Loudon Wainwright III

Road Ode(Chords)

Loudon Wainwright III

Key: G

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	        Another Loudon Wainwright III classic, and the opening song on his 1993 live album  
'Career Moves'. I got these chords from listening to the recording, and watching a  
video of Frank Turner covering the song live :) 

(On the road again 
Paying my back taxes, road again) 

G 

         G 
Well you walk into the room and switch on the TV 
            Cadd9 
And there's Phil Donahue or Oprah Winfrey 
     D 
And suddenly you don't feel so lonely 
Cadd9                         G 
Even though you're out on the road 
G 
Open up the drawer and there's that bible 
Cadd9 
God's honest truth, but you're not liable 
   D 
To use it you prefer myth and libel 
Cadd9                            G 
That's 'cause you're out on the road 
      G 
It's baby shampoo, no you're not snobby 
Cadd9 
Losing your toothbrush is your hobby 
D 
Lucky they sell that stuff in the lobby 
Cadd9                         G 
Lucky that you're out on the road 

Cadd9 
Out on the road, out on the road 
        G 
You're Willy Loman, and you're Tom Joad 
D                      Cadd9     G 
Vladimir and Estragon, Kerouac, Genghis Khan 
Cadd9 
Out on the road, out on the road 
G 
'Keep on going' is your creed and code 
          D 
It's a different way of life; it's a whole other mode 
Cadd9              G 
Living out on the road 

D 

Well you're packin' 'em in so we did ok 
But the people from the record company didn't pay 
So there's no percentage, though it looks that way 
Man, it's funny when you're out on the road 
It's your fault, you didn't draw 
There was a item in the paper that nobody saw 
When business is bad then there ought to be a law  
Against you out on the road 
There's people to avoid, places to miss 
Backstage access, who need this? 
The club is a toilet when you gotta' take a piss in the 
Sink when you're out on the road 

Out on the road, out on the road 
You're Willy Loman, and you're Tom Joad 
Vladimir and Estragon, Kerouac, Genghis Khan 
Out on the road, out on the road 
That's where your wild oats were sowed 
You start out a prince and you end up a toad 
Living out on the road 

Room service is a trick, rarely a treat 
So you go for a bite that can't be beat 
But how many patty melts can one man eat 
When he's eating out on the road? 
A cat eats a fish, a dog eats a bone 
Out on the road, a man eats alone 
Time to reflect and to atone for his 
Sins out on the road 
Runnin' through airports at 43 is okay for OJ but it's not for me 
With a hernia, a bad back and a bum knee and a  
Guitar out on the road 

Out on the road, out on the road 
You're Willy Loman, and you're Tom Joad 
Vladimir and Estragon, Kerouac, Genghis Khan 
Out on the road, out on the road 
The flight's been canceled, you should have known 
The airport is your new abode 
Living out on the road 

(Let's go!) 

When it's time to come back to reality 
You're roadsick and you're half crazy 
So you fit right in quite naturally 
Home from out on the road 
Back to see family and friends 
And to face the music and to make amends 
But coming up for air, you can get the bends 
In from out on the road 
Open that bag, go on, expose it 
Open that window, hold you nose it's 
Eight weeks worth of dirty clothes 
In from out on the road 

Cadd9 
Willie Nelson has a bus 
      G 
And a sound man he can kick and cuss 
       D 
And a road manager to make a fuss 
Cadd9                   G 
Willie goes out on the road 
   Cadd9 
A roadie carries his guitar 
     G 
And in that bus is a VCR 
     D 
Well Willie deserves it, he's a big old star 
Cadd9                  G 
Willie goes out on the road 
   Cadd9 
So Willie goes out for weeks at a time 
        G 
Makes a ton of money, it's a life sublime 
        D 
But for me it's punishment and crime 
Cadd9                  G 
Why do I go out on the road? 

Out on the road, out on the road 
I'm not Willy Nelson, I'm Tom Joad 
Vladimir and Estragon, Kerouac, Genghis Khan 
Out on the road, out on the road 
'Keep on going' is your creed and code 
But if you keep on going, you're going to explode 
Living out on the road
	        

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

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