Walk Us Uptown

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Will you walk us uptown
And wherever you go you know we will follow
Will you walk us uptown
And we'll stand in the light of your new killing ground
And we won't make a sound
Except to sing our sorrow

Will you walk us uptown
While our tears run in torrents
To suffer in silence or pray for some solace
Will you wash away our sins
In the cross-fire and cross-currents
As you uncross your fingers
And take out some insurance
No matter what the price
It's your own paradise

Will you walk us uptown
Will you walk us uptown
Some hearts are sinking and some hearts are a-flutter
Some scoop gold from the dirt in the gutter
Or swallow the earth pouring into your mouth
As they bury us upright saying "everything's alright"

Will you walk us uptown
Like some said that you could
We will feast on your flesh and drink down your blood
Will you haul down that flag and dishonour that vow
'Cos we must not change its colour now
Will you walk us uptown
No matter what the price
Each crushed in the corner of their own paradise
Will you walk us uptown

Will you walk us uptown
That's always assuming that you're partly divine and partly human
You're the king of our hearts
You're the clown with the drum
Will you walk us uptown
If we promise not to run

Will you walk us uptown
Will you gather us near
As cowards flee and traitors sneer
Keep a red flag flying
Keep a blue flag as well
And a white flag in case it all goes to hell

Walk Us Uptown
Written byElvis Costello, Ahmir Thompson and Steven Mandel
Performed byElvis Costello and The Roots
Produced byElvis Costello, Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and Steven Mandel
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, organ, piano, melodica
Kirk Douglas - guitar, vocals
Mark Kelley - bass
?uestlove - drums
Korey Riker - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
Matt Cappy - trumpet
Damon Bryson - sousaphone
AlbumsWise Up Ghost, 2013
SinglesWalk Us Uptown, Japanese Promo only
Length3:22


Alternate versions

Walk Us Uptown (Antibalas Rework - Chico Mann Edit)
Performed byElvis Costello and The Roots
Rework Produced byChico Mann
AlbumsWise Up: Thought, 2013
Length5:56

Wise Up GhostWise Up Ghost album cover.jpg

Wise Up: ThoughtWise Up Thought Remixes & Reworks album cover.jpg


Chords

Notes
Basic verse pattern: Cm/G Fm  Cm/G
No matter what the price...": Fm	Bb/F
- Elvis plays most of these chords with his thumb.
- Recent live versions with the Imposters have used the chords Em, Am, D.
         Cm/G		 Fm  
Will you walk us uptown
    Cm/G 	 
And wherever you go you know we will follow
	 Cm/G 		Fm 
Will you walk us uptown
          			     Cm/G 	
And we'll stand in the light of your new killing ground

And we won't make a sound

Except to sing our sorrow
         Cm/G 		Fm 
Will you walk us uptown
		       
While our tears run in torrents
Cm/G
To suffer in silence or pray for some solace
	Cm/G			Fm
Will you wash away our sins

In the cross-fire and cross-currents
Cm/G
As you uncross your fingers

And take out some insurance

    Fm			 Bb/F
    No matter what the price
    Fm			Bb/F
    It's your own paradise

 	Cm/G			Fm
Will you walk us uptown
	Cm/G
Will you walk us uptown

Cm/G		            Fm
Some hearts are sinking and some hearts are a-flutter
Cm/G
Some scoop gold from the dirt in the gutter
   Fm                
Or swallow the earth pouring into your mouth
        Cm/G
As they bury us upright saying "everything's alright"

         Cm/G		Fm
Will you walk us uptown

Like some said that you could
    Cm/G		
We will feast on your flesh and drink down your blood
 	 Cm/G			  Fm
Will you haul down that flag and dishonour that vow
 
'Cos we must not change its colour now

Will you walk us uptown

    Fm			Bb/F
    No matter what the price
    Fm					Bb/F
    Each crushed in the corner of their own paradise

 Cm/G			Fm
 Will you walk us uptown
 Cm/G			Fm
 Will you walk us uptown

That's always assuming that you're partly divine and partly human
You're the king of our hearts
You're the clown with the drum
Will you walk us uptown
If we promise not to run

Will you walk us uptown
Will you gather us near
As cowards flee and traitors sneer
Keep a red flag flying
Keep a blue flag as well
And a white flag in case it all goes to hell

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External links