#--------------------------------------------------------------# OUR MOTHER THE MOUNTAIN Townes Van Zandt Copyright © 1969 Silver Dollar Music Performing rights w/ASCAP http://www.ascap.com/ace/ACE.html #-------------------------PLEASE NOTE--------------------------# #This file is an interpretation of Townes' work, and does not # #necessarily represent the actual way he recorded or performed # #the song, and is not intended to be used for any purpose other# #than for private study, scholarship, or research # #--------------------------------------------------------------# ---------------------------------------------------- Version 1 by Justin ---------------------------------------------------- Tuning is a bit flat of concert tuning and Drop D. It goes like this: Dm (with pinky alternating between 3rd fret of D and A string) My lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom F C(2nd fret D string) Am Dm The moon's dancin' purple all through her black hair And a ladies-in-waiting she stands 'neath my window And the sun will rise soon on the false and the fair C Am Dm Singin' too - ra - loo - ra - li She tells me she comes from my mother the mountain And her skin fits her tightly and her lips do not lie She silently slips from her throat a medallion Slowly she twirls in front of my eyes I watch her, I love her, I long for to touch her The satin she's wearin' is shimmerin' blue Outside my window her ladies are sleepin' My dogs have gone huntin', their howlin' is through So I reach for her hand and her eyes turn to poison And her hair turns to splinters, and her flesh turns to brine She leaps 'cross the room, she stands in the window And screams that my first born will surely be blind She throws herself out to the black of the nightfall She's parted her lips, but she makes not a sound I fly down the stairway, and I run to the garden No trace of my true love is there to be found So walk these hills lightly, and watch who you're lovin' By mother the mountain I swear that it's true Love not a woman with hair black as midnight ---------------------------------------------------- Version 2 ---------------------------------------------------- Am My lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom C C/B C/A C/G Am The moon's dancin' purple all through her black hair And a ladies-in-waiting she stands 'neath my window And the sun will rise soon on the false and the fair G Em Am Singin' too - ra - loo - ra - li She tells me she comes from my mother the mountain And her skin fits her tightly and her lips do not lie She silently slips from her throat a medallion Slowly she twirls in front of my eyes I watch her, I love her, I long for to touch her The satin she's wearin' is shimmerin' blue Outside my window her ladies are sleepin' My dogs have gone huntin', their howlin' is through So I reach for her hand and her eyes turn to poison And her hair turns to splinters, and her flesh turns to brine She leaps 'cross the room, she stands in the window And screams that my first born will surely be blind She throws herself out to the black of the nightfall She's parted her lips, but she makes not a sound I fly down the stairway, and I run to the garden No trace of my true love is there to be found So walk these hills lightly, and watch who you're lovin' By mother the mountain I swear that it's true Love not a woman with hair black as midnight And her dress made of satin all shimmerin' blue ---------------------------------------------------- Version 3 submitted by Jan 4/12/2008 ---------------------------------------------------- Playing hint - when you play the Dm-chord, play F-note on D-string and C-note on A-string, you'll hear when. (Dm) My lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom, The (F)moon's dancin' (C/E)purple all (Am)through her black (Dm)hair. And a lady's in waiting, she'll stand 'neath my window, And the (F)sun will rise (C/E)soon on the (Am)false and the (Dm)fair, Singin' (C)too a (Am)loora li-(Dm)o. She tells me she comes from my mother the mountain, And her (F)skin fits her (C/E)tightly and her (Am)lips do not (Dm)lie. She silently slips from her throat a medallion, (F)Slowly she (C/E)twirls in (Am)front of my (Dm)eye, Singin' (C)too a (Am)loora li-(Dm)o. I watch her, I love her, and I long for to touch her, The (F)satin she's (C/E)wearin' is (Am)shimmerin' (Dm)blue. And outside my window her lady's a-sleepin', My (F)dogs have gone (C/E)huntin', their (Am)howlin' is (Dm)through, Singin' (C)too a (Am)loora li-(Dm)o. So I reach for her hand and her eyes turn to poison, And her (F)hair turns to (C/E)splinters, and her (Am)flesh turns to (Dm)brine. She leaps 'cross the room, she stands in the window, And (F)screams that my (C/E)first born will (Am)surely be (Dm)blind, Singin' (C)too a (Am)loora li-(Dm)o. She throws herself out to the black of the nightfall, She's (F)parted her (C/E)lips, but she (Am)makes not a (Dm)sound. I fly down the stairway, and I run to the garden, No (F)trace of my (C/E)true love is (Am)there to be (Dm)found, Singin' (C)too a (Am)loora li-(Dm)o. So walk these hills lightly, and watch who you're lovin', By our (F)mother the (C/E)mountain, I (Am)swear that it's (Dm)true. And love not a woman with hair black as midnight, And her (F)dress made of (C/E)satin all (Am)shimmerin' (Dm)blue, Singin' (C)too a (Am)loora li-(Dm)o. Oh, my lover comes to me with a rose on her bosom, The (F)moon's dancin' (C/E)purple all (Am)through her black (Dm)hair. And a lady's in waiting, she stands 'neath my window, And the (F)sun will rise (C/E)soon on the (Am)false and the (Dm)fair. #--------------------------------------------------------------#