The Elvis Costello Home Page

Chords

Miscellaneous

  1. Alibi Factory
  2. Almost Ideal Eyes
  3. Back On My Feet
  4. Bridge That I Burned
  5. Bright Blue Times
  6. Brilliant Disguise
  7. Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter
  8. Come Away, Death
  9. The Comedians
  10. Dirty Rotten Shame
  11. Don't Be Careless Love
  12. Fall Of The World's Own Optimist
  13. Hidden Shame
  14. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
  15. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
  16. I Throw My Toys Around
  17. King of the Unknown Sea
  18. Less Than Zero (Dallas Version)
  19. Lesson In Cruelty
  20. Life Shrinks
  21. Long Journey Home
  22. Lost In The Stars
  23. Love That Burns
  24. Lovers That Never Were
  25. Mischievous Ghost
  26. Miss Mary
  27. Mistress And Maid
  28. My Brave Face
  29. My Dark Life
  30. (The) Night Before Larry Was Stretched
  31. O, Mistress Mine
  32. Party Party
  33. Punishing Kiss
  34. Put Your Big Toe In The Milk Of Human Kindness
  35. Shadow and Jimmy
  36. She (Tous Les Visages de L'Amour)
  37. St Stephen's Day Murders
  38. Suspect My Tears
  39. That Day is Done
  40. Tommy's Coming Home
  41. Twenty-Five Fingers
  42. The Unfailing Welcome To The Voice
  43. Unwanted Number
  44. Upon A Veil Of Midnight Blue
  45. What Do I Do Now?
  46. When That I Was And A Little Tiny Boy
  47. You Want Her Too

Alibi Factory

Transcribed by Dave Weil [dweil2@mindspring.com].

Fm7 (possible dim) alternating with Fm played with 1st fret barre
Intro four measures (I think)

Fm7 alternating with Fm
You did it,   'cause you want it
Db      Eb
Alibi,   alibi
Fm7
And you took it,    'cause you need it
Db        Eb
Alibi,    alibi

Chorus:
Ab     Db7                      Ab
But if I've done something wrong
                 Db7
There's no ifs and buts
Ab         Db7                 Ab
'Cause I love you just as much
       Db7
As I hate your guts
Fm7
Alibi, alibi, alibi

Fm7
You don't need anybody
Db       Eb
Alibi,    alibi
Fm7
But you are the only one who knows this
Db        Eb
Alibi,    alibi
Fm7
You deserve it, 'cause you're special
Db       Eb
Alibi,    alibi
Fm7
Maybe Jesus wants you for a sunbeam
Db       Eb
Alibi,    alibi

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
B                            Ebmin
Sometimes I'm so    forgiving ohhhh oh
E                       F#
Everything seems bad to me
B              Ebmin
But I can't go on the living
E
With this
Fm
Alibi,   alibi,    alibi,    alibi

Fm
Insane,   but I'm mundane
Db       Eb
Alibi,    alibi
Fm
You wanted to be famous
Db   Eb
Alibi alibi
Fm7
Sorry that your mummy doesn't love you
Db        Eb
Alibi,    alibi
Fm7       (no chord)
Stop me,   if you've heard this
Db       Eb
Alibi,    alibi

Final chorus:
Ab     Db7                       Ab
But if I've done something wrong
                Db7     Ab
There's no ifs and  buts
Ab         Db7                    Ab
'Cause I love you just as   much
       Db7
As I hate your guts

(at 1999-10-15: Chicago, IL, Arie Crown Theatre only)
               Db7                              Ab
And your mouth said something    right (?)
                Db7          Ab
There's no piece of    prize (?)
                Db7                  Ab
There are soldiers to be     killed
       Db7
But refuse   to die
Fm7
Alibi,    alibi,    alibi,    alibi

Play with an insistent fairly slow rhythm...downstrokes and some muting
of the stings, especially in the intro.  I haven't worked out the lower
fret Dbs and Ebs although I think he plays them that way.  You can just
play the 4th and 6th position barre chords.  The Eb7 can be played as a
"D" shape from the Db position (I hope you know what I'm talking
about...)  I also tried to indicate slight pauses with spacing.

Almost Ideal Eyes

Transcribed by Paul Inglis (pinglis@ozemail.com.au)

(Piano riff in Eb)

Dm
Here she comes with her almost ideal eyes

        C                              Am
And her flawless skin and her petulant pout

    Dm
The memory of such a long blond alibi
 
      C                          Dm
Still makes me want to shout out loud


You click when you clear your head my dear
 
          C                             Am 
You can't come out here in those stolen clothes

Dm
Telling me all about some mystery

  C                    Am                    Dm
I hope she isn't one,I hope she isn't one of those

             C
Almost ideal eyes 
 
       Am             Bb
Viewed through a rosy hue

C#                Eb 
So beautiful and trusting   
 
            F                            C/E
You'll find liberal is an insult now and care is what you pay for   

   Am                                 Dm
Be sure of what you're wishing for be careful what you pray for

C#                       Eb
When you look into those almost ideal

Love is smiles he will hypnotize you wild
He tries to analyze your dream
Fill you up with all his big ideas while he really wants to make you
Scream out loud at the phony innocence
And the pained pretence and the dismal rage
The vacant lot that thankfully time forgot
Where you never have to act you never have to act your age

Almost ideal eyes
Viewed through a rosy hue
So beautiful and trusting
You'll find stupid is a compliment and thrill is what you play for
Be sure of what you're wishing for be careful what you pray for
When you look into those almost ideal eyes

In this spirit all your friends get uglier
And you find you're wearing an evening gown
Weeping over some tiny broken bird 
While the sky is decorated
Shocking pink and a dirty shade of brown
And you think you need to be tranquilized
A feat that may fit your new career
Whatever you invent you'll never be contented

Almost ideal eyes
Viewed through a rosy hue
So beautiful and trusting
Rebellion is just currency the moon is what you pay for
Be sure of what you're wishing for be careful what you pray for
When you look into those almost ideal eyes

Dm
Here she comes,here she comes now.....

Brilliant Disguise

(Bruce Springsteen)
covered by EC on the b-side of the "It's Time" single
tabbed by Kevin Purcell kevtp@cwia.com
This is arranged for solo acoustic guitar.  Please e-mail me
with comments, corrections, suggestions.



Chord shapes:

G   C   D   Dsus4   Em   
----------------------
3---0---2-----3-----0
0---1---3-----3-----0
0---0---2-----2-----0
0---2---0-----0-----2
2---3---x-----x-----2
3---x---x-----x-----0


           G          C G
I hold you in my arms
    G		      C G
There's a band playing
    G				    C G
What are those words whispered, baby
             D      Dsus4 D
Just as you turn away?

[repeat verse progression]
Well I saw you last night
Out on the edge of town
I wanna read your mind and know just what I got in this
New thing I found

            Em        C Em
So tell me what I see
        G                  C G
When I look into your eyes
         Em     D
Is that you, baby
          C            Em         D   G
Or just a brilliant disguise?

G   C G

          G                   C G
I heard someone call your name
          G          C G
Underneath my willow
          G                     C G
I saw something tucked in shame
        D               Dsus4  D
Underneath your pillow
   
Well I tried so hard, baby
But I just can't see
What a woman like you
Is doing with me

            Em        C Em
So tell me who I see
        G                  C G
When I look into your eyes
         Em     D
Is that you, baby
          C            Em         D   G
Or just a brilliant disguise?

   D
Now look at me, baby
		     G
Struggling to do everything right
	     C
And then it all falls apart
      G
When out go the lights

	     D
I'm just a lonely pilgrim
	      C
I walk this world in wealth
		   G
I wanna know it's you I don't trust
		    D
'Cause I damn sure don't trust myself

         G                   C G
Now you play the lovin' woman
         G              C G
I play the faithful man
         G                C G
Just don't look too close
           D              Dsus4 D
Into the palm of my hand

When we stood at the altar
The gypsy swore our future looked right
But in the wee, wee hours, maybe baby,
The gypsy lied

           Em          C Em
So when you look at me
        G                           C G
You better look hard and look twice
         Em     D
Is that me, baby
          C            Em         D   G
Or just a brilliant disguise?

  G
Tonight our bed is cold
  G
I'm lost in the darkness of our love
  G
God have mercy on a man
                 D           G
Who doubts what he's sure of


Outro: G    C G
       G    C G

The Comedians

(Roy Orbison version)
Transcribed by Marika Whaley
 
Unusual chords:
C/G - 332010
F/D - XX0211
F#dim - 234242
G#dim - 456464
Bdim - X2343X
 
Opening strum: C/G
 
[Verse]
C/G          G             C/G
I sat there alone upon the Ferris wheel
C             n.c.               F
A pastel coloured carriage in the air
Dm                        A7              Dm
I thought you'd leave me dangling for a little while
Dm              F/D           G
A silly twist upon a childish dare
 
C/G               G              C/G
Below I saw you whispering to another man
C                                       F
Who held the lever that could bring me down
Dm                       F/D            Dm
He'd stop the world from turning at your command
Dm                       F/D                G
It's always something cruel that laughter drowns
 
[Chorus]
G                      C
And I'm up while the dawn is breaking
C7              F
Even though my heart is aching
F                      F#dim     G
I should be drinking a toast to absent friends
        G#dim            C   G   Am   E   F   C   Bb A(n.c.) G
Instead of these comedians
 
C/G
 
[Verse]
C/G                   G                 C/G
I can hardly hear the music from the carousel
C/G                                        F
The wind picks up, the carriage starts to sway
Am                   E                  Am
As one by one the lights go out: it's closing time
G
I see you take his hand and walk away, walk away
 
C   G   Am   E   F   C   Bb A(n.c.) G
 
[Verse]
C/G                     G             C/G
They say that you will always be the last to know
C                                      F
They say that all that glitters is not gold
Am                         E            Am
It's not just that you're never coming back to me
G
It's the bitter way that I was told

[Final Chorus]
C                      F
And I'm up while the dawn is breaking
F              Bb
Even though my heart is aching
Bb                      Bdim     C
I should be drinking a toast to absent friends
           C7           F
Instead of these comedians
 

I'll Never Fall In  Love Again

(Burt Bacharach/Hal David)
F                    Dm7
What do you get when you fall in love?
   Bb
A guy with a pin to burst your bubble
Am7                     D11        D7
That's what you get for all your trouble
Gm7                     C7 Bb7 F
I'll never fall in love again
Bbmaj7   C7                   F
I'll   never fall in love again
 
F                        Dm7
What do you get when you kiss a girl
    Bb
You get enough germs to catch pneumonia
[Am7]                  D11    D7
After you do, she'll never phone ya
Gm7                      C7 Bb7 F
I'll never fall in love again
Bbmaj7   C7                                F
I'll          never fall in love again
 
 F                       C11   F
Don't tell me what it's all about
        C11                     F
'cause I've been there and I'm glad I'm out
 Am
Out of those chains those chains that bind you
 G7              C7
That is why I'm here to remind you
 
What do you get when you give your heart
You get it all broken up and battered
That's what you get, a heart that's shattered
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
 
Out of those chains those chains that bind you
That is why I'm here to remind you
 
 F                        Dm7
What do you get when you fall in love?
       Bb
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
Am7               D11    D7
So for at least until tomorrow
Gm7                          C7  Bb7  F
I'll never fall in love a-  gain
Bbmaj7  C7               C11 C7-9    F
I'll        never fall in love a-     gain
 
I'll        never fall in love a-     gain
 
I'll        never fall in love a-     gain

Love That Burns

Chords submitted by Jeffrey Schulberg

Only 3 chords (Dm, Am, and Em) and they are played very loose with a
blues-y type feel.  The tab below is just a general idea.
 
[Dm]Would you love me tomorrow
[Am]Like you say you love me now
[Dm]Would you love me, Like you say you love me [Am] now
[Em]When the flames of our flesh have stopped burning
[Dm]And the fire of our love [Am] has cooled down
 
[Dm]Too many times I've given too much
[Dm]Give me your love [Am] in return
[Dm]Too many times I've given too much
Baby, give me your [Am] love in return
[Em]Give me your mind and your heart
[Dm]But please don't leave me [Am]with a love that burns
 
[Am] Please don't treat me as your fool [Dm]
'Cause my heart [Am] can't stand another lie
[Dm]Please don't use me, don't use me as your fool
Baby, 'cause my heart [Am]can't stand another lie
[Em]And if you can't love me tomorrow
[Dm][Am]Leave me now in my room to cry

My Dark Life

transcribed by Marika Whaley
(Thanks to Mike Hernandez for help with the F#m6,9)
 
These are the chords as played on the acoustic version from the EC/SN
box set.
 
Unusual chords:
Bdim = 78979X
F#m6,9 = XX789X (or XXX244)
F#aug = X9877X
F#7sus4  = X44200
 
A2
She says nobody wants to believe
C/G
You're the same as everyone.
F                        G#m     C#m
What makes me unique?    My Dark Life.
Am
There was a kink in the world
C/G
Sent that statue tumbling
F             G#m
An invitation east
C#m
So we can watch it all crumbling
C                   Em           F               Am  C
She came off like a light and so softly she spoke:
F   G      Am                            F   G   Am
"You don't know, no you don't know about my dark life"
C                      Em              F          Am
And you think you're a guest, you're a tourist at best
F G     Am                  F    G    Am
Peering into the corners of your dark life
C                     Em           F         Am            C
Now that you tear your dreams from consumptive ballerinas
F     G        Am                   F    G    Am
She'd stand on tiptoes for you in a grey and tattered tutu
C                   Em           F              Am
She stays where she is because of voyeurs like these
F    G     Am                     F  G     Am
With an accusative look that says My Dark Life.
Bb         Am                Bb             Bdim                 F#m6,9
Robber men await you then in each beguiling alley
Bb                  Am                F#
To shake you and to pierce you and remind you of
F#aug
My Dark Life.
Am                              C/G
Enter the pious elite, in their preening finery
    F              G#m
And bang the tambourine
    C#m
They're dining on rice paper scenery
Am                           C/G
See how the villian attracts envious glances from everyone
F                    G#m
She's waitressing by day
C#m
It doesn't bring in much money now
C                        Em           F          Am
And his strong concealed arms set off bells and alarms
F   G    Am                   F  G    Am
In the strangest locations of My Dark Life
C               Em               F            Am
But the fantasy slipped as he tipped her in cigarettes
F      G     Am                    F     G   Am
She tries to smile very graciously when she wants to kill him
C                  Em                F            Am
Now the victory is sweet, you'll get down on your knees
F    G   Am                  F     G  Am
F#m6,9
It's the perfect position for kissing western leather
Bb                Am         Bb                Am
So they came from Ugly Texas and from Nameless Tennessee
Bb        Am           Bb              Bdim
From Peculiar Missouri and from places closer to me.
Bb               Am                  Bb              Bdim
All the cream of heartless England, cheered the carnival is over
Bb                     Am             Dm/A
There are remnants of Red Army bandsmen
F       F#  G  Am/C        Bm
Played "America The Beautiful"

F   F#   G  (probably played on only the bottom three strings)
C7    C#7   D7
G   Em
F#7sus4

Party Party

Tabbed by Paul Inglis (The Pope of Pop)
(Bruce Thomas plays a really good bass-line on this one!)
  
Horn riff: (played over A chord) B C# B C# B C# B A     B C# B C# B A
 
      A
We're gonna drink enough tonight to drown the average army
 
By New Year's  Day the next door neighbour will be goin' barmy
    D                                   Dm
The milkman arrives at midday with his usual wisecrack
    C#m                                 F#m         F     E
Who knows a girl with Wednesday legs so when's they gonna snap?
 
A                          E
Why does everybody have to be so hale and hearty
A                                     F#m7              A
Can't they see we're tryin' to have a Party Party Party Party?
 
    A
The last thing I remember I was talkin' to some fella's date
 
She said she'd have a word for me with with her good-lookin' mate
      D                               Dm
Then handed me a pint-pot filled with Advocaat and Tizer
      C#m                       F#m         F  E
And I woke up in the flower-bed fearin' fertilizer
 
A                          E
Why does everybody have to be so hale and hearty
A                                    F#m7               A
Can't they see we're tryin' to have a Party Party Party Party?
 
         D
So shift yourself and shake your bod
 
You've got bullet proof insurance against fire, flood and Act of God
              Am              C
You've got to learn from your mistakes
            F               E                           Esus4
When you've got a face like last week's Cornflakes
 
The doors and the window frames are by Pablo Picasso
The party decorations owned by Michelangelo
The fine music that you hear is by Stravinsky
with overall design by Leonardo daVinci
 
Chorus
 
Bridge:
So shift yourself
and shake your bod
You got bullet proof insurance from
 fire, flood and Act of God
You got to learn from your mistakes
When you got a face like last week's Cornflakes
 
Two boys are upstairs in your bed
Three girls are downstairs cryin'
The Alka Seltzer in the glass is roarin' like a lion
You think you've aged 10 years tonight and still never been kissed
So you overdose on aftershave and try to slash your wrist
 
Chorus and fade

She (Tous Les Visages de L'Amour)

(Charles Aznavour and Herbert Kretzmer)

Here's my stab at the chords for She; I think it's right.  I'll put the word
that's being sung at the time the chord is changed in parentheses for timing
guidance.  [NOTE: by "Ebdim" I mean the chord whose notes are C, Eb, F# and
A.)
 
Mike's note:  that would be a Cdim chord.  Also, it sounds like everything's
played a half step higher than what Ben's written, so a capo may be in order.
 
SHE
 
C (she)    Ebdim (forget)    F (regret)    C (price)    A7 (pay)

Dm (she)    Fm6 (sings)    C (brings)    Dm7 (things)    G7 (measure)    C
(day)

F    Dm7    G

[second verse - same as the first except it's D7 (seem) instead of Dm7]

[stings]

Ab (she)    Eb (crowd)    Db (proud)    C (cry)

Fm (she)    Bb (love)    Eb (last)    C (me(?))    D7 (past)    G (die)

[third verse - same as second verse, except at the end it's F (she) instead
of C]

C (she)    Dm7    Gsus7 (ohhhhh)    C (she)