Jun122020

Indigo Girls – When We Were Writers Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsD Em A GD/C#G/BD/AED/F#C F Fm Gm

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This is the chords of When We Were Writers by Indigo Girls on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Intro]
D Em A G

[Verse 1]
D                                                     Em
Look a gift horse in the mouth go get a job
A                                                                                 G
Last best deal I ever got was a quarter for a beer on the quad
D                                                                            Em
Nevilles singing on a makeshift stage you sittin’ on a towel in the shade
A                                                    G
Came from a foreign town and you smoked a joint with Jackson Browne

[Pre-Chorus 1]
D      D/C#    G/B       D/A
What if my pain won’t deliver me
E                               G                           A
What if my stasis crushes me with boredom
D D/C#          G/B                           D/A
If I read into everything you say to me
Em                               D/F#                                                    G A
I will never get the meaning of your words like when you wrote them

[Chorus 1]
D            Em                   D/F#              C
When we were writers when we were fighters
G                                         A
Before we found purpose and made deals with God
D                     Em                     D/F#                     C
Let’s pull an all nighter push wood in the fire
G                                                                                 A
It might just look like smoke in my eyes but I’m still burning in – [Interlude] side

[Interlude]
D Em A G

[Verse 2]
D                                         Em
Some sailed the calmer seas serial monogamy
A                                                                                 G
Best trip I ever took was on the ship that I wrecked and how I got set free
D                                                                                                     Em
Strange boy in the Vegas summer Dancing by the pool to a different drummer
A                                                             G
Maybe a heat mirage or a message in camouflage

[Pre-Chorus 2]
D                     D/C#                     G/B
What if I thought that the best of me
D/A          E         G                     A
Spending my days doing just fine
D                     D/C#         G/B                     D/A
To short change my true full capacity
Em                     D/F#                     G                     A
And recognize it just when I was running out of time

[Chorus 2]
D       Em                     D/F#                     C
When we were writers we were igniters
G                                                            A
Blisters to callus to scars from the war
D                     Em                     D/F#                     C
The sentence gets tighter the impact grows wider
G                                                             A
When nothing is wasted nor chances denied

[Bridge]
Em                                         D/F#
I’ve had my day in the sun that’s no lie
G                                         A
But I’m still burning inside
F                                                 G
The slings and arrows the passage narrows
C                                                             Fm
The story harrowing the word becomes flesh
D                                         Gm
Wrestle the beast that leaves you diminished
Em                     D/F#         G                     A
It’s alright you will never be finished

[End-Chorus]
D                     Em               D/F#              C
When you’re a writer when you’re a fighter
G                                         A
Easy to be cruel better to be kind
D                     Em                     D/F#                     C
Plow through the stalks of your heart’s tinder box
G                                                             A
Flint to the rock and you’ll find you’re still burning in – [Outro] side

[Outro]
D Em A G
D Em A G
D

How to play When We Were Writers: key, chords and progression

When We Were Writers by Indigo Girls is built around D major (two sharps: F♯, C♯), with 13 chords in all: D, Em, A, G, D/C#, G/B, D/A, E, D/F#, C, F and Fm and 1 more.

Most of the song cycles through D – Em – A – G (I – ii – V – IV in D major). In solfa, that is doh – reh – soh – fah. Get these 4 changes smooth and the rest comes quickly.

Good to know: F, Fm and Gm are played as barre or movable shapes on guitar. Practise the change into them slowly; on piano and ukulele the same chords are easier.