A Junkies Lament

A Junkie's Lament 
Words and Music by James Taylor 
(c) 1976, 1980 Country Road Music 
 
Note: Capo II in E 
 
Em7               A7sus4     Dmaj7 D 
Ricky's been kick-ing the gong 
F#m7    B7           Emaj7    E 
lickety split didn't take too long 
  G        C       F#m7       B7 
A junkie's sick, a monkey's strong 
E          C#m7   A 
That's what's wrong 
 
        Em7               A7sus4     Dmaj7 D 
Well, I guess he's been messing around downtown 
F#m7      B7           Emaj7    E 
so sad to see the man losing ground 
G        C       F#m7       B7 
winding down behind closed doors 
E          C#m7   A 
on all fours 
 
C                              G 
Mama, don't you call him my name; 
          D       D/E   A 
he can't hear you anymore 
C                     G 
Even if he seems the same to you 
         D        Bm7     Esus4 E 
that's a stranger to your door 
C                 G/B             A 
Ask him what's he come here for 
 
Oh my God, a monkey can move a man 
Send him to hell and home again 
With an empty hand in the afternoon 
shooting for the moon 
 
It's halfway sick and it's halfway stoned 
He'd sure like to kick but he's too far gone 
so they wind him down with the methadone 
He's all on his own 
 
But baby, don't you throw your love away 
I hate to seem unkind 
It's only that I understand the man  
that the monkey can leave behind 
I used to think he was a friend of mine 
 
Em7 A7sus4 Dmaj7 D, F#m7 B7 Emaj7 E, G C F#m7 B7, E C#m7 A (slower) 
La, la, la, ... 
F#m C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 F#m7, F#m C#m7 F#m7 C#m7 A/B, C D E, F#m7 B7sus4 F#m 
La, la, la, ...