A Better Place to Be — Harry Chapin

Chords and lyrics for A Better Place to Be by Harry Chapin (key of D).

Verse 1

[D]It was an early morning bar room and the place just opened [G]up
and [Em]a little man came in so fast and he started at his [A7]cup
and [D]the broad who served the whiskey was a big old friendly [G]girl
who [Em]tried to fight her empty nights by smiling at the [A7]world

Verse 2

and [G]she said hey bub it's been a while [A]since you've been [F#m]around [B7]
where [Em]the hell have you been hiding and [A]why you look so [D]down
[G]Well the little man just sat there like [A]he'd never heard a [D]sound

Verse 3

[Cm]the waitress she gave out with a cough [G]and acting not the least put [Bb]off [F]
[Em]she spoke once [A7]again
she [D]said I don't want to bother you [G]consider it's [Em]understood
[A]I know I'm not no beauty queen [Em]but I sure can listen [D]good

Verse 4

and [G]the little man took his drink in his hand [A]and he raised it to his [Em]lips [D]
[G]He took a couple of sips and [D]he told the waitress [Em]his [A]story [D]

Verse 5

[D]I am the midnight watchman [Am]down at Miller's tool and [C]die [G] [D]
[G]I watch the metal rusting, [F#m]I watch the time go [Bm]by [Cmaj7]
[A]a week ago at the diner [G]I stopped to get a [F#m]bite [B7]
and [Em]this here lovely lady she sat [A]two seats from my [G]right [Em] [D]
and [G]lord, [A]lord, [F#m]lord [B7]she was [Em]alright [D]

Verse 6

[D]You see she was so damn beautiful [Am]that she could warm a [C]winter's [G]frost [D]
[G]but she look long past lonely [F#m]and well nigh onto [Bm]lost [Cmaj7]
[A]Now I'm not much of a mover [G]or a pick em up easy [F#m]guy [B7]
but [Em]I decided to glide on over [A]and give her one good [G]try [Em7] [D]
and [G]lord [G]lord [Em7]lord, [G]she [G]was [Em7]worth a [D]try

Verse 7

[D]Well I was tongue tied like a schoolboy, [Am]I stammered out some [C]words [G] [D]
[G]it did not seem to matter much, [F#m]cause I don't think she [Bm]heard [Cmaj7]
[A]She just looked clear on through me, [G]to a space back in my [F#m]head [B7]
[Em]It shamed me into silence [A]as quietly she [G]said [Em7] [D]

Chorus

[D]If you want me to come with you [G]then that's alright with [Em]me [Em]
[A]cause I know I'm going nowhere [Em]and anywhere's a [A]better [Em]place to [A7sus4]be [D]
[A]Anywhere's a better place [Em]to [A7sus4]be [D]

Verse 8

[D]Well I drove her to my boarding house [Dmaj7]and I took her up to my [D7]room [G]
[Em]and I went to turn on the only light [Em]to brighten up the [A7]gloom
but [DM]she said please leave the light off, [GM]I don't mind the dark
and [F]as her clothes all tumbled round her, [Asus4]I could hear my [A]heart

Verse 9

[D]The moonlight shone upon her [Am]as she lay back in my [C]bed [G] [D]
[G]it was the kind of scene [F#m]I only had imagined [Bm]in my [Cmaj7]head
[A]I just could not believe it, [G]to think that she was [F#m]real [B7]
and [Em]as I tried to tell her, [A]she said, shhh [G]I know just how you [Em7]feel [D]

Chorus 2

and [D]if you want to come here with me [G]Then that's all right with [Em]me
[A]Cause I've been so lonely [Em]Lovin' someone is a [A]better [Em]way to [A7sus4]be [D]
[A]Anywhere's a better place [Em]to [A7sus4]be [D]

Verse 10

[D]Well the morning came so swiftly [Am]as I held her in my [C]arms [G] [D]
[G]and She slept like a baby [F#m]snug and [Bm]safe from [Cmaj7]harm
[A]I did not want to share her [G]or dare to break the [F#m]mood [B7]
so [Em]before she woke I went out [A]to buy us both some [G]food [Dm]

Verse 11

[Dm]I came back with my paper bag [Gm]to find that she was gone
[F]she'd left a six word letter [Gm]saying it's time that I [D]moved on

Verse 12

[D]You know the waitress she took her bar rag [Dmaj7]and she wiped it across her [D7]eyes [G]
[Em]and as she spoke her voice came out [Em]as something like a [A7]sigh
[D]She said I wish that I was beautiful [Dmaj7]or that you were halfway [D7]blind [G]
[Em]I wish I weren't so goddamned fat, [Em]I wish that you were [A7]mine

Verse 13

[A7]and I [G]wish that you'd come [A]with me when [F#m]I leave for [B7]home
[Em]for we both know all about [A]emptiness and living all [G]alone [Em] [D]

Verse 14

[D]And the little man looked at the [Em7]empty glass in his [F#m]hand
[Em7]and he smile a crooked grin [Em7]He said, I, I guess I'm out [D]of gin
and [Em7]I know we both have [D]been so [G]lonely [Em7] [A]

Chorus 3

[D]And if you want me to come with you [G]then that's alright with [Em]me
[A]'Cause I know I'm going no-where [Em]and anywhere's a [A]better [Em7]place to [A7]be [D]