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My Yoke is Heavy

Don't Be Scared (1982)

Thanks to Peter Holy & Joe Z

 

Blue clouds twisted into a tunnel
Somewhere far off the thunder roaring
And the fortune teller has fixed her sleepy eyes on my child

Sometimes I climb high up a tree
To let the wind blow in my face
Sometimes I leave my cares lying in piles

Somewhat disturbing is the sound of birds singing
When you know you don't deserve it
You are not here today
And I feel just like an empty eggshell, and
My yoke is heavy
My yoke is heavy

My voice is a little horse
Ggalloping lost through the woods
Calling your name

It's new to me
But just the same
The earth is an old canvas
Painted over many times

The poet rambles
The world it scrambles
But who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men

Your shadow knows
It's right behind you all the way
Your shadow knows where you've been

Somewhat disturbing is the sound of birds singing
When you know you don't deserve it
You are not here today
And I feel just like an empty eggshell, and
My yoke is heavy
My yoke is heavy

Sacred is the smile
That opened up my mind
That may at last please save me
And rid my cold, cold heart
Of the dark deep gloom
That took up so much room
In my many spacious memories

And many are the times
I thought and rethought
The thoughts you got me thinking

Though the sun shines bright upon me now
And I am young and kicking
My yoke is heavy
My yoke is heavy

==================================

SEVERAL CHORD INTERPRETATIONS - scroll down for more

(thanks to fan at Ginkaku http://www.ginkaku.ws/)

C
Blue clouds twisted into a tunnel
F
somewhere far off the thunder roaring
C G
and the fortune teller has fixed her sleepy eyes on my child

C
Sometimes I climb high up a tree
F
to let the wind blow in my face
C G
sometimes I leave my cares lying in piles

REFRAIN:
C F
Somewhat disturbing is the sound of birds singing
C G
when you know you don't deserve it
C
You are not here today
F
and I feel just like an empty eggshell, and
C
My yoke is heavy
F
My yoke is heavy

My voice is a little horse
galloping lost through the woods
calling your name

It's new to me
But just the same
the earth is an old canvas
painted over many times

The poet rambles
The world it scrambles
But who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men

Your shadow knows
It's right behind you all the way
Your shadow knows where you've been

REFRAIN:

Somewhat disturbing is the sound of birds singing
when you know you don't deserve it
You are not here today
and I feel just like an empty eggshell, and
My yoke is heavy
My yoke is heavy

Sacred is the smile
That opened up my mind
That may at last please save me
And rid my cold, cold heart
Of the dark deep gloom
That took up so much room
In my many spacious memories

And many are the times
I thought and rethought
The thoughts you got me thinking

Though the sun shines bright upon me now
And I am young and kicking
My yoke is heavy
My yoke is heavy

 

My Yoke Is Heavy

-Zack

 

Easiest version

 

C             X-3-2-0-1-0

C6            X-3-2-2-1-0

Cmaj7       X-3-2-0-0-0

F             X-X-3-2-1-X  or  X-X-3-2-1-1

F6           X-X-3-2-3-X  or  X-X-3-2-3-1

Fmaj7       X-X-3-2-1-0

G             3-2-0-0-0-3

 

 

A little harder

 

All chords the same except:

 

Cmaj7       X-3-2-4-0-0

Fmaj7       X-X-3-5-5-0

 

On the G chord try alternating these chords on eighth notes (every strum) to mimic the piano part.  Use the thumb to fret the low note and mute the fifth string.

G            3-X-0-0-3-3

Gsus4      3-X-0-0-1-3

 

Really full sounding alternate tuning version

 

Tune sixth string down to C

Tune fifth string down to F

Tuning: C-F-D-G-B-E

All strings strummed all the time (almost)!

 

C            0-2-2-0-1-0

C6          0-2-2-2-1-0

Cmaj7      0-2-2-4-0-0

F            0-0-3-2-1-1  or  0-0-3-2-1-X

F6           0-0-3-2-3-1  or 0-0-3-2-3-X

Fmaj7      0-0-3-2-1-0  or  0-0-3-5-5-0

G             2-2-0-0-3-3  (you may want to thumb the bottom two

                                       strings on these)

Gsus4      2-2-0-0-1-3

 

Lastly!  The one that sounds most like the actual piano part…

 

Use the same tuning in the previous one.  All chords are the same except:

 

C           0-7-5-5-8-X   (bar at 5th on all of these)

C6          0-7-5-5-5-5

Cmaj7     0-7-5-5-5-7

 

 

 

My Yoke Is Heavy

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            G  (alternate with Gsus4)

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

 

Blue clouds twisted into a tunnel

somewhere far off the thunder roaring

and the fortune teller has fixed her sleepy eyes on my child

 

Sometimes I climb high up a tree

to let the wind blow in my face

sometimes I leave my cares lying in piles

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

Repeat 4X total

 

REFRAIN:

Somewhat disturbing is the sound of birds singing

when you know you don't deserve it

You are not here today

and I feel just like an empty eggshell, and

My yoke is heavy

My yoke is heavy

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

Repeat

 

My voice is a little horse

galloping lost through the woods

calling your name

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            G  (alternate with Gsus4)

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

It's new to me

But just the same

the earth is an old canvas

painted over many times

 

The poet rambles

The world it scrambles

But who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men

 

Your shadow knows

It's right behind you all the way

Your shadow knows where you've been

 

Refrain chords

REFRAIN:

Somewhat disturbing is the sound of birds singing

when you know you don't deserve it

You are not here today

and I feel just like an empty eggshell, and

My yoke is heavy

My yoke is heavy

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

Repeat

 

Sacred is the smile

That opened up my mind

That may at last please save me

And rid my cold, cold heart

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            G  (alternate with Gsus4)

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

Of the dark deep gloom

That took up so much room

In my many spacious memories

 

  C       C6         Cmaj7            F       F6          Fmaj7

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

Repeat until the end

 

And many are the times

I thought and rethought

The thoughts you got me thinking

Though the sun shines bright upon me now

And I am young and kicking

My yoke is heavy

My yoke is heavy