Okkervil River - Song About A Star

* * capo 2 * *

G
he cut your strings so that he could float
D
– lit by lights , lifted by alcohol
Am
– over acres of loving coast ,
C D
far away from your lonely ghost .
G
now hes cool and all ,
D
floating anchorless . ports of call :
Am
where its fabulous , after all
C D
of this watching himself just crawl .

Em A C G
think you see him?
D
hes not there ,
Am
thats just light
C
thats not yet dead .
Em A C G
wait two hours
D Am
and watch whatll be there instead .

G
was he small and cold ,
D
like a ring you call up from home ,
Am
held so tightly his limbs went numb ,
C D
worn away between your finger and thumb?
G
well , now hes bought and sold .
D
cry his call number down the phone ,
Am
he cant hear you hes on his float ,
C D
waving down to the folks at home .

Em A C G
think you see him?
D
hes not there ,
Am
thats just light
C
thats not yet dead .
Em A C G
wait two hours
D Am
and watch whatll be there instead .

Em D C Am
as the cameras love all of his faces ,
G Em D C
they hide all the traces of you in his heart .
Em G C Am
stand in line to hold forth on his grace ,
Em Am
but you wont even get a head – start ,
C D
get a head start

G D Am C D

G D Am C D

G
as his close – up comes
D
cascading down from above ,
Am
the eyes of a nation in love
C
are looking on all of their hopes
D
held up .
G
and the words that some
D
screenwriter counted and chose ,
Am
and then set in their sequence and froze ,
C
unfreeze on his tongue as he speaks
D
for all of us
G
but one .
D
and honey , hes gone .
Am
and baby , hes everyones .
C D
in the dark sky tonight ,
G
cast your eyes
D
on the dim light
Am
that he will become .
C D
youre like everyone
Em A C G
who thinks they see him
D
hes not there ,
Am
thats just light
C
thats not yet dead .
Em A C G
wait two hours
D Am
and watch whatll be there instead .