John K. Samson’s first solo album
Release date: January 24, 2012


-- Track listing –-

1.  Highway 1 East
2.  Heart of the Continent
3.  Cruise Night 
4.  Grace General 
5.  When I Write My Master’s Thesis 
6.  Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San
7.  Longitudinal Centre 
8.  www.ipetitions.com/petition/rivertonrifle/
9.  The Last And
10. Stop Error
11. Highway 1 West
12. Taps Reversed


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Track 1 – Highway 1 East
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


First two lines     Second two lines
---------------     ----------------
D     xx0232        G   xx0033
A7    xx2223        D   xx0232
Dmaj  xx0235        A7  xx2223
                    Bm  xx4432
                    A   xx2220


[Verse 1]
   D        A7           Dmaj
Oh wait for me, I fell behind 
      D         A7        Dmaj
Three signs for services ago
    G       D       A7   Bm
And some sarcastic  satellite 
     A
Says I'm not anywhere


[Verse 2]
      D     A7               Dmaj
Spent every cent of your goodwill 
   D      A7            Dmaj
On fossil fuels and magazines
   G        D        A7       Bm
So let this field of flax foreclose 
   A
On everything I owe


[Verse 3]
    D          A7         Dmaj
And scratch Saskatchewan away
     D   A7         Dmaj
Make Manitoba paper dolls
     G    D         A7      Bm
Lift up a line from Highway One 
   A
To tie Ontario


[Outro]
   D        A
Oh wait for me


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Track 2 – Heart of the Continent
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


      Verse                   Pre-Chorus                               Chorus 

     G      C       G5     G/F#    G      C     D/F#    G/B    G/C    G/A    Em     D/F#    G
e|--------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
B|--------------|------------------------------------|----3------3------3-----------------------|
G|----0------0--|-----0------0------0------0------2--|----0------0------0------0------2------0--|
D|----0------2--|-----0------0------0------2------0--|-------------------------2------0------0--|
A|---------3----|--10------9-------------3-----------|--2------3------0-------------------------|
E|--3-----------|-----------------3-------------2----|-----------------------0------2------3----|

(See “Tab version 2” for complete fingerpicking)


Capo: 4th fret


[Intro]
G


[Verse 1]
    G                                   C
The north wind sinks the fence around a lot full of debris
         G                         C
Near the corner of Memorial and me
      G                             C     
Where resurrected brick and drywall lean back into place
          G                               C
There's a terrified reflection of my face


[Pre-Chorus 1]
     G5                   G/F#                 G                  C
All alone at the gleaming knife display in the army surplus sales
                            G                 D/F#
As the dusk descends and my inspiration fails


[Chorus 1]
G/B          G/C      G/A     G/B  G/A      Em
Ghost-filled discount parkas, sleeping bags
        D/F#                      G
Peer at me from the crumpled dark


[Verse 2]
G                             C
Inky bruises punched into the sky by bolts of light
         G                               C
And then leak across the body of tonight
      G                                   C
While rain and thunder drop and roll then stop short of a storm
          G                                      C
Leave the air stuck with this waiting to be born


[Pre-Chorus 2]
     G5              G/F#         G              C
As I stand before an unresponsive automatic door
                             G           D/F#
Just another door that won't open for me anymore


[Chorus 2]
    G/B  G/C      G/A      G/B  G/A        Em
The exit red gets brighter then blinks off
           D/F#                   G
Presses me into the crumpled dark


[Interlude]
G  C  G  C
G  C  G  C


[Bridge]

     Em/C#    C     Cm     G/B   G/A   A7
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|------5------5------4------3-----3-----2----|
G|------0------0------0------0-----0-----0----|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|----4------3------3------2-----0-----0------|
E|--------------------------------------------|

          Em/C#
There's a billboard by the highway
          C               Cm
That says welcome to, bienvenue à
       G/B                               G/A  A7             
But no sign to show you when you go away


[Chorus 3]
        G/B G/C     G/A       G/B  G/A
And our demolitions punctuate
       G/B     G/C       G/A            G/B  G/A
All we mean to save then leave too late
   G/B       G/C   G/A  G/B  G/A       Em            
So I make my shaky exclama---tion mark
       D/F#                         G
With a handful of the crumpled dark


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Track 3 – Cruise Night 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse         Chorus
---------     -------------
E  x221xx     C#m    x466xx 
A  x022xx     B      x244xx
              F#/Bb  x143xx
              E      x221xx
              A      x022xx


Capo 4th fret


[Verse 1]
E                                             A
I know it's annoying borrowing your brother's car
                 E                    A
But mine won't start, and it's Sunday
E                                             A
Soon a line of headlights peering down the avenue
                E                    A
Could find you there in a lawn chair


[Chorus 1]

C#m                  B                    F#/Bb
Next to our old El Camino with the racing stripes
   E                A                E            A 
On cruise night, on cruise night, on cruise night


[Verse 2]
E                                              A
Dude, just make it happen I can't take another week
            Em                    A
Of feeling lame with the same old  (same old)
E                                          A
Tin can on my ten speed circling the Dairy Queen 
                 E               A
While jacked up rides idle at me


[Chorus 2]
  C#m              B                      F#/Bb
I wanna rock the RPM between the reds and greens
   E                A                E            A 
On cruise night, on cruise night, on cruise night


[Interlude]
E  A
E  A
E  A
E  A


[Outro]
C#m                    B                       F#/Bb 
Drive a while in one direction and we'll turn around
   E
On cruise night


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Track 4 – Grace General
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse          Bridge          Outro
----------     -----------     ----------
G   3200xx     G    3200xx     C   x3201x
A5  x022xx     A5   x022xx     G   32000x
E5  022xxx     G/B  x254xx     Em  022000
               Em7  x2003x


Capo 4th fret


[Verse 1]

G           A5            E5          G
Cruel snow, cracked lips, sun lost by four
G           A5                    E5      G
Cold winces through the cardboard window
          G           A5           E5            G
Where the cobblestone smashed into glass and the bare
G                   A5           E5      G
Bulb of moon swings over Portage Avenue


[Bridge]

               G        A5 G/B            Em7
And lights the icy ruts,   sprinkled with sand
         G           A5              G/B    Em7
Down the dim hall of chain stores to Grace
          G              A5         G/B  Em7
Where the parking lot is full again
G              A5         G/B  
I don't bother locking up


[Verse 2]

    G               A5           E5    G
The face before the doors slide apart
   G                 A5            E5     G
Is hers the day they took away the candy
     G         A5        E5         G
Left gift-shop tulips to frame her alarmed


[Outro]
          C        G  Em
What will I do now
          C        G  Em
What will I do now
          C        G  Em
What will I do now
          C        G  Em
What will I do now


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Track 5 – When I Write My Master’s Thesis
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse           Chorus               
-----------     ---------     
D    0577xx     A  777xxx    
D/G  5577xx     G  555xxx     
                D  0577xx     


Tuning: Drop D (DADGBE)

Capo: 4th fret


[Intro]
D  D  D  D


[Verse 1]
D                  D                            D/G                              
Oh the streets, of Grand Theft Auto San Andreas fill with smoke
D               D                            D/G         
Doorbell rings, I put my controller down and pick it up
D
Shoot some things


[Chorus 1]
A                         G                         D        D
Later the darkness hits reboot and the loneliness increases
A                          G                             D       D
  She said she'd come back home when I write my master's thesis


[Verse 2]
D             D                               D/G
Oh the hours, I spent in the archives wearing cotton gloves
D          D                           D/G     
Shuffling, photos from the Ninette Sanatorium
D
Halloween


[Chorus 2] 
A                        G                          D        D
Parties, emaciated ghosts hiding in those curtains' creases
A                        G                              D       D
  I'll let you haunt the world when I write my master's thesis


[Bridge]
G               A                     
No more marking first year papers 

                                A/D      A/G      A/F#     A/E
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------2--------2--------2--------2---------|
D|---9------7------7------4------2--------2--------2--------2---------|
A|---10-----9------7------5------4--------4--------4--------4---------|
D|---0------0------0------0------0--------5--------4--------2---------|
     No     more   ci-----ting   sources, sources, sources, sources


[Verse 3]
   D            D                               D/G            
So I left home, cried the bumpy ride to highway twenty-three 
D             D                                    D/G                
Started west, they'll be there to say that I don't need to take
      D
Their stupid test


[Chorus 3]
A                                 G                             D       D
Greet me with banners and balloons and my hard drive smashed to pieces
A                            G                         D      Riff-1
  Nothing left for me to save when I write my master's thesis
A                       G                               
  It's all gonna change 
                         D       D  D  D
When I write my master's thesis 


Riff-1:
e|------------------------|
B|----7----5----3----5----|
G|----7----6----4----6----|
D|----7----4----2----4----|
A|----5----4----2----4----|
D|------------------------|


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Track 6 – Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse:
   D/F#   D/G    D/A     G     A/C#   G/B   D/F#  D/E   D/F#
e|---------------------------|-------------------------------|
B|---------------------------|-------------------------------|
G|------------------------4--|-------------------------------|
D|----0------0------0-----5--|----7-----5-----0-----0-----0--|x2
A|--9-----10-----12----------|----7-----5---9-----7-----9----|
E|----------------------3----|--9-----7----------------------|


Chorus:
    G      A      D/F#   G5     A5    Bm9   Bm7     G    A   D/F#   D/E   D/F#
e|-------------|-------------|-------------------|-----------------------------|
B|-------------|-------------|-------------------|-----------------------------|
G|-------------|-------------|----------6-----7--|--4----6---------------------|
D|----0-----0--|----4-----5--|----7-----7-----7--|--5----7------0-----0-----0--|
A|----2----/4--|----5-----5--|----7--------------|--x----x----9-----7-----9----|
E|--3----/5----|--2-----3----|--5-----7-----7----|--3----5---------------------|


[Verse 1]
         D/F#           D/G    D/A                            G
You'll recall from the sagas I hope Grettir's last stand at Drangey
        A/C#                       G/B                 D/F#  D/E  D/F#
How his grip on the sword made his enemies cut off his hand
        D/F#        D/G           D/A                    G
If he'd fled here instead and had tasted this terrible coffee
              A/C#                      G/B                      D/F#  D/E  D/F#
Or read these letters you sent, he'd surrender and lay the blade down


[Chorus 1]
         G         A
And it's Halloween
       D/F#                          G5
Skinny ghosts dress like cowboys and rest
       A5      Bm9
At the railing by my door
         G            A               D/F#  D/E  D/F#
On their way from the children's ward


[Verse 2]
       D/F#        D/G     D/A                      G
Bev Monroe and his Pembina Valley boys play at the party
      A/C#                   G/B                        D/F#  D/E  D/F#
And I practice my English on nurses, "Oh, that's a nice name"
         D/F#        D/G           D/A                         G
And they may ask for mine, but the burns on my back from the x-rays
      A/C#                  G/B                 D/F#  D/E  D/F#
Say I shouldn't show anyone anything ever again


[Chorus 2]
    G           A
In another year
        D/F#                G5
I'll be buried or shivering here
         A5      Bm9      Bm7  Bm9  Bm7
Coughing at that grey spittoon
        G             A            D/F#  D/E  D/F#
Painted orange by the harvest moon


[Interlude]
D/F#   D/G   D/A    G
A/C#   G/B   D/F#   D/E  D/F#


[Chorus 3]
        G                A
Pack up mother's clothes
           D/F#                      G5
Drive her down to the new Betel Home
         A5      Bm9     Bm7  Bm9  Bm7
Sell the boat to Arnison
         D/E          G               A            Bm9     Bm7  Bm9  Bm7
And then go, stand up straight in the place you're longing for
           G          A       D/F#  D/E  D/F#
And don't write to me anymore


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Track 7 – Longitudinal Centre 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse          Chorus
----------     ----------
Em  x22000     D   x577xx
Bm  x2443x     G   355xxx
Am  x0221x     C   x355xx
E5  022xxx

N.C. = no chords


[Intro]
Em  Bm  Am  E5
Em  Bm  Am  E5


[Verse 1]
      Em                                     Bm                         
This spring made winter an insulting opening offer, now the passing lane
Am                               E5
   Is getter harder to negotiate,  thawing out and icing up again
         Em                                           Bm
Past the Mint, where a circle of provincial flags are flagging in the front yard
Am                                       E5
Tired of trying to make us think that it hasn't always been so hard


[Chorus 1]
D                              G      C
  The sky looks seasick on the boxcar sway
                         N.C.          D                  Em
Where the Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away


[Verse 2]
       Em                                               Bm
So the sun pulls me out a bit and lets me go, and I'm a vacuum power cord
N.C.
In the back of that van full of kids, cleaning carpets for the Lord
         Em                                        Bm                     
And I make a little list of sounds I've found have comforted us in the past
    Am                                           E5
The roar of the rumble strips, and the Mennonite meter of the flood forecast


[Chorus 2]
D                                 G          C
  Or how the wind strums on those signs that say
                   N.C.          D                  Em
The Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away


[Interlude]
Em  Bm  Am  E5
Em  Bm  Am  E5


[Chorus 3]
D                            G         C
  Steer this boat around the snow plow spray
                         N.C.          D                  Em
While the Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Track 8 – www.ipetitions.com/petition/rivertonrifle/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Intro          Verses
----------     --------------
Dm  x53xxx     F/A     x0321x
C   x320xx     Bb      x1333x
Bb  x1333x     F       x3321x
F   x3321x     Bbadd9  xx031x
               C       x3201x
 
[Intro]
 Dm      C                Bb        F
(We, the undersigned, put forth his name)


[Verse 1]
        F/A              Bb       F
Whereas Reggie Leach was born and played
      Bbadd9         C      F
Minor hockey back in my hometown
          F/A                 Bb       F
The Rifle fired his first five hundred here
                Bbadd9       C Dm      C                Bb        F
And slapped his way into the NHL
                              (We, the undersigned, put forth his name)


[Verse 2]
        F/A                Bb     F
Whereas some of us weren't always fair
       Bbadd9        C        F
To the Native kid on borrowed skates
       F/A          Bb   F
Chippy Goolies and Ukranians
       Bbadd9           C      Dm      C                Bb        F
In the corners with our elbows up
                              (We, the undersigned, put forth his name)


[Verse 3]
        F/A         Bb      F
Whereas Reggie on a playoff run
             Bbadd9         C    F
Could make a dad go buy the new TV
        F/A             Bb      F
Put his youngest by the window, place
            Bbadd9       C    Dm      C                Bb        F
The split antenna in her tiny hands
                             (We, the undersigned, put forth his name)


[Verse 4]
        F/A             Bb      F
Whereas photos from the old Tribune
          Bbadd9           C        F
Of Reggie smiling with the Stanley Cup
             F/A                 Bb       F
Curled their corners, dropped off bedroom walls
       Bbadd9               C      (Dm)
Left a square of where they used to be


[Outro]
Dm      C                Bb        F
We, the undersigned, put forth his name
       Bbadd9 C      (Dm)
To the Hockey Hall of Fame
Dm      C                Bb        F
We, the undersigned, put forth his name
       Bbadd9 C      (Dm)
To the Hockey Hall of Fame
           Dm      C                Bb        F
Therefore, we, the undersigned put forth his name
       Bbadd9 C       F
To the Hockey Hall of Fame


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Track 9 – The Last And
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse            1st Chorus Line     2nd Chorus Line
------------     ---------------     ---------------
B     7998xx     E/G#   4764xx       E      0221xx
B/E   0998xx     F#/A#  6744xx       F#/A#  698xxx
C#m9  9798xx     B      7644xx       B      7998xx
                 D#m7   064xxx
                 C#m7   042xxx


[Verse 1]
B                     B/E  
  So I'm the first one   in again
           C#m9                         B
  With the quiet and the window growing snow
B                        B/E  
  When I hear the furnace   rouse itself
           C#m9                        B
  From its slumber, somehow suddenly I know


[Chorus 1]
        E/G#            F#/A#               B            D#m7  C#m7  
  As my eye stops on one     curled up in my lesson plan
E          F#/A#               B    
  That I'm just your... little ampersand


[Verse 2]
B                                  B/E  
  When your voice springs from the intercom
         C#m9                            B
  With announcements and reminders and a prayer
B                   B/E   
  I remember how you   made me feel
        C#m9                           B
  I was funny, I was thoughtful, I was rare


[Chorus 2]
               E/G#                 F#/A#           B                  D#m7  C#m7  
  But like the jokes about my figure,    kids think I don't understand
E            F#/A#               B    
  I know I’m just your... little ampersand


[Verse 3]
B                    B/E  
  And after Christmas   holidays
      C#m9                               B 
  You never asked to drive me home again
B                   B/E  
  Sometimes in the staff room I'd
  C#m9                                   B 
  Catch your eye with, "why'd it have to end?"


[Chorus 3]
        E/G#              F#/A#        B             D#m7  C#m7  
  But I know from how you worry at your wedding band
E          F#/A#               B    
  That I'm just your... little ampersand


[Interlude]
B  B/E  C#m9  B
B  B/E  C#m9  B


[Outro]
         E/G#             F#/A#      B          D#m7  C#m7  
  At the last conjunction after every other and
E       F#/A#               B    
  I was just your... little ampersand


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Track 10 – Stop Error
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(See tab version 2 for complete fingerpicking)


Verse           Refrain
-----------     ------------
F    13321x     G     32000x
C/B  x2001x     C     x3201x
C    x3201x     F     13321x
Am7  x0201x     A     x0222x
Em   02200x     Am/D  xx021x
                Am    x0221x
                E     02210x


Capo 7th fret


[Intro] 

e|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
B|----1-----1-----1-----1-|----1-----1-----1-----1-|----1-----1-----1-----1-|
G|----0-----0-----0-----0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-|
D|-3-----2-----0----------|------------------------|------------------------|
A|-------------------3----|-2-----2-----2-----2----|------------------------|
E|------------------------|------------------------|-3-----3-----3-----3----|


[Verse 1]
   F          C/B C                     
My monitor is fro-zen
   Am7       Em        Am7
In late four-something sun
     F                C/B C                     
That cuts through icy patterns
 Am7    Em      Am7
Another day's begun


[Refrain 1]
  G              C
Recalling all my losses
      F           A
While trying to ignore
    G                  Am/D G
The theme that keeps repeat-ing
    F        G    Am  E  
From Call of Duty 4


[Verse 2]
  F               C/B C                     
I tap-tap off the vol-ume
    Am7       Em     Am7
And stare out at the road
      F                  C/B    C                     
Where cars and snowplows scroll by
  Am7    Em      Am7
A broken line of code


[Refrain 2]
     G             C
From some embedded program
     F            A
That executes our town
    G             Am/D G
The river and the Co---Op
    F             G       Am   E
This house that's falling down


[Verse 3]
   F            C/B C                     
So tape over my win-dow
     Am7        Em      Am7
With dark green garbage bags
  F                C/B C                     
Enclose my name in brackets
     Am7 Em Am7
Make HT--ML tags


[Refrain 3]
   G                C
To start and end forever
 F               A
Above the wheezy breath
   G                Am/D G
Of cooling fans and hard drives
  F           G       Am    E
Beyond the screens of death


[Outro]
F  C/B  G


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Track 11 – Highway 1 West
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- Note: root 5 notation dropped to improve readability -–


Chorus           Verse
------------     ------------
D     xx023x     D     xx023x     
D/F#  2x023x     D/F#  2x023x
D/G#  4x023x     D/G   3x023x
D/A   x0023x     Em    02200x
                 G     3x003x
                 A     x0222x


Capo 5th fret


[Chorus 1]

D          D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far to walk to anywhere from here
           D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far to walk to anywhere from here
           D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far to walk to anywhere from here
           D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far to walk to anywhere from here


[Verse 1]

D                                  D/F#
  And it didn't take long, for the words to slow
D/G                      D
Roll over the gravel shoulder, thump into the ditch
  D/F#    D/G        D
Engine cut,  battery dying
    Em             D/F# 
The station metastasizing
G                                        A
Tumours of evangelists and ads for vinyl siding


                D                 D/F#
The city's some cheap EQ with the mids pushed up
       D/G              D
In the one long note of wheat


[Chorus 2]

D          D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far to walk to anywhere from here
           D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far to walk to anywhere from here
           D/F#    D/G#  D/A     D
Too far


[Outro solo]

e|-----2-----2---0----|-----2-----2---0----|-----2-----2---0--------|
B|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------3~--|
G|--/2-----2---2---0--|--/2-----2---2---0--|--/2-----2---2---2--2~--|
D|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------0~--| x2
A|--------------------|--------------------|------------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|------------------------|


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Track 12 – Taps Reversed
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Intro, Verse, Pre-Chorus     Chorus
------------------------     -------------
F      13321x                Gm/Bb  x1022x
Am     x02210                F      13321x
Bb     x1333x                C      x3201x
G      32000x                
C      x32010


Capo 2nd fret


[Intro]
F   Am   Bb
G   C
C   Bb
F   Am   G    C


[Verse 1]
F         Am       Bb   G                  C
  All the unpaid bills, wrestling interest rates
        C    Bb  F                      G      C
  While past due dates wait with their boutonnieres
F         Am         Bb  G                C
  And the slumping bike, strangled with a lock
       C  Bb F            G       C
  That we forgot the combination to


[Pre-Chorus 1]
F     Am           Bb  G             C
  The old house drinks everything we hide
      C    Bb  F                   G      C
  And hums sad songs that keep us up all night


[Chorus 1]
Gm/Bb          F          C
      With the doorknobs loose 
Gm/Bb         F           C
      And the pipes that burst
Gm/Bb          F      C
      With the fuses blown 
Gm/Bb         F        C
      And the taps reversed


[Verse 2]
F          Am    Bb       G             C
  The calendar requests a meeting to discuss 
      C    Bb F                    G         C
  The time we waste, when would be good for you?
F         Am          Bb  G                  C
  And the sidewalk cracks spell the way back home
     C   Bb F            G    C
  In one un-interrupted palindrome


[Pre-Chorus 2]
F     Am          Bb  G            C
  The old house keeps all of our receipts
     C Bb F                  G      C
  In envelopes secured with rubber bands


[Chorus 2]
Gm/Bb         F         C
      Oh, the blinking snow 
Gm/Bb         F        C
      And the dark dispersed
Gm/Bb        F       C
      With a smeary moon
Gm/Bb          F        C
      With our taps reversed