Chords
Graceland

Graceland is a song written by Paul Simon about a trip to Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, in Memphis, Tennessee. The song is a milestone of the namesake album released in 1986, representing an exploration of musical rhythms, especially those from South Africa. Simon was inspired to write the song after going through a difficult period in his personal life, including his divorce and a creative slump. It was during a trip to the Southern Unit ... ed States that Simon felt a connection to the music and decided to make a pilgrimage to Graceland, reflecting on his life, relationships, and music itself. See more [+]

Key: D

Introduction:  D   G   Bm   A   D  

 D 
The Mississippi Delta was shining
                    G 
Like a National guitar
      Bm 
I am following the river
Down the highway
                                 A 
Through the cradle of the civil war

 G             D 
I' m going to Graceland
Graceland
                  A 
In Memphis Tennessee
     G         D            C  G 
I' m going to Graceland
 D 
Poorboys and Pilgrims with families
     A       G         D           C  G 
And we are going to Graceland
    D                                  A 
My traveling companion is nine years old
 G          D                            C  G 
He is the child of my first marriage
          D 
But I' ve reason to believe
    A               G 
We both will be received
    D            C  G 
In Graceland

 D 
She comes back to tell me she' s gone
    G 
As if I didn' t know that
                            Bm 
As if I didn' t know my own bed
    A 
As if I' d never noticed
                                       D 
The way she brushed her hair from her forehead
And she said losing love
                          G 
Is like a window in your heart
                       Bm      G 
Everybody sees you' re blown apart
                    A 
Everybody sees the wind blow

     G         D 
I' m going to Graceland
               A 
Memphis Tennessee
     G         D            C  G 
I' m going to Graceland
 D 
Poorboys and Pilgrims with families
     A       G         D            C  G 
And we are going to Graceland
        D 
And my traveling companions
                      G 
Are ghosts and empty sockets
                           D          C  G 
I' m looking at ghosts and empties
          D 
But I' ve reason to believe
    A              G 
We all will be received
    D           C  G 
In Graceland

 D 
There is a girl in New York City
                                   G 
Who calls herself the human trampoline
     Bm 
And sometimes when I' m falling, flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
 A 
WOh, so this is what she means
                 D 
She means we' re bouncing into Graceland
And I see losing love
                          G 
Is like a window in your heart
                       Bm 
Everybody sees you' re blown apart
                     A 
Everybody feels the wind blow

         D                         C  G 
Oooo in Graceland, in Graceland
              D           C  G 
I' m going to Graceland
               D 
For reasons I cannot explain
                         A         G 
There' s some part of me wants to see
 D           C  G 
Graceland
                D 
And I may be obliged to defend
                   G 
Every love, every ending
                  D                     C  G 
Or maybe there' s no obligations now
              D 
Maybe I' ve a reason to believe
    A              G 
We all will be received
    D            C  G 
In Graceland
 D  G  Bm  A    D 
* Alternate:
open

 C     D 
Set8