Our Little Angel

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This is the place where I made my best mistakes
This is the place even angels don't understand
I've seen the disappointment in her face
And the collection of engagement rings on her right hand
She sits alone apart from the crowd
In a white dress she wears like a question mark
Friends speak of her fondly
Enemies just think out loud
You think you're man enough to please her
And you're fool enough to start
You're not going to do a thing to our little angel
There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change

Now the cabaret is frozen and the laughter comes in cans
And the lonely hearts club clientele don't know what to do with their hands
You think that you'll be sweet to her but everybody knows
That you're the marshmallow valentine that got stuck on her clothes
But you're not going to do a thing to our little angel
There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change

So you mix your drinks and words
You make bad jokes you make bad time
The floors are there to walk over
The walls are there to climb
You swear that you'll never go back again once you're inside
You're never the bridegroom she's always the bride
And you're not going to do a thing to our little angel
There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change

You'll come in a sweetheart and you'll go out a stranger
Well you try to love her but she's so contrary
Like a chainsaw running through a dictionary
So get your mind off the sweet behind of our little angel
You're not going to do a thing
You're not going to do a thing
You're not going to do a thing to our little angel

Our Little Angel
Written byDeclan MacManus
Performed byThe Costello Show
Produced byJ. Henry (T-Bone) Burnett & Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus with Larry Kalman Hirsch
MusiciansThe Little Hands Of Concrete - vocals, acoustic guitar
James Burton - electric guitar, dobro
Jerry Scheff - string bass
Ron Tutt - brushes & drums
RecordedJuly 1985, Ocean Way and/or Sunset Sound and/or Sound Factory, Los Angeles
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1986
AlbumsKing Of America, 1986
CollectionsGirls Girls Girls, 1989
Length4:04

First known performance:
June 20, 1985, Sydney, Australia
Last known performance:
February 14, 2023, New York, NY
     (77 known performances)


King Of America1986 King Of America Album.jpg

Girls Girls GirlsGGG album cover 300.jpg

Covers

Rosanne Cash Retrospective 1995 AllMusicAmazonAmazon.uk
Nate Hertweck & Jeff Cleveland performed live, 2016-02-02, Brennan's Pub, Marina del Rey, California 2016 YouTube
Evan Dando performed live, 2024-03-02, Swedish American Hall, San Francisco 2024
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2019 YouTube

Chords

Chords you will need:

  Am  Am/B  C  C/D  F  F1?  D   Bm  D7  Em
--0----0----0---0---1---0---2---2---2---0--
--1----1----1---1---1---0---3---3---1---0--
--2----2----0---0---2---2---2---4---2---0--
--2----2----2---0---3---3---0---4---0---2--
--0----2----3---3---------------2-------2--
------------0---0-----------------------0--

       ^I use my thumb for this one

[Intro:]

Am  Am/B  C  C/D   F  F1  [two times]

Am            Am/B          C              F     F1
  This is the place where I made my best mistakes
Am            Am/B       C                 D
  This is the place even angels don't understand
Am              Am/B  C               F
  I've seen the disappointment in her face
        D               Bm            C             D
And the collection of engagement rings on her right hand
Am         Am/B   C             F    F1
  She sits alone apart from the crowd
     Am         Am/B       C               D
In a white dress she wears like a question mark
Am               Am/B  C 
  Friends speak of her fondly
                       F
Enemies just think out loud
                 D             Bm
You think you're man enough to please her
           C              D
And you're fool enough to start
G                               C              G
  You're not going to do a thing to our little angel
D                                       C                    D
 There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change

Now the cabaret is frozen and the laughter comes in cans
And the lonely hearts club clientele don't know what to do 
  with their hands
You think that you'll be sweet to her but everybody knows
That you're the marshmallow valentine that got stuck on her clothes
You're not going to do a thing to our little angel
                                                            F
There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change

[Chords through solo:]
D   D   G   D   A   A   G   C   A

So you mix your drinks and words
You make bad jokes you make bad time
The floors are there to walk over
The walls are there to climb
You swear you'll never go back again once you're inside
You're never the bridegroom she's always the bride
You're not going to do a thing to our little angel
There's nothing you're thinking tonight that tomorrow won't change

G                                      C         G
 You'll come in a sweetheart and you'll go out a stranger
         D
Well you try to love her but she's so contrary
Like a chainsaw running through a dictionary
                                        C           D  G
So get your mind off the sweet behind of our little angel
G
 You're not going to do a thing

 You're not going to do a thing
                     Em        D                   G
 You're not going to do a thing to our little angel

Internal links

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