Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel — Townes Van Zandt
Chords and lyrics for Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel by Townes Van Zandt (key of C).
Intro
| C | Em | F Em | Dm |
| G | F | C | C |
Verse 1
Well, the [C]drunken clown's still [Em]hanging 'round
but it's [F]plain the [Em]laughter's [Dm]all died down
The [G]tears you tried so [F]hard to hide are [C]flowing
And a [C]blind man with his [Em]knife in hand
has [F]convinced [Em]himself that he [Dm]understands
I [G]wish him well, Miss Carousel,
but [F]I gotta be [C]a-going
Chorus
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
Verse 2
Well, the [C]lady's been told that [Em]all the gold
is [F]worth so [Em]much it [Dm]can't be sold
No [G]time to weep, she'll [F]need her sleep [C]tomorrow
When she [C]carries her face to the [Em]market place
and [F]bets it [Em]on the [Dm]opening race
She can [G]ring her bells, Miss Carousel,
but her [F]singing brings me [C]sorrow
Chorus
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
Verse 3
Well, it's [C]always done, every [Em]mothers son
is [F]shown that [Em]grown men [Dm]never run
And [G]so they fight with [F]all the might [C]inside them
When the [C]battle's been fought 'n they've [Em]all been taught
that the [F]trick is [Em]just not [Dm]being caught
Will you [G]give 'em hell, Miss Carousel,
when they're [F]begging you to [C]hide them
Chorus
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
Verse 4
When the [C]need arose, your [Em]eyes fell closed
You [F]clamped your [Em]fingers [Dm]'round your nose
[G]Would you say, that's [F]any way to [C]judge him
Well, you [C]haven't got the [Em]authority
to [F]kill him [Em]in the [Dm]first degree
But would you [G]feel compelled, Miss Carousel,
if you [F]had something to [C]begrudge him
Instrumental
| Am | Em | Am | Em | Am | Em | F |
| Em | Em | G | G7 |
Verse 5
On a [C]velvet beach far [Em]beneath the reach
of [F]those who [Em]come to [Dm]pry and preach
The [G]natural man that [F]tried to stand is [C]falling
Well, how [C]long will it be [Em]before he sees
you [F]own his [Em]legs but his [Dm]mind is free
Only [G]you can tell, Miss Carousel,
how [F]long will he be [C]crawling
Chorus
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
Verse 6
Ah, the [C]castle wall has [Em]grown so tall
[F]Seems there [Em]ain't no [Dm]hope at all
to [G]reach the top even [F]though you stopped for [C]breathing
But I [C]ain't gonna try to [Em]make you cry,
the [F]teardrops [Em]couldn't [Dm]find your eyes
It's [G]all been swell, Miss Carousel,
but the [F]time has come for [C]leaving
Chorus
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
[Am] Won't you come and [Em]get me when
You're [Am]sure that you don't [Em]need me then
I'll [Am]stand outside your [Em]window
and [F]proudly call your [Em]name[G7][G]
Note: Townes uses hammer-ons during the initial Em and ending C chord.
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