As the Guitar Plays

As the Guitar Plays
Words and Music by John Compton 01.03.06

C G7
Another lonely Tuesday night, out on the coast
G7 C
with the heavy hitters, and the roll-out no-shows
C B/Am Am
The mad rambling poets, with nothing to lose
F G# C
and nothing in the air, but babbled booze
C G7
The necessary risks, are always on time
G7 C
with their needless obsessions, and rapid designs
C B/Am Am
But the practical habits, are nowhere to be seen
F G# C
gone with The expendables, if you know what I mean
C7 G
The general malaise, are counting their days
F G# C
just waiting to graze, on a heavy phrase
C7 G
but the drinks come again, so each of them stays
F G# C
just to drink again, and hear the guitar play

G7 (all the way through)
As the guitar plays
she goes, she stays
As the guitar plays
The song goes on for days
As the guitar plays
I’m drifting away
As the guitar plays, and plays, and plays…

(Increase Tempo)

One, two, three, four five, six
last to go, so begin the show
John its your turn, now its time to burn
class open your books, time to learn
masterful style, crack-shot technique
a mathematical dance of melodic speech
unique, discreet, notice of toe tappin’ & knee slappin’
whatever you think I can’t do (shame on you) I’ll make it happen
off the page, I go up in a rage
because I’m the baddest motherfucker to set foot on this stage
I’m met with blank stares, but that’s ok
the crowd dissolves as the guitar plays

As the guitar plays
she goes, she stays
As the guitar plays,
this song goes on for days
As the guitar plays
I’m finished today
And the guitar plays, & plays, & plays

(epilogue)

and so the battle scared
dusty rock warriors
pack up their guitars, saddle up
and ride into the night
but that’s alright-
they will return
next open mic