[soquester]

I re-discovered this song a few weeks ago on my iPod, while I was at camp, and this is the first time I've been at a computer since then... Anyway, I want to know how to play it, but for whatever reason, I just can't figure it out. Does anyone know how to play it, or has anyone come across a tab for it - I couldn't find one on Google...

For anyone who doesn't know, it's from the 1992 Swinging on a Star show from CBC. It's a really nice song, and I'd love to be able to play it, but for whatever reason, I can't get my head around it. So if someone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

[soquester]

So, it being a month later, I'm gonna pop this back up and see if anyone knows it now.

[skippy the wonder dog]

Are you just looking for the chords, or something a little more complex?

[chris]

If you get it, please send the tab/chords/etc my way so that I can add it to my Hip tab site: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tabs.hipfans.com">http://tabs.hipfans.com</a><!-- m -->

Thanks!

[skippy the wonder dog]

Well, I can give you a first attempt at the chords. It's in F, but I'm betting they they're tuned down a step so guitar-wise it's G.

Northern Wind (Murray McLaughlan)

The(G) more people* that surround me, the (Em)smaller ©I (G)feel
The (Am)more I ©get dis(G)tracted from the ©things I (Am)think are (D)real
(G)You can't spread your wings* and fly when you're (Em)cut off ©from the (G)sky
I got to ©open up that (G)door now, I ©feel too (D7)civilized.

Oh, (G)out on* the water, watch the ©white pines (G)sway
Take ©off down the (G)lake, sun ©dancing (Am)in the (D)spray
(G)Fly over the black* spruce forest, where the ©tundra line (G)begins
Free and ©cle- (D/A)ean as the northern (G)wind

I feel like I'm part bird, I feel like I'm part man
But all of me's in love with this wind-ripped land
When I'm too big for my britches she cuts me down to size
When I'm broken and I'm hurtin', she brings me back to life.

Oh, out on the water, watch the white pines sway
Take off down the lake, sun dancing in the spray
Fly over the black spruce forest, where the tundra line begins
Free and clean as the northern wind

Oh, out on the water, watch the white pines sway
Take off down the lake, sun dancing in the spray
Fly over the black spruce forest, where the tundra line begins
Free and clean as the northern (Em)wind
Free and ©cle- (D/A)ean as the northern (G)wind

Where I've put *, the bass suggests a chord change in some of the verses. I think a C/G sounds pretty good there, or you could try Am or Am7. Part of the problem is that the guitar may be playing a G straight through (or a C, where I put C Am), but the bass or a second guitar suggests a chord change.

[soquester]

If it's in F, I can just capo the first fret and achieve the same thing, right?

And ya, I just wanted chords, thanks

[skippy the wonder dog]

You could capo the first fret and play it like it's in E. But then you end up playing Cm, Fm and B (relative to the capo) so you lose that nice open string sound.

You're better off tuning down a step if you want to play along with Murray. Or just play it in G.