the Mountain Goats Wiki

Going to Maryland
The Mountain Goats
Beautiful Rat Sunset


Intro:
    C C                        C             C        C          C/G
e|-------------------------------------------------------------0-0-0-0-|
B|--1-------------------------------------------------1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|
G|-------------------------------------------0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-|
D|-----------------------------2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2-|
A|----3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3-|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------3-3-3-3-|

This is the idea of the intro. He strums more times than this, but essentially
he gradually builds a C chord based from the C on the 5th string.


Riff:

     Csus2/G   C/G    Muted Strumming
e|---0--0-0---0-0-0---X-X--X---X-X-X-|
B|---3--3-3---X-X-X---X-X--X---X-X-X-|
G|---0--0-0---0-0-0---X-X--X---X-X-X-| 
D|---2--2-2---2-2-2---X-X--X---X---X-| 
A|---3--3-3---3-3-3---X-X--X---X---X-|
E|---3--3-3---3-3-3---X-X--X---X---X-|


The length and number of the strums varies a bit throughout the song.
I play the chords with the following fingerings:


 Csus2/G  &  C/G:            Muted Strumming:

e: open             barre at 2ND fret with 1ST finger
B: 4TH finger       barre at 2ND fret with 1ST finger
G: open             barre at 2ND fret with 1ST finger
D: 1ST finger       barre at 2ND fret with 1ST finger
A: 3RD finger       barre at 2ND fret with 1ST finger
E: 2ND finger       barre at 2ND fret with 1ST finger


In any blank spaces above the lyrics, he uses muted strumming.
The general pattern is:

Muted Strumming:

e|---X-X-X--X--X-X-|
B|---X-X-X--X--X-X-|
G|---X-X-X--X--X-X-|
D|---X-X-X--X--X-X-|
A|---X-X-X--X--X-X-|
E|---X-X-X--X--X-X-|

This pattern also changes a bit throughout the song. 

Outro:
         
e|----X--X--X-X--X-X-X--X--X-X--X-X-X--X-|
B|----X--X--X-X--X-X-X--X--X-X--X-X-X--X-|
G|----X--X--X-X--X-X-X--X--X-X--X-X-X--X-|
D|----X--X----X--X-X-X--X----X--X-X-X--X-|
A|----X--X----X--X-X-X--X----X--X-X-X--X-|
E|----X--X----X--X-X-X--X----X--X-X-X--X-|



Intro, Riff x4


Riff                                            Riff
The water's real cool and the water's real sweet

And here's hoping that no points repeat
          F 
Because I bet against the chances that you'd ever be mine
     Riff
Laid everything down on the don't pass line


           G-------------> F-----------> Riff
And it's a stupid trick of fortune anyway
        G------------------------>
But the lights are bright tonight
     F-------------------------------------> Riff x4
And your eyes shine tonight on Chesapeake Bay


Riff                                      
Walk through the water and our feet get wet
    Riff                                        
And on the darkening water I see your silhouette
F                                            F--> C
Five dollars says that it's gone in a minute
                   
Five dollars says that your heart goes with it


       G-------------> F-----------> Riff
It's a stupid trick of fortune anyway
        G------------------------->
But the lights are bright tonight
   F----------------------------------------> 
And your eyes shine tonight on Chesapeake Bay


Riff x16, Outro



I hope this helps out. Feel free to make changes,
but please email me if you do. Cheers.
  --Dan Demmitt from MD (dan.demmitt@gmail.com)