Richard Cory


written by Paul Simon
performed by Simon & Garfunkel
from "Sounds Of Silence."
Transcribed by Erik Strom.



     Dm                             C                  
They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town,

       Dm                     A                            
With political connections to spread his wealth around.

G                                    
Born into society, a banker's only child,

       Dm   C       F               A                        F  
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.


                    Dm      
But I   work in his factory

      G                        
And I curse the life I'm living

                    
And I curse my poverty

                        
And I wish that I could be,

      F                 Dm
Oh, I wish that I could be,

      G                 
Oh, I wish that I could be

        Dm          
Richard Cory.


    Dm                              C             
The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes:

        Dm                         A                
Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show.

        G                                            
And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!

       Dm     C       F          A                    F 
Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got.


                    Dm      
But I   work in his factory

      G                        
And I curse the life I'm living

                    
And I curse my poverty

                        
And I wish that I could be,

      F                 Dm
Oh, I wish that I could be,

      G                 
Oh, I wish that I could be

        Dm          
Richard Cory.


   Dm                         C              
He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch,

              Dm                             A                 
And they were grateful for his patronage and thanked him very much,

      G                                                        
So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:

         Dm C      F                         A                         F
"Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head."


                    Dm      
But I   work in his factory

      G                        
And I curse the life I'm living

                    
And I curse my poverty

                        
And I wish that I could be,

      F                 Dm
Oh, I wish that I could be,

      G                 
Oh, I wish that I could be

        Dm          
Richard Cory.
  


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