[Verse 1]
Am
I’m supposed to be stoic
F
As I wipe the tears off of my face
C
Watch the ships off the coast of Mexico
G
Block it out as they roll away
Am
I still see you smiling
F
Even as I’m selfish as I’ve ever been
C
See you sitting in your chair
G
See you singing happy birthday
[Interlude]
C Am F G (x2)
[Verse 2]
Am
I got the call in June
F
But couldn’t bring myself to see you
C G
Or even get you on the phone
Am F
I wanted you to remember me in perfection
C G
But really I'm
Am
I’m just a fucking coward
F C
I couldn’t stand to see you die
G
And I was dealing with my own shit
Am
If I’m being honest
F
mom said you’d understand
C G
But I don’t blame you if you didn’t
[Chorus]
C
And I’m
Am
on the docks again
F
Looking out at that awful ocean
G
Watching the tide take you away
C Am
I know you ain’t resting your bones
F
I know you ain’t made it back home
G
At least the loneliness gave you a break
[Interlude]
C Am F G (x2)
[Verse 3]
Am F
We never held a funeral
C G
'Cause of the consequence they bring
Am F
Letting go is never easy
C
Even when you’re empty
G
Even when you're alone
Am F C G
I hope they played you Otis Redding
Am F
I hope you heard me hum along
C
As those arms of yours
G
went down into the dark
[Chorus]
C
And I’m
Am
on the docks again
F
Looking out at that awful ocean
G
Watching the tide take you away
C Am
I know you ain’t resting your bones
F
I know you ain’t made it back home
G
At least the loneliness gave you a break
[Bridge]
F G
And my phone rang a year later
Am G
With your smile haunting me
F G
And I finally broke at a rental home
Am G
In Joshua Tree
F G
And I tell myself it gets better
Am G
But it never gets any easier
F
when your voice
G Am
It ain’t on the other side
[Verse 4]
Am F
I hope they played you Otis Redding
C
I hope you remembered I named my guitar
G
After your favorite singer
Am
of your favorite song
F
And I break down every time I see
C
That old Spanish nylon that you bought
G
It never comes off the shelf anymore
[Chorus]
C Am
I'm on the docks again
F
Looking out at that awful ocean
G
Watching the tide take you away
C Am
I know you ain’t resting your bones
F
I know you ain’t made it back home
G
At least the loneliness
C
At least the loneliness gave you a break