The Other Side Of Summer

Words & Music:

Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus (Elvis Costello)

Chorded by Paul Tibbetts

 

I heard Elvis Costello do a kick-ass version of this in 3/4 waltz time live in concert.  It's a great variation. 

 

Cm/Eb =  [x 6 5 5 4 x] and notes in parentheses are single notes, not chords.

 

G                                                     Em         Am

The sun struggles up another beautiful day and I felt glad in my own suspicious way.

G           C           G           Cm

Yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)

G                 Em             Am           D              C

Despite the contradiction and confusion, felt tragic without reason.

D

There's malice and there's magic in every season.

 

CHORUS:

G                F               Em        Cm/Eb      G     Em      Am D

From the foaming breakers of the poisonous surf - the other side of summer.

G              F              Em       Cm/Eb           G     D       Am G  D  Am  G

To the burning forests in the hills of Astroturf - the other side of summer.

 

              Dm                         Bb               A7

The automatic gates close up between the shanties and the palace.

    Dm                        Bb     A7

The blowtorch amusements, the voodoo chalice.

    Dm                          Bb        A7

The pale pathetic promises that everybody swallows.

  Dm              A7                Dm             (B C  B    A  D)   D

A teenage girl is crying 'cause she don't look like a million dollars.

  (B    C   B  A   D)  D    (B   C   B     A    D)  D

So, help her if you can.   'Cause she don't seem to have the attention span.

 

CHORUS:

 

BRIDGE:

                Dm              Bb         A7

Was it a millionaire who said, "Imagine no possessions"?

  Dm                               Bb               A7

A poor little schoolboy who said, "We don't need no lessons"?

    Dm                  Bb               A7       Dm              A7       Dm

The rabid rebel dogs ransack the shampoo shop the pop princess is downtown shooting up

(B  C  B    A  D)  D  (B C   B   A  D)  D

And if that goddess-- is fit for burning--

(B  C   B    A    D)  D

The sun will struggle up, the world will still keep turning.

 


G

Madman standing by the side of the road saying,

                  Em               Am

"Look at my eyes, look at my eyes, look at my eyes, look at my eyes".

G           C           G           Cm

Yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)

G               Em           Am                 D               C

Now you can't afford to fake all the drugs your parents used to take.

                    D

Because of their mistakes you'd better be wide-awake.

 

CHORUS:

 

    G         F

The mightiest rose.

    Em         Cm/Eb

The absence of perfume.

    G      Em

The casual killers.

    Am       D

The military curfew.

    G         F

The cardboard city.

       Em       Cm/Eb

And an unwanted birthday.

    G     Em      Am G

The other side of summer.

    G           F                 Em        Cm/Eb

The dancing was desperate and the music was worse.

     G         Em         Am         D

They bury your dreams and dig up the worthless.

    G          F

Goodnight, God bless.

          Em              Cm/Eb

And kiss "goodbye" to the earth.

    G     Em      Am G

The other side of summer.

G     Em      Am G

The other side of summer.

 





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