Chords
Diamonds And Rust

Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez recounts her past relationship with Bob Dylan. In a phone conversation between the two, Baez reminisces about the good and bad times, reflecting on love and loss. The phrase diamonds and rust symbolizes the beautiful and painful memories of their relationship.

Key: Em

Introduction:

Em    Em/F#*  Em  
      Em                      Em/F#*  Em  
Well I' ll be damned
                     C  
Here comes your ghost again
                      G  
But that' s not unusual
                         D  
It' s just that the moon is full
                          Em        Em/F#*  Em  
And you happened to call
     Em                 Em/F#*  Em  
And here I sit
                C  
Hand on the telephone
             G  
Hearing a voice I' d known
                D  
A couple of light years ago
                              Em         Em/F#*  Em  
Heading straight for a fall
    Em  
As I remember your eyes
                     C  
Were bluer than robin' s eggs
                  G  
My poetry was lousy you said
                  D  
Where are you calling from?
                    Em            Em/F#*  Em  
A booth in the Midwest
Em                     Em/F#*  Em  
Ten years ago
                        C  
I bought you some cufflinks
                    G  
You brought me something
                        D  
We both know what memories can bring
                                Em         Em/F#*  Em  
They bring diamonds and rust
Em  
Well you burst on the scene
             C  
Already a legend
                     G  
The unwashed phenomenon
                 D  
The original vagabond
                          Em     Em/F#*  Em  
You strayed into my arms
     Em                        Em/F#*  Em  
And there you stayed
                C  
Temporarily lost at sea
                     G  
The Madonna was yours for free
                          D  
Yes the girl on the half-shell
                    Em              Em/F#*  Em  
Would keep you unharmed
     Bm  
Now I see you standing
With brown leaves falling around
                      Am  
And snow in your hair
     Bm  
Now you' re smiling out the window
Of that crummy hotel
                     Am  
Over Washington Square
     C  
Our breath comes out white clouds
                                 G  
Mingles and hangs in the air
            F7+  
Speaking strictly for me
                                            G      B7  
We both could have died then and there
Em    Em/F#  Em  
Em                              Em/F#*  Em  
Now you' re telling me
                  C  
You' re not nostalgic
                            G  
Then give me another word for it
                    D  
You who are so good with words
                             Em  
And at keeping things vague
Em                                                          Em/F#*  Em  
Because I need some of that vagueness now
                              C  
It' s all come back too clearly
                     G  
Yes I loved you dearly
                                  D  
And if you' re offering me diamonds and rust
                 Em  
I' ve already paid
Em  Em/F#*  Em  
*  To form Em/Gb: form Em then add high E string, same fret
** Em/F# is probably closer and more accurate to the orignal