Speed of the Sound of Loneliness chords

by Nanci Griffith

Speed of the Sound of Loneliness was written by John Prine - American country folk singer-songwriter. It was released as a track on Prine's 1986 album German Afternoons.
Nanci Griffith recorded a version of the song on her Other Voices, Other Rooms album which consisted mostly of covers as a tribute to other artists that influenced her songwriting with John Prine singing backing vocals to this song.
Recorded by Nanci Griffith: August - December 1992
Released: March 2, 1993
Music: C Major in 2/2 time at ~ 80 bpm (𝅗𝅥)
Chords: C, F, G
Nanci prefers to play with a capo on the 5th fret with chords G, C, D - audibly, still in C Major
With 2 guitarists, one can play with a Capo (G-C-D) and one without (C-F-G) - sounds great

Speed of the Sound of Loneliness

Capo on 5 if playing in G Major with the video.

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key

               C           F           G           C
Intro: 2/2  ‖     |  𝄎  |     |  𝄎  |     |  𝄎  |     |  𝄎  ‖

 C                                      F
1. You come home late and you come home ear-ly
 G                                      C
   You come on big when you're feel-ing small
 C                                          F
   You come home straight and you come home cur-ly
 G                                   C
   Some-times you don't come home at all

      C                             F
Chorus: So what in the world's come o-ver you
      G                                     C
        And what in hea-ven's name have you done
      C                                         F
        You've broken the speed of the sound of lone-li-ness
      G                                             C
        You're out there run-ning just to be on the run

 C                                      F
2. Well I got a heart that burns with a fe-ver
 G                                    C
   And I got a worried and a jea-lous mind
 C                                 F
   How can a love that'll last for-e-ver
 G                    C
   Get left so far be-hind

      C                             F
Chorus: So what in the world's come o-ver you
      G                                     C
        And what in hea-ven's name have you done
      C                                         F
        You've broken the speed of the sound of lone-li-ness
      G                                             C 
        You're out there run-ning just to be on the run

           C           F           G           C
Instr: ‖:     |  𝄎  |     |  𝄎  |     |  𝄎  |     |  𝄎  :‖

 C                                     F
3. It's a migh-ty mean and a dread-ful sor-row
 G                               C
   It's crossed the evil line to-day
 C                          F
   How can you ask about to-mor-row
 G                               C
   When we ain't got one word to say

      C                             F
Chorus: So what in the world's come o-ver you
      G                                     C
        And what in hea-ven's name have you done
      C                                         F
        You've broken the speed of the sound of lone-li-ness
      G                                             C
        You're out there run-ning just to be on the run
        
      C                             F
Chorus: So what in the world's come o-ver you
      G                                     C
        And what in hea-ven's name have you done
      C                                         F
        You've broken the speed of the sound of lone-li-ness
      G                                             C
        You're out there run-ning just to be on the run

      G                                             C
        You're out there run-ning just to be on the run
      G                                             C
        You're out there run-ning just to be on the run
           F     G      G       C
        |     |     |       -   𝄑   |

Nanci Griffith

Born: Nanci Caroline Griffith on July 6, 1953 in Seguin, Texas, U.S.

Died: August 13, 2021 (aged 68) in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

Music Styles: Folk, Country Folk, Americana

Career: Singer, songwriter, musician

Instruments: Vocals, acoustic guitar

Active Years: 1977 - 2013

Associations: The Crickets, Darius Rucker, The Kennedys, James McMurtry

Back to Country Music Back To Top