Lovely song. A few small suggestions here:

Phil Brown    David Mallett

(G) I knew a (C)painter (D)in my younger (Em)days,
A (Bm)man who lived with (C)brushes, sticks and (G)stones. (D/F#)
(G)His days were filled with (C)canvas scenes
Of (D)browns and blues and (Em)meadow greens,
And the (Bm)world just passed on (C)by his (G)door.
He (D)lived, but (D7)lived a(G)lone. (G4) (G) (G4)

And (G)he'd come to (D)town with his (Em)old wool hat pulled (Bm)down,
Sur(C)rounded by the (G)dogs that were his (D)friends.
At (G)times too drunk to (D)stand, he'd (Em)shake familiar hands(Bm)
(C) And sit around the (G)Esso station 'til his (D)loneliness would (G)end.

And I knew a (C)painter, (D)in my reckless (Em)days,
(Bm)Bristle bearded and (C)humble on his (G)feet. (D/F#)
A (G)sympathetic, (C)sad old elf,
He (D)knew me better than I (Em)knew myself
In the (Bm)last days of my (C)boy(G)hood,
In the (D)time u(D7)pon the (G)street. (G4) (G) (G4)

And (G)long through the (D)night, a (Em)faded yellow (Bm)light
Would (C)burn inside the (G)room where he would (D)stand.
And (G)play the old vic(D)trola (Em) and drink his rusty (Bm)wine
And con(C)duct the Mozart (G)music with his (D)heart and (D7)shaking (G)hand. (G4) (G)

(D) But he could paint a picture, (G) and he could capture life,
(D) And no one ever (D/C)felt things more than (G)he. (G4) (G) (Gadd9)
(D) He was never much for (D/C)roses, (G) he'd sooner (D/F#)paint the(Em) thorns, (Em/D)
'Cause he (C)found a keener beauty there that no one else could (D)see. (hold)

(G) Someone bought the (C)house he lived in
(D) And painted up the (Em)room he died in,
And (Bm)swept away the cob(C)webs and the (G)dust from off the floor.(D)
The (G)children laugh, the (C)seasons run,
Young (D)lovers roll in (Em)midnight fun.
But (Bm)no one loves more (C)than the (G)one
Who (D)paints the (D7)world no (G)more.

And long through the (D)night, a (Em)faded yellow (Bm)light
Would (C)burn inside the (G)room where he would (D)stand.
And (G)play the old vic(D)trola (Em) and drink his rusty (Bm)(hold)wine
And con(C)duct the Mozart (G)music with his (D)heart and (D7)shaking (G)hand.
(D) (D7) (G) (C) (D) (D7) (G) (C) (D) (G) (Em) (C) (D) (G)

© Dave Mallet, All Rights Reserved

Couple of bars of Mozart´s 'A Little Night Music' there as an outro, I hum the strains.

janhauenstein@gmx.de