To The Wild Country

Words and Music by John Denver & Joe Henry
from I Want to Live (1978)




Intro: D, G/D, D, G, Em, D, G/D, D, G, Em, 



    D                         G/D  D          G         Em      D
1.) There are times I fear I loose myself, I don't know who I am, 

    D      G        Em         D     G
    I get caught up in the struggle and the strain.

    A7sus4 A7              D                  G/D D      G             D 
                With my back against a stone wall, my finger in the dam, 

        G           Em      D     G        A7
    I'm losin' strength and goin' down again.

           D                G/D D     G                     D  
    When I take a look around me, my eyes can't find the sun, 

            G       Em    D    G           A7sus4, A7
    theres nothin wild as far as I can see.

            D                  G/D D         G              D  G
    Then my heart turns to Alaska,       and freedom on the run,

          Em       D      G       A7sus4, A7
    I can hear her spirit calling me



    D                         G/D  D          G         Em      D
2.) Oh I know sometimes I worry on worldly ways and means, 

    D      G        Em         D     G
    And I can see the future killing me


    A7sus4 A7              D                  G/D D      G             D 
                  On a misbegotten highway of prohesies          and dreams, 

        G           Em      D     G        A7
    a road to nowhere and eternaty.


           D                G/D D     G                     D
     And I know it's just changes, and mankind marchin' on     

            G       Em    D    G           A7sus4, A7
     I know we can't live in yesterday

            D                  G/D D         G              D  G
    But compared to what we're losin' and what it means to me, 

           Em       D      G       A7sus4, A7
    I'd give my life and throw the rest away.



Chorus:
G     Em     D    G   Em       D           G      Em D      
To the mountains,     I can rest there,    to the rivers,      

Em               A7     G      Em  D G 
I will be strong,       To the forests,

Em         D              G      Em D     G    Em
I'll find peace there,    to the wild country

 A7          D     G/D D        A7     D G       Em   D    G     Em        
   where I belong.               I belong to the wild country,           

 A7         D    G/D D       G Em D       G/D D     G    Em     D
  where I belong