When I'm Gone

by Phil Ochs

Capo 1st fret

Intro:D/Bm/G/Em/A/D/A/Bm/Em/A/D

D                                           Bm
There's no place in this world where I'll belong when I'm gone
    G                Em             A
And I won't know the right from the wrong when I'm gone
                  D                     A               Bm
And you won't find me singin' on this song when I'm gone
   Em                   A               D
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't feel the flowing of the time when I'm gone
All the pleasures of love will not be mine when I'm gone
My pen won't pour out a lyric line when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't breathe the bracing air when I'm gone
And I can't even worry 'bout my cares when I'm gone
Won't be asked to do my share when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't be running from the rain when I'm gone
And I can't even suffer from the pain when I'm gone
Can't say who's to praise and who's to blame when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

Won't see the golden of the sun when I'm gone
And the evenings and the mornings will be one when I'm gone
Can't be singing louder than the guns when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

All my days won't be dances of delight when I'm gone
And the sands will be shifting from my sight when I'm gone
Can't add my name into the fight while I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone
Can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

Notes:

Bruce A. Denis tells me the chords should actually be D/Bm/G/Em/A/D/A/Bm/Em/A/D. Craig Jones tells me: ``the real chords I took off the album are in the key of Eb, so put a capo on the first fret and play the chords Bruce has and you've got what Phil wrote.'' It looks like the latest correction supplied by James Barnett backs up both of these updates, so that is what is shown in the lyrics.