Tico Tico

Words & Music:

Aloysio de Oliviera

 

I'm not sure if I have lined up the chords correctly on the English version.  Please, correct, if need be!  I've also included the original Portuguese lyrics and a really nice solo guitar version by Dugz.  The version on top is the English version (not a translation) made famous by The Andrews Sisters.

 

         Am6                   E7

Oh, tico-tico, tick!  Oh, tico-tico, tock!

E7                                    Am6

This tico-tico, he's the cuckoo in my clock.

            Dm7                           Am6

And when he says: "Cuckoo!" he means it's time to woo;

           B7                              E7

It's "tico-time" for all the lovers on the block.

           Am6                  E7

I've got a heavy date, a tte--tte at eight.

E7                                         Am6

So, speak, oh, tico, tell me is it getting late?

          Dm7                        Am6

If I'm on time, "Cuckoo!" but if I'm late, "Woo-woo!"

           E7                                Am6

The one my heart has gone to may not want to wait!

 

BRIDGE:

           C                             Dm7

For just a birdie, and a birdie who goes nowhere,

            G7                            C

He knows of ev'ry Lovers' Lane and how to go there.

         C                             Dm7

For in affairs of the heart, my Tico's terribly smart,

G7            Dm7          G7             C

He tells me: "Gently, sentiment'ly at the start!"

C                                    Dm7

Oh!  Oh!  I hear my little tico-tico calling,

            G7                                    C

Because the time is right and shades of night are falling.

            Dm7           D#dim        C6

I love that not-so-cuckoo cuckoo in my clock:

A7         Dm7        G7   C

Tico-tico, tico-tico, tico-tock!


The complete version of Aloysio de Oliveira's original Portuguese lyrics:

 

O tico tico t, t outra vez aqui,

o tico tico t comendo o meu fub.

Se o tico tico tem, tem que se alimentar,

Que v comer umas minhocas no pomar.

O tico tico t, t outra vez aqui,

o tico tico t comendo o meu fub.

Eu sei que ele vem viver no meu quintal,

e vem com ares de canrio e de pardal.

 

Mas por favor tira esse bicho do celeiro,

porque ele acaba comendo o fub inteiro.

Tira esse tico de l, de cima do meu fub.

Tem tanta fruta que ele pode pinicar.

 

Eu j fiz tudo para ver se conseguia.

Botei alpiste para ver se ele comia.

Botei um gato um espantalho e um alapo,

mas ele acha que o fub que boa alimentao.

 

Loose translation of the original lyrics:

The tico tico is here, it is here again,

the tico tico is eating my cornmeal.

If that tico tico has to feed itself,

it better eat a few earthworms at the orchard.

The tico tico is here, it is here again,

the tico tico is eating my cornmeal.

I know that it comes to live in my yard,

and that it puts on airs like a sparrow and a canary.

 

But please take this animal off my granary,

because it will end up eating all the cornmeal

Throw that tico out of here, from the top of the cornmeal (heap),

it has so much fruit to eat from.

 

I have done everything to see if he's gone,

Threw him canary feed to see if it ate it.

Let a cat loose to scare it off, and (even) set up a trap,

but it has found out that cornmeal is a good feed.

 

 


Tico Tico Tab (by Dugz)

 

Pick-up measure

  N/C

  |   |   |   |

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

|-----------2-1-2-|

|-----------------|

|-----------------|

 

Part A

 

  Am6               E7                                  Am6

1 |   |   |   |   2 |   |   |   |   3 |   |   |   |   4 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----3-0---------|-----------------|

|-------2---------|-------1---------|---------1-------|-----------2-1-0-|

|-3-2-------2-1-2-|-3-2-------2-1-2-|-3-2-------2-0---|-----------------|

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  D-7               Am6               B7                E7

5 |   |   |   |   6 |   |   |   |   7 |   |   |   |   8 |   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-------3---1-----|-------1---1-0---|-0---------------|-----------------|

|---2---------2---|---2-----------2-|---------2-5-4-3-|-4---------------|

|-3-------------3-|-2---------------|-----1-4---------|-----------2-1-2-|

|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Am6               E7                                  Am6

9 |   |   |   |   10|   |   |   |   11|   |   |   |   12|   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----3-0---------|-----------------|

|-------2---------|-------1---------|---------1-------|-----------2-1-0-|

|-3-2-------2-1-2-|-3-2-------2-1-2-|-3-2-------2-0---|-----------------|

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Dm7               Am6               E7                Am6

13|   |   |   |   14|   |   |   |   15|   |   |   |   16|   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|---------0-------|-0-----0---------|

|-------3---1-----|-------1---1-0---|-0-----0---3-1-0-|-1-----1---0-----|

|---2---------2---|---2-----------2-|-----1-----------|-2-----2-----3-2-|

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

 

Part B

  C                 Dm7               G7                C

17|   |   |   |   18|   |   |   |   19|   |   |   |   20|   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------0-|

|-----------------|-----------0-----|-----------------|-----------0h1---|

|-0-----0-----0-1-|-2-----------3-2-|-0---------------|-0---------------|

|-----2-----2-----|-----3-----------|-----0-3---0-3-4-|-----2-----------|

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 


  C                 Dm7     G7        Dm7     G7        C

21|   |   |   |   22|   |   |   |   23|   |   |   |   24|   |   |   |

|---------0-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-1-----3---3---3-|---1-----------0-|-----------------|-----------0-----|

|---2/4-------4---|-2---2-----2/4---|-4-0-2-4-2-0---2-|-0-2-0-------3-2-|

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C                 Dm7               G7                C

25|   |   |   |   26|   |   |   |   27|   |   |   |   28|   |   |   |

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

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

|-0-----0-----0-1-|-2-----------3-2-|-0---------------|-0-------------3-|

|-----2-----2-----|-----3-----------|-----0-3---0-3-4-|-----2-----------|

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Dm7     D#dim     C6      A7        Dm7     G7        C

29|   |   |   |   30|   |   |   |   31|   |   |   |   32|   |   |   |

|-----------------|-0-------3-2-1-0-|-----------------|-----------0---0-|

|-------0-3-1-0-1-|---1---1---------|-3-1-0-----------|-1-1-1-1-1---2---|

|-2-1-2-----------|-----0-----------|-------2-0-------|-0-0-0-0-0-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------3-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

 

Part C

  A6                                                    E7

33|   |   |   |   34|   |   |   |   35|   |   |   |   36|   |   |   |

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

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

                                                        A6

37|   |   |   |   38|   |   |   |   39|   |   |   |   40|   |   |   |

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

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

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

                                                        E7

41|   |   |   |   42|   |   |   |   43|   |   |   |   44|   |   |   |

|-5-0---5-4-0---4-|-2-0---2-0---0-1-|-2-1-2-3-2-0-----|-----------------|

|-----2-------2---|-----2-----3-----|-------------3-2-|-0---0-2-3-------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---2-------2-1-0-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Dm7               A6                E7                A6

45|   |   |   |   46|   |   |   |   47|   |   |   |   48|   |   |   |

|-----------------|---0-5-9-5-0-----|-----------------|-----------0---0-|

|---------------0-|-2-----------3-2-|-0---------------|-------------4---|

|-------1-2-1-2---|-----------------|---2-1-----------|-----------------|

|-4-3-4-----------|-----------------|-------4-2-0-----|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-------------4-2-|-0---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 


Part A Variation

  Am6               E7                                  Am6

49|   |   |   |   50|   |   |   |   51|   |   |   |   52|   |   |   |

|---0---5---0---0-|---0---4---0---0-|---0-10-7--0-----|-----------------|

|-6-----------4---|-6-----------4---|-6-------9-------|----------10-9-8-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-------------7-6-|-5---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Dm7               Am6               B7                E7

53|   |   |   |   54|   |   |   |   55|   |   |   |   56|   |   |   |

|-------10--8-5---|---5---8---8-7-6-|-7-------5-8-7-6-|-7---------0---0-|

|---10----------6-|-5---------------|---0-4-7---------|-------------4---|

|-10--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Am6               E7                                  Am6

57|   |   |   |   58|   |   |   |   59|   |   |   |   60|   |   |   |

|---0---5---0---0-|---0---4---0---0-|---0-10-7--0-----|-----------------|

|-6-----------4---|-6-----------4---|-6-------9-------|----------10-9-8-|

|-----------------|-----------------|-------------7-6-|-5---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  Dm7               Am6               E7                Am6

61|   |   |   |   62|   |   |   |   63|   |   |   |   64|   |   |   |

|-------10--8-5---|---5---8---8-7-6-|-7-0-4-7/12 10---|-----------0-1-2-|

|---10----------6-|-5---------------|-------------1312|10---10\\---------|

|-10--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

 

Part B Variation

  C                 Dm7               G7                C

65|   |   |   |   66|   |   |   |   67|   |   |   |   68|   |   |   |

|-3---0-3---0-3-4-|-5---------7-6-5-|-------------1-2-|-3---0------12-12|

|---1-----1-------|-----6-----------|-8-0-3-6-0-3-----|------------13-13|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C                 Dm7     G7        Dm7     G7        C

69|   |   |   |   70|   |   |   |   71|   |   |   |   72|   |   |   |

|12--101010---8-8-|-8 --5-5-5-6/7-7-|-7-----7-5-----5-|---5-------0-1-2-|

|13--121212--1010-|10---6-6-6-------|---8-8-----6-6---|-8---8-5---------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

  C                 Dm7               G7                C

73|   |   |   |   74|   |   |   |   75|   |   |   |   76|   |   |   |

|-3---0-3---0-3-4-|-5---------7-6-5-|-------------1-2-|-3---0-----8-7-6-|

|---1-----1-------|-----6-----------|-8-0-3-6-0-3-----|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


  Dm7     D#dim     C6      A7        Dm7     G7        C

77|   |   |   |   78|   |   |   |   79|   |   |   |   80|   |   |   |

|-5---5-710-8-7-8-|12-8---815141312-|10---------------|-----------------|

|---9-------------|-----8-----------|--131210---------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|--------1210-9---|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|--------------12-|10---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

 

 

Here are the voicings I use for each chord. I use CMAJ7 for C and

G9 for G7:

 

    Am6    E7         Dm7    B7         CMAJ7  G9         A6

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|---5------5------|---6------7------|---5------4------|---5-------------|

|---5------7------|---5------8------|---4------3------|---6-------------|

|---4------6------|---7------7------|---5------4------|---4-------------|

|----------7------|---5-------------|---3------3------|-----------------|

|---5-------------|----------7------|-----------------|---5-------------|

 

Here are the voicings for the turnaround at the end of part B:

 

  Dm7     D#dim     C6      A7        Dm7     G7        C

|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------4-------|-5---------------|

|-5-------5-------|-9-------6-------|-5-------3-------|-4---------------|

|-3-------4-------|-7-------5-------|-3-------4-------|-5---------------|

|-----------------|-----------------|-5-------3-------|-3---------------|

|-5-------5-------|-8-------5-------|-----------------|-----------------|

 

 





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