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Delivery Delayed Tab

by Stan Rogers



What I have labeled here as G is sorta close to G; it's a weird voicing
that I didn't feel like figuring out in great detail, particularly since
the open voicing sopunds just fine.  A#dim is, from the lowest string to
the highest, x12320 (that is, it's A major, but turn all the As into
A#s).  A fairly simple fingerpicking pattern sounds good here; there's no
need to be too elaborate.  It should definitely, hovever, be picked
rather than strummed.

"Delivery Delayed"
by Stan Rogers
from the album _Between the Breaks...Live!_

                                             
How early is "Beginning"?  From when is there a soul?
                                        
Do we discover living, or, somehow, are we told?
                                 
In sudden pain, in empty cold, in blinding light of day
                        
We're given breath and it takes our breath away.

How cruel to unformed fancy, the way in which we come --
Over-whelmed by feeling and sudden loss of love
And what price dark confining pain, (the hardest to forgive)
When all at once we're called upon to live

(      -  )

By giant hand we're taken from the shelter of the womb
That dreaded firt horizon, the endless empty room
Where communion is lost forever when a heart first beats alone
Still, it remembers, no matter how it's grown

(      -  )

              
We grow, but grow apart --
            
We live, but more alone --
    
The more to be, the more to see,

To cry aloud that we are free
                          
To hide our ancient fear of being alone

And how we live in darkness, embracing spiteful cold
Refusing any answers, for no man can be told
That Delivery is delayed until at last we're made aware
And first reach for love, to find twas always there.

--
"I've been reaching out to find a friend
 Who knows all the words, sings so she's heard,
 And knows how all the stories end." --Stan Rogers



DELIVERY DELAYED   Time: 2/2   Tenor: D   Bass: D
- Stan Rogers, 1979, on: Between the Breaks, Key: D


INTRO(?): ,  ,  ,  

       *                  
....... How early is Be-ginning______
        *                   
....... from when is there a soul______
      *                  
....... Do we disco-ver living______
       *                       
....... or, somehow, are____ we told______
                  *                           *
In sudden pain, in empty cold, in blinding light of day
                        *                       *
We're given breath and it takes our breath a-way


How cruel to unformed fancy / The way in which we come
Over-whelmed by feeling / And sudden loss of love
And what price dark confining pain, the hardest to forgive
                     *                          *      *
When all at once we're called upon . to live


(Then) by giant hand we're taken / From the shelter of the womb
That dreaded first horizon / The endless empty room
Where communion is lost forever, when a heart first beats alone
                      *                      
Still, it remembers, no matter how it's grown____________


        *            
We grow____,  but  grow  a-part
        *           
We live____,  but  more   alone
                  *            
The more to be, the more to see____
                  *
To cry aloud that we are free
                 *          *             *
To hide our ancient fear(s) of being alone______


And how we live in darkness / Embracing spiteful cold
Refusing any answers / For no man can be told
That Delivery is delayed until at last we're made aware
                           *                     
And first reach for love, to find 'twas always there_______


NOTES:
- Tuning: DADGBE
- Strings (fingerpicking):  B+2,  4 3,  B 2,  4 3
- A#dim: Rogers: x12020, posted x12320  (both are correct)
- Revised: Barrie McCombs (bmccombs@acs.ucalgary.ca), 24 Jan, 1995