FOR EMILY, WHEREVER I MAY FIND HER
PAUL SIMON
Here's the way I've been playing it -- not an exact lift, but gets the feel
of the song, sounds amazing, and is surprisingly simple to play. It is
fingerpicked (somewhat hard to play with a flatpick, but possible if your
Country claw has an even bass-treble volume ratio, and uses both the middle
and index to work the top strings. I personally think it sounds better
with fingerpicks or even bare fingers).
THE CHORDS:
Cmaj7: x32000
A: x02220
THE PICKING PATTERN:
B-2-(3+1)-2-B-2-(3+1)-2
Where B is the lowest bass note, as indicated in the above chord charts.
(3+1) indicates that the 3 and the 1 are plucked simultaneously. As you
may have guessed, all of the above strings get 1/8 note.
This pattern is consistent throughout the song
Intro: /D5/G5/D5/G5
THE SONG:
Intro: /D5.../G5.../D5.../G5.../
(D5) What a dream I had,(G) pressed in (Fig 1) organdy
(D) Clothed in crinoline (Cmaj7) of smokey burgandy
(G) Softer than the (A) rain
I wanderd empty streets, down past the shop display
I heard cathedral bells, tripping down the alley-way
As I walked on
And when you ran to me, your checks flushed with the night
We walked on frosted fields of juniper and lamplight
I held your hand
(instrumental)
And when I awoke and felt your warm and near
I kissed your honey hair, with my grateful tears
Oh I love you girl
(Cmaj7) Oh (G) how I love you (A) girl
THE FIGURES:
Each dash represents 1/16th note. I have tried to be exact in this to make
it easier.
s - strum
r - strum, with a slight ritard (normally notated by a wavy down arrow next
to the chord)
p - pluck
Fig 1:
p--> s
| E | 0 |
| B | 3 3 0 |
| G | 0 |
| D | |
| A | |
| E | 3 2 0 |
Instrumental:
p s -->
p s-->
| E | 5 5 5 5 | 3 2 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| B | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 3 3 |
| G | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 2 2 2 | 0 0 0 0 |
| D | 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0 |
| A | | | |
| E | | | 3 |
p--> s p s-->
p p
| E | 0 | 2 2 2 3 | 2 p 0 |
| B | 3 3 0 | 3 3 3 3 | 3 3 |
| G | 0 | 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 |
| D | | 0 0 0 0 0 | |
| A | | | |
| E | 3 2 0 | | |
r p-->
| E | | |
| B | 0 2 0 | 0 | picking pattern resumes |
| G | 0 4 | 4 2 0 | for last two measures of |
instr:
| D | 2 | | /G.../A.../ > last verse |
| A | 3 | |
| E | | |
There it is. Enjoy.
-- e