Seven Mile Island
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Tuning: Drop-D (DADGBe)
[Intro]
| D | D ||: D | D | D | D :||
(band in)
[Verse 1]
|D |D
Take my body to Seven Mile Island
|D |G Em
Lay my head down where Indians sleep
|D |D
Take your shoes off and walk across the water
|D |G Em |
It's been so long since I heard a man speak
[Interlude]
||: D | D | D | D :||
[Verse 2]
|D |D
Watch the spillways when the water starts risin'
|D |G Em
Take your hat off when the sun goes down
|D |D
Keep your eyes on that concrete tower
|D |G Em |
Maybe one day it'll crumble to the ground
[Interlude]
||: D | D | D | D :||
[Chorus 1]
|Bm |G
. Mary's cryin' 'cause she can't hold water
|D |A A/Bb |
And her clothes don't fit her right ... &
|Bm |G
. She used to say that she wanted a daughter
|D |A | A |
Now she only wants a Saturday night
[Verse 3]
|D |D
There were days when that dusty cave was empty
|D |G Em
Back before this city made a claim
|D |D
On that hotel for wanderers and strangers
|D |G Em |
Back before you could live off of your name
[Interlude]
||: D | D | D | D :||
[Chorus 2]
|Bm |G
. We all live in an Airstream trailer
|D |A |
About three-hundred yards up the lake
|Bm |G
. Call the doctor, Mary's goin' into labor
|D |A |A
And you can't raise a baby on shake ...
[Verse 4]
|D |D
So take my body to Seven Mile Island
|D |G Em
Lay some stones down on top of my grave
|D |D
Tell my lady I just couldn't bear to see her
|D |G Em |
Tell my daughter I just couldn't be saved
[Outro]
|D |D |D |D |
.... Just couldn't be saved .... couldn't be saved
||: D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D :|| D | D |
(fade)
CHORDS for Drop D tuning
A = x02220
Bm = 024432
D = 000232
Em = 222000
G = 5x0003
There's a great alternative to open Drop D tuning:
• I keep my guitar tuned down 1 step (DGCFAd). This gives it a huge sound, and reduces the stress on the neck.
• If I play a song in standard tuning (EADGBe), I use a capo on the 2nd fret.
• For Drop D songs like this one, I use a Kyser Drop D cutaway capo on the 2nd fret and play all the chords
as if it were in standard tuning. That gives me the bottom D note, but doesn't require new or awkward chord
shapes.
Charted by Dexex