Charlene
Vance Gilbert
Vance Gilbert
Shaking Off Gravity
1998
Vance is one of the most electrifying performers I have ever seen.
I had the pleasure of seeing Vance at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival
in Hillsdale, NY, in July '98. He sang this song and several others
from this album, and even did an a-capella rendition of Could You
Believe? without a microphone from the mainstage in front of about
5000 people. Right after he got off the stage, I ran to the CD tent,
bought the CD, chased Vance down, and had him sign it. Thanks, Vance!
If Vance ever comes through your area, make a trip to see him and you
will NOT be disappointed.
Lyrics
Chords
DADGad (low-to-high); Capo 2nd
INTRO:
vie vie vie
D
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---0-------------|-----------------|---0-------0-----|-----------------|
B:-----------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G:---------------0-|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:-------4---------|---------------4-|-------4-------4-|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----0---2---4---|
vie lie da die
G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-5-------5-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
vie - ie da da die la da lie
Cm Bm
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:---5-----------5-|---5-------------|-------4---------|-------4---------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|---4-------------|-----------------|
A:-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
la da lie
A#5 Asus4 A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|-----------0-----|---0--------0----|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-------0-------0-|-------0-------4-|
G:-------3---------|-------3---------|-----2-----------|-----------------|
D:---3-------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|
A:-1-------1-------|-1-------1-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Charlene Char-
+ + + + + + + +
e:-------2---------|-----------------|
B:-----------4-----|-----------------|
G:-----2---------2-|-----------------|
D:---2-------------|-----------------|
A:-0-------0-------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----0---2---4---|
This is the verse (all verses except second verse follow this pattern):
lene your laugh was undeniable Char-
G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-5-------5-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
lene but you were unreliable like the
D G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-----------------|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|
G:---------------0-|-----------------|---------------0-|---------------0-|
D:-------4---------|-------4---------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|
weather in the fall and when the leaves go golden I don't
Bm A#5
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-------4---------|-------4---------|-------3---------|-------3---------|
D:---4-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
A:-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-1-------1-------|-1-------1-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
think of you at all this ain't about your laugh or how you'd
A A/G#
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-----------0-----|---0-------------|
G:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----7-----------|-----------7-----|
A:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-6---------------|-----------------|
throw your head back freely when you gave most of you to me Char - lene
G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|-----------2-----|---2-------2-----|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-------4-------4-|-------4---------|
G:---------------0-|-----------------|-----2-----------|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-5-------5-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
Charlene Char-
D
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---0-------------|-----------------|---0-------0-----|-----------------|
B:-----------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G:---------------0-|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:-------4---------|---------------4-|-------4-------4-|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----0---2---4---|
This is the second verse:
lene there's a Southern contradiction at your
G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-5-------5-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
core your daddy raised tobacco and your
D G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-----------------|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|
G:---------------0-|-----------------|---------------0-|---------------0-|
D:-------4---------|-------4---------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|
daddy praised the lord he'd take your breath away from you
Bm G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|
G:-------4---------|-------4---------|---------------0-|---------------0-|
D:---4-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|
exhaling Jesus' name the nights that he would whisper in your
Bm A#5
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-------4---------|-------4---------|-------3---------|-------3---------|
D:---4-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
A:-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-1-------1-------|-1-------1-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
ear and through your shame cigarettes and crucifixes
A A/G#
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-----------0-----|---0-------------|
G:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----7-----------|-----------7-----|
A:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-6---------------|-----------------|
all became the same or so it seemed Char - lene
G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|-----------2-----|---2-------2-----|
B:-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|-------4-------4-|-------4---------|
G:---------------0-|-----------------|-----2-----------|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-5-------5-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
vie vie vie
D
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---0-------------|-----------------|---0-------0-----|-----------------|
B:-----------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G:---------------0-|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:-------4---------|---------------4-|-------4-------4-|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----0---2---4---|
This is the ending (similar to intro):
vie vie vie
D
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---0-------------|-----------------|---0-------0-----|-----------------|
B:-----------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G:---------------0-|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:-------4---------|---------------4-|-------4-------4-|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----0---2---4---|
vie lie da die
G A
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:---------------0-|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E:-5-------5-------|-5-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
lie - ie da da die la da
Cm Bm
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|---0-------0-----|
G:---5-----------5-|---5-------------|-------4---------|-------4---------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|---4-------------|-----------------|
A:-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
lie la da lie
Cm Bm accordian continues...
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
e:-------0---------|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-0---------------|-----------------|
G:---5-----------5-|---5-------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
A:-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-2---------------|-----------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
LYRICS:
play intro
Charlene Charlene
Your laugh was undeniable Charlene
But you were unreliable like the weather in the fall
And when the leaves go golden I don't think of you at all
This ain't about your laugh or how you'd throw your head back freely
When you gave most of you to me Charlene
Charlene Charlene
There's a Southern contradiction at your core
Your daddy raised tobacco and your daddy praised the lord
He'd take your breath away from you exhaling Jesus' name
The nights that he would whisper in your ear and through your shame
Cigarettes and crucifixes all became the same
Or so it seemed Charlene
play intro
Charlene Charlene
There's a whiskey lipstick paper cup you never threw away
You were never one to waste what could be used another day
You knew it was no overdose you took just what you needed
A job well done just once you said should never be repeated
Not for free you said to me Charlene
Charlene Charlene
They couldn't find your pulse or self-esteem
They shouted clear but you had left them like the frantic third-place team
They left their rubber gloves like you were coming back to clean
That's something you would do so you could tell your friends in heaven
How you made it on the scene Charlene
Charlene Charlene
Your laugh was undeniable Charlene
But you were unreliable like the weather in the fall
And when the leaves go golden I don't think of you at all
This ain't about your laugh or how you'd throw your head back freely
When you gave most of you to me Charlene
play ending
CHORDS:
D 004000
G 500000
A x02200
A/G# 6x7000
A#5 x13300
Bm x24400
Cm x35500
To learn why these chords are named this way, check out Dansm's Guitar Chord Theory.
Created on 9-18-98 by Daniel E. Smith.