Abilene Chords
by Dave Alvin
Abilene by Dave Alvin is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of C with a capo on the 2st fret. It uses the chords C, Am, F, Dm and G. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
Intro: C Am F Dm (4x)
verse 1
C
There's a greyhound bus
G
Leavin' the great Northwest
C
Takin' her tonight
G
Back down south to Texas
F
She's been dancin' on tables
To pay rent and be able
Dm
To just get by and maybe stay clean.
C Am F Dm
Abilene, Abilene
C Am F Dm
Abilene, Abilene.
verse 2
C
Well her daddy'd get drunk
G
Then he'd hit her hard
C
And her mama'd lie in bed
G
High on pills and talkin' to God
F
But like her beautiful tattoos
These old memories she can't lose
Dm
Since she ran away at fifteen.
C Am
Abilene, Abilene
F Dm C Am
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F Dm F Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F F
Forget everything
C Am F Dm
Abilene.
verse 3
C
Starin' out the window
Am
At the long cold night
C
Ahead on the horizon
Am
Is another string of bright lights
F
She's dreamin' of a man she's goin' to meet
In a bar on an Austin street
Dm
Maybe this one won't be so mean.
C Am
Abilene, Abilene
F Dm C Am
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F Dm F Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F F
Forget everything
C Am F Dm
Abilene.
Bridge
Am C F Dm (3x)
(Slowing) Dm F Am C
verse 4
C Am
In a Texas bar there's a man sittin' alone
C Am
Thinkin' of a girl he swore he'd wait there for
F
But he's drinkin' beers and he's feelin' old
Rememberin' every lie he's told
Am
'Til he changes his mind and he leaves.
C Am
Abilene, Abilene
F Dm C Am
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F Dm F Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F F
Forget everything
C Am F Dm
Abilene.
Outro
C Am F Dm
Oh, Abilene, Abilene
C Am F Dm (Repeat and fade)