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Well, my parents didn't laugh at me and my pretentious artwork when I was 16
They knew I had to start somewhere
So they just dropped me off in Harvard Square
They knew that, well, Jonathan has to find his way somehow to Bohemia
That's how it goes
He's one of them
They didn't mind, one, they didn't mind
There I was in Harvard square
Pretentious artwork in my hand
The hipsters saw me standing there
They could see this young man had to find his way
To Bohemia
There I'm standing in Harvard square
With my pretentious art portfolio
Looking very self serious and important
I had to find my way
To Bohemia, oh
Bratty
Bratty,
But sincere
Bratty
But you know I, I had to know
They knew I had to go
Pretentious art portfolio
That had to find the door to Bohemia
They could see that I had to go
Had to find my way to Bohemia
Oh but ??? at me
Pretentious but they could see
That I had to start somewhere
(Help me gentlemen)
Pretentious artwork in my hand
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They helped me find the promised land
They showed me the door to Bohemia
And my parents didn't stand in my way
They knew I had to find my way
To Bohemia
To Bohemia, oh
They could see that this was life or death
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They could see that this was my last breath
They showed me the door to Bohemia
High school for me was the night [knife?]
The New York art people showed me life
They helped find my way to Bohemia, oh
Pretentious art portfolio
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They could see that I had to go
They showed me the door to Bohemia,
That's right, they showed me around
I even argued with the velvet underground
Well, they showed me the door to Bohemia, oh
Once they saw that I wouldn't back down
They showed me the door to Bohemia
Once they saw that I would stand my ground
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They didn't have it too bad
They could see I was teenage and sad
All I had to do was find my way
To Bohemia
Everybody, everybody, everybody, oh
They could see that this was life or death
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They could see that this was my last breath
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They showed me around, oh
And I was found
They showed me the door to Bohemia
And my parents didn't step in my way, oh
They knew that I couldn't stay,
Oh they showed me the door to Bohemia
Now I'm ??? in Harvard square
??? Sidewalk in my hand
There I was in Harvard square
Pretentious artwork in my hand
New York ??? is standing there
??? Find the door
True Bohemian
??? Standing in the square
And I was bratty yet sincere
??? For
They knew I had ??? door
They knew I had to find the door
To Bohemia
Bratty
I was bratty, but sincere
Bratty
???
They knew I had to find the door
Pretentious artwork in my hand
Oh show me the door to Bohemia
I ??? land
Show me the door to Bohemia
??? High school ???
And they showed me a door
They showed me the way to Bohemia
????
Show me a door to Bohemia
???
Oh they showed me a door to Bohemia
?? Parents didn't get in my way
Cause they knew I couldn't stay
??? To Bohemia
We they saw that this was my chance
Well they showed me a door to Bohemia
Ahh they saw that this was the right circumstance for me
???
Showed me the way to Bohemia
They knew ???
They knew that I had ???
My parents didn't stand in my way
They didn't laugh at my pretentious artwork they saw I had to start somewhere
They knew I had to find the door to Bohemia
Yeah
??? Back now
??? With the Velvet Underground
They thought I was bratty
They knew I was two times bratty now
They knew that ???
They could see in my eyes
It must have been written on my face
That I had to find the door to Bohemia
??? Hole in time and space
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They knew that if I stayed in that high school
???
They knew that I had to find my way to Bohemia
Well, my parents didn't block my way
They didn't laugh at my pretentious artwork like they could have
Cause it was that pretentious
They just dropped me off in Harvard Square
And they didn't laugh at me
Walking around with my art portfolio looking pretentious
Cause they knew that I had to find the door myself to Bohemia
Myself
There I was in Harvard square
Pretentious artwork in my hand
Anyone could see what I was doing there
Cause I was looking for the door to Bohemia
The New York art people saw me there
There with my art portfolio
They could tell this young man had to go
He later had to find the door to Bohemia
I was bratty
Bratty,
But sincere
Bratty
Everyone could see that I had know
Everyone could see I had to go
Pretentious art books in my hand
Show me the door to Bohemia
I had to find the promised land
Show me the door to Bohemia
My parents didn't laugh or swear
They just dropped me off in Harvard square
Cause I had to find the door to Bohemia
They all could see that this was life or death
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They could see that this was my last breath
They showed me the way
And they took my nightmare that high school was
And they showed me a way out
They showed me the door to Bohemia
I didn't participate ???
???
Show me the door to Bohemia
???
Pretentious artwork in my hand
[Then you go]
Showed me the door to Bohemia
I had to find the promised land
[Once more]
Showed me the door to Bohemia
And they took my high school night
And they showed me life
They showed me the way to Bohemia
My parents didn't laugh or not swear
Showed me the door to Bohemia
They just dropped me off nicely in Harvard Square
Showed me the door to Bohemia
And they knew that I couldn't stay
They knew I had to make my way
Had to find the door to Bohemia
???
They had to show me the door to Bohemia
Show me the door to Bohemia
Took my high school night
And they showed me life
They had to find a way to Bohemia
The New York art people saw that I was standing my ground and wouldn't back down
I was a little brat
They saw that I would even argue with the Velvet Underground
They saw that I was bratty but sincere
They helped me to find a way
Now my parents didn't stand in my way
When they could see that I was gonna have to leave home
My parents didn't stand in my way
They didn't criticize too badly my pretentious artwork
More than they had to
So
So there I am standing in Harvard Square
Pretentious artwork in my hand
The New York hipsters could see me standing there
And they could tell that I would have to find my way
Someday to bohemia
There I am standing in the square
Pretentious artwork folio
But they see that I had to know
Which way was the door to Bohemia?
Well I was bratty
I was bratty
But sincere
Bratty
But they could see that I had to know
They could see that I had to go
Pretentious artwork in my hand
They showed me the door to Bohemia
I had to find the promised land where
They showed me the door to Bohemia
High school was the night
But they showed me the light
When they showed me the door to Bohemia
Pretentious artwork folio
They showed me the door to Bohemia
Once they saw that it was life or death that I go
They showed me the door to Bohemia
Once they saw that I wouldn't back down
Once they saw that I would stand my ground
They showed me the door to Bohemia
As I lay down in my high school bed
I started having art dreams ???
As I woke from my high school dream
I was able to board a bridge
I was able to cross the stream
And my parents they didn't say no
Well they knew that I had to go
Had to go and find my way in Bohemia
Desperate at sixteen by hook or crook
I looked for Bohemia in the dusty high school artwork
Faintly faintly it conjured I
So sinister Bohemia from the Boston cloudy sky
And my parents, they understood
They knew that for me
The suburbs were just no good
And I, that I had to find my way to bohemia
[Now everybody help me
I'll do the thing, you do the other]
Pretentious artwork in my hand
[You go]
They showed me the door to Bohemia
[That's your part, we'll try that again]
Pretentious artwork in my hand
[Your turn]
They showed me the door to Bohemia
They helped me find the promised land
They showed me the door to Bohemia
High school was the night
But then I found the light
When they showed me the door to Bohemia
[One more time]
Pretentious artwork folio [help me]
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
Once they saw that I had to go
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
Once they saw that I wouldn't back down
Once they saw that I would even argue with the Velvet Underground
They showed me the door to Bohemia
[One more thing]
I pestered and pestered with a ???
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
[Hey how come you guys on this song use this guitar and how come that first poem?]
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
They saw that I had to know
They saw that I had to go
They showed me the door to Bohemia
[Took me one more time]
Once they could see that things were life or death
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
Once they saw that this was my last breath
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
They saw that I had to go
Once they saw that I had to know
They knew I had to go to Bohemia
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the #
#song You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research#
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
Song title: Bohemia
Original Album: -
Bootleg Album: Asheville, NC, The Grey Eagle, 24/02/2011
Chapel Hill, 25/02/2011
Bush Hall, Shepherd's Bush, London, 29/02/2012
Words and Music by Jonathan Richman
Copyright 2011 Jonathan Richman
Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfretsnet)
NOTES:
JR is known for re-writing music and lyrics even to old songs
This version of Bohemia was played at Bush Hall, London on 29/02/2012
at a truly remarkable show
"Guitar SOLO" doesn't really do justice to the beautiful Spanish sounding solo
that JR performed here But I'll work on it and get it transcribed for the
next revision
VERSE:
D Bm G A
My parents didn't stand in my way when I was sixteen
D Bm
They saw my artwork was pretentious
G A D
My parents viewed my artwork and found it pretentious
Bm G
Verily, I have spaken unto ye,
A D
They looked at my artwork and, lo, they found it pretentious
G D
But laugh, they did not, because they knew it might hurt my pride
A G
And I was proud of it with its weird, phallic symbols
D
And strange pseudo-sophisticated things I was trying to do at the time
VERSE:
D Bm
They would just let me go and hang out in Harvard Square, Cambridge,
G
With all my weird old friends that I was meeting
A D
They didn't care that the friends were all older, they trusted me and, that,
And I'm still grateful to them for that
VERSE:
D Am - D
So then I'm standing in Harvard square,
(D) Am - D
Pretentious artwork in my hand
(D)
The older hipsters's song is getting round there,
G A
They knew that I was looking for the door to Bohemia
VERSE:
D Am - D
They're out standing in Harvard Square,
(D) Am7 - D
Pretentious art portfolio
(D) Bm G A
But they could see that I had nowhere, no door to Bohemia
VERSE:
D G D
Well, I was bratty I was bratty, but sincere
(It's a good thing, too, because it was all I had going for me)
D G D
I was bratty Still, I had more
(D) Bm
Still I had more pretentious artwork in my hand
G A
But they showed me the door to Bohemia
D Bm
They helped me find the Promised Land,
G A
Oh, they showed me the door to Bohemia
G
Once they saw that I wouldn't back down,
D Bm
Once they saw that I would even argue with the Velvet Underground,
G A D
They showed me the door to Bohemia
[Guitar SOLO]
VERSE:
D Bm
As I lay down in my high-school, teenage bed,
G A
I was looking for Bohemia
D Bm G A G A
I dreamed dreams of Camarr?, I didn't find the door, oh
G A D
As I woke from my high-school dream, I crossed the bridge,
Bm G A
And I crossed the stream, and I found the door open to Bohemia
VERSE:
D Bm G A
Pretentious art portfolio showed me the door to Bohemia
D Bm G A
Once they could see that I had no, they showed me the way and the door
G A
And my parents, by now, could see,
D Bm
That them suburbs were just no good for me,
G A D
That I'd have to flee to Bohemia
REFRAIN: [audience sings "They showed me"]
D Bm
Once all could see that this was Life or Death,
G A
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
Once they could see that this was my last breath
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
G A
Once they saw that I would stand my ground,
D Bm
Once they saw that I would not back down,
G A
They showed me the door to Bohemia
D Bm
Bratty, bratty but sincere
G A
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
They helped me get out of there
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
G A
High-school for me was a nightmare
D Bm
They helped me to find a way out of there,
G A
Oh, they helped me find my way in Bohemia
(Still grateful Almost fifty years old and still grateful)
[Guitar SOLO]
REFRAIN:
Once they had seen that this was my ball-game
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
Once they could see that this my last breath
(They showed me the door to Bohemia)
They saw that I would stand my ground
Once they saw, oh, that I'd knock that down,
They showed me the door to Bohemia
[Instrumental over REFRAIN chords]
[end on A]
CHORDS:
D 557775
Bm 224432
G 355433
A 577655
Am xxx555
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