Dirt Chords

DIRT
As recorded by Julien Baker & TORRES
(2025 release)
 
 
From what I can tell from their performance is that Julien plays the C and the D chord the same way.
The C uses a standard C major chord with pinky on the 3rd fret high-E, a G-voicing.
The Dadd4 uses the same position but up 2 frets played open, no barring, just mute the low E on both.
It sounds best when played this way.
 
Julien uses a modified travis picking, but this sounds great strummed as well.
 
 
         EADGBe
C     =  x32013
Dadd4 =  x54035
 
 
 
[Intro]
G
 
 
[Verse 1]
G
You were shouting through the screen door
        C
With my back turned towards you in the driveway
                  G
I said, “What the hell you gotta scream at me for?”
           C
You said, "You aren't gonna listen any other way"
        Am              G
Now I’m laid out on the sidewalk
          C
You’re my first dial after last call
        G
Ringing you up
             Am          C
Just to shit-talk ‘til I pass out
 
 
[Pre-Chorus]
       Em                Am
If you ask how I’ve been doing
        C              G
I won’t lie, more than half the time
                 Dadd4
I'm only skating by
                Am                  C
Waiting for the ice to melt beneath me
G                  Dadd4
Why do I keep at it?
 
 
[Chorus]
                           C
Sometimes it makes me feel better
                           G
Sometimes it makes me feel worse
                          Dadd4
Used to think that it was magic
                         G
Now I’m sure that it’s a curse
                              C
Spеnd your whole life getting clеan
                       G
Just to wind up in the dirt
                     Dadd4
Got a shortcut into paradise that’s killing me, but
                               G
I still gotta try to get there first
 
 
[Guitar Solo]
C  G  Dadd4  G
 
 
[Verse 2]
G
You were swinging for the fences
         C
You were running over every cup
           G
Now you’re stuck back digging ditches
            C
Still can’t decide if you’ve run out of luck
                             Am             G
‘Cause it feels like winning tickets at the arcade
        Am               C
Just to trade ‘em in for stuff
         Em                  Am
That you don’t want, and you don’t need
    C                G                     Dadd4
But all that you can take never feels like enough
 
 
[Chorus]
                           C
Sometimes it makes you feel better
                           G
Sometimes it makes you feel worse
                          Dadd4
Used to think that it was magic
                         G
Now I’m sure that it’s a curse
                              C
Spеnd your whole life getting clеan
                       G
Just to wind up in the dirt
                     Dadd4
Got a shortcut into paradise that’s killing you, but
                               G
I still gotta try to get there first
 
 
[Outro]
C  G  Dadd4  G
 
 
C
X