Where Were You

Where Were You - Jackson Browne (Album: Time the Conqueror)

Chords:

Name EADGBe

F# 244322

A/F# 2xx220

B/F# 2x4442

D x5423x -\

E x7645x |- Chords used on part ‘Where were you when you understood’

A/C# x4765x |

D/F# 2x023x

E/F# 2xx100

Intro:

|F# |F# |F# |F# |

|F# |F# |F# |A/F# B/F# |

|F# |F# |F# |A/F# B/F# |

|F# |F# |F# |A/F# B/F# |

Where were you when the sky cracked open

Waiting for shelter and barely coping

Thinking you could ride the storm out

Hoping it would be all right

Where were you when they gave the warning

Hundred-fifty mile winds by morning

Category four making landfall in the wild gray light

(min/sec 1:04)

F# (piano chords arranged for guitar)

| | | | | | | | (<-beat indication)

Where were you

Where were you

Where were you in the social order

The Lower nine or a hotel in the Quarter

Which side of the border between rich and poor

Where were you going to evacuate to

Assuming there was any way to

Where if you didn’t own a car

(min/sec 1:46)

F# (piano chords arranged for guitar)

Where were you

Where were you

(min/sec 2:07)

Where were you when you understood

However decent, however good

However hard some people try

They only barely make it by

They’re born and live their entire lives

In harm’s way

Interlude:

(min/sec 2:29)

|F# |F# |

So now where are we gonna go

F# (Piano fills)

(min/sec 2:45)

Where were you when you heard the stranded

The injured and the empty-handed

Running out of food and water at the Superdome

The newborn and the elderly

Exposed to even more misery

While those in charge of rescue waited for the Guard to come

And those who left the Convention Center

Were stopped on the bridge when they tried to enter

The safety of the Westbank and higher ground

(3:17)

And when the Guard finally did arrive

And got to work on about day five

Mainly they were used to keep the looting down

(min/sec 3:27)

F# (piano chords arranged for guitar)

Where were you

Where were you

(min/sec 3:49)

Where were you when you realized

However strong, however wise

However true our leaders appear to be

They talk about prosperity

However hard this country strives

When property is valued more than lives

How strong will we ever really be

How strong will we ever really be

How long do we imagine we’ll be free

(How long do we imagine we’ll be free )

(min/sec 4:31)

|D/F# |E/F# |D/F# |E/F# |

|D/F# |E/F# |

(min/sec 4:47) (piano fills)

(min/sec 5:19)

F#m7 B/F# (piano)

F# (Guitar fill)

(min/sec 5:40)

We hold the truth self evident

The photograph of the President

From Air Force One he viewed the devastation

Shaved face and rested eyes

Looking down he circles twice

On the way home from his vacation

(min/sec 6:02)

F# (piano chords arranged for guitar)

Where were you When you got the

picture

Where were you

Where were you when the streets filled up with

black water

(min/sec 6:33)

Where were you when defeat and destruction reigned in the Crescent

Where were you when it blew from every direction

Where were you when the promise was made

To return and rebuild

To restore to its people

The city that gave us the first American music

The true inspiration and the freedom to use it

Where will we find it again if we lose it

And where will we be

If we ever cease to love

(If we ever cease to love)

If we ever cease to love

(If we ever cease to love)

(min/sec 7:37)

D/F# E/F# (piano fills)

D/F# E/F# (piano fills)

D/F# E/F# (piano fills)

D/F# E/F# (piano fills)

D/F# E/F# (piano fills)

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# |

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# |

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# |

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# |

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# |

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# |

|Fm#7 |B/F# |F# |F# | (repeat & fade)

Transcribed by Gerard Koot (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) – jan 2009

gerardkoot@hotmail.com