Transpose up (k) Transpose down (j) Cycle song versions (v) Toggle Nashville chords (n) Toggle lyrics only (z) Toggle modulation (m) ------------------------- Jump to artists index (i) Jump to current artists index (I) Jump to song index Jump to tunings index Jump to folk index Jump to theory page ------------------------- Toggle multicolumn Toggle dark mode ------------------------- Find song (f) Random song (r) Random song (current artist) (R)

Elvis Costello : My Aim Is True
1977

  1. Welcome To The Working Week
  2. Miracle Man
  3. No Dancing
  4. Blame It On Cain
  5. Alison
  6. (The Angels Want To Wear) My Red Shoes
  7. Less Than Zero
  8. Watching The Detectives

Welcome To The Working Week

E
G#m7
Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired
C#m7
F#
And you can have anyone that you have ever desired
A
B
All you gotta tell me now is why, why, why why
A
C#m
Welcome to the working week
A
Oh, I know it don't thrill you
E
I hope it don't kill you
A
C#m
F#
Welcome to the working week
A
B
You gotta do it till you're through it so you better get to it All of your family had to kill to survive And they're still waiting for their big day to arrive But if they knew how I felt, they'd bury me alive Welcome to the working week Oh, I know it don't thrill you I hope it don't kill you Welcome to the working week You gotta do it till you're through it so you better get to it
G#m
C#m
I hear you saying, "Hey, the city's alright"
F#m
G#m
A
B
When you only read about it in books
G#m
C#m
Spend all your money getting so convinced
A
B
That you never even bother to look Sometimes I wonder if we're living in the same land Why d'you wanna be my friend When I feel like a juggler running outta hands?
A
C#m
Welcome to the working week
A
E
Oh ah, welcome to the working week

Miracle Man

|
E
|
C#m
|
E
|
C#m
|
E
C#m
You never asked me what I wanted
E
C#m
You only asked me why
E
C#m
I never thought that so much trouble
E
B
E
Was a-restin' on my reply
A
E
I could say it was the nights when I was lonely
A
C#m
And you were the only one who'd talk
A
E
I could tell you that I like your sensitivity
F#
B
When you know it's the way that you walk
A
E
Why do you have to say that there's always someone
A
E
Who can do it better than I can?
A
E
But don't you think that I know that walking on the water
B
B
B
B
B
B
Won't make me a miracle man? Baby's gotta have the things she wants You know she's gotta have the things she loves She's got a ten-inch bamboo cigarette holder And her black patent leather gloves And I'm doing everything just tryin' to please her Even crawling around on all fours Oh, I thought by now that it was gonna be easy But she still seems to want for more Why do you have to say that there's always someone Who can do it better than I can? But don't you think that I know that walking on the water Won't make me a miracle man? Yeah they're givin' you a bad reputation Just because you've never been denied You try to say you've done it all before Baby, you know that you just get tired Yet everybody loves you so much, girl I just don't know how you stand the strain Oh, but I'm the one who's here tonight And I don't wanna do it all in vain Why do you have to say that there's always someone Who can do it better than I can? But don't you think that I know that walking on the water Won't make me a miracle man?

No Dancing

D
A
Oh, I know that she has made a fool of him
D
Like girls have done so many nights before
A
Time and time again
D
A
Life is so strange, I don't know why
D
Gm
But somebody, somebody has to cry
D
A
G
D
There's gonna be no dancing when they get home
G
A
There's gonna be no dancing, no
G
A
There's gonna be no dancing
G
A
Bb
D
There's gonna be no dancing when they get home Now he's telling her every little thing he's done Once he glanced at the jackets of some paperbacks Now he's read every one He's such a drag, he's not insane It's just that everybody has to feel his pain There's gonna be no dancing when they get home
Bb
He's getting down on his knees
Dm
Bb
Dm
He finds that the girl is not so easy to please, oh, oh
Bb
F
After all, his nights were just a paper strip-tease
A7sus4
A7
She's caught it like some disease If he says no dancing, there's gonna be no dancing
G
A
Bb
D
There's gonna be no dancing on my own
D
A
She can't even speak to him, he can't face her now
D
He says, "Even though I wanna shake your hand
A
All I ever do is bow
D
A
So now you see how it can be
D
Gm
Why can't you give me everything but sympathy?
D
A
There's gonna be no dancing
D
A
There's gonna be no dancing
Bb
F
There's gonna be no dancing
Bb
F
There's gonna be no dancing
Bb
F
There's gonna be no dancing
Bb
F
Eb
Dmaj7
There's gonna be no dancing on my own

Blame It On Cain

Capo:
V
C
F
C
F
Once upon a time, I had a little money Government burglars took it long before I could mail it to you
F7
Bb
F7
Still you are the only one
C
F
Now, I can't let it slip away
F
G
So if the man with the ticker tape, he tries to take it
C
Well, this is what I'm gonna say
Am7
C
Csus2
C7
Blame it on Cain, don't blame it on me
F
G
F
C
Oh, oh, oh, it's nobody's fault, but we need somebody to burn
Am7
C
Blame it on Cain, don't blame it on me
F
G
F
C
Oh, oh, oh, it's nobody's fault, but it just seems to be his turn Well, if I was a saint with a silver cup And the money got low, we could always heat it up or trade it in But then the radio that heaven will be wired to your purse And then you can run down the wave band, coast to coast, hand in hand
G7
F
Better or worse, curse for curse, don't be dissatisfied
G
C
So, you're not satisfied Blame it on Cain, don't blame it on me Oh, oh, oh, it's nobody's fault, but we need somebody to burn Blame it on Cain, don't blame it on me Oh, oh, oh, it's nobody's fault, but it just seems to be his turn I think I've lived a little too long on the outskirts of town I think I'm goin' insane from talking to myself for so long Oh, but I never been accused When they step upon your face, you wear that good luck grin I gotta break out one weekend if I do somebody in But every single time I feel a little stronger
F
C
They tell me it's a crime. Well how much longer? Blame it on Cain, don't blame it on me Oh, oh, oh, it's nobody's fault, but we need somebody to burn Blame it on Cain, don't blame it on me Oh, oh, oh, it's nobody's fault, but it just seems to be his turn

Alison

Capo:
II
|
Asus4
A
|
F#m
G
Bm
A
|
Em
F#m
|
F#m
A
|
G
D
Oh it's so funny to be seeing you after so long, girl
G
F#m
Bm
A
And by the way you look I understand that you were not impressed
G
F#m
Bm
But I heard you let that little friend of mine
C
A7sus4
A7
Take off your party dress
G
F#m
Bm
A
I'm not gonna get too sentimental
G
F#m
Bm
A
Like those other sticky valentines
G
F#m
Bm
'Cause I don't know if you were loving somebody
C
A7sus4
A7
I only know it isn't mine
G
D
Alison
F#m
G
Bm
A
Em
F#m
/c#
Bm
A
I know this world is killing you
G
D
Oh Alison
G
A
D
My aim is true Well I see you've got a husband now Did he leave your pretty fingers lying in the wedding cake You used to hold him right in your hand But he took all that he could take Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking When I hear those silly things that you say I think somebody better put out the big light Because I can't stand to see you this way Alison I know this world is killing you Oh Alison
G
C
A
D
My aim is true My aim is true My aim is true

(The Angels Want To Wear) My Red Shoes

E
B
E
B
E
E
G#m
Oh I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused
E7
But since their wings have got rusted
A
B
E
You know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes
A
E
But when they told me 'bout their side of the bargain
A
E
That's when I knew that I could not refuse
B
A
B
A
E
And I won't get any older, now the angels wanna wear my red shoes
A
B
E
Oh, I was watching while you're dancing away
B
A
E
Our love got fractured in the echo and sway
A
B
E
How come everybody wants to be your friend?
G#m
B
You know that it still hurts me just to say it
E
Oh, I know that she's disgusted (Oh why's that?)
G#m
'Cause she's feeling so abused (Oh that's too bad)
A
She gets tired of the lust (Oh I'm so sad)
B
But it's so hard to refuse
A
How can you say that I'm too old
E
B
A
E
When the angels have stolen my red shoes
A
B
E
Oh, I said "I'm so happy, I could die"
B
A
E
She said "Drop dead," then left with another guy
A
B
E
That's what you get if you go chasing after vengeance
G#m
B
Ever since you got me punctured this has been my sentence
E
G#m
Oh I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused
E7
But since their wings have got rusted
A
B
E
You know, the angels wanna wear my red shoes
A
E
But when they told me 'bout their side of the bargain
A
E
That's when I knew that I could not refuse
B
A
B
A
E
And I won't get any older, now the angels wanna wear my red shoes
A
E
A
Red shoes, the angels want to wear my red shoes Red shoes
E
A
The angels want to wear my red shoes

Less Than Zero

|
F
Bb
C
|
F
C
|
F
Bb
C
|
F
C
|
F
Bb
C
F
Calling Mister Oswald with the swastika tattoo
C
F
Bb
C
F
There is a vacancy waiting in the English voodoo
C
Bb
Gm
Carving "V" for vandal on the guilty boy's head
Bb
Gm
When he's had enough of that, maybe you'll take him to bed
C
Dm/f
C
Dm/f
C
To teach him he's alive before he wishes he was dead |
C
F
C
| - |
Bb
F
Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect
Bb
F
Even your mother won't detect it, so your father won't know
Bb
F
They think that I've got no respect
Ebm
F
But everything means less than zero
Bb
F
C
F
Hey, ooh hey
C
F
Bb
F
C
Hey, ooh hey Oswald and his sister are doing it again They've got the finest home movies that you have ever seen They've got a thousand variations, every service with a smile They're gonna take a little break and they'll be back after a while Well, I hear that South America is coming into style Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect Even your mother won't detect it, so your father won't know They think that I've got no respect But everything means less than zero Hey, ooh hey Hey, ooh hey A pistol was still smoking, a man lay on the floor Mr. Oswald said he had an understanding with the law He said he heard about a couple living in the USA He said they traded in their baby for a Chevrolet Let's talk about the future, now we've put the past away Turn up the TV, no one listening will suspect Even your mother won't detect it, so your father won't know They think that I've got no respect But everything means less than zero Hey, ooh hey Hey, ooh hey Hey, ooh hey Hey, ooh hey

Watching The Detectives

Am
F
Am
F
Am
Nice girls, not one with a defect
F
Cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct
Am
F
Red dogs under illegal legs
Am
F
She looks so good that he gets down and begs
C
She is watching the detectives
G
"Ooh, he's so cute"
C
She is watching the detectives
G
Em
F
D
When they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot
Am
/g
They beat him up until the teardrops start
F
C
/g
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart
Am
/g
Long shot at that jumping sign
F
/g
Invisible shivers running down my spine
Am
/g
Cut to baby taking off her clothes
F
Close-up of the sign that says "We never close"
Am
/g
He snatches at you and you match his cigarette
F
She pulls the eyes out with a face like a magnet
Am
F
I don't know how much more of this I can take
Am
F
She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake
C
She is watching the detectives
G
"Ooh, he's so cute"
C
She is watching the detectives
G
Em
F
D
When they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot
Am
/g
They beat him up until the teardrops start
F
C
G
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart
Am
You think you're alone until you realize you're in it
F
Now fear is here to stay, love is here for a visit
Am
Call it instant justice when it's past the legal limit
F
Someone's scratching at the window, I wonder who is it?
Am
The detectives come to check if you belong to the parents
F
Who are ready to hear the worst about their daughter's disappearance
Am
Though it nearly took a miracle to get you to stay
F
It only took my little fingers to blow you away
C
Just like watching the detectives
G
Don't get cute
C
It's just like watching the detectives
Am
/g
I get so angry when the teardrops start
F
C
G
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart
G
Watching the detectives
Am
(
E
Am
)
F
It's just like watching the detectives
Am
Watching the detectives
F
Watching the detectives
Am
Watching the detectives
F
Watching the detectives