Berkeley Woman

Words and music by Brian Bowers
Sung by John Denver
from Farewell Andromeda (1973)



      G                    C                      G
1) I saw a Berkeley woman sittin' in her rockin chair
2) 'Twas   hard to believe what my eyes showed me then
3) Well, I fin'ly realized there was hunger in my stare
4) So with anger on her face and hurt in her eyes
5) I guess she's prob'ly right, Oh, I guess I'm prob'ly wrong
6) Well, now you've heard my story as plain as the light of day

   G                          D7
1) A dulcimer in her lap, a feather in her hair
2) The color in her cheeks was just her natural skin
3) In my mind I was swayin' with the woman in the rockin' chair
4) She scratched me and & clawed me, she screamed & she cried
5) I guess she's not too far away, she hasn't been gone very long
6) It's hard to feel guilty for lovin' the ladies

         G
1) Her breasts swayed freely
2) She wore no makeup
3) But the lady I was livin' with
4) Oh you don't give me near
5) And I guess we could get together
6) That's all I gotta say         (To chorus)

              C                     G
1) With the rhythm of the rockin' chair
2) To make her look that way
3) Was standin' right by my side
4) All the lovin' that you should
5) And try this one more time

               C                          G
1) She was a sittin' and a singin' and a swayin'
2) She was a natural mama with the red cheeks
3) She saw my stare and she saw the hunger
4) Yet you're ready to go and lay with her
5) But I know the wanderlust would come again

         D7                 G
1) Her cheeks were red I declare
2) What more can I say?
3) And Lord it made her cry
4) You're just no damn good!
5) She'd only wind up cryin'

                       G
(Chorus) 6) Except a woman is the sweetest fruit
         7) Well, a woman is the sweetest fruit
                  C                    G
         6) That God ever put on the vine
         7) That God ever put on the vine
                 C                 G
         6) I'd no more love just one kind of woman
         7) I'd no more love just one kind of woman
                   D7                     G
         6) Than drink only one kind of wine
         7) Than drink only one kind of wine