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Underneath The Stars by Peter Case 




                            Underneath The Stars 






Tuning: Open C (C-G-C-G-C-E)
Capo 4th fret
Bar lines indicate measures of 4/4 time

This song is in the key of E, however Case tunes his guitar to open C and puts a capo on 
the 4th fret to bring
the tuning back to open E. He plays it this way on "Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John" as 
well as in live
performances (you can see him play the 4th fret capo in many youtube videos). While this 
may seem like a
redundancy, it's actually quite a nice little trick that gives the song an airy sound 
and allows for Case's
particular style of picking.

The lyrics are sung very rapidly and require some practice to keep up with the guitar's 
tempo. You can find
the full song lyrics below after mastering the strumming patterns for Intro, Verse and Chorus.


INTRO:

Figure 1 - play 4x

      E (pluck the alternating bass note and strum the open strings downwards)
 E --|----------------|
 B --|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|
 E --|----------------|

1st VERSE:

Figure 2 - play 2x

     It's cold tonight, lord help those, lost outside with freezing toes
      E                E                A                E
 E --|----------------|----------------|----0-------0---|----------------|
 B --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|---5-------5----|----0-------0---|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|----------------|---0-----0h2----|
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

 In the dark with rain drenched clothes, she's all the way down...
      E                E                F#        G#     A                A
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 B --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|---5-------5----|---5-------5----|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|----0-------0---|----------------|----------------|
 E --|----------------|----------------|---2-------4----|----------------|----------------|

CHORUS:

Figure 3

      Underneath the     stars,            city by the      sea
      E                E                E                              A
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----0-------0---|
 B --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|---5-------5----|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|----------------|
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|


      Headlights of the   cars          shine but no one sees
      E                E                F#        G#     A
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----0-------0---|
 B --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|---5-------5----|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|----0-------0---|----------------|
 E --|----------------|----------------|---2-------4----|----------------|


      (same chords as line 1)

      It's another     world            just five feet    away
      E                E                E                              A
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----0-------0---|
 B --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|---5-------5----|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|----------------|
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|


      (same chords as line 2, except the final measure resolves in E)

      Look into her    eyes             god bless is all she'll say
      E                E                F#        G#     E
 E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
 B --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 G --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 D --|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
 A --|---0-----0h2----|---0-----0h2----|----0-------0---|---0-----0h2----|
 E --|----------------|----------------|---2-------4----|----------------|

FULL LYRICS

VERSE 1
It's cold outside, Lord help those
Lost tonight with the freezing toes
In the dark with the rain drenched clothes
She's all the way down

The sky has cleared, stars are bright
Temperature's gonna fall tonight
In the park looking for a light
She's in a hospital gown

CHORUS
Underneath the stars, city by the sea
Headlights of the cars shine but no one sees
It's another world, just five feet away
Look into her eyes, God bless is all she'll say

VERSE 2
Some drink wine, some are smokin' crack
This lady all alone wants none of that
In the park with a cart and sack
Afraid she's gonna drown

A choice she made not long ago
Has led to this, how could you know?
The door slammed shut, her children go
To whatever life they've found

CHORUS
Underneath the stars, what's it going to be?
In the house of mars, stranded by degrees
Hunger in the night, answered with a prayer
See the passing cars, there's nobody there

VERSE 3
Now the clergy have their doubts
Are they helping lazy layabouts?
Late at night the drunken louts
Terrify the town

The cops are young, well, they're just kids
They don't know about the skids
They just do what the gentry bids
From the other end of town

CHORUS
Underneath the stars, who will crack the seal?
Waitin' here to die, numbers on a wheel
Figures in the dark, crouch against the wall
Out here in the park there's no one to call

VERSE 4
Asleep in the park rain or shine
A thousand crows on the telephone line
Ask her how and she'll say fine
She's all the way down

Dew drops shot like cannonballs
Crash on paper prison walls
Her heart stops beating and her breathing stalls
She's dyin' all alone

CHORUS
Underneath the stars, city by the sea
Headlights of the cars shine but no one sees
In another world, just five feet away
Look into her eyes, God bless is all she'd say

VERSE 5
So now you ask what can I do?
See and know, they're just like you
You could wind up in the blue
Beneath a pauper's crown

Don't be afraid, you'll be surprised
If when you look into their eyes
You find a soulful feeling rise
You're all the way down

CHORUS
Underneath the stars, city by the sea
Headlights of the cars shine but no one sees
In another world, just five feet away
Look into her eyes, God bless is all she'd say









(end with ringing open E)








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