American Without Tears

Lyrics - Credits - Discography - Covers - Bootlegs - Chords

Lyrics Outside in New Orleans the heat was almost frightening But my hotel room as usual was freezing and unkind On TV they prosecute anyone who's exciting So I put on my overcoat and went down to find In Revlon and Crimpelene they captured my heart To the strain of a piano and a cocktail murderess She was singing that "It's Too Late", I agreed with that part For two English girls who had changed their address Chorus: Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years Now we don't speak any English, just American without tears Just American without tears One had been a beauty queen and the other was her friend They had known rogues and rascals and showbiz impresarios While the boys were licking Hitler they had something to defend From men armed with chewing gum and fine nylon hose By a bicycle factory as they sounded the siren And returned into the dancehall she knew he was the one Though he wasn't tall or handsome she laughed when he told her "I'm the Sheriff of Nottingham and this is Little John" (Chorus) At a dock in Southampton full of tearful goodbyes Newsreel commentators said "Cheerio, G.I. brides" Soon they'll be finding the cold facts and lies New words for suspenders and young girls' backsides Now I'm in America and running from you Like my grandfather before me walked the streets of New York And I think of all the women I pretend mean more than you When I open my mouth and I can't seem to talk (Chorus) Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years Now I don't speak any English just American without tears Just American without tears Just American without tears

Credits Written by: Declan MacManus Produced by: J. Henry (T Bone) Burnett, Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus, Larry Kalman Hirsch (Associate producer David Brent Miner) Musicians: Jo-El Sonnier: French accordian James Burton: Electric guitar Jerry Scheff: String bass Ron Tutt: Brushes and drums The Little Hands Of Concrete: Acoustic guitar Discography Albums: King Of America, 1985 King Of America, Ryko/Demon, 1994 King Of America, Rhino, 2005 Bootlegs This section is incomplete.

Chords

Bb Dm Bb F C F

G                           C                G
Outside in New Orleans the heat was almost frightening
        G                        A7          D
But my hotel room as usual was freezing and unkind
   G                    C            G
On TV they prosecute anyone who's exciting
      G                      D            G
So I put on my overcoat and went down to find
    G                          C           G
In Revlon and Crimpelene they captured my heart
          G                     A7            D
To the strain of a piano and a cocktail murderess
         G                                 C              G
She was singing that "It's Too late", I agreed with that part
     G                          D              G
For two english girls who had changed their adress

       C                           G
Oh it seems we've been crying for years and for years
        Em
Now we don't speak any English
       C               G
Just American without tears
       C               G
Just American without tears

Accordian melody:
     G                 C                 G          D          G
e||---------------------------------------------------------------||
B||---------------------------------------------------------------||
G||---0-2-/4-4--4-5-4--2-0--2-0---0-2-0-/4-4--4-5-4-2-0-/4-2p0-0--||
D||-2-------------------------------------------------------------||
A||---------------------------------------------------------------||
E||---------------------------------------------------------------||

G                                   C               G
One had been a beauty queen and the other was her friend
           G                            A7          D
They had known rogues and rascals and showbiz impresarios
           G                                 C              G
While the boys were licking Hitler they had something to defend
      G                              D          G
From men armed with chewing gum and fine nylon hose
     G                       C           G
By a bicycle factory as they sounded the siren
       G                              A7            D
And returned into the dancehall she knew he was the one
           G                           C               G
Though he wasn't tall or handsome she laughed when he told her
           G                        D              G
"I'm the Sheriff of Nottingham and this is Little John"

        C                           G
Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years
        Em
Now we don't speak any English
       C               G
Just American without tears
       C               G
Just American without tears

G C G D G

      A                           D           A
At a dock in Southampton full of tearful goodbyes
     A                            B7         E
Newsreel commentators said "Cheerio G.I. brides"
 A                           D              A
Soon they'll be finding the cold facts and lies
     A                              E          A
New words for suspenders and young girls' backsides
     A                  D            A
Now I'm in America and running from you
          A                                 B7           E
Like my grandfather before me walked the streets of New York
        A               A7         D                   A
And I think of all the women I pretend mean more than you
         A                  E             A
When I open my mouth and I can't seem to talk

        D                           A
Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years
        F#m
Now we don't speak any English
       D               A
Just American without tears
       D               A
Just American without tears

        D                           A
Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years
        F#m
Now we don't speak any English
       D               A
Just American without tears
       D               A
Just American without tears

Repeat accordian melody (one tone higher) and fade
A D A E A

Internal Links

• Elvis Costello Home Page: index to lyrics and chords
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