{title: Living alone}
{artist: Loudon Wainwright III}
{time: 4/4}
{tempo: 98}
{key: D}
{meta: author Frans-Willem Post, 2026-05-06}
{start_of_part: Intro}
[D]
{end_of_part}
{start_of_verse: Verse 1}
You [G]sit at a desk and you [D]squirm in a chair
you [G]stretch out on a couch, you could [D]fall asleep there
but you [A]lie in your bed and you [G]try not to think
you [A]put on your bathrobe and you [G]stand at the sink
and then you [D]look into the mirror and you [A]unplug the phone
you [G]re-read the letter, you're living a[D]lone.
{end_of_verse}
{start_of_verse: Verse 2}
You [G]clear out a closet and you [D]listen to a clock
you [G]wipe off a table and you [D]pick up a sock
and then you [A]put up your feet and you [G]stand on your head
you [A]hate what you did and you re[G]gret what you said
and then you [D]gaze at a snapshot and [A]wait for the tone
you [G]talk to yourself, yeah, you're living a[D]lone.
{end_of_verse}
{start_of_chorus: Chorus}
You were [A]always alone, but you [Bm]just didn't know it
you tried [G]living with someone but then [D]you had to blow it
and if there's [A]one thing you learned after [Bm]living with her
is that you're [C]not the man now that [A]you never were. [Asus4] [A]
{end_of_chorus}
{start_of_verse: Verse 3}
So you [G]turn up the heat and you [D]fight off a cold
you [G]thumb through the Bible as you [D]sit there on hold
but [A]you're your own boss; you can [G]do as you please
[A]open a window and [G]let in a breeze
you [D]sit down to dinner, yeah, you [A]cooked your own
you [G]light a candle, you're living a[D]lone.
{end_of_verse}
{start_of_part: Solo}
[A] [Bm] [G] [D]
[A] [Bm] [C] [A]
{end_of_part}
{start_of_verse: Verse 4}
You [G]think about her and [D]how did it end
your [G]cleaning lady has become your [D]very best friend
you're [A]back in your hometown, you're [G]living in fear
they [A]wonder where has he been and [G]why is he here
you're [D]watching the reruns of the [A]Twilight Zone
your [G]life in a nutshell, you're living a[D]lone.
{end_of_verse}
{start_of_chorus: Chorus}
You were [A]always alone, but you [Bm]just didn't see it
you tried [G]being someone's baby but you [D]just couldn't be it
and if there's [A]one thing you learned after [Bm]all of it
is that you're [C]usually fired be[A]fore you can quit.
{end_of_chorus}
{start_of_verse: Verse 5}
What you [G]need is a dog, some [D]goldfish or a cat
a [G]boa constrictor and a [D]laboratory rat
the [A]end is at hand now and [G]you have the means
a [A]roll of toilet paper and the [G]right magazines
your [D]parents are dead now and your [C#maug]kids are full grown
[Bmaug]you're 53 now, [G] you're 53 now, you're 53 now;
you're living a[D]lone. [A/D] [G/D] [D]
{end_of_verse}