Near as I can tell, the song is comprised of 6 chords. However, when you play the song, it may not necessarily
sound like how Daniel Johnston plays it, because he often played with his guitar out of tune. Also, he seems to
strum it weirdly; like you can't hear every string in the chord sometimes. I don't know if this is because of
broken strings or what.
Em: e - 0
B - 0
G - 0
D - 2
A - 3
E - 0
F: e - 0
B - 1
G - 2
D - 3
A - 3
E - 0
D: e - 0
B - 3
G - 2
D - 0
A - 0
E - 0
G: e - 3
B - 0
G - 0
D - 0
A - 2
E - 3
C: e - 0
B - 1
G - 0
D - 2
A - 3
E - 0
G2: e - 3
B - 3
G - 0
D - 2
A - 3
E - 0
Em F
I've got the worried blues,
Em
And I don't know what to do.
F D
It seems my dreams
G
Have been tarnished by events.
G
And I think of you
F
and I hope that we aren't done.
Em
You're the one I need
D G
To get me through a lonely lifetime.
G
Some of the things they said
F
Well, they might have been true
Em D G
But I really don't appreciate it so much.
(Strike the G chord like 7 or 8 times at the end)
C Em
Just yesterday I had so much to say.
F D
Seemed like people wanted to listen.
Em G2
But now today nobody wants to have a thing to do with me~~~.
(Strike G2 chord throughout the "me.")
G
And I'm so sad.
F
Everything has turned out bad.
Em
I tried so hard,
D G
But goofed up somehow.
G
I just want you to know
F
I didn't mean no harm on purpose.
D Em
But they turned it into a circus
G
Just to put me down
G
But I'm still around.
F
Maybe I'll have another chance.
D Em
To turn the tables
G
And be a hero in the end
(Strike the G chord like 7 or 8 times at the end)
C Em
Just yesterday I had so much to say.
F D
Seemed like people wanted to listen.
Em G2
But now today nobody wants to have a thing to do with me~~~.
(Strike G2 chord throughout the "me.")
Em
And so I'm singin'
F
The 1989 blues.
Em D
But I'm lookin' forward to:
G
A better future for me and you.
Em
And now comes,
F
The end of this song.
Em D
Some of the things I did might have been wrong
G Em
But it's only because I was out of my mind.
G2 F G
The 1989 Blues
(At the end, play the G2 a few times rapidly, then switch to an F and end on a G.)
Edits/corrections are very welcome. I'm not 100% on this. Enjoy!