Harry Worth

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I met them first on their wedding night
Faces were flushed by their pledges plight
We passed in the hall and I met them well
But as their carriage arrived, I found that I couldn't quite tell them

It's not very far from tears to mirth
There are not many moments that will capture your breath
It's not very long that you spend on this earth
She'd never know just what Harry was worth
She'll never know

He walked the wet sands of summertime
Rain beat the window in drummertime
Cruel with his humour
She was quick with her tongue
But though a year had passed
The honeymoon didn't last
Somehow they didn't seem young

It's not very far from tears to mirth
There are not many moments that will capture your breath
It's not very long that you spend on this earth
She'd never know just what Harry was worth
She'll never know

They're on their holidays
But they still find a reason to fight
No matter how long they stay
Can't make the rest of the year right

Five years had passed 'til I happened along
He said, "Do you hear that noise? Well, that once was our song"
I looked in her eyes and saw barely a spark
He laughed too loud then he drank until dark

It's not very far from tears to mirth
It's not many moments that will capture your breath
It's not very long that you spend on this earth
She'd never know just what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
No, she'll never know what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
No, she'll never know what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth

Harry Worth
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Imposters
Produced byElvis Costello & Jason Lader
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, Gibson 160E guitar
Pete Thomas - drums
Davey Faragher - Fender bass
Steve Nieve - grand piano, Wurlitzer electric piano
Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice, "Farmer" Dave Scher, Davey Faragher - vocal supergroup
RecordedFebruary 7-14, 2008, Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA
ReleasedApril 22, 2008
AlbumsMomofuku, 2008
Length4:27

First known performance:
April 22, 2008, Memphis, TN
Last known performance:
February 14, 2023, New York, NY
     (22 known performances)


Eye.jpg
“...not actually about the beloved English television funnyman but a true story nonetheless.” elviscostello.com, April 22, 2008.


MomofukuMomofuku album cover.jpg

Covers

no known covers

Chords

INTRO
 CM7 Bdim	Am Adim	Gm  Gm9	
 ( optional walk on Gm  GmM7 Gm7  Gm9	g/ Em)
Em 
I met them first on their wedding night
Faces were flushed by their pledges plight
Am
We passed in the hall and I met them well
CM7    Bdim   Am      Adim      Gm     (M7  7)               Gm9     
But as their carriage arrived, I found that I couldn't quite tell them
Em                     Am
It's not very far from tears to mirth
Am                                   Em   
There are not many moments that will capture your breath
Am (walk)          Em                     C/G   
It's not very long that you spend on this earth
Em            			(walk) then C B7 
She'd never know just what Harry was worth
	Em
She'll never know
He walked the wet sands of summertime
Rain beat the window in drummertime
Cruel with his humour
She was quick with her tongue
But though a year had passed
The honeymoon didn't last
Somehow they didn't seem young
It's not very far from tears to mirth
There are not many moments that will capture your breath
It's not very long that you spend on this earth
She'd never know just what Harry was worth
She'll never know
	C                D/F#   G
They're on their holi - days
Am                     D         G
But they still find a reason to fight
C             D         G
No matter how long they stay
Am                     D         (Em)
Can't make the rest of the year right

Five years had passed 'til I happened along
He said, "Do you hear that noise? Well, that once was our song"
I looked in her eyes and saw barely a spark
He laughed too loud then he drank until dark
It's not very far from tears to mirth
It's not many moments that will capture your breath
It's not very long that you spend on this earth
She'd never know just what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
No, she'll never know what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
No, she'll never know what Harry was worth
She'll never know what Harry was worth
* This is a rough sketch based on the youtube clip of the performance at 2013-11-27 Morristown, NJ; hopefully someone can improve upon it shortly.
* Note Elvis’s active thumb and fingerpicking technique throughout the solo performance.  
CHORDS: 
Cmaj7, CM7 = 78910xx  
Bdim	= 7676xx
Am = 555775
Adim = 5454xx
Gm = 333553 
Gm9 = 5333x3
Am (walk) 01220x 01120x 01020x 0124xx 0123xx (similar for E)
D/F# = 2324xx

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