– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
the obvious child – paul simon
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
tabbed by : maguri
tuning : standard

paul simon
the obvious child ( 1989 )
( paul simon )

from : “the rhythm of the saints”

three chords for 99% of this beauty but how he plays them . . . the chords
change incredibly quick in some places . as a consequence this tab might
look confusing but it makes sense when one sees him play . this video
of a recent live performance was very helpful when i tabbed and learned
this , so check it out here :

enjoy!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
chords

E – A – D – G – B – E
C * x – 3 – 2 – 0 – 1 – 3
D * x – x – 0 – 2 – 3 –
x [ ch ] D7sus4/G [ /Ch ] 3 – x – 0 – 2 – 1 – 3

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

capo 1st fret

[ percussion / drum intro ]

intro
G G
bo , boh . . . bo , boh
G G
bo , boh . . . bo , boh

verse
G
i’m accustomed to a smooth ride
D C G D G
or maybe i’m a dog who’s lost its bite
D C G C F C
i don’t expect to be treated like a fool no more
G D G
i don’t expect to sleep through the night
D C G D G
some people say a lie’s a lie’s a lie
D C G C
but i say why
F C
why deny the obvious child?
F C G
why deny the obvious child?

verse
D C G D C G
and in remembering a road sign
D C G D C G C F C
i Am remembering a girl when i was you – ou – oung
G D G
and we said these songs are true
D G
these days are ours
D G
these tears are free and hey
C F C
the cross is in the ballpark
C F C G
the cross is in the ballpark

middle part 1
G
we had a lot of fun
G G G D * C
we had a lot of money
G G G D * C
we had a little son and we thought we’d call him sonny
C D G
sonny gets married and moves away
C D G
sonny has a baby and bills to pay
C D G C D G
sonny gets sunnier day by day by day by day

interlude
G G
bo , boh . . . bo , boh
G G
bo , boh . . . bo , boh

verse
D C G
i’ve been waking up at sunrise
D C G D G
i’ve been following the light across my room
D C G C F C G D G
i watch the night receive the room of my day
D C G D G
some people say the sky is just the sky
D C G C
but i say why
F C
why deny the obvious child?
F C G
why deny the obvious child?

interlude
| G | G [ ch ] D7sus4/G [ /Ch ] | G | G [ ch ] D7sus4/G [ /Ch ] |
| G | G [ ch ] D7sus4/G [ /Ch ] | G | G [ ch ] D7sus4/G [ /Ch ] |
| G | G [ ch ] D7sus4/G [ /Ch ] |

middle part 2
[ C/G ] G C/G G D C
sonny sits by the window and thinks to himself
G C/G G D C
how it’s strange that some rooms are like cages
G C/G G D C
sonny’s yearbook from high school is down from the shelf
C D G C/G G D C
and he id – l – y thumbs through the pages
Am
some have died
G C G
some have fled from themselves
C D C G C D
or struggled from here to get there
C G C/G G D C
sonny wanders beyond his interior walls
G C/G G D C
runs his hands through his thinning brown hair

verse
G
i’m accustomed to a smooth ride
D C G D G
or maybe i’m a dog who’s lost its bite
D C G C F C
i don’t expect to be treated like a fool no more
G D G
i don’t expect to sleep through the night
D C G D G
some people say a lie’s a lie’s a lie
D C G
but i say
C F C
the cross is in the ballpark
C F C G G G [ break ]
why deny the obvious child?

[ percussion break ]

outro
G D C G D C G C C C * D C *
ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh ( ooh , ooh , ooh )
G D C G D C G C C C * D
ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh , ooh ( ooh , ooh , ooh )