LYRICS SAMPLES
Jack Tanis
614 Broome Street
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034-3837
USA
Telephone: 904.261.4628
E-mail
It is said (by us), "Music without lyrics is music whilst lyrics without music are bad poetry." We are unable to post manuscript staff notation, which is limiting. Yet, with the exceptions of our love for our cats and human stupidity and folly, everything has limits. We have done what we are able, inserting musical chord symbols into our sample song lyrics. This marks harmonic changes. The chord symbols appear within brackets -- "[chord_symbol]".
"FINE FELINE FAMILY"
Copyright © 2007 by Jack Tanis
[E] I love my cats and my cats love me.
[E] They are my fine feline family. [D]
[G] We sleep with each other at night.
[E] They awaken me before dawn.
[G] I get up and turn on a light
[E] As they stretch and yawn.
[E] Cherished companion cats are they.
[E] Loves of my life, they are here to stay. [D]
[G] They excel at eating their food,
[E] Even though they’d rather eat mine.
[G] Play and purr, they’re in a good mood:
[E] Our world is divine.
[A] Family, fine feline
[A] Family, fine feline
[G] Family, fine feline
[D] Fami- [E] -ly.
[E] My cats love me and I love my cats.
[E] They engage in vocal feline chats. [D]
[G] They can transform clothing to twine,
[E] Redesign the upholstery.
[G] So resourceful is my so fine
[E] Feline family.
[A] Family, fine feline
[A] Family, fine feline
[G] Family, fine feline
[D] Fami- [E] -ly.
"THE THINGS I CHOOSE"
Copyright © 1968 by Jack Tanis
View the manuscript here.
"REMEMBER WHEN"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack Tanis
Written for our best friend during our teenage years, Steve Klein.
[G] [Bb] [C] [G]
[G] Remember when [Bb] you were my best friend?
[C] Well, at any rate, I [G] do.
[Bb] We were only children then. [C] Still, though, I Remember
[G] When. [Bb] [C] [G]
[G] Remember all [Bb] of the things we knew
[C] That would one day all come [G] true?
[Bb] I remember many things. [C] Do you remember them,
[G] Too? [Bb] [C] [G]
[G] You moved away, [Bb] but there'd come a day
[C] When our friendship would re- [G] -new.
[Bb] Once a friend, always a friend: [C] I thought so; you thought so,
[G] Too. [Bb] [C] [G]
[G] As time went by, [Bb] I would wonder why,
[C] Why I never heard from [G] you.
[Bb] I guess you forgot about [C] all the things we used to
[G] Do. [Bb] [C] [G]
[G] Remember me? [Bb] I used to be
[C] Someone long ago you knew. [G]
[Bb] Though it's not important now; [C] Still, though I Remember
[G] When. [Bb] [C] [G]
[G] [Bb] [C] [G]
"FAR AWAY"
Copyright © 1993 by Jack Tanis
[G] Take me far away, so far away.
[A7] Take me far away, without delay.
[C] Take me far away, I'll leave today.
[G] No place can be [C] far e- [D7] -nough a- [G] -way.
[G] Take me far a- [C] -way to some other [G] place [D7]
[G] Where I can live [C] my life at my own [F6] pace, [D7]
A- [Em7] -way from all big [C] cities and [Em7] overpopu- [A7] -lation.
Take [CM7] me so far a- [D7] -way, I can't be [G] found.
[G] I'll do any- [C] -thing to get out of [G] here. [D7]
[G] Here the days drag [C] bye without joy or [F6] cheer. [D7]
I'm [Em7] seeking sanctu- [C] -ary. I'm [Em7] searching for safe [A7] haven;
A [CM7] place too far a- [D7] -way for looking [G] back.
[D] Each one of us [D7] needs a secret, special [G] place.
[D7] Mine is far a- [G] -way, [Em7] re- [A7] -moved in time and [D] space. [D7] Yes.
[G] Once I'm far a- [C] -way, I'll never re- [G] -turn. [D7]
[G] As I cross each [C] bridge, that bridge I will [F6] burn. [D7]
Say- [Em7] -ing goodbye to [C] no one, and [Em7] missing out on [A7] nothing.
So [CM7] far away, just [D7] like another [G] world.
[D] Each one of us [D7] needs a secret, special [G] place.
[D7] Mine is far a- [G] -way, [Em7] re- [A7] -moved in time and [D] space. [D7] Yes.
[G] Take me far away, so far away.
[A7] Take me far away, without delay.
[C] Take me far away, I'll leave today.
[G] No place can be [C] far e- [D7] -nough a- [G] -way.
"THE TELEPHONE ANSWERING DEVICE SONG"
Copyright © 1995 by Jack Tanis
[G] Most likely [A7] I am fast a- [D] -sleep, [D7]
So [G] leave your [A7] message at the [D] beep; [D7]
Or [G] else I [A7] want to be a- [D] -lone, [F#7]
So [G] leave your [A7] message at the [G] tone. [D]
[G] I'm not [A7] answering the [G] phone. [Bb] [C] [D]
"SOMEONE"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack Tanis
View the manuscript here.
"VERY TRULY YOURS"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack TanisView the manuscript here.
[Dm]
It's been a [Dm] long time since [G] I have been with [Dm] you.
I've looked a- [Dm] round, but not [C] found someone [Dm] new.
Though I [F] no longer [Dm] mention your [G] name,
Still I [F] ver- [G] -y [A7] truly yours re- [Dm] -main.
What once was [Dm] love did turn [G] into a [Dm] void,
Although the [Dm] pleasures that [C] I once en- [Dm] -joyed
Surely [F] soon will be [Dm] mine once a- [G] -gain.
And so I [F] ver- [G] -y [A7] truly yours re- [Dm] -main.
Lately the [Dm] distance be- [G] -tween us has in- [Dm] -creased,
Although the [Dm] dif'rence be- [C] -tween us never [Dm] ceased.
Though there [F] has been no [Dm] joy, there's no [G] pain.
And so I [F] ver- [G] -y [A7] truly yours re- [Dm] -main.
"DON'T LOOK BACK"
Copyright © 1977 by Jack Tanis
[C] Gather all your fancies and put them on a [F] train. [G]
[C] Buy a one-way ticket; you won't be back a- [F] -gain.
[G] Mem'ries, memories may linger [C] on.
[G] Mem'ries, mem'ries of times that are [C] gone. [F] [C]
[C] Say goodbye to neighbours and say farewell to [F] friends. [G]
[C] Tell them you are sorry this is the way it [F] ends.
[G] Listen to all the familiar [C] sounds:
[G] Echoes, fading as they spin a- [C] -round. [F] [C]
[F] Don't [G] look [C] back. [F] Don't [G] look [C] back. [F] Don't [G] look [F] back. [C]
[C] Sublet your apartment; you can no longer [F] stay. [G]
[C] File a change of address; you have to go a- [F] -way.
[G] Take those things you can not do with- [C] -out.
[G] Leave those things you must forget a- [C] -bout. [F] [C]
[C] Have a bit of breakfast, but get an early [F] start. [G]
[C] Have a final look-see, and try to take some [F] heart.
[G] Follow, follow in the path you [C] take.
[G] Don't look back: t'would be a big mis- [C] -take. [F] [C]
[F] Don't [G] look [C] back. [F] Don't [G] look [C] back. [F] Don't [G] look [F] back. [C]
[F] Don't [G] look [C] back. [F] Don't [G] look [C] back. [F] Don't [G] look [F] back. [C]
"SORRY SIGHT"
Copyright © 1995 by Jack Tanis
[A] Empty pain and silent [D] cries,
There are no [A] tears that fall from bleeding [E] eyes;
[E7] There is no [A] reason why, Only ex- [D] -cuses for
Dis- [E] tasteful, wasteful [E7] sacrifices [D] on the killing [A] floor.
[A] Scenes of such infernal [D] rites
Scoff at The [A] Garden of Earthly De- [E] -lights;
[E7] No tortured [A] phantasy, Imagi- [D] -nation fails
To [E] describe, much less [E7] comprehend, what [D] living hell en- [A] -tails.
[D] They can not take [A] flight,
Yet [D] neither can they [A] fight;
A [D] world of fright
Where [E7] might makes right:
A [A] sor- [D] -ry [A]sight.
[A] Growing old is not to [D] be,
Yet every [A] day is an eterni- [E] -ty;
[E7] Going from [A] bad to worse, Mired in a [D] misery
That [E] is so boundless, [E7] is a groundless, [D]fatal desti- [A] -ny.
[A] Beat the drum and blow the [D] horn,
Here come the [A] scientists -- all scowl and [E] scorn;
[E7] Icons of [A] intellect, of soul they're [D] surely shorn,
Pon- [E] -tificates of [E7] knowledge badly [D] tattered, threadbare, [A] torn.
[D] They can not take [A] flight,
Yet [D] neither can they [A] fight;
A [D] world of fright
Where [E7] might makes right:
A [A] sor- [D] -ry [A]sight.
[A] Care for them and try to [D] save
If but just [A] one of them from that mass [E] grave;
[E7 They all are [A] riding on a corpse-rid [D] carousel;
If [E] you can stop one [E7] sorry sight, then [D] you will have done [A] well.
[D] They can not take [A] flight,
Yet [D] neither can they [A] fight;
A [D] world of fright
Where [E7] might makes right:
A [A] sor- [D] -ry [A]sight.
"WHAT'S THE USE?"
Copyright © 1981 by Jack Tanis
View the manuscript here.
"SAY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND"
Copyright © 1979 by Jack Tanis
[G] Come sit next to me, [Em] have a chair, [G] sit with me for a [Em] while.
[G] Don't be part of the rank and [Em] file. Oh, yeah.
[D] Oh, [G] yeah. Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[G] Whatever comes to [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind.
[G] Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[G] Sitting with me is [Em] better than [G] sitting all bye your- [Em] -self.
[G] Don't be like everybody [Em] else. Oh, yeah.
[D] Oh, [G] yeah. Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[G] Whatever comes to [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind.
[G] Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] You need not [Am7] do anything that [G] you don't want.
[C] You need not [Am7] bother with things that [G] only taunt,
[D] As they flaunt. [D7]
[G] Far away from the [Em] madding crowd, [G] far away from the [Em] swarm,
[G] Without a rule to which to con- [Em] -form. Oh, yeah.
[D] Oh, [G] yeah. Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[G] Whatever comes to [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind.
[G] Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] You need not [Am7] do anything that [G] you don't want.
[C] You need not [Am7] bother with things that [G] only taunt,
[D] As they flaunt. [D7]
[G] Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[G] Whatever comes to [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind.
[G] Just say what's on your [Em] mind. Yeah.
[G] Whatever comes to [Em] mind. Yeah.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind.
[C] Oh, say what's on your [Am7] mind. [G]
"BETTER THAN THE REST"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack Tanis
View the manuscript here.
"FIRST RUN"
Copyright © 1974 by Jack Tanis
[C] What can I [C/B] say? We [C/A] tried. [C/G]
[F] Opening [F/E] night we did [Dm] fine. [G]
[C] Panned by the [C/B] critics, we [C/A] died. [C/G]
[F] So long, re- [F/E] -member your [Dm] lines. [G]
[Am] What can I [C] say? We [Dm] tried. [F]
[Am] Opening [C] night we did [Dm] fine. [F]
[Am] Panned by the [C] critics, we [Dm] died. [F]
But, [C] So long, re- [F] -member your [G] lines.
[C] Sold out the [C/B] house every [C/A] day, [C/G]
[F] People came [F/E] from miles a- [Dm] -round. [G]
[C] They came to [C/B] see us [C/A] play our [C/G] play.
[F] Where are those [F/E] curtain calls [Dm] now? [G]
[Am] Sold out the [C] house every [Dm] day, [F]
[Am] People came [C] from miles a- [Dm] -round. [F]
[Am] They came to [C] see us [Dm] play our [F] play.
Oh, [C] Where are those [F] curtain calls [G] now?
[C] Just when we'd [C/B] got on our [C/A] way, [C/G]
[F] Sunday re- [F/E] -view in The [Dm] Times. [G]
[C] We'll meet a- [C/B] -gain some [C/A] day. [C/G]
[F] So long, re- [F/E] -member your [Dm] lines. [G]
[Am] Just when we'd [C] got on our [Dm] way, [F]
[Am] Sunday re- [C] -view in The [Dm] Times. [F]
[Am] We'll meet a- [C] -gain some [Dm] day. [F]
But, [C] So long, re- [F] -member your [G] lines. [F] [C]
"I'M INSIDE"
Copyright © 1968 by Jack Tanis
[D] I see it [C] rain, looking [G] through my win- [A] -dow.
[D] It's very [C] cold from [G] yesterday's [A] snow.
[D] But it's all [C] right, I can't [G] feel it in- [A] -side,
[D] Inside my [C] room, in my [G] house, where I [D] lie.
[D] The fire is [C] warm as it [G] gives off its [A] light;
[D] A pleasant [C] contrast to [G] this lonely [A] night.
[D] There's not a [C] soul any- [G] -where to be [A] found.
[D] There's only [C] me, and I'm [G] always a- [D] -round.
Look out- [A] -side [D] [G] at [C] the [D] weather.
I'm in- [A] side. [D] [G] Is- [C] -n't that [D] better?
[D] My house is [C] big, and there's [G] room for one [A] more.
[D] One might ex- [C] -pect her to [G] walk through the [A] door.
[D] But in the [C] meantime I'll [G] stay where I [A] am,
[D] Inside my [C] house, just as [G] long as I [A] can.
Look out- [A] -side [D] [G] at [C] the [D] weather.
I'm in- [A] side. [D] [G] Is- [C] -n't that [D]better?
[B7] [D7] [E7] [G] [D]
"MUSICAL DAYS"
Copyright © 1979 by Jack Tanis
[D] Each time I write a story [E] using only [E7] notes
[G] For an ear that [A] will not hear the [C] message it pro- [D] -motes,
[D] I wonder what it takes to [E] put my thoughts a- [E7] -cross
[G] Without always [A] leaving me com- [C] -pletely at a [D] loss.
[A] Listen to the music as it [D] plays. [G]
[A] Tell me what you think the music [D] says. [G]
[A] Tell me in an hundred different [D] ways. [G]
[E] Musical [G] Days. [A]
[D] Each time I paint a picture [E] using only [E7] tones
[G] For an eye that [A] could descry all [C] that it just post- [D] -pones,
[D] I wonder how a vision, [E] otherwise so [E7] clear,
[G] Could fail with such [A] frequency to [C] make itself ap- [D] -pear.
[A] Listen to the music as it [D] plays. [G]
[A] Tell me what you think the music [D] says. [G]
[A] Tell me in an hundred different [D] ways. [G]
[E] Musical [G] Days. [A]
[D] Should I try illustration [E] set within a [E7] word
[G] For a mind that [A] is quite blind to [C] all that might be [D] heard?
[D] Should I ply images on [E] paper or on [E7] board
[G] For the sake of [A] those who take no [C] pleasure in a [D] chord?
[A] Listen to the music as it [D] plays. [G]
[A] Tell me what you think the music [D] says. [G]
[A] Tell me in a thousand different [D] ways. [G]
[E] Musical [G] Days. Musical [A] Days. [D]
"ONE MORE TIME"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack Tanis
View the manuscript here.
"LIVING IN A BAD DREAM"
Copyright © 1991 by Jack Tanis
View the music here.
[E7] Living in a bad [B7] dream.
I know a [E7] place nobody comes from, I just returned from it this day.
There's a [A7] place nobody goes to, I'll be there soon, without de- [E7] -lay.
This is like [B7] living in a bad dream, [A7] from which there is no waking [E7] up. [B7]
There is a [E7] path no one has travelled, I know each step along its way.
There's a [A7] world no one inhabits, where very frequently I [E7] stay.
This is like [B7] living in a bad dream, [A7] from which there is no waking [E7] up. [B7]
Listen to [E7] people without voices, and hear them scream and screech and wail.
Look at [A7] people without faces, their portraits painted in de- [E7] -tail.
This is like [B7] living in a bad dream, [A7] from which there is no waking [E7] up. [B7]
[E7] Living in a bad dream. Living in a bad dream. Living in a bad dream....
"PASS IT BY"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack Tanis
[G] People [Bb] try to [C] sell their [Eb] love, but
[G] All they [Bb] do is buy [C] someone else's [D] hate.
[G] Don't be [Bb] fooled by [C] those who [Eb] say,
[G] "I'll love you to- [Bb] -morrow if [C] you'll love me to- [D] -day."
[C] Pass it by. [D] Pass it by. [C] Pass it by, [Bb] please.
[G] Save your- [Bb] -self for [C] someone [Eb] who will
[G] Give you [Bb] love and [C] care only for [D] you.
[G] Don't be [Bb] bothered [C] with the [Eb] rest;
[G] Anything they [Bb] offer is [C] only second [D] best.
[C] Pass it by. [D] Pass it by. [C] Pass it by, [Bb] please.
[C] Pass it by. [D] Pass it by. [C] Pass it by, [Bb] please. [G]
"WE ARE STILL HERE"
Copyright © 1982 by Jack Tanis
[C] We are here, [G] you and I,
[C] Beneath a [G] cloudy sky,
[F] Dark and cold [C] rainy day,
[G] Yet we stay. [G7]
We are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [F] here. We [C] are still [G] here. [G7] [G7sus]
[C] Here we are, [G] here we be,
[C] Here is you, [G] here am me,
[F] Weathering [C] out the storm,
[G] Keeping warm. [G7]
We are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [F] here. We [C] are still [G] here. [G7] [G7sus]
[F] Here to- [C] -day and [F] here to- [C] -morrow.
[D7] Nowhere else to [F] go, I [G7] know.
[C] In this place, [G] our domain,
[C] Over which [G] we retain
[F] The divine [C] right of reign,
[G] We remain. [G7]
We are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [F] here. We [C] are still [G] here. [G7] [G7sus]
[F] Here to- [C] -day and [F] here to- [C] -morrow.
[D7] Nowhere else to [F] go, I [G7] know.
We are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [C] here. (We are still [G7] here.)
Oh, we are still [F] here. We [G7] are still [C] here.
"BEFORE MY TIME"
Copyright © 1971 by Jack Tanis
View the manuscript here.
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