"Almost Gone" by Caedmon's Call
From "The Awakening Compilation"
Words and music by Derek Webb
Copyright 1996 Thirsty Plant Music


Capo 2 in G (A), standard-tuned six-string acoustic.  Moderate tempo in
4.


     This is a powerful song, all strumming and flat-picking.  It
begins in E minor, then modulates between E minor for the verses and G
major for the chorus, and to E major for bridge 2.  (everything
relative to the capo)  It's a fairly easy yet impressive and beautiful
song that can work well with just one guitar and even with just one
voice singing both parts of bridge 1 and the chorus.  (Derek sings
lead, Cliff sings the parts in (parentheses), Danielle sings the parts
in {braces}, and they all harmonize on bridge 2)  The lyrics in ALL
CAPS are what I sing when performing solo.

     Before the intro, begin by strumming Em for two bars.  Unless you
have someone playing recorder--more in that case.  At the end, finish
with another G, Am7, D9, then a short C (X32010), hammering the second
string, followed by a single strummed G, pulling off the second string.
Note: thanks to Derek Webb for taking the time after a concert to show
me how you play this.


Chord  -  Name
022000    Em (I like to throw in Em9 024000 for more dissonance)
332200    Cmaj7sus6/G (hammer both 2's)
554400    Dsus6,9/A
XX0230    D9
X32030    C9
320033    G
X02013    Am7 (hammer 1)
022100    E
200230    D9/F#
X02220    A


[intro]  Em, Cmaj7, Dsus6

Count 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8
   e-|0-----7---7---5---5---5---5-0-0|0---0-0---0-0-0-0---0-0---0-0-0|
   b-|0-----0---0---0---0---7---7-0-0|0---0-0---0-0-0-0---0-0---0-0-0|
   g-|0-----0---0---0---0---0---0-0-0|0h2-2-2---2-2-2-4---4-4---4-4-4|
   d-|x---------------------------0-0|0h2-2-2---2-2-2-4---4-4---4-4-4|
   a-|7---7-------7-------7----------|3---3-3---3-3-3-5---5-5---5-5-5|
   e-|0---0-------0-------0----------|3---3-3---3-3-3-5---5-5---5-5-5|
     (Em)............................ Cmaj7.......... Dsus6..........


[verse 1]
Em             Cmaj7    Dsus6
MASLOW TOLD ME YEARS AGO THAT
Em                    Cmaj7     Dsus6
THAT I'D NEED TWICE TOMORROW OF WHAT I HAVE TODAY
Em                   Cmaj7       Dsus6
IT MAKES ME WISH I'D NEVER HAD A BED TO LAY MY HEAD
Em                  Cmaj7    Dsus6
AND IF I COULD HAVE ME, THEN I'D TAKE YOU INSTEAD

Count 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8
   e-|0-----0-------0-------0-----0-0|0---0-0---0-0-0-0---0-0---0-0-0|
   b-|0---------0-------0-------0-0-0|0---0-0---0-0-0-0---0-0---0-0-0|
   g-|0---0-------2-------0-------0-0|0h2-2-2---2-2-2-4---4-4---4-4-4|
   d-|2---2-------2-------2-------0-0|0h2-2-2---2-2-2-4---4-4---4-4-4|
   a-|2---2---x---2---x---2---x---2-2|3---3-3---3-3-3-5---5-5---5-5-5|
   e-|0---0---x---0---x---0---x---0-0|3---3-3---3-3-3-5---5-5---5-5-5|
     (Em)............................ Cmaj7.......... Dsus6..........

     Switch to this pattern for the first half of each the verse.  Then
switch back to the intro lick for the last four lines.  Verse 2 also.

(Em)              Cmaj7               Dsus6
WHAT'S THE USE IN HAVING SOMETHING IF IT BELONGS TO ME
(Em)                   Cmaj7              Dsus6
'CAUSE IF I CAN PUT MY HANDS UPON IT I'LL NEVER SET IT FREE
(Em)            Cmaj7     Dsus6
AND MANY ARE DISTRACTIONS UPON THE ROAD IS WIDE
(Em)             Cmaj7  Dsus6
MANY THINGS TO SEE, AND LOTS OF ROOM TO HIDE

[bridge 1]
D9                   C9
(I WILL RUN FROM YOU)   BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME
D9                     C9
(YOU CAN'T RUN LIKE ME)   YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME THIS TIME
D9            C9
(WHAT A SHAME)   AND IT'S ALL SUCH A SHAME

[chorus]
G                   Am7  D9
AND I DON'T MISS YOU       (BUT I MISS YOU)
G             Am7  D9
LEAVE ME ALONE       (COME FOR ME)
G                     Am7  D9
'CAUSE I'M ALMOST GONE       (BUT I'M STILL HERE)
G              Am7  D9
I'M ALMOST GONE

[repeat intro lick]  (Em), Cmaj7, Dsus6

[verse 2]
Em               Cmaj7  Dsus6
PAVLOV SHOWED ME YEARS AGO THAT
Em                       Cmaj7          Dsus6
THAT MY DESIRES WOULD BE WHET BY JUST APPEARANCES
Em                       Cmaj7       Dsus6
AND IT MAKES ME WISH I'D NEVER HAD A VICE OR I'D THOUGHT TWICE
Em               Cmaj7     Dsus6
AND IF I HAD TO KNOW, THEN YOUR WORDS WOULD SUFFICE
Em                    Cmaj7                Dsus6
AND WHAT'S THE USE IN KNOWING SOMETHING IF IT'S ALL IN MY HEAD
Em                      Cmaj7             Dsus6
'CAUSE IF I CAN THINK ABOUT IT, THEN I'LL THINK IT TILL IT'S DEAD
Em               Cmaj7   Dsus6
AND MANY ARE ASSUMPTIONS IN THESE HALLOWED HALLS
Em                           Cmaj7          Dsus6
WITH THE DIRT TRACKED ON THE FLOOR, AND THE DAYS CHALKED ON THE WALLS

[repeat bridge 1]
D9                   C9
(I WILL RUN FROM YOU)   BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME
D9                     C9
(YOU CAN'T RUN LIKE ME)   YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME THIS TIME
D9            C9
(WHAT A SHAME)   AND IT'S ALL SUCH A SHAME

[repeat chorus]
G                   Am7  D9
AND I DON'T MISS YOU       (BUT I MISS YOU)
G             Am7  D9
LEAVE ME ALONE       (COME FOR ME)
G                     Am7  D9
'CAUSE I'M ALMOST GONE       (BUT I'M STILL HERE)
G              Am7  D9
I'M ALMOST GONE

[bridge 2]
E            D9/F#   A
NOW I AM DISCOVERING MANY SMALL MINORITIES  ) {all of us united}
E             D9/F#  A
JOIN TOGETHER PIECES TO BECOME MAJORITIES  ) {we could change the world}
E              D9/F#  A
AND ALL OF US UNITED, WE COULD CHANGE THE WORLD ) {all of us divided, all of us}
E               D9/F#  A
AND ALL OF US DIVIDED, WE COULD CHANGE THE WORLD  ) }

[chorus]
G                   Am7  D9
AND I DON'T MISS YOU       (BUT I MISS YOU)
G             Am7  D9
LEAVE ME ALONE       (COME FOR ME)
G                       Am7    D9
'CAUSE I'M ALMOST GONE {almost gone} (BUT I'M STILL HERE)

[tag]
G               Am7       D9
I'M STILL HERE {I'm still here} (do you hear me)
G                  Am7      D9
DO YOU HEAR ME {do you hear me} (and don't call me)
G              Am7        D9
DON'T CALL ME {don't call me} (or beckon me)
G                    Am7    D9
YOU GOTTA BECKON ME {beckon me} (come for me)
G                         Am7      D9
OH WON'T YOU COME FOR ME {come for me} (I'm almost gone)
G             Am7  D9
'CAUSE I'M ALMOST GONE


Transcribed 10/2/1997 by tstilwel@comp.uark.edu, revised 12/15/1997
More songs available at http://www.engr.uark.edu/~tks/tab/