Jeri...went back to the crib as promised and listened to Zevon's 'Carmelita.' Your chord changes for the chorus were more complete than mine. And Zevon does the song in the key of E.

Regarding the verses: Verb tenses didn't even figure into my sequence of events. I completely missed that. Duh.

Also, I'd forgotten what a cast of luminaries had assembled for Zevon's debut album: Jackson Browne; Bonnie Raitte; Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mack; Don Henley and Glen Frey of The Eagles.

Waddy Watchell and another guitarist - whose name escapes my feeble memory - did the acoustic solos on 'Carmelita,' in a Tex/Mex sort of style (realizing that description doesn't say much, but that's what comes to mind) reminiscient at times of Old Mexico. I fell in love with the song all over again. Thanks for this thread. It's been real. Hope you find the vinyl or your tape.