      Bb        Dm
something switched in my perception
    Bb      Dm
and I knew I was the victim
   C      Bb
of a beautiful deception
    Dm      F
all my once exact beliefs
   Bb        Dm
like tangled threads unravelled
       Bb       Dm
I walked out, stunned and liberated
 C        Bb
and so began my travels


CHORUS:
     Bb      F
Keep the river on your right
     C        Dm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Bb         F     C
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Bb     Dm
Keep your eye on the road
 C         Dm
remember what you told her
        Bb Gm   Dm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
      Dm       F
You better get yourself a coat
     Bb      Dm
said the handsome taxi driver
    Bb        Dm
and he sighed like seven bridges
    C       Bb
like a natural-born survivor
    Dm       F
as we drove into the night
     Bb       Dm
I could feel the forest jangling
     Bb      Dm
all the choices laid before me
      C      Bb    F
and their consequences dangling


VERSE:
     Dm       F
We came upon a stricken ship
   Bb          Dm
that must have once been splendid
 Bb        Dm
the captain as he died said
      C       Bb
“Boys, our revels now are ended”
      Dm     F
I heard a wild holy band
     Bb       Dm
playing jazz that was outrageous,
    Bb        Dm
that recalled the days of rapture
     C             Bb
when our love was still young and contagious


CHORUS:
     Bb      F
Keep the river on your right
     C        Dm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Bb         F     C
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Bb     Dm
Keep your eye on the road
 C         Dm
remember what you told her
        Bb Gm   Dm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
   Dm       F
In a dim-lit motel room
     Bb      Dm
two sad lovers were discoursing
    Bb    Dm
on the dignity of exile
     C      Bb
and the merits of divorcing
     Dm        F
she said “all certainty is gone”
    Bb        Dm
but he leapt up, still denying,
     Bb        Dm
cried “I won’t believe the flame I lit
  C      Bb
is dead or even dying”


VERSE:
 Bb   Dm          F
She left him drooling in the dust
     Bb        Dm
and with rucksack packed begun her
Bb          Dm
bitter journey to the border
     C        Bb
which is where I wooed and won her
     Dm     F
she was Aphrodite, Helen, Thetis,
Bb      Dm
Eve among the satyrs
     Bb        Dm
She was Venus in a v-neck sweater
     C      Bb
she was all that ever mattered


CHORUS:
     Bb      F
Keep the river on your right
     C        Dm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Bb         F     C
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Bb     Dm
Keep your eye on the road
 C         Dm
remember what you told her
        Bb Gm   Dm
this is all in code,  my dear


VERSE:
   Dm        F
Like Dean Moriarty’s ghost
      Bb       Dm
I came in quest of secret knowledge
    Bb      Dm
in the winter of my journey
    C       Bb
to a crumbling Druid college
     Dm        F
there I read the books of lore
   Bb       Dm
and contemplated in seclusion
    Bb       Dm
but I took my leave embittered,
 C           Bb
still in love with my illusions


VERSE:
Bb   Dm       F
In the drizzling Irish rain
   Bb       Dm
as a tender dawn was breaking
   Bb       Dm
in a doorway I stood spellbound by
   C            Bb
the ancient music they were making
      Dm         F
I took my breakfast with the Gods
    Bb       Dm
on a blushing summer morning
    Bb         Dm
till a wind blew them all away
    C       Bb
I had misread every warning


CHORUS:
     Bb      F
Keep the river on your right
     C        Dm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Bb         F     C
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Bb     Dm
Keep your eye on the road
 C         Dm
remember what you told her
        Bb Gm   Dm
this is all in code,  my dear



VERSE:
    Dm      F
Under cold electric light
  Bb        Dm
I watch the scenes mutating
    Bb        Dm
like an old time frontier ballad
   C     Bb
or a carousel rotating
      Dm       F
As if in a moment from a film
 Bb         Dm
with astonishing precision
   Bb       Dm
the camera zooms in close
    C        Bb
and a figure comes into vision


VERSE:
     Dm     F
I’m in Tokyo, it’s dawn
     Bb      Dm
and it’s raining hallelujahs
     Bb       Dm
down the bright-lit neon canyons
      C       Bb
along the sidewalks of Shibuya
   Dm        F
I’m trying to take a stance
   Bb         Dm
and rise above my contradictions
     Bb            Dm
but I’m just a bunch of words in pants
   C         Bb
and most of those are fiction


CHORUS:
     Bb      F
Keep the river on your right
     C        Dm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Bb         F     C
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Bb     Dm
Keep your eye on the road
 C         Dm
remember what you told her
        Bb Gm   Dm
this is all in code,  my dear


CHORUS:
     Bb      F
Keep the river on your right
     C        Dm
and the highway at your shoulder
     Bb         F     C
and the front line in your sights, pioneer
     Bb     Dm
Keep your eye on the road
 C         Dm
remember what you told her
        Bb Gm   Dm
this is all in code,  my dear


INSTRUMENTAL/OUTRO/SOLO:

(CHORUS CHORDS - 3x's)

Bb F  C  Dm Bb F  C   Bb Dm C  Dm Bb Gm Dm
Bb F  C  Dm Bb F  C   Bb Dm C  Dm Bb Gm Dm
Bb F  C  Dm Bb F  C   Bb Dm C  Dm Bb Gm Dm