As the Banjo Plays (Chords)

These are the official lyrics and chords for the song “As the Banjo Plays”. It’s track #7, or the bonus track, from the album “Don’t Forget Me”.

Obviously, if you can play it on a banjo, that’s great. The melody was created from just walking up/down the lowest string (in the verse) and the highest string (in the chorus, playing the right chords on the banjo).

I wrote it on a 5-stringed banjo, of which the lower strings are the same as the 4 lower strings on the guitar. Except for the highest one; it’s offset by two. This means the song can be played just as well on guitar.

Verse 1

  Em  D
I remember now

     Em      D
The day you bought your instruments

  Am
I recall you finally

C    D
 Opening up  (pronounce opening as two syllables)

  Em
Your heart

Verse 2

If you can’t tell me
I’ve no place in your mute life
All your soothing
Melodies still enjoyed
In spite

Chorus 1

  Em7  D
Saying he will sail

     Em
Safe into the night

Em7   D
He will be there

     Cadd9   G
When you’re giving up on life

G
And he’ll come singing
And he’ll come singing

   D/F#
‘Till you sleep

Verse 3

(And) as the banjo plays
Our kids a million miles away
Will they know
That these pained words
Would become your last

Chorus 2

Saying he will sing
Late into the night

He’ll say the words
When you’re done and filled with hurt

Oh he will change then
He will transform like
A songbird

Bridge

This is kind of the “reverse” of the verse melody

    Em  D
And as the banjo broke

    Em      D
His songs stuttered and he choked

    C
He was never what you dreamt

   B7
But you loved

Chorus 3

Him with all
Your heart he kept in tune

He’ll clear the air
From despair because he cares

And he’ll keep asking
Oh he’ll keep asking
Until you say
Alright

       C
You can hold me tight