Transpose up (k) Transpose down (j) Cycle song versions (v) Toggle Nashville chords (n) Toggle lyrics only (z) Toggle modulation (m) ------------------------- Jump to artists index (i) Jump to current artists index (I) Jump to song index Jump to tunings index Jump to folk index Jump to theory page ------------------------- Toggle multicolumn Toggle dark mode ------------------------- Find song (f) Random song (r) Random song (current artist) (R)

Nick Drake : Five Leaves Left
1969

  1. Time Has Told Me
    +2
  2. River Man
  3. Three Hours
    +1
  4. Way To Blue
  5. Day Is Done

  6. Cello Song
  7. Thoughts Of Mary Jane
    +1
  8. Man In A Shed
  9. Fruit Tree
    +1
  10. Saturday Sun

Time Has Told Me

Capo:
III
G11/f 13020x
D/f#
A
Time has told me
D/f#
A
You're a rare, rare find
A9
D/f#
A troubled cure
Bm
E
For a troubled mind And time has told me Not to ask for more For someday our ocean Will find its shore
C#7
C7
So I'll leave the ways of making me be
G11/f
B7/f#
E
What I really don't want to be
C#7
C7
Leave the ways that are making me love
G11/f
B7/f#
E
What I really don't want to love Time has told me You came with the dawn A soul with no footprint A rose with no thorn Your tears they tell me There's really no way Of ending your troubles With things you can say And time will tell you To stay by my side To keep on trying 'Til there's no more to hide So leave the ways that are making you be What you really don't want to be Leave the ways that are making you love What you really don't want to love Time has told me You're a rare, rare find A troubled cure For a troubled mind And time has told me Not to ask for more For someday our ocean Will find its shore

River Man

Capo:
III
Aadd9/e 00242(0) F 13321x
Am9/e 00241(0) A7b5 002040
A7/e 00202x C9/g 33033x (33031x on the demo version)
C6b5/e 00402x
Aadd9/e
|-------------0---|
|---2---2-----2---| x4 (5 triplets to each "bar")
|---4---4-----4---|
|---2---2-2---2-2-|
|---0---0-----0---|
|-0----0---0-0----|
Am9/e
Betty came by on her way
C9/g
Said she had a word to say
F
About things today
Am9/e
And fallen leaves Said she hadn't heard the news Hadn't had the time to choose A way to lose But she believes Going to see the river man Going to tell him all I can About the plan For lilac time If he tells me all he knows About the way his river flows And all night shows
A7b5
In summertime |
F
|
x3
|
Aadd9/e
|
x2
|
F
|
x3
|
Aadd9/e
|
x4
 Betty said she prayed today For the sky to blow away Or maybe stay She wasn't sure For when she thought of summer rain Calling for her mind again She lost the pain And stayed for more Going to see the river man Going to tell him all I can About the ban On feeling free If he tells me all he knows About the way his river flows I don't suppose
A7b5
It's meant for me Oh, how they come and go
C6b5
x4
D11/e
x2
A7/e
x4
A7b5/e
...
|-----------------| |-----------------| |-----------------| |-----------------|
|---2---2-----2---| |---1---1-----1---| |---2---2-----4---| |---4---4-----2---|
|---0---0-----0---| |---0---0-----0---| |---0---0-----0---| |---0---0-----0---|
|---------4-----4-| |---------4-----4-| |---------2-----2-| |---------2-----2-|
|---0---0-----0---| |---0---0-----0---| |---0---0-----0---| |---0---0-----0---|
|-0----0---0-0----| |-0----0---0-0----| |-0----0---0-0----| |-0----0---0-0----|
The first 4 bars might sound odd unaccompanied in that they don't change
(in the track, the strings give some variation). You could play a 1 on
the B-string for the first 2 bars, or a 2 on the D-string for the 3rd and
4th bar, to give it some variation, but above is what I think Nick plays.

Three Hours

Tuning: BBDGBE
Capo:
III
B* 004402
Asus2/b 00220x
E/b 00210x
B*
Asus2/b
Three hours from sundown, Jeremy flies
B*
E/b
Hoping to keep the sun from his eyes
B*
E/b
East from the city and down to the cave
B*
Asus2/b
In search of a master, in search of a slave Three hours from London, Jacomo's free Taking his woes down to the sea In search of a lifetime to tell when he's home In search of a story that's never been known Three hours from speaking, everyone's flown Not wanting to be seen on their own Three hours is needed to leave from them all Three hours to wonder and three hours to fall Three hours from sundown, Jeremy flies Hoping to keep the sun from his eyes East from the city and down to the cave In search of a master, in search of a slave

Way To Blue

These guitar chords try to be accurate to the piano demo.
The demo had no solo, but here's an approximate version of that too.
Intro and 1st bit of verse
| 0xx987 | 0xx975 | 0xx875 | 0xx453 |
| 0xx987 | 0xx975 0xx875 | x3x553 x0x553 | 0xx475 0xx454 |
***
*** this bar is slightly reharmonised in the string version; you could play
| 0xx575 0xx242 |
"Tell me all..."
| 0xx455 0xx454 | 0xx455 0xx454 | x2445x | x2444x |
"Won't you come and say..."
*** here too
| 0xx987 | 0xx975 0xx875 | x3x553 x0x553 | x2445x x2444x |
| 0xx455 0xx454 |
"Look through"
| 0xx45(5/4) 0xx45x | x244(5/4)x x244xx | x022(3/2)x x022xx | 0x220x 0x210x |
Solo
| 0xx453 | 0xx212 0x454x | 0x757(7) 0x4545 | 0xx453 |
| 0x9987 | 0x4655 | 0x4555 | 0xx453 |
| 0x9987 | 0x2212 x2444x | x3x553 x0x553 | 0x225x 0x425x |
| 0x210x |
Approximate chord names for this progression:
|
Em
|
F#dim/e
| |
Em
| |
Em
|
A6/e
|
Am6/e
|
Em
| |
Em
|
Am6/e
B
|
C
Am7
|
Esus4
Esus2
| |
E
| Don't you have a word to show what may be done Have you never heard a way to find the sun Tell me all that you may know Show me what you have to show Won't you come and say If you know the way to blue Have you seen the land living by the breeze Can you understand a light among the trees Tell me all that you may know Show me what you have to show Tell us all today If you know the way to blue? Look through time and find your rhyme Tell us what you find We will wait At your gate Hoping like the blind Can you now recall all that you have known Will you never fall When the light has flown Tell me all that you may know Show me what you have to show Won't you come and say If you know the way to blue?

Day Is Done

Capo:
V
Intro and verse pattern:
|----------0--------|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---------0---------|
|------0h1------1---|-0---0---0---0---|-0h1-----1---1---|---0h1p0---3---1---|
|---2---------2---2-|-----------------|-----------------|--------2----2---2-|
|-------------------|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|-------------------|
|-0--------0----0---|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-4-------4---4---|-3-------3---3---|-2-------2-----2---|
| repeat these bars in verses 2 & 6 | verses 1,3,5:
|---------0-3-0-----|---------0-------|-----------------|-------------------|
|---0h1p0-------3---|-----0h1-----1---|-------0---------|---------0---------|
|--------2--------2-|---2-------2-----|-----2---2-------|------2-----1------|
|-------------------|---------------0-|---0-------1---1-|---2-----------2---|
|-------------------|-0-------0---0---|-----------------|-----------------2-|
|-1-------1---------|-----------------|-1-----------1---|-0-----------------|
verses 2,4,6:
|------------------|
|-------0----------|
|-----2---2---1----|
|---0h1-----2---2--|
|------------------|
|-1-------0--------|
 When the day is done Down to earth then sinks the sun Along with everything that was lost and won When the day is done When the day is done Hope so much your race will be all run Then you find you jumped the gun Have to go back where you begun When the day is done When the night is cold Some get by but some get old Just to show life's not made of gold When the night is cold When the bird has flown Got no one to call your own Got no place to call your home When the bird has flown When the game's been fought Newspaper blown across the court Lost much sooner than you would have thought Now the game's been fought When the party's through Seems so very sad for you Didn't do the things you meant to do Now there's no time to start anew Now the party's through When the day is done Down to earth then sinks the sun Along with everything that was lost and won When the day is done
|------------------|
Last bar of last verse |-------3-0-----0--|
(in free timing): |-----2---------5--|
|---2-------2---2--|
|-0-------------0--|
|-------------0----|

Cello Song

Tuning: EADF#BE
Capo:
VI
Intro (the 02s and 01s are all hammered on)
|-----------------------------| |-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------| x2 |-------------------------------| x2
|-----------------------------| |-0h1---------0h1-------1-------|
|-0h2---2-2---0h2---2-2-------| |-------2-----------0h2-----2---|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-0-| |-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
|-----------------------------| |-------------------------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-0---------------|-0----------------|
|-02--------------|-02------------|----02-----------|----02------------|
|----1--01---1----|----1--01---1--|------1-01----1--|------1-01----1---|
|----------02--2--|----------02---|----------2-02---|----------2-02--0-|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|------------------|
(short bar)
Main Riff
|-----------------|-0---------------|
|---------0-------|---------0-------|
|------0-------0--|------0-------0--|
|----2-------2----|----2-------2----|
|---2---2---2---2-|---2---2---2---2-|
|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|
Verse
|----------------|0------------0--| |--------0-------|
|--------0-------|-------0--------| |-----2-------2--|
|-----0-------0--|-----0---0------| |---3-------3----|
|---2-------2----|---2-------2----| and |--2---2---2---2-| (end line with main riff)
|--2---2---2---2-|--2---2---2---2-| |0---0---0---0---|
|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---| |----------------|
("strange face...")] [("so pale...")
Repeat that line, then:
|--------0-------|----------------|
|-----2-------2--|--------0-------| x3 (2nd time extend a la main riff)
|---3-------3----|-----0-------0--|
|--2---2---2---2-|---2-------2----|
|0---0---0---0---|--2---2---2---2-|
|----------------|0---0---0---0---|
("for the dreams that came")
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
|-----2--3----3--|-3---3---2---0--| (and go to main riff under cello)
|---0-------0---0|---0---0---0---0|
|--0---0---0---0-|--0---0---0---0-|
|2---2---2---2---|2---2---2---2---|
("where... (spring is sprung)")
 Strange face With your eyes So pale and sincere Underneath you know well You have nothing to fear For the dreams that came To you when so young Told of a life Where spring is sprung You would seem so frail In the cold of the night When the armies of emotion Go out to fight But while the earth Sinks to its grave You sail to the sky On the crest of a wave So forget this cruel world Where I belong I'll just sit and wait And sing my song And if one day you should see me in the crowd Lend a hand and lift me To your place in the cloud

Thoughts Of Mary Jane

Tuning: EADF#BE
Capo:
VI
 |
A
|
A
|
D
|
E
|
x2
A6
D
E
Who can know the thoughts of Mary Jane Why she flies or goes out in the rain
C#m
A6
Where she's been and who she's seen
F#m
B
Bm
A6
In her journey to the stars Who can know the reason for her smile What are her dreams when they've journeyed for a mile The way she sings and her brightly coloured rings Make her the princess of the sky Who can know what happens in her mind Did she come from a strange world and leave her mind behind Her long lost sighs and her brightly coloured eyes Tell her story to the wind Who can know the thoughts of Mary Jane Why she flies or goes out in the rain Where she's been and who she's seen In her journey to the stars

Man In A Shed

Tuning: BEBEBE
Capo:
III
Intro (timing a bit free) (note: the 2nd string 5 is slid up to each time):
---|--------0---0-----------|----------------------0------|--------0---0---------------------0-----|
---|----0----0------0-0---0-|----0------------0-4^---0----|----0----0-----0-0--0-0--0----------0-4-|
---|---0--0---0----0-----0--|---0--2---------0--------0---|---0--0---0---0----0----0-0----0h2--2-2-|
---|--5-----------4-----4---|--2-----0---0--0----------0--|--5----------4----3----2---2---0----0-0-|
-0-|-5----------4---4-4-----|-2--------2---0------------0-|-5----------4----3----2-----2-----------|
---|------------------------|------0----------------------|-----------------------------0----------|
Verse main pattern: (triplet rhythm)
|---------|-----0---|-0-------|---------|
|-------0-|---------|-------0-|---------|
|-----0---|-0-------|-----0---|-2-------|
|---4-----|---3---3-|---2-----|---0---0-|
|-4-------|-3-------|(2)------|-----2---|
|---------|---------|---------|-0-------|
"When it rained...."
|----------0---|------0-------|--------------|---------0----|
|------0-------|-0------------|------0-------|-----4b5--0---|
|----0--0----0-|----0----0----|----0--2------|---0--------0-|
|---5-----5----|---4---4----4-|---2-----0--0-|--0-----------|
|-5------------|-4--------4---|-2--------2---|-0------------|
|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|----------0---|------0-------|--------------|--------------|----0---------|
|------0-------|-0------------|------0-------|------0-------|-0---0-4--0---|
|----0--0----0-|----0----0----|----0--0------|----0--0------|-0-2---2--2---|
|---5-----5----|---4---4----4-|---3-----3--3-|---2-----2----|-0-----0--0---|
|-5------------|-4--------4---|-3--------3---|-2--------2---|--------------|
|--------------|--------------|--------------|------------0-|------(0)(0)--|
Variation on 4th bar (during instrumental bit):
|-----0-------------|
|-4b5---------------|
|-----0-------------|
|-4b5---------------|
|-0------4b5b4-0--0-|
|---------------4---|
 Well there was a man, lived in a shed Spent most of his days out of his head For his shed was rotten let in the rain Said it was enough to drive any man insane When it rained, he felt so bad When it snowed he felt just simply sad Well there was a girl who lived nearby Whenever he saw her he could only simply sigh But she lived in a house so very big and grand For him it seemed like some very distant land So when he called her, his shed to mend She said I'm sorry you'll just have to find a friend Well this story is not so very new But the man is me, yes, and the girl is you So leave your house come into my shed Please stop my world from raining through my head Please don't think I'm not your sort You'll find that sheds are nicer than you thought
Outro: (not in triplet rhythm)
----|----------0-0------|-----0-2-5-2-----4-----|
----|-----0-0-------0---|-0-2------------0-4----|
----|---0----------0-2--|-----0-2-5-2---4---4---|
----|--4------3-3-2---0-|-0-2----------------0--|
--2-|-4-----3----2------|0------------0-------0-|
----|----------------0--|-----------------------|

Fruit Tree

Tuning: BBDGBE
Capo:
V
 Fame is but a fruit tree So very unsound It can never flourish 'Til its stock is in the ground So men of fame Can never find a way 'Til time has flown Far from their dying day Forgotten while you're here Remembered for a while A much updated ruin From a much outdated style Life is but a memory Happened long ago Theatre full of sadness For a long forgotten show Seems so easy Just to let it go on by 'Til you stop and wonder Why you never wondered why Safe in the womb Of an everlasting night You find the darkness can Give the brightest light Safe in your place deep in the earth That's when they'll know what you were truly worth Forgotten while you're here Remembered for a while A much updated ruin From a much outdated style Fame is but a fruit tree So very unsound It can never flourish 'Til its stock is in the ground So men of fame Can never find a way 'Til time has flown Far from their dying day Fruit tree, fruit tree No one knows you but the rain and the air Don't you worry They'll stand and stare when you're gone Fruit tree, fruit tree Open your eyes to another year They'll all know That you were here when you're gone

Saturday Sun

G/B x20000
C/G 3x2010
F#dim 2x121x / 234242
C
G/b
Am
C/g
Saturday sun came early one morning
F#dim
G
C
G
In a sky so clear and blue
C
G/b
Am
C/g
Saturday sun came without warning
F#dim
G
C
G
So no one knew what to do Saturday sun brought people and faces That didn't seem much in their day But when I remembered those people and places
C7
They were really too good in their way
F
F#dim
C/g
A7
In their way
Dm7
G
C
C7
In their way
F
G
Saturday sun won't come and see me today Think about stories with reason and rhyme Circling through your brain And think about people in their season and time Returning again and again And again And again But Saturday's sun has turned to Sunday's rain
F
F#dim
C
A7
So Sunday sat in the Saturday sun
Dm7
G
F
C
And wept for a day gone by