Poor Fractured Atlas

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He's out in the woods with his squirrel gun
To try to recapture his anger
He's screaming some words at the top of his lungs
Until he begins to feel younger
But back at his desk in the city we find
Our trembling punch-drunken fighter
Who can't find the strength now to punish the length
Of the ribbon in his little typewriter

(Chorus:)
Poor Fractured Atlas
Threw himself across the mattress
Waving his withering pencil
As if it were a pirate's cutlass
I'm almost certain he's trying to increase his burden
He said "That's how the child in me planned it;
A woman wouldn't understand it"

I believe there was something that I wanted to say
Before I conclude this epistle
But you would forgive me for holding my tongue
'Cause man made the blade and the pistol
Yes man made the waterfall over the dam
To temper his tantrum with magic
Now you can't be sure of that tent of azure
Since he punched a hole in the fabric

(Repeat Chorus)

A woman wouldn't understand it
A woman wouldn't understand it

Poor Fractured Atlas
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byGeoff Emerick & Elvis Costello
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - grand piano
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedAugust-September 1995, Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
February 1996, Westside Studios, London
ReleasedMay 13, 1996
AlbumsAll This Useless Beauty, 1996
CollectionsExtreme Honey: The Very Best Of The Warner Bros. Years, 1997
Length3:57

First known performance:
November 11, 1994, London, England
Last known performance:
March 8, 2018, Port Chester, NY
     (73 known performances)


Alternate versions

Poor Fractured Atlas (Live 1996)
Performed byCostello & Nieve
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - piano
RecordedMay 14, 1996, Los Angeles, CA
ReleasedDecember 3, 1996
AlbumsCostello & Nieve, 1996
PromosLive At The Troubadour, Los Angeles, 1996
Length4:58
All This Useless BeautyATUB album cover large.jpg

Costello & NieveCostello & Nieve album cover.jpg

Extreme Honey: The Very Best Of The Warner Bros. YearsEH album cover 500.jpg

Covers

Bob Fenster and Bill Shaouy home studio recording 2013 YouTubeBandcamp
Alonzo Garbanzo live performance 2010 YouTube
Steve Nieve and AJUQ performed live, 2020-04-12, The Daily Improvisation, France 2020 Facebook - 24:40
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2021 YouTube
Nanci Zoppi performed live, 2010, Sacramento, CA 2010 Sacramento Bee

Chords

Poor Fractured Atlas

F#dim		x.x.1.2.1.2 or 2.x.1.2.1.2

D	D	D	D	/	Dm	Dm	Dm	Dm

D
He's out in the woods with his squirrel gun
Dm
To try and recapture his anger
    G
He's screaming some words at the top of his lungs
 Em                      A
Until he begins to feel younger
   F#dim                    Em
But back at his desk in the city we find
   F#dim                    Em
Our trembling punch-drunken fighter
     B7              Em             B7         Em
Who can't find the strength now to punish the length
        G                        A
Of the ribbon in his little typewriter

*
	G           A
	   Poor fractured Atlas 
	A                 D
	   Threw himself across the mattress
	G              A
	   Waving his withering pencil
	A                   D
	   As if it were a pirate's cutlass
	Dm             C       G         
	   I'm almost certain
	Bb        A          D
	   He's trying to increase his burden
	Em           B7             Em            A
	   He said "That's how the child in me planned it,
	      A7             D     A       C  G  Bb  A...
	   A woman wouldn't understand it"

I believe there was something that I wanted to say
Before I conclude this epistle
But you would forgive me for holding my tongue
'Cause Man made the blade and the pistol
Yes, Man made the waterfall over the dam
To temper his tantrum with magic
Now you can't be sure of that tent of azure
Since he punched a hole in the fabric

(*)
to end (x2):

D A D    A7             D     A       C  G  Bb  A  D A D...
     A woman wouldn't understand it

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