Donny Douglas – Country Music Legend

“Excuses”

Words and music by Donny Douglas

Intro D A G C A x 2

Verse

D                                             A                    G                                       C  A  D

When I met you on that first night, I didn’t know what I’d got,

D                             A                             G                             C  A  D

Whatever it was I knew honey, I hadn’t got a lot,

D                             A                             G                                   C A D

I didn’t think much of you, you looked plain ugly to me,

D                                             A                             G                                                C A D

Then you asked me home with you and I told you that I just wasn’t free

Chorus

D                                               C                 B                                       G

There’s nothing I’d rather do, than spend the night with you,

D                             C                             B                             G

But I’ve got to get back home, Cause the Cat is on it’s own.

C                             G               D                           G

So if it’s all right with you, Maybe I’ll come round another night

C                    G                      D                                   G

If it’s all right with you,  maybe I’ll come round, it’ll be all right

C                    G                      D                                   G

So if it’s all right with you, maybe I’ll come round another night

C                    G                      D                                   B

If it’s all right with you, maybe I’ll come round, it’ll be all right

Second Verse

Then I met you on the second night, you tried to trap me again,

Your size didn’t open my eyes, and I swear you had more than one chin,

That flowery dress, and your hair such a mess, I gave you naught outa three,

Again you asked me home with you, but I told you I just wasn’t free.

Chorus

Repeat Chorus and ad lib to end

Download songsheet: Excuses

“Bird”

Words and music by Donny Douglas

Intro

Dm F G, Dm F G, Dm F G, Dm F Em7

Verse

Dm           F                   G

There’s a bird in the sky,

Dm         F                     G

flying straight flying high

Dm               F                                       G

Wings cut through blue crystal sky,

Dm         F                                Em7

turns away from northern lights.

Dm             F                                         G

Southern winds steer southward flight,

Dm                         F                             G

Through breezy days and starry nights,

Dm               F                                       G

See’s land ahead, I’ll take my time,

Dm            F                                          Em7

Morning brings sweet smells, sublime

 

Chorus

Am         F                             G             F                     Am

Bird you see what you need, you take it that’s good,

Am           F                           G             F                  Am

Bird you know what you see and I wish we could

Am           F              G          F                  Am

Lives are given to live, a gift understood,

Am         F                                G                          F                             Am         F             G             F             C

But we take them through greed and starve when there’s food

Second verse

Flying high overhead

The world looks small, all creatures bed,

Rest we will after the flight,

Leave the world for constant night.

Man has come and he will go,

A single act in this show.

Will the house be brought down?

When the man becomes the clown.

Chorus

Solo – over verse

Repeat Chorus

Key – change

Bm         G                             A             G                     Bm

Bird you see what you need, you take it that’s good,

Bm           G                           A             G                  Bm

Bird you know what you see and I wish we could

Bm           G              A          G                  Bm

Lives are given to live, a gift understood,

Bm         G                                A                          G                             Bm         G             A             G             D

But we take them through greed and starve when there’s food

Download the songsheet: Bird

Intro: E A B B x 4

Verse

A                                E

I saw you last night,

A                                                                E

such a long time baby just ain’t right,

B                                                                  E                                           A

I thought I’d talk to you, but the words just didn’t sound right,

E A B B x 2

A                                              E

Can I say that you look fine?

A                                                                  E

I could try all night but that’s my only line,

B                                                                                E                              A

Still got that look in your eyes but your eyes are not for me,

E A B B x 2

Chorus

D                                      A

I could cry all night, but what use are tears?

D                                                              G                           A

I guess the time was right but we just ran out of years,

A                                            D  C  A

You take it as it comes

A                                                          D C A

Yeah, you take it as it comes,

G

You gotta give a little love, take a little too,

A

when it all works out that’s all that lovers do

E A B B x 2

Second Verse

I gotta find a way to get someone new

cause that’s the only way to release my mind from you

if it takes all night, if it takes all year,

I’m gonna find a way to get me out of here,

E                    B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

E                     B                                             A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

E                     B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

E                    B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

Solo

Chorus

D                                      A

I could cry all night, but what use are tears?

D                                                              G                          A

I guess the time was right but we just ran out of years,

A                                            D  C   A

You take it as it comes

A                                                          D C  A

Yeah, you take it as it comes,

G

You gotta give a little love, take a little too,

A

when it all works out that’s all that lovers do

Solo on E A B

E                     B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

E                     B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

E                     B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

E                     B                                              A

Cos in this small town, there ain’t room for the both of us,

to end

Download the songsheet: Small Town

Intro: D C G DD C G D

Verse

D                                      C                     G                  D

The sun comes up on a twenty first century heatwave

D                                         C             G            D

A child look up feels the heat upon his skin

D                                    C                        G               D

A January morning a new day has started undaunted

C                          G

Is it too late now?

C                                   G

Are the words all empty and lost?

C                                              G                                    D                                                                  D7

Is the talking to aliens or is there a chance that your brothers your enemies friend?

C                              G          C                                           G

What have we done? You think you’re the innocent one

C                                   G                                       D                                    D7

But you’re just as guilty as those who decided to sit in the sun – ohhhhh

Guitar break over C G and D7

C                  G       F                     Bb

It takes a man, to make a stand

Eb                       Cm

So why do we fight?

Eb                       Cm

So why do we hide from our fate

F                  Dm                           G

Is it our destiny just to be late?

D                                    C              G                         D

Do you just give in when a door is blocking your path

D                                             C              G                             D

Can you really not read when a sign just won’t make you laugh

D                                           C              G                         D

Will you excuse the scene if it’s not the one you have chosen?

C                                  G            C                         G

The question’s an answer, not rhetoric rhyme

C                           G                                             D                          D7

I can’t see the answer although I can still see all the signs

C                         G        F                                 Bb

A woman or man, the frame in your hand

Eb                    Cm          Eb                 Cm

A picture of green, a picture of green under blue

F                        Dm                                  G

A picture of anything other than you

End

D

Can you see your soul climbing over the hill

Em

Picking up speed on the track

C                                               G

Do you hear a light murmur that might just be red?

C                                                  G

and a cotton wool carpet that might be your bed

C                                                             D                                               G

Or a real estate agent salesman that might have a hole in his head?

instrumental

DCGDCGDCG

D                       G

Is it too late now?

C                                   G

Are the words all empty and lost?

C                                              G                                    D                                                                  D7

Is the talking to aliens or is there a chance that your brothers your enemies friend?

C                              G          C                                           G

What have we done? You think you’re the innocent one

C                                   G                                       D                                    D7

But you’re just as guilty as those who decided to sit in the sun – ohhhhh

Base run down

C                  G       F                     Bb

It takes a man, to make a stand

Eb                       Cm

So why do we fight?

Eb                       Cm

So why do we hide from our fate

F                  Dm                           G

Is it our destiny just to be late?

Download the songsheet: Twenty first century heatwave

Intro: Am C Am C

Verse

Am                                                                                                   C

There was a time when it was easy to look across the open fields, now that’s just a dream

Am                                                                                                  C

It used to be that I could breath the air and feel the autumn chill, but times have changed

G                                  Am                   C                          D

And sometimes it feels like the changes are me

G                                                       Am                           C                           D

The signs on the window but you look at the glass and can’t read

Chorus

G           Em      B                                           D                                             A

The world turns, changing its mind, feeling the years take a back seat

G           Em      B                               D                                     A                                 Em

The world turns, seeing the signs, watching us slowly halting, the world turns

Verse

Am                                                                                                      C

The worlds still turning but it’s not just the sun that is burning hot, you know it’s not

Am                                                                                                                   C

Our days are numbered yet we count in the hundreds and ignore the rot, how long have we got?

G                                   Am                         C                     D

And just when the numbers are mounting we see

G                                         Am                     C                   D

That while we were counting, we’re lost to the sea

Chorus

G           Em      B                                           D                                             A

The world turns, changing its mind, feeling the years take a back seat

G           Em      B                               D                                     A                                 Em

The world turns, seeing the signs, watching us slowly halting, the world turns

middle eight

Am                      G                           D                           A

And can’t you see it’s how we knew it would be

G-Am                G                               D

We made our bed and now we lie on it

G-Am               G                                               D                        A

I hoped that we would see that it was all so easily changed

C             D                                 A

In the end it just re-arranged

Instrumental break followed by final verse

Am                                                                                                 C

We try to fake it but we’re not going to make it if we steal the rain

Am                                                                                                                 C

It’s plain to see if they were like you and me we could have stayed the same

G                                  Am                   C                      D

Your hearing the words I say roll of your tongue

G                                  Am              C                       D

You’re staring accusing the old and the young

Chorus

G           Em      B                                           D                                             A

The world turns, changing its mind, feeling the years take a back seat

G           Em      B                               D                                     A                                 Em

The world turns, seeing the signs, watching us slowly halting, the world turns

Download the songsheet: World Turns