Bartender's Blues Chords
by James Taylor
Bartender's Blues by James Taylor is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of A. It uses the chords E, F#m7, E/G#, A, A7, D and Bm7. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
Intro: E F#m7 E/G#
A A7
Now I'm just a bartender
D Bm7
And I don't like my work
E A E F#m7 E/G#
But I don't mind the money at all
A A7
I see lots of sad faces
D Bm7
And lots of bad cases
E A E F#m7 E/G#
Of folks with their backs to the wall
A A7 D Bm7
Chorus: But I need four walls around me to hold my life
E A E F#m7 E/G#
To keep me from going a-stray
A A7 D Bm7
And a honky-tonk angel to hold me tight
E A E F#m7 E/G#
To keep me from slipping away
A A7
I can light up your smokes
D Bm7
I can laugh at your jokes
E A E F#m7 E/G#
I can watch you fall down on your knees
A A7
I can close down this bar
D Bm7
I can gas up my car
E A E F#m7 E/G#
I can pack up and mail in my key
Chorus:
A A7
Now, the smoke fills the air
D Bm7
In this honky-tonk bar
E A E F#m7 E/G#
And I'm thinking 'bout where I'd rather be
A A7
But I burned all my bridges
D Bm7
I sank all my ships
E A E F#m7 E/G#
And I'm stranded at the edge of the sea
Chorus: