Awake in the Dirt Lyrics

"Awake in the Dirt" - Kevin Devine (GDB)
This song was inspired by the book "American Pastoral" by Philip Roth.
It's tentative title was "Merry Levov" (after the female radical character).
INTRO | Chorus | Break 1 | Break 2 |
Bm: x24432 | Bb: 013300 | (G): 320032 | C: 032010 |
G: 355433 | A: 002220 | | Em: 022000 |
Gb: 244222 | | | Am: 002210 |
Gb7: 24x322 | | | |
D: 000323 | (D): 057700 | | |
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
Dad I know
You can't see
My actions as
A plea for peace
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
You can't get past
The rocks stained red
The nail-bomb blast
The doctor dead
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
Your prairie dream
Your liberal heart
Your patient mind
You father's arms
--ALT VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
They just won't do
They just can't fit
It's them, not Marx
You can blame for this
--CHORUS:
D Bb -> A -> D
Alive in the dirt
Alive in the dirt
I'm at peace, sainted and waiting
G (*see below for notes)
For my perfect pain to speak through me again
--BREAK 1:
Bm > (G) > Gb > Gb7
--VERSE:
Dad I found God
Through Vietnam
My Lai's graves
And Agent Orange
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
See we live lives
We must choose
Our bombs spoke loud
So I spoke, too
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
Then disappeared,
Ten miles from home
a Newark slum
Where you won't go
--ALT VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
It's here I've found
My higher self
A life that works
And suits me well
--ALT CHORUS:
D Bb -> A -> D
I pray for the dirt
I pray for the dirt
And I ask to suffer in silence
To stay here in hell, ohhhhhhh
--BREAK 2:
C Ab -> G -> C
Awake in the dirt, ohhhhh-ohhhh-ohhhhh
C Ab -> G -> Em
Awake in the dirt, ohhhhh-ohhhh-ohhhhh
Awake in the dirt, now.
G (see below for notes)
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
My stutter lifts
My words come clear
Your little girl
She's just not here
--VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
I am sure
That at my death
The truth will float
on God's sweet breath
--ALT VERSE:
Bm (-carried over-)
Until that time
don't ask for me
Behind this veil
is where I'll be
--CHORUS:
D Bb -> A -> D
At one with the dirt
At one with the dirt
I'm at peace, sainted and waiting
G (*see below for notes)
For my perfect pain to speak through me for good
-OUTRO:
Bm -> G -> Gb -> Gb7
Bm -> G -> Gb -> Gb7
_____________________________________________________________________
Not absolutely sure about this next part, but it is a rough estimate.
--CHORUS NOTES:
e-(?)---------------------------------|
B-(?)-5-----5---(?)----------7--------|
G--0--------0---(?)----------7--------| Then the "Bm" in the next
D--0--------5--------7-5-4---5--------| verse comes immediately after
Per-fect pain to s t m again
V ^ V ^ V V V ^