Senses Working Overtime

Words & Music:

Andy Partridge (XTC)

I tabbed this years ago when I could not find a decent tab of this, one of my favorite XTC songs. Then, two years ago, sounghound Wm. Charles Whitehill asked for the "bang-on, how Andy plays it" tab. We both looked at YouTube videos of XTC, but were having the Devil's own time trying to figure out the actual tab. So, I decided to buy the sheet music and discovered that this is pretty much the only song ever released on sheet music by XTC. And, boy, were we off! Anyway, it looks like the sheet music is long out of print, so here it is. (please correct me if it is still in print). The song is in G#m and the closest "actual how Andy plays it" tab is on top. My transcription is below that. As Mr. Whitehill & I close in on the actual tab, we will post it.

1. "Actual how Andy plays it" bits:

1----------------------------|

2------0-------0--0--0--0----|

3---8--8--8----6--6--6--6----| Repeat X 4

4---6-----6----8-----8-------|

5----------------------------|

6----------------------------|

Song goes..

One two three four five!

1----0---0---0---0---0------------------------|

2----5---4---2---1---0------------------------|

3--------------------1------------------------|

4--------------------2------------------------|

5--------------------2------------------------|

6--------------------0------------------------|

Main part goes..

Senses working o ver time......

1----0---0---0---0-----------------------------|

2----5---4---2---1------2-----4----5-4---------|

3----------------------2-----4----4---4--------|

4---------------------2-----4----4-----4-------|

5--------------------0-----2----0--------------|

6----------------------------------------------|

G#m G#m(add4)/A#

G# bass D# B D# A# bass C# B C# B

G#m = x x 6 8 0 x G#m(add 4)/A# = x x 8 6 0 x

"safely"

C#no3rd C#+9 Em

C# bass G#&C# D# bass G#&C# Ebass G&B G G&B G

C#no3rd = x 4 6 6 x x C#+9 = x 6 6 6 x x Em = 0 2 2 0 0 0

Bridge:

A(1) A11 (Abass B&D&G) repeat

A11 - x 0 5 4 3 3

B(2) B11 = x 2 2 2 2 2

2. KCH 2002 transcription:

Am(5) G(3) Am(5) G(3)

Am G Am G Am G

Hey, hey, the clouds are whey. There's straw for the donkeys

Am G Dm Dm/E Dm/C Dm Dm Dm/E

And the innocents can all sleep safely------------------------,

Dm/C Dm Dm Dm/E Dm/C Dm Dm/E Dm/C Dm

All--- sleep safely.

My, my, sun is pie. There's fodder for the cannons

And the guilty ones can all sleep safely, all sleep safely.

Bb Ab Bb Ab C

And all the world is football-shaped, it's just for me to kick in space

C Bb C

And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste

CHORUS:

C F C F Bb F C

And I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working o - ver – time.

Bb C F

Trying to take this all in.

C F C F Bb F C

I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working o - ver – time.

Bb C Bb C

Trying to taste the difference between a lemon and a lime

Bb C F

Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime.

Hey, hey, night fights day. There's food for the thinkers

And the innocents can all live slowly, all live slowly.

My, my, the sky will cry. Jewels for the thirsty

And the guilty one's can all die slowly, all die slowly.

And all the world is biscuit-shaped, it's just for me to feed my face

And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste.

CHORUS

BRIDGE:

Bb(7) Ab(4) Bb(7) Ab(4)

Bb Ab Bb Ab Bb Ab Bb Ab

And birds might fall from black skies----- Whoo! Whoo!

And bullies might give you black eyes – Whoo! Whoo!

And buses might skid on black ice – Whoo! Whoo!

Bb Ab Bb Ab Bb Eb Bb Eb Bb B F# B F#7

But, to me, they're very, ve—ry- beau—ti-ful! (England's glory!)

Eb Bb Eb Bb B F# B F#7

Beau---ti-ful----! (A striking beauty!)

Doo-doo-doo-doo! Doo-doo-doo-doo! Doo-doo-doo!

B F#

Doo-doo-doo-doo! Doo-doo-doo-doo!

B A B A C#

And all the world is football-shaped, it's just for me to kick in space

C# B C#

And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste

CHORUS:

C# F# C# F# B F# C#

And I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working o - ver – time.

B C# F#

Trying to take this all in.

I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working o - ver – time.

B C# B C# B C#

Trying to taste the difference between the goods and crime, dirt or treasure.

C# F# C# F# B F# C#

And there's one, two, three, four, five senses working o - ver – time.

B C# F#

Trying to take this all in.

C# F# C# F# B F# C#

I've got one, two, three, four, five senses working o - ver – time.

B C# B C#

Trying to taste the difference between the lemon and lime.

B C# F#

Pain and pleasure and the church bells softly chime.

The Am G riff:

Finger the full barred Am(5) and G(3) chords, but fingerpick the following:

B:-5---5--3---3-----|

G:---5------4---4---|

D:-7---7--5---5-----|

The Dm Dm/C Dm/E Dm riff:

E:-1---1---1---1-|

B:-3---3---3---3-|

G:---------------|

D:-0-0-2-------0-|

A:---------4-----|