e|----------------0---0-----------|--------------------0-----------|----------------0---0-----------|
B|--------0-----------0-----------|--2-----/-5----0----0-----------|--------0-----------0-----------|
G|-----3-----2--------1-----------|--3-----/-6---------1-----------|-----3-----2--------1-----------|
D|--------------------2-----------|--4-----/-7---------2-----------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--/4-------3--------2-----------|--------------------2-----------|--/4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--------------------0-----------|--2-------5---------0-----------|--------------------0-----------|

I just don’t
Thumb on low E

e|--------------------0-----------|--------------------0-----------|
B|--------0-------0---0-----------|---0-------------0--0-----------|
G|-----3-----2--------1-----------|---3-------2--------1-----------|
D|--------------------2-----------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--/4-------3--------2-----------|---4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--------------------0-----------|--------------------0-----------|

get it. What does she see in him? They’re nothing

e|--------------------------------|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|---------------2---/--------5---|-----------------0--0-----------|
G|--------3----------/-----6------|-----3-----2--------1-----------|
D|-----4-------------/--7---------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--------------------------------|--/4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--2----------------5------------|--------------------0-----------|

like we were. Damn he’s so

e|----------------0---0-----------|--------------------0-----------|
B|--------0-----------0-----------|--------0--------0--0-----------|
G|-----3-----2--------1-----------|---3-------2--------1-----------|
D|--------------------2-----------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--/4-------3--------2-----------|---4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--------------------0-----------|--------------------0-----------|

small town. She’s such a city girl. I’m abso-

e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|---------------2---/--------5---|---------------2---/--------5---|
G|--------3----------/-----6------|--------3----------/-----6------|
D|-----4-------------/--7---------|-----4-------------/--7---------|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--2----------------5------------|--2----------------5------------|

-lutely sure, he’s not the one for her. But still

[Prechorus A]

e|-------------------2--0---------|---------------------------0----|
B|----------------------------4---|--5-----------5---------------0-|
G|--4-----------------------------|--6----6--------6-------2-------|
D|--4-----------------------------|--6--6----------------2---------|
A|--2-----------------------------|--4----------------0------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

he gets to kiss the queen. While I’m down here on my own

e|------------2------2--0---------|---------------------------0----|
B|----------------------------4---|--5-----------5-----------------|
G|--4-----------------------------|--6----6--------6-------2-------|
D|--4-----------------------------|--6--6----------------2---------|
A|--2-------------2---------------|--4----------------0------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

He sits next to her like her king, While I’m in the shadows

[E/G#]

e|--------------2-----------4-----|---------------------------0----|
B|--------4--------------4--------|-----------5--------------------|
G|-----4--------------5-----------|--------6--------------4--------|
D|--4-----------------------------|-----6--------------2-----------|
A|--2--------------3--------------|--4-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|-----------------4--------------|

He’s bland, he’s ordinary, He’s such a bore but everybody knows

e|--------------------------------|--------------0-------/4-2--0--|
B|--2-------------2---------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
G|--4------4------3---------------|--2-----------2-------/4-2--1--|
D|--4-------------4---------------|--4-----------2-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--4-----------0-----------------|
E|--2-------------2---------------|--2-----------------------------|

When the curtains close, He’ll be kiss-

e|--------0------0--(0)--/4-2-0--|
B|------0-------------------------|
G|--/3-------2-------1---/4-2-1--|
D|------------------(2)-----------| x 3
A|--/4-------3-------2------------|
E|--------------------------------|

-ing his queen, I’ll just walk
home alone. He’s her new
everything. So that makes me the

e|--------0------0---0------------|
B|------0------------0------------|
G|--/3-------2-------1------------|
D|-------------------2------------|
A|--/4-------3-------2------------|
E|-------------------0------------|

Average Joe.

e|----------------0---0-----------|
B|--------0-----------0-----------|
G|-----3-----2--------1-----------|
D|--------------------2-----------|
A|--/4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--------------------0-----------|

I thought we were the

e|--------------------0-----------|-----------------0--0-----------|
B|--------0-----------0-----------|--------0-----------0-----------|
G|-----3-----2--------1-----------|---3-------2--------1-----------|
D|--------------------2-----------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--/4-------3--------2-----------|---4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--------------------0-----------|--------------------0-----------|

real thing. We were just one wedding ring short, Of a once in a

e|--------------------------------|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|---------------2---/--------5---|-----------------0--0-----------|
G|--------3----------/-----6------|-----3-----2--------1-----------|
D|-----4-------------/--7---------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--------------------------------|--/4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--2----------------5------------|--------------------0-----------|

life time love. Well, now that it’s

e|----------------0---0-----------|--------------------0-----------|
B|--------0-----------0-----------|--------0--------0--0-----------|
G|-----3-----2--------1-----------|------3-------2-----1-----------|
D|--------------------2-----------|--------------------2-----------|
A|--/4-------3--------2-----------|---4-------3--------2-----------|
E|--------------------0-----------|--------------------0-----------|

over I just don’t understand, How she thinks they com-

e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|---------------2---/--------5---|---------------2---/--------5---|
G|--------3----------/-----6------|--------3----------/-----6------|
D|-----4-------------/--7---------|-----4-------------/--7---------|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--2----------------5------------|--2----------------5------------|

-pare to us. He’ll never be good enough. But still

[Prechorus A]

e|-------------------2--0---------|---------------------------0----|
B|----------------------------4---|--5-----------5---------------0-|
G|--4-----------------------------|--6----6--------6-------2-------|
D|--4-----------------------------|--6--6----------------2---------|
A|--2-----------------------------|--4----------------0------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

he gets to kiss the queen. While I’m down here on my own

e|------------2------2--0---------|---------------------------0----|
B|----------------------------4---|--5-----------5-----------------|
G|--4-----------------------------|--6----6--------6-------2-------|
D|--4-----------------------------|--6--6----------------2---------|
A|--2-------------2---------------|--4----------------0------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

He sits next to her like her king, While I’m in the shadows

[E/G#]

e|--------------2-----------4-----|---------------------------0----|
B|--------4--------------4--------|-----------5--------------------|
G|-----4--------------5-----------|--------6--------------4--------|
D|--4-----------------------------|-----6--------------2-----------|
A|--2--------------3--------------|--4-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|-----------------4--------------|

He’s bland, he’s ordinary, He’s such a bore but everybody knows

e|--------------------------------|--------------0-------/4-2--0--|
B|--2-------------2---------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
G|--4------4------3---------------|--2-----------2-------/4-2--1--|
D|--4-------------4---------------|--4-----------2-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--4-----------0-----------------|
E|--2-------------2---------------|--2-----------------------------|

When the curtains close, He’ll be kiss-

e|--------0------0--(0)--/4-2-0--|
B|------0-------------------------|
G|--/3-------2-------1---/4-2-1--|
D|------------------(2)-----------| x 3
A|--/4-------3-------2------------|
E|--------------------------------|

-ing his queen, I’ll just walk
home alone. He’s her new
everything. So that makes me the

e|--------0------0---0------------|
B|------0------------0------------|
G|--/3-------2-------1------------|
D|-------------------2------------|
A|--/4-------3-------2------------|
E|-------------------0------------|

Average Joe.

[Interlude]
Here I’ve written out the cello melody for guitar lead with the backing chords on top

e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D|--2----2-h-4-/-6----------------|--2------2-------2------2-------|
A|------------------6------6------|--------------4-----------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D|--2----2-h-4-/-6-------2--(1)/2-|--2------/7-------6-------------|
A|------------------6------4------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e|------------------------4-------|----------5-------------0-------|
B|----------5-------------4-------|----------5-------------0-------|
G|----------6-------------5-------|----------6-------------1-------|
D|----------6-------------6-------|----------7-------------2-------|
A|----------4-------------6-------|----------7-------------2-------|
E|------------------------4-------|----------5-------------0-------|

Now I’m a punch line, I’m the story that everyone knows.

e|----------5-------------0-------|----------2-------------4-------|
B|----------5-------------0-------|----------2-------------4-------|
G|----------6-------------1-------|----------2-------------5-------|
D|----------7-------------2-------|----------4-------------6-------|
A|----------7-------------2-------|----------4-------------6-------|
E|----------5-------------0-------|----------2-------------4-------|

Of how even the invisible Can become an Average Joe

[Prechorus A]

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

No more kissing the queen I’ll never sit on the throne

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

He sits next to her like her king, I’m in the shadows

[E/G#]

e|--0-----------------------------|-----------------0--------------|
B|--0-----------------------------|--5--------------0--------------|
G|--1-----------------------------|--6--------------1--------------|
D|--2-----------------------------|--6--------------2--------------|
A|--2-----------------------------|--4--------------2--------------|
E|--0-----------------------------|-----------------0--------------|

He’s bland, he’s ordinary, He’s such a bore but everybody knows

e|--------------------------------|--------------0-------/4-2--0--|
B|--------2----------2------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
G|-----------4-------3------------|--2-----------2-------/4-2--1--|
D|-----4-------------4------------|--4-----------2-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--4-----------0-----------------|
E|--2-------------2---------------|--2-----------------------------|

When the curtains close, He’ll be kiss-

[Chorus/Outro]

e|--------0------0--(0)--/4-2-0--|
B|------0-------------------------|
G|--/3-------2-------1---/4-2-1--|
D|------------------(2)-----------| x 3
A|--/4-------3-------2------------|
E|--------------------------------|

-ing his queen, I’ll just walk
home alone. He’s her new
everything. So that makes me the

e|--------0------0---0------0-----|
B|------0------------0---0--------|
G|--/3-------6-------1------------|
D|-------------------2------------|
A|--/4-------7-------2------------|
E|-------------------0------------|

Average Joe.

e —> e#
B —> B#
G —> G#
D —> D#
A —> A#
E —> E#

Intro:

————12-9——————————–12-9—————9-|
9–10-12-10——-9–10-12-10-9–7–9–10-12-10——9–10-12-10-9—|
———————————————————————|
———————————————————————|
———————————————————————|
———————————————————————|

Verse:

—————————-|
——————2–22–22-|
——————2–22–22-|
——————0–00–00-|
2–4–5——–2–2–22–22-|
———2–5—————|
—————————-|
——————2–22–22-|
——————2–22–22-|
——————0–00–00-|
2–4–5—–4–2–2–22–22-|
———2——————|
—————————-|
——————2–22–22-|
——————2–22–22-|
———2–4—–0–00–00-|
2–4–5——–2–2–22–22-|
—————————-|

Or even …

—7—–7—–7—–7—–9-10-9-|
10—-10—-10—-10—-10——–|
———————————-|
———————————-|
———————————-|
———————————-|

Chorus:

4–5–9–9–|
5–5–7–10-|
4–6–7–9–|
6–7–7–9–|
X–X–X–X–|
4–5–7–10-|

Bridge:

[-]
[-]
[-]
[-]
[-]
[-]
[-]
Bridge (2):

————–|
3–5–3——-|
4–6–4——-|
5–6–5——-|
5–4–5–5–2-|
3—–3–2–0-|

Bridge (3):

—9—–9—–7—–7—–7—–7—–5–5-|
—10—-10—-10—-10—-5—–5—–2–2-|
7—–7—–7—–7—–6—–6—–2——-|
——————————————–|
——————————————–|
——————————————–|
———————————————|
——3——————–3–2————–|
—————2–4——–4–2———6–4-|
—4——–2———–2———–4——–|
2——–2———–0———–5———–|
———————————————|

Outro:

———–|
3–3–2–2-|
2–4–2–2-|
4–2–2–2-|
2–2–0–X-|
———2-|

V1
They made their promises and then they walked away.
Fair weathered friends, be gone, be gone.
My strength I find in you, the one who loves and can’t be moved.
In your arms I find new gold to soldier on.

Chorus:
You are my prayer in times of trouble.
I’ll be your answer when you call.
I’ll shelter you.
You shelter me.

V2
Wake up, but keep dreaming that you were born to fly
when your heart is heavy like a stone.
I’ll lift your burden high so we can cross the water deep and wide.
Lay beside me now and rest your weary bones.

Chorus:
You are my prayer in times of trouble
I’ll be your answer when you call.
I’ll shelter you.

Show me how an action speaks louder than a word.

Chorus:
You are my prayer in times of trouble
I’ll be your answer when you call.
I’ll shelter you.
You are my prayer in times of trouble
I’ll be your answer when you call.
I’ll shelter you.
You shelter me.