Brad's Paul Simon Guitar Tablature Page (www.bradpriddy.com/paul_simon)

......................... Train in the Distance ..........................

Copyright © 1981 Paul Simon

From Paul's 1984 12-City Solo Acoustic Tour.

Transcribed by John McGann.

Although this tab is specifically from the Columbia, MD show (8/2/1984),
it should match any of the 1984 shows fairly closely since they were very
similar shows.  

In general on this tab, where there are four notes notated in a bar, they
are all being played as eighth notes (this usually comes after the change 
to an A chord), whereas where there are three notes written in the bar, the 
first two are played as eighth notes and the third is being played as a 
quarter note (so it is held longer).  Exceptions are marked with a *, which 
indicates the note which is held longer.  Listening to a recording of this 
song from one of the 1984 tour performances will make playing from the tab 
much easier.

% indicates a repeat of the previous measure.


No capo  (see tuning info on main page)

     E  (loosely)       D#m7b5            Dmaj7             C#7
e:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--0--------------|-------------7---|-------------7---|-------------6---|
G:|--1--------------|--------6--------|--------6--------|--------4--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|---6-------------|---5-------------|---4-------------|
E:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                She was beautiful  as   Southern skies the night he


                        F#m                                 B7
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-------------2---|-----------------|-------------4---|
G:|-----------------|-------------2---|--------%--------|----------2------|
D:|-----------------|--------2--------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|---4-------------|-----------------|-----------------|---2*------------|
E:|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|

    met her               she   was   married    to    someone


                                          E                 D#m7b5
e:|-------2---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|------------4----|-------------5---|-------------7---|
G:|-----------------|----2------------|-----------------|--------6--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|--------6--------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---6-------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|-----------------|

                                                  He  was doggedly


      Dmaj7             C#7               F#m               B7
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------7---|-------------6---|-------------2---|-------------4---|
G:|--------6--------|--------4--------|--------2--------|--------4--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|---5-------------|---4-------------|-----------------|---2-------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|

  determined that he .. get her                     He was old      he was


     A                 E                                    E7,9
e:|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|-----------------|
B:|----------2------|----------0------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:|------2----------|------1----------|------------1----|----------1------|
D:|-----------------|--------------2--|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|--0-----------0--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|--0--------------|-----------------|---0*--------0---|

   young                                    From  time  to  time       he'd


      E7,9                               A
e:|-------------2---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|---3*------------|-----------------|----------2------|------2*---------|
G:|---1*------------|----------1------|------2----------|------2*-----2---|
D:|----------2------|------2----------|-----------------|---2-------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|--0-----------0--|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|--0-----------0--|-----------------|-----------------|

     tip his heart                           but  each  time  she  with -


     (loosely)                            E
e:|------5---7---9--|-----------------|----------0--0---|----------0---0--|
B:|-----------------|--5--7--9--7--5--|-----------------|-----------------|
G:|------6---7---9--|--6--7--9--7--6--|-----------------|------1----------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---0*------------|--0--------------|

  - drew


                        D#m7b5            Dmaj7             C#7
e:|-------------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-------------7---|-------------7---|-------------6---|
G:|--------1--------|--------6--------|--------6--------|--------4--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|---6-------------|---5-------------|---4-------------|
E:|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

          Everybody     loves   the    sound   of    a    train    in  the


      F#m              B7                A
e:|-----------------|--------------2--|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------2---|----------4------|----------2------|------2----------|
G:|--------2--------|------2----------|------2----------|--2-----------2--|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|--2-----------2--|----------2------|
A:|-----------------|--2--------------|--0--------------|-----------------|
E:|---2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

    distance     Everybody thinks it's true


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




     E                                                      D#m7b5
e:|--------------0--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|----------0------|------0----------|-------------5---|-------------7---|
G:|------1----------|--------------1--|--------4--------|--------6--------|
D:|-----------------|----------2------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---6-------------|
E:|--0--------------|--0--------------|---0-------------|-----------------|

                                                   Well   eventually   the


      Dmaj7             C#7               F#m
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------7---|-------------6---|-------------2---|----------2------|
G:|--------6--------|--------4--------|--------2--------|------2-------2--|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|---5-------------|---4-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|--2--------------|

     boy  and the girl get married             and sure enough they have a


     B7                                   E                 D#m7b5
e:|-----------------|------2*---------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|----------4------|---5-------------|-------------5---|-------------7---|
G:|------2----------|-------------2---|--------4--------|--------6--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|--2-----------2--|-----------------|-----------------|---6-------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|-----------------|

   son                                         Though they both were occu -


      Dmaj7             C#7               F#m               B7
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------7---|-------------6---|-------------2---|-------------4---|
G:|--------6--------|--------4--------|--------2--------|--------2--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|---5-------------|---4-------------|-----------------|---2-------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|

   - pied  with  the  child  she  carried         disagreements  had  begun


     A                 E                                   E7,9
e:|-----------------|--------------0--|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|----------2------|----------0------|----------0------|--------------3--|
G:|------2----------|------1----------|------1-------1--|----------1------|
D:|--------------2--|-----------------|-----------------|------2----------|
A:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|--0--------------|--0--------------|--0--------------|

                                               And in a while        they


     E7,9                                A
e:|------2----------|------2*---------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--------------3--|--(3)------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:|----------1------|-------------1---|----------2------|------2-------2--|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|------2----------|--2-------2------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|--0-----------0--|-----------------|
E:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

   just  fell apart                            it   wasn't   hard    to


      A
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|--------------0--|-(0)-------------|--0--------------|
G:|-----------------|--2-------2------|----------2------|----------2------|
D:|------2*---------|------2----------|------2-------2--|------2-------2--|
A:|---0---------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

    do


      E                (D#m7b5)           Dmaj7             C#7
e:|-------------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----------------|-------------7---|-------------6---|
G:|--------1--------|-----------------|--------6--------|--------4--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|---6-------6-----|---5-------------|---4-------------|
E:|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

            Everybody   loves   the    sound  of a train  in the distance


      F#m               B7               A
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------2---|------------4----|----------2------|------2----------|
G:|--------2--------|--------2--------|------2----------|--2-----------2--|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|--------------2--|----------2------|
A:|-----------------|---2-------------|--0--------------|-----------------|
E:|---2-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

          Everybody   thinks   it's   true


     E                                   A
e:|--------------0--|-(0)-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----------------|--------------2--|-(2)-------------|
G:|----------1------|------1-------1--|----------2------|----------2------|
D:|------2----------|----------2------|------2----------|------2-------2--|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|--0--------------|-----------------|
E:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                                            Two   disappointed   believers


     E                                   A
e:|--------------0--|-(0)-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----------------|--------------2--|-----------------|
G:|----------1------|------1-------1--|----------2------|--------------2--|
D:|------2----------|----------2------|------2----------|------2----------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|--0--------------|--0-------0------|
E:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                                           Two  people  playing  the  game


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

                                              Negotiations             and


      E                                (loosely)
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------0---|--------0--------|--4--2-----------|------0----------|
G:|--------1--------|---1-------------|--4--2-----2--1--|--2-------2---1--|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|--4--2-----------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------4--2--|----------4---2--|
E:|---0-------------|-------------0---|--------4--------|-----------------|

     love     songs               are   often mista-ken   for one and the


      B7
e:|--------------2--|-----------------|----------2------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----------------|--0-----------0--|------0----------|
G:|-----------------|------2-------2--|-----------------|-----------------|
D:|-----------1-----|--1-------1------|------1----------|--1--------------|
A:|---2*------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

    same


      E                 D#m7b5            Dmaj7             C#7
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------5---|-------------7---|-------------7---|-------------6---|
G:|--------4--------|--------6--------|--------6--------|--------4--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|---6-------------|---5-------------|---4-------------|
E:|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

            Now  the   man  and  the   woman   they     remain       in


                       F#m                                 B7
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|----------2------|------2----------|----------4------|
G:|---------4-------|------2----------|--2-----------2--|------2----------|
D:|-----------------|--------------2--|----------2------|-----------------|
A:|---4-------------|-----------------|-----------------|--2-----------2--|
E:|-----------------|--2--------------|-----------------|-----------------|

     con - tact            let  us  say  it's  for  the  child


                        E                 D#m7b5            Dmaj7
e:|-------2---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|---5-------------|-------------5---|-------------7---|-------------7---|
G:|-----------------|--------4--------|--------6--------|--------6--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-------------2---|-----------------|---6-------------|---5-------------|
E:|-----------------|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                                Disagreements  about  the  meaning  of  a


      C#7               F#m               B7               A
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------6---|-------------2---|-------------4---|----------2------|
G:|--------4--------|--------2--------|--------2--------|------2----------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------2--|
A:|---4-------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|--0--------------|

 marriage contract         conversations   hard   and   wild


     E
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--------------0--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:|----------1------|--------%--------|--------%--------|--------%--------|
D:|------2----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                      But  from  time  to time    he just makes  her 


     E7,9               A
e:|------2----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----------2-----|------2----------|-----------------|
G:|--------------1--|-----------------|--2-----------2--|-------------2---|
D:|----------2------|-------------2---|----------2------|--------2--------|
A:|-----------------|---0*------------|-----------------|---0-------------|
E:|--0--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

    laugh                        She  cooks   a  meal  or  two


      A                                   E                 D#m7b5
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----------------|-------------5---|-------------7---|
G:|------2*------2--|-------2---------|--------4--------|--------6--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|---0-------------|---0-----------0-|-----------------|---6-------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---0-------------|-----------------|

                                                     Everybody  loves  the


      Dmaj7             C#7               F#m               B7
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------------7---|-------------6---|-------------2---|-------------4---|
G:|--------6--------|--------4--------|--------2--------|--------2--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|---5-------------|---4-------------|-----------------|---2-------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|

     sound of a .. the distance            Everybody  ...  true




Play these four bars through twice, and then repeat them for each of the
next three lines of the song:


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

         What  is  the  point  of  this  story?
         What    information      pertains?
         The thought that life could be better ...                   is


     B  A  E  A  E     A  E  F#m E  B                E
e:|-----------------|---------------2-|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--4--2-----------|---------------4-|-----------------|--s5--7-----9----|
G:|--4--2--4--2--1--|-----1--2---1--2-|-----------------|--s6--7--9-----9-|
D:|--4--2-----------|--4------------4-|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------4--2--|--0------------2-|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--------4--------|-----0--2---0----|--------------0--|-----------------|

    woven  in-de-li - bly in-to our hearts and our brains


e:|-----------------|
B:|--9-----9-----9--|
G:|-----9-----9-----|
D:|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|


Lyrics:

She was beautiful as Southern skies,
The night he met her.
She was married to someone.
He was doggedly determined that he would get her.
He was old, he was young.
From time to time, he'd tip his heart.
But each time she withdrew.

Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance.
Everybody thinks it's true.

Well eventually the boy and the girl get married,
And sure enough they have a son.
Though they both were occupied with the child she carried,
Disagreements had begun.
And in a while, they just fell apart --
It wasn't hard to do.

Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance.
Everybody thinks it's true.

Two disappointed believers.
Two people playing the game.
Negotiations and love songs,
Are often mistaken for one and the same.

Now the man and the woman, they remain in contact,
Let us say it's for the child.
With disagreements about the meaning of a marriage contract,
Conversations hard and wild.
                
But from time to time,
He just makes her laugh.
She cooks a meal or two.

Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance.
Everybody thinks it's true.

What is the point of this story?
What information pertains?
The thought that life could be better,
Is woven indelibly into our hearts and our brains.