Open Ended Life Chords
Open Ended Life by The Avett Brothers is a beginner-friendly guitar song played in the key of C. It uses the chords C, G, Am and D. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
The Avett Brothers
"Open Ended Life"
No Capo
For C hammer on d and b strings; listen to song to find the rhythm for riff
Intro:
G, C, G, C
G C G C
Pack a change of clothes and a pillow for the road for when we drift off
G C G C
Put the sketches and the notes in a box labeled "burn with furniture"
Am D G C G
We will watch the fire burn the whole entire house we built down to ashes
Am D
From the mirror we'll admire how the flame quickly retires
Am D
we won't waste no long goodbyes on the smoke or foolish lies
G C G
that finally passed us
Am D G
I was taught to keep an open ended life and never trap myself in nothin
G C
Let's find something new to talk about
G C
I'm tired talkin' 'bout myself
G C
I spent my whole life talking to convince everyone
G C
that I was something else
Am
And the part that kinda hurts
D
is I think it finally worked
G C G
and now I'm leaving
Am
I get the feeling things have changed
D
but the mystery to me
Am
is where and when along the way
D G C
did anyone decide that they believed me
Am D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
G C
and never trap myself in nothin'
Am D
I was told to keep an open-ended life
G
to never trap yourself in nothin'
Hoedown: G, C, G, G x2
Riff:
e|----------------|
b|----------------|
g|-3b4-4b3p2p0---0|
d|------------2-0-|
a|----------------|
E|----------------|
Over riff: C, G, C, G x2
G C
When we settle down in another nowhere town
G C
let's tell our neighbors
G
We won't be here long
C G C
and we'll be quiet but don't go asking any favors
Am D G C G
I can't stand the unexpected, uninvited visits from too many strangers
Am
My trust has dwindled down
D G C
and I can leave just as abruptly as I came here.
Am D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
G C G
and never trap myself in nothin'
Am D
I was told to keep an open-ended life
G C G
to never trap yourself in nothin'
Am D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
G
and never trap myself in nothin'
G, C, G x2 Am, D x3
Riff
End on G, C