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The Idiot by Stan Rogers
The Idiot
From what I can tell based on this track most of the chords out there are slightly off, but I guess that may
be just me. There are some fill lick/riff/things that I could not quite figure out, but they seem to be a
variation of the "Travis" picking pattern. From what I can figure it is something like this, (the strings change
based on the chord, but this should be the pattern):
E------------------
A----------0-------
D--0---0-----------
G------2-------2---
B------3-----3-----
e------2---------2-
That could be very wrong, if anyone has anything better let me know! I believe it is also this or something
similar that is played for most of the song. In some places it can be heard clearly-(ish) and sounds more like
this:
E------------------
A----------0-------
D--0---0-----------
G------2-----2-----
B------3-------3---
e------2---------2-
Also, Stan seems to use an odd tuning for most of his songs, but I could not tell if this was one of them,
I tried to use it but couldn't make it work. His tuning is a variation of DADGAD and can be decently
replicated as such. From what I can tell his exact tuning is: DADGBD.
Anyway, with due apologies to my fellow Albertans and Ontarians, but no apologies to Morris Dancers, here is
my rendition of The Idiot by Stan Rogers.
Intro (D Chord)
------------------I-------------------I
------------------I-------------------I
--0---0---0-------I--0---0---0--------I
------------2-----I----------2--------I
--------------3---I----------3--------I
----------------2-I----------2--------I
Verse
D A Bm G Bm
I often take these night shift walks when the foreman's not around.
G D A
I turn my back on the cooling stacks and make for open ground.
D A Bm G Bm
Far out beyond the tank farm fence where the gas flare makes no sound,
G D A ( G ) D
I forget the stink and I always think back to that Eastern town.
Verse
D A Bm G Bm
I remember back six years ago, this Western life I chose.
G D A
And every day, the news would say some factory's going to close.
D A Bm G Bm
Well, I could have stayed to take the Dole, but I'm not one of those.
G D A ( G ) D
I take nothing free, and that makes me an idiot, I suppose.
Chorus
G D ( D/A ) A
So I bid farewell to the Eastern town I never more will see;
G D A
But work I must so I eat this dust and breathe refinery.
D A Bm G Bm
Oh I miss the green and the woods and streams and I don't like cowboy clothes;
G D A D
But I like being free and that makes me an idiot I suppose.
Break (same as verse with a fiddle playing the melody)
D A Bm G Bm
G D A
D A Bm G Bm
G D A D
Verse
D Bm G Bm
So come all you fine young 'fellers who've been beaten to the ground.
G D A
This western life's no paradise, but it's better than lying down.
D A Bm G Bm
Oh, the streets aren't clean, and there's nothing green, and the hills are dirty brown,
G D A D
But the government Dole will rot your soul back there in your home town.
Chorus
G D ( D/A ) A
So bid farewell to the Eastern town you never more will see.
G D A
There's self-respect and a steady cheque in this refinery.
D A Bm G Bm
You will miss the green and the woods and streams and the dust will fill your nose.
G D A D
But you'll be free, and just like me, an idiot, I suppose
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