Down On The Border Chords

Standard (EADGBE)

This took me some while to work out, because I think they use shortened chords which

give a very different sound to their equivalent full ones. This is the closest I could get,

though I’m happy to have input from anyone who suggests better fits!

If playing an acoustic guitar, which I’d recommend plucking just the 3 notes mentioned

by playing the bottom string with thumb and the two above it with 1st and 2nd finger,

except in the chorus where the straight E,A,B should be strummed.

If playing on electric guitar, you can do a type of power chord ‘boogie-woogie’ going

from A5 to A7n3 to Am using just the G and D strings – which I think is what the lead

guitarist does in live version.

If you just want to strum as a full chord, you could try substituting A for A5, A7 or

Am7 for A7n3 and D or better still DSus2 (open top e string) for D5, but you’ll hear it

really doesn’t sound quite the same.

*A7(no3rd) is not a text-book chord, it’s one I’ve made up. For those interested in the

technicality it has no name as it only features a Root, 5 and 7th, assuming the bass

note is the root). It could equally be an Am7th (no 3rd), since it’s impossible to tell

whether it’s minor or major without knowing if the 3rd is flatted (minor) or not. End of

music theory lesson ;-). On with the music....

Intro Plucked on acoustic, arpeggios (with slightly different bass etc) on electric

A5 A7n3 A5 Am Am A5

A5 A7n3 A5 Am Am A5

A5I just got back from the borA7n3der A5

And Am7what I sA5aw made me kD5now for A5sure

We're out of A7n3orderA5

A5I had a dream about NewA7n3 OrleaA5ns

At JAm7ackson SA5quare I hD5eard their A5prayer

Down in A7n3New OrA5leans

EOn the run, there's a life for livin'

But the Apeople there, they Bjust don't care

A5Livin' their life like a milA7n3lionaiA5re

Down on the A7n3bordeA5r

A5You never see me in oldA7n3 Iran A5

The Am7women A5there don't D5know whoA5 I am

In oA7n3ld IraA5n

A5And I never will go to SinA7n3gaporeA5

The Am7people A5there will D5cut your hA5air

In A7n3SingapA5ore

EOn their streets there's a life of plenty

Oh but they'll Anever know about the fBreedom show

A5They’re livin' in darkness yearA7n3s ago A5

Down on the A7n3borderA5

Solo

A5They built a wall at the A7n3borderA5

Not to Am7keep us oA5ut, but to lD5eave nA5o doubt

They're out of A7n3orderA5, hey

EAnd all the people who are trapped within

Serve to sAhow just how Bfar we'll go

And how A7n3dumb we've A5been

A5At the top life looks soA7n3 easy A5

But they'll Am7never kA5now what they'll D5never kA5now

They're muchAm7 too buA5sy countin' D5all their A5dough

From the Am7n3border A5