Ballad In Plain D Chords & Lyrics - Bob Dylan

Intro: [E]
[E]I once loved a g[D]irl, her skin it was b[E]ronze.
[E]With the innocence of a lamb, she was gentle like a [D]fawn.
[E]I courted her proudly but now she is go[D]ne,
Gone as the season she[E]'s taken.

[E]Through young s[D]ummer's breeze, I stole her away
[E]From her mother and sister, though close did they st[D]ay.
[E]Each one of them suffering from the failures of their [D]day,
With strings of guilt they trie[E]d hard to guide us.

[E]Of the two sisters,[D] I loved the young.
[E]With sensitive instincts, she was the creative on[D]e.
[E]The constant scapegoat, she was easily un[D]done
By the jealousy of others ar[E]ound her.

[E]For her parasite sister, [D]I had no respect,
[E]Bound by her boredom, her pride to pr[D]otect.
[E]Countless visions of the other she'd r[D]eflect
As a crutch for her scenes and h[E]er society.

[E]Myself, for what I did, I [D]cannot be excused,
[E]The changes I was going through can't even be us[D]ed,
[E]For the lies that I told her in hopes not to los[D]e
The could-be dream-lover of m[E]y lifetime.

[E]With unknown consciousness[D] , I possessed in my grip
[E]A magnificent mantelpiece, though its heart being c[D]hipped,
[E]Noticing not that I'd already sl[D]ipped
To a sin of love's fa[E]lse security.

[E]From silhouetted anger to man[D]ufactured peace,
[E]Answers of emptiness, voi[D]ce vacancies,
[E]Till the tombstones of damage read me no questions but, &qu[D]ot;Please,
What's wrong and what's [E]exactly the matter?"

[E]And so it did happen like it could have been f[D]oreseen,
[E]The timeless explosion of fa[D]ntasy's dream.
[E]At the peak of the night, the king and the [D]queen
Tumbled all down into p[E]ieces.

[E]"The tragic figure!&q[D]uot; her sister did shout,
[E]"Leave her alone, God damn y[D]ou, get out!"
[E]And I in my armor, turnin[D]g about
And nailing her to the ruins of her[E] pettiness.

[E]Beneath a bare light bulb the p[D]laster did pound
[E]Her sister and I in a screaming ba[D]ttleground.
[E]And she in between, the vi[D]ctim of sound,
Soon shattered as a child 'neath her [E]shadows.

[E]All is gone, all is gone, admit it, t[D]ake flight.
[E]I gagged twice, doubled, tears bl[D]inding my sight.
[E]My mind it was mangled, I ran into [D]the night
Leaving all of love's ashe[E]s behind me.

[E]The wind knocks my window, th[D]e room it is wet.
[E]The words to say I'm sorry, I hav[D]en't found yet.
[E]I think of her often and hope [D]whoever she's met
Will be fully aware of how preci[E]ous she is.

[E]Ah, my friends from the prison, the[D]y ask unto me,
[E]"How good, how good does it feel [D]to be free?"
[E]And I answer them most [D]mysteriously,
"Are birds free from t[E]he chains of the skyway?"

Enjoy!