RUNNIN’ ON EMPTY
JACKSON BROWNE
(BROWNE MAY PLAY IN OPEN TUNING; STANDARD TUNING BELOW.)
[Intro] D D A 3x F#m [8 BEATS] D A E
[Verse 1]
D A D [D] A
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
D A D [D] A
Looking back at the years gone by, like so many summer fields
D A D [D] A
In sixty-five I was seventeen, and running up 101
D A E
I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on
[Chorus]
Runnin’ [D] on, runnin’ on [A] empty
Runnin’ [D] on, runnin’ [A] blind
Runnin’ on, [D] running into the [A] sun, but I’m running be[F#m]hind.
[Verse 2]
[D] Gotta do what you [A] can just to keep your [D] love alive [D A]
[D] Trying not to con[A]fuse it with what you [D] do to survive [D A]
[D] In sixty-nine I was [A] twenty-one, and [D] called the road my own [D A]
[D] I don’t know when that [A] road turned onto the [E] road I’m on.
SOLO OVER INTRO: D D A 3x F#m[8 BEATS] D A E
[Bridge] [1ST AND 3RD LINES SYNCOPATED]
F#m D E A
Everyone I know, everywhere I go
F#m E D A
People need some reason to believe; (I don’t know about anyone but me)
F#m D E A
If it takes all night, that’ll be all right
D E D A/C# Bm A F#m E [NOTE THIS SAME RUN 2X BELOW]
If I can get you to smile before I leave
[Verse 3]
[D] Looking out at the [A] road rushing under my wheels [D] [D A]
[D] I don’t know how to [A] tell you all just how [D] crazy this life feels [D A]
[D] I look around for the [A] friends I… used to [D] turn to pull me through [D A]
[D] Looking into their [A] eyes I see them [E] running too
[Chorus]
[VERSE 4] NOTE VARIATIONS ON 2ND AND 4TH LINES
[D] Honey you really [A] tempt me; you know the [D] way you look so [D A] kind
[D] I’d love to stick A[E]round but I’m running behind [D A/C# Bm A F#m E]
[D] You know I don’t even [E] know what I’m hoping to find [D A/C# Bm A F#m E]
[D] Running into the [E] sun but I’m running behind [D A E A HOLD A FOR 8 BEATS]
[D D A] OUTRO UNTIL SIGNAL (10x?) THEN [D] FULL MEASURE [E] FULL MEASURE [D A E A]