Family Hands Chords & Tabs
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
FAMILY HANDS (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
------------------------------------
[Recorded in F. Mary Chapin plays in dropped-D tuning (DADGBE) in the key
of D, with a capo on the 3rd fret. John Jennings plays the lead part in
C with a capo on the 5th fret (and standard tuning).]
[All the verses aren't _exactly_ the same, but they're close enough
that I only wrote tablature for the first verse.]
[I wasn't able to write tablature for the rhythm guitar during the lead
guitar solos, because the lead guitar gets in the way. But I _have_
written down the exact chord shapes she uses.]
RHYTHM GUITAR (Mary Chapin Carpenter):
D G/B D(9) G/B A7sus4
E 2---------------|----------------|----------0-----|----------------|
B ----------------|----------3-----|----3-----------|----------3-----|
G ----------2---2-|------0-------0-|--------------2-|------0-------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A --------0-------|0=2-----2-------|----------------|0=2-----0-------|
D 0---------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
[intro]
D(9) D(9)/F# G D/F# Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----------|--3-------3-----|0---------------|--0-------0-----|
G --------------2-|----------------|------0---2---0-|----------------|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. Last Sunday we got in the car and we drove
2. Your grandmother owned a gun in 1932
A7sus4 A7 Asus9 D G/B A7sus4
E ------0---------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B 3---------3-----|0=2-------0-----|3---------------|--3-------3-----|
G ----------------|------0-------2-|----------2---0-|------0-------0-|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|2-------0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. To the town you were raised in, your boyhood home
2. When times were bad just everywhere, you said she used it too
D(9) D(9)/F# G5 D/F# Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----------------|--3-------3-----|3---------------|--0-------0-----|
G ------2-------2-|--------------0-|------0---2---0-|--------------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. The trees were just turning, up on the ridge
2. And the life and times of everyone are traced inside their palms
A7sus4 A7 Asus9 D(9) G/B A7sus4
E ------0---------|----------------|------0---------|----------------|
B 3---------3-----|2---------0-----|----------3-----|----------------|
G --------------0-|------0-------2-|--------------2-|------0-------0-|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|0=2-----0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. And this was your valley when you were a kid
2. Her skin may be so weathered, but her grip is still so strong
D(9) D(9)/F# G D/F# Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----------|--3-------3-----|0---------------|--0-------0-----|
G --------------2-|--------------0-|------0---2---0-|----------------|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. You showed me the railroad that your daddy worked on
2. And I see your eyes belong to her and too your mama too
3. And a rich man you might never be, they'd love you just the same
A7sus4 A7sus4 Asus9 D(9) G/B A7sus4
E ------0---------|----------------|------0---------|3=2-------------|
B 3---------3-----|2=3-------0-----|3---------3-----|----------------|
G ----------------|------0-------2-|--------------0-|------0---0-----|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------2---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|2-------0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. As we neared the old house where your granny lives on
2. A slice of Virginia sky, the clearest shade of blue
3. They've handed down so much to you besides your Christian name
D(9) D(9)/F# G5 D/F# Em7
E ----------0-----|------0---------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----------|--3-------3-----|0---------------|--0-------0-----|
G --------------2-|----------------|------0---2---0-|--------------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D 0-------0-------|4-------4-------|5-------4-------|2-------2-------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. She's nearing ninety years now, with her daughters by her side
2. [acoustic guitar solo]
3. And the spoken word won't heal you like the laying on of hands
A7sus4 A9 A7 Asus4 D(9) D D/C#
E ----------------|----------0-----|2-----3=2-----0-|----------------|
B 3---------0-----|0=2---3---------|----------3-----|--3-------3-----|
G ------0-------0-|--------------2-|----------------|------2-------0-|
D ----2-------2---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A 0-------0-------|0-------0-------|----------------|--------4-------|
D ----------------|----------------|0---------------|0---------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. Who tend the places in the heart where loneliness can hide
2. [acoustic guitar solo]
3. Belonging to the ones who raised you to a man
Bm7 Asus9 G A7sus4 D(9) D(9)/C#
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|------0---------|
B ----3-----3-----|------0---------|----------3-----|----------3-----|
G ------2-------2-|----------2---0-|------0-------0-|--------------0-|
D ----4-------4---|----2-------2---|----0-------2---|----0-------0---|
A 2-------2-------|0-------0-------|--------0-------|--------4-------|
D ----------------|----------------|5---------------|0---------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. Raised by the women who are stronger than you know
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/mary_chapin_carpenter/family_hands_tab.html ]
Bm7 Asus9 Em7 A Asus4
E ----------------|----------------|------0---------|----------0-----|
B ----3-----3-----|------0---------|----------0-----|2-----3---------|
G ------2-------2-|----------2---0-|--------------0-|--2-----------2-|
D ----4-------4---|----2-------2---|----0-------0---|----2-------2---|
A 2-------2-------|0-------0-------|----------------|0-------0-------|
D ----------------|----------------|2-------2-------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. A patchwork quilt of memory only women could have sewn
D D(9) D(9)/C# D9/C G6/B
E 2-----0---------|------0---------|------0---------|------0---------|
B ----------3-----|--3-------3-----|----------3-----|--3-------3-----|
G --------------2-|--------------2-|--------------2-|--------------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|
A ----------------|4-------4-------|3-------3-------|2-------2-------|
D 0-------0-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. The threads were stitched by family hands, protected from the moth
Em7 D/F# G A7
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|
B 0---------------|0---------0-----|----------2-----|
G ------0---2---0-|------0-------0-|------0-------0-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----2-------2---|
A ----------------|----------------|0-------0-------|
D 2-------4-------|5-------5-------|----------------| (3rd time to Coda)
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1,2,3. By your mother and her mother, the weavers of your cloth
D D(9)/C# G6/B A7 Asus4
E ----------2-----|0---------------|------0---------|----------0-----|
B ----------------|----------------|----------3-----|2-----3---------|
G ------2-------2-|----------2---0-|--------------0-|--0-----------2-|
D ----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----0-------0---|----2-------2---|
A ----------------|4-------4-------|2-------2-------|0-------0-------|
D 0-------0-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
1. [instrumental] (1st time: go back to beginning of verse.)
2. [first 4 bars of solo] (2nd time: continue with solo)
Lead guitar solo
| Gmaj7 | D | Em7 | A Asus9 |
| 5x403x | 0x023x | 2x0000 | x0222x x0220x |
| G/B A/C# | D | G A7 | Bm7(4) |
| 5x003x x4222x | 0x0232 | 5x003x x0202x | x2023x |
| E7 | E7 | Em7 | A7 |
| 2x0100 | 2x0100 | 2x0000 | x0202x |
| A7sus4 | A7 |
| x0203x | x0202x | [Now go back to middle of verse]
Coda
| D | Gmaj7/B | D | Gmaj7/B |
| 0x023x | x20032 | 2x0000 | x20032 |
| D A/C# | Bm7 A7 | G A7 | D ||
| 0x023x x4222x | x2023x x0202x | 5x000x x0202x | 000232 ||
LEAD GUITAR (John Jennings):
[Remember, this is written in C because Jennings has a 5th fret capo.]
First solo (end of second verse)
C C/E F C/E Dm7
E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B --|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------------1-|
G --|------0-0-------|----------------|--------2=0-----|----------0=2---|
D 03|3--2------------|----------------|-----3-------2--|0-----2=3-------|
A --|triplet---------|----------2-3-2-|0-3-------------|----------------|
E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
. ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
G7sus4 G7 C C C/B Am
E ----------------|------0=1-------|----------------|----------------|--|
B 0-----3---------|0--------------3|----------------|----------------|--|
G --2=0-----2-----|----------0---4-|5---------------|----------------|--|
D ----------------|----------------|--------3-------|0=2-----0-------|--|
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|------------3=2-|0-|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|--|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^
Longer solo (before third verse)
C G/B F/A G7
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G ----------------|----------------|------0-2-------|----------------|
D -----------3--2-|2/5-----------2-|3-------------32|0---------------|
A --------triplet-|----------------|----------------|----------23--2-|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
...cloth ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
Fmaj7 C Dm7 G
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B ----------------|------1---3/5-5/|6~~~--------1-31|0---------------|
G --------------2=|0---------------|----------2-----|----------------|
D ------------3---|--3=2-----------|----------------|----------------|
A 0-------0-3-----|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
F/A G/B C F G7 Am7
E --1=0-----------|--3-------------|---3--1-0-------|----------------|
B ------1-3-0=1-3-|5---------------|-----------3--0-|1-----0-1-------|
G ----------------|----------------|triplet-0-------|--------------0-|
D ----------------|----------------|-----------3--0-|2-----0-2-------|
A ----------------|----------------|--------triplet-|--------------2-|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
D7 D7 Dm7 G7
E ----------------|----------------|-----------0----|----------------|
B ----------------|----------------|------1-1--1--3-|0-----------1=0=|
G ----------------|----------0-2=0-|---2--2-2-------|0---------------|
D 4---------------|----------------|3-------triplet-|----------------|
A 0---------------|----------------|triplet---------|----------------|
E ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
G7sus4 G7
E ----------------|----------------|
B 1-1=0-----------|----------------|
G ------0---------|----------------|
D --------0---3---|----------------|
A ----------3---3-|/5--------------|
E ----------------|----------------|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
Coda
C Fmaj7 D Fmaj7
E --|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B --|3/5-------------|1---------------|----------------|----------------|
G 0-|--------------0-|2---------0=2---|0---------------|--------------0-|
D --|----------------|--------------3-|-----------2--0-|----------------|
A --|----------------|----------------|-----------3----|3---------------|
D --|----------------|----------------|--------triplet-|5---------------|
. ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
C G/B Am7 G7 F G7 C
E --------------3-|------3---------|---3--1-0-------|----------------||
B 3/5-----3-------|1-------0-------|-----------3----|1---------------||
G -----(0)---(0)--|---(0)----------|triplet-0-----0-|0---------------||
D ----------------|----------------|--------triplet-|2---------------||
A ----------------|----------------|----------------|3---------------||
D ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------||
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .
- Adam Schneider, schneider@pobox.com
