Better Things to Do Terri Clark
Here is an amended version of Terri Clark's "Better Things To Do."
The basic chord progression is charted out here with the lyrics,
but to get the chord variations, read the notes below.
TERRI CLARK -- BETTER THINGS TO DO
Written by Terri Clark, Tom Shapiro, and Chris Waters.
Copyright 1995, Great Cumberland Music/Diamond Struck Music/Tom Shapiro
Music/Sony Tree Publishing.
>From Terri Clark's self-titled debut CD - 1995 Mercury-Nashville/Polygram.
***Key of Bb. Capo 3rd fret and play in key of G.***
Intro: G
D[G]on't tell me the reason that you're callin'
Is to s[C]ee if I'm all right since you been g[G]one,
Cause I[D] know you and I know why we're t[G]alkin';
You're wantin m[C]e to say I'm barely hangin' o[D]n.
Well, m[C]aybe that was t[D]rue, f[C]or a night or t[D]wo,
But n[C]ow, I've got b[D]etter things to d[G]o. ...I could:
[C]...Wash my car in the rain, change my new guitar s[G]trings;
Mow the y[G]ard just the same, as I did yesterd[C]ay.
I don't n[C]eed to waste my t[G]ime, crying over y[D]ou;
[C]...I've got b[D]etter things to d[G]o.
M[G]aybe when I don't have so much goin'
Or q[C]uite so many irons in the f[G]ire,
I'll t[C]ake the time to miss you like you're h[G]oping,
But now I c[C]an't put forth the effort it req[D]uires.
I'd l[C]ove to talk to y[D]ou, but then I[C]'d miss Donah[D]ue.
That's r[C]ight, I've got b[D]etter things to d[G]o. ...I could:
[C]...Wash my car in the rain, change my new guitar s[G]trings;
Mow the y[G]ard just the same, as I did yesterd[C]ay.
I don't n[C]eed to waste my t[G]ime, crying over y[D]ou;
[C]...I've got b[D]etter things to...
d[C]o. Check the a[C]ir in my tires, straighten my stereo w[G]ires,
Count the s[G]tars in the sky or just get on with my l[C]ife
I don't n[C]eed to waste my t[G]ime, crying over y[D]ou;
[C]...I've got b[D]etter things to d[G]o.
[C]...I've got b[D]etter things to d[G]o.
*********************************************************
The rhythm played with the right hand is a standard country shuffle, but the
left hand bounces between variations of the chords in the chart above. Here
are examples of how you can play it:
1&2&3&4& 1&2&3&4& 1&2&3&4&
\ \/ \/\ or \ \/ \/\ \ \/ \/\
* ** * * *
\ is a downstrum, / is an upstrum, * is point where you hit the variant chord.
It's not a rigid pattern, just bounce between chords whatever feels natural
to you.
I can't decipher all the chord variations Terri plays,
but here are the basics which will get you through the song:
Where it says G, bounce between these fingerings:
320003 - G major
302003 - G major 6th add the 9th (no fifth with this fingering)
(Your middle finger is bouncing between the 2nd and 3rd strings)
Where it says C, bounce between these fingerings:
x32013 - C major
x30213 - C major 6th add the 9th (no fifth with this fingering)
(Similar to the G variation, but now your middle finger is bouncing between
the 3rd and 4th strings. The pinky on the 6th string/3rd fret is optional,
but Terri plays it that way on the video and it's already there for the
G chords anyway.)
Where it says D, bounce between these fingerings:
xxo232 - D major
xxo432 - D major 6th (also happens to be Bm/D)
(Just hold the D pattern and bounce your pinky off the
3rd string/4th fret. You can add an open fifth string if you like.)
If you want to get even fancier, I know Terri starts some of the bars with a
G6/E (020003 - this also happens to be an Em7) on the first beat, followed
by the G6+9 on the second beat. You could extrapolate from that and assume
that some of the bars start with C6/A (x02013 - which is also an Am7) and
D6/B (x24232 - aka Bm7), but don't blame me if your fingers start bleeding
from trying to play it.
If you're at a loss to figure out where all your fingers are going, here are
the charts. I've based this mostly on how Terri plays it in the video, but
I can't see any of her D chords. I, M, R, and P, stand for index, middle,
ring, and pinky fingers.
[G] [G6/E] [G6+9]
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - M - - - - - M - - - - - - M - - - 3 R - - - - P - - - - - P R - - - - P 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
g b d g b g e b d g b g g a e g b g
[C] [C6/A] [C6+9]
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
1 x - - - I - x - - - I - x - - - I - 2 x - M - - - x - M - - - x - - M - - 3 x R - - - P x - - - - P x R - - - P 4 x - - - - - x - - - - - x - - - - -
c e g c g a e g c g c d a c g
Pinky on 6/3 is optional. You can play the 6th string open.
[D] [D6/B] [D6]
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
1 x - - - - - x - - - - - x - - - - - 2 x - - I - M x I I I I I x - - I - M 3 x - - - R - x - - - M - x - - - R - 4 x - - - - - x - R - - - x - - P - - 5 x - - - - - x - - - - - x - - - - -
a d a d f# b f#a d f# a d b d f#
Second string can be played open, or not played at all.
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