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Laura Marling : Alas, I Cannot Swim
2008

  1. Ghosts
  2. Old Stone
  3. Tap At My Window
  4. Failure
  5. You're No God
  6. Cross Your Fingers
  7. Crawled Out Of The Sea (Interlude)

  8. My Manic And I
  9. Night Terror
  10. The Captain And The Hourglass
  11. Shine
  12. Your Only Doll (Dora)
  13. Alas, I Cannot Swim

Ghosts

Am7
D/a
D/a
G
(x2)
D/a
G
He walked down a busy street
D/a
Staring solely at his feet
G
Clutching pictures of past lovers at his side
D/a
G
Stood at the table where she sat
D/a
And removed his hat
G
In respect of her presence
D/a
G
Presents her with the pictures and says
D/a
G
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you
D/a
G
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you
D/a
G
Opened up his little heart
D/a
Unlocked the lock that kept it dark
G
And read a written warning
D/a
Saying I'm still mourning, over ghosts
G
Over ghosts, over ghosts
D/a
G
Over ghosts that broke my heart before I met you
Em
G
Lover, please do not
Em
G
Fall to your knees it's not
Em
G
Like I believe in
Em
G
Everlasting love
D/a
G
D/a
G
D/a
G
He'd went crazy at nineteen
D/a
Said he'd lost all his self esteem
G
D/a
G
And couldn't understand why he was cry, cry, crying, crying...
D/a
G
He would stare at empty chairs
D/a
Think of the ghosts who once sat there
G
The ghosts that broke his heart
D/a
Oh the ghosts that broke my heart
G
The ghosts that broke his heart
D/a
Oh the ghosts that broke my heart
G
The ghosts, the ghosts, the ghosts, the ghosts, the ghosts, the ghosts
D/a
G
The ghosts that broke my heart before I met you
Em
G
Lover, please do not
Em
G
Fall to your knees, it's not
Em
G
Like I believe in
Em
G
Everlasting love
Am
Bm
Am
He says I'm so lost
Bm
Am
Not at all well
C
Em
F
C
Oooh..........
F
Em
F
C
Oooh..........
C
Em
Do as done and there is nothing left to be
F
C
Turned out I'd been following him and he'd been following me
C
Em
Do as done after it was over
F
F
We were just two lovers crying on each others shoulder
Em
G
Lover, please do not
Em
G
Fall to your knees, it's not
Em
G
Like I believe in
Em
G
Everlasting love

Old Stone

Capo:
II
Am/g
Am/f#
Am/f
E
Am/g
Am/f#
He chased me through the rain
Am/f
"Honey, I'm going your way"
E
I don't think so You can chase me through the rain Scream my name, a childish game But I love to be young
Am
F
And honey I was never gonna change And honey you are never gonna change
Am
F
E7
But you love, don't you love it that way
Am
F
Old stone
Am
F
Ten thousand years and you're still on your own
Am
Don't you love
F
E7
But you love it that way
Bm
E
And if you swear that you're alright
Am
F
Am
F
I'm not gonna try and change your mind
Am
F
E
Cause the same night I dream that I lose you I'll fall in love
Bm
E
And oh honey don't let me walk away from this
Am
F
If I'm trying to fuck up my own life
Am
F
Then until I figure out why
Am
F
I think it's best you keep your distance
E7
Lest I fall in love Old stone Ten thousands years and you're still on your own But you love Don't you love it that way He chased me through the rain "Honey I'm going your way" I don't think so You can chase me through the rain Scream my name, a childish game But I love to be young

Tap At My Window

Capo:
I
A
C#m
He taps at my window
G
Bm
Willing that I let him in
A
C#m
I don't think I will though
G
Bm
My heart's taken, I won't tell him again
A*
G*
F#*
E*
|--------------------|
|--------------------|
|--5----4----2----2--|
|--x----x----x----0--|
|--x----x----x----0--|
|--5----3----2----0--|
A*
G*
F#*
E*
F#*
G*
A*
G*
F#*
E*
Maybe I'll write him a story
G*
And maybe I'll fall asleep in his arms
A*
G*
F#*
E*
F#*
G*
Maybe I'll wake up lonely
A*
G*
F#*
And fall unawake again
A*
G*
F#*
E*
F#*
G*
And until you calm me down
A*
G*
F#*
Race around this town
Am
F
Am
F
Trying to find, oh, an emotion you cannot deny
E
I will not have him treat me this way
A
C#m
And Mother, I blame you
G
Bm
Therein trying to be you again
A
C#m
For I have become you
G
Bm
And I know every part of the game
A
C#m
And Father, I love you
G
Bm
But how can you watch as I push her away?
A
C#m
I cannot forgive you
G
Bm
For bringing me up this way Maybe I'll write them a story And maybe I'll fall asleep in his arms Maybe I'll wake up lonely and fall unawake again And until you calm me down I race around this town Until you calm me down I race around this town Trying to find, oh, an emotion you cannot deny I will not have them treat me this way So tap at my window Maybe I might let you in I don't think I will though My heart's taken, I won't tell you again

Failure

Intro 1
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|--------------------|---2---2---2----------|--------------------|---3---2---0---0------|
|---3---3---3---0----|---------------0------|---2---2---2---0----|----------------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|
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|---3---2---0---0----|---3---2---0----------|--------------------|----------------------|
|--------------------|---------------0------|---3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3----|
Verse
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3--|------3---3--3---3----|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
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|--------------------|---2---2---2----------|--------------------|---3---2---0---0------|
|---3---3---3---0----|---------------0------|---2---2---2---0----|----------------------|
He used to... ...rock n roll band He would... ...tremble at his h...
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----1---1---1---1--|-----3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
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|---0---0---0---0----|---2---2---2---2------|---3---2---0--------|---3---2---0----------|
|--------------------|----------------------|---------------0----|---------------0------|
but oh... la ah... He lost poetic... ...and his songs...
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3--|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
|---3---2---0--------|----------------------|--------------------|
|---------------0----|---3---3---3---3------|---3---3---3---3----|
and he's a...
 He used to be a singer in a rock and roll band He would write the songs and I'd tremble at his hand but oh la-la He lost my word to get the girl And his songs were pathetic And he's a failure now
Verse 2
He used to be the life and soul of everyone around You'd never catch him looking up and never see him down but oh, la-la He couldn't raise a smile oh, not for a while and, he's a failure now
Bridge
|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
|--------------------|---0---0---0---0------|
|---3---3---3---3----|----------------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|
Chorus (x4)
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|-----1---1---1---1----|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|---0---0---0---0------|
|--------------------|---2---2---2---2------|---3---3---3---3----|----------------------|
|---3---3---3---3----|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
 Don't cry child, you've got so much more to live for Don't cry child, you've got something I would die for And if it comes to the rain, just be glad you'll smile again Cause so many don't And so many go unnamed
Verse 3
People push right past me shouting various claims A preacher pushes me a side and asked to wash my sins i said no, la-la If he made me in his image, then he's a failure too
Verse 4
(same as others but drop the last 2 bars and go straight into the bridge)
 And I used to need a couple of people to keep my head down Now I need a whole lot more to keep me on the ground but oh, la-la I gave up something and I gave it up for nothing and I am failure now
Bridge
Chorus
Outro
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
|--------------------|---2---2---2----------|--------------------|---3---2---0---0------|
|---3---3---3---0----|---------------0------|---2---2---2---0----|----------------------|
|--------------------|----------------------|--------------------|
|-----3---3---3---3--|-----3---3---3---3----|--------------------|
|-----0---0---0---0--|-----0---0---0---0----|--------------------|
|----0---0-----------|----------------------|--------------------|
|---3---2---0---0----|---0---2---3----------|--------------------|
|--------------------|---------------0------|---3----------------|

You're No God

Bm
E
A
Your mum thinks that you're sad and that your living alone
Bm
E
A
and your friends think if you're sad you should call them more
F#
Bm
E
A6
But the truth is that you never needed someone to comfort you
Bm
E
A6
Oh you've never needed someone to comfort you
D/f#
A
But you're no god
D/f#
A
You're no god
Dm
A
Dm
A
You will never leave this place, you will always feel alone
Dm
A
G
You will never feel quite clean in this new skin that you have grown
D/f#
A
Until you old and broken bones are laid into their resting place
Dm
A
Just like the rest of human race. Till I fall into my place
Dm
A
Just like the rest of human race
Dm
A
G
Till I'm laid into my final resting place, just like the rest of human race
D/f#
A
Who've done it without complaining all the way
D/f#
A
But you're no god
D/f#
A
You're no god
Bm
C#m
D
As long as you promise that you will never leave
Bm
C#m
D
A
I need only worry about you and me
Dm
A
We will never leave this place
Dm
A
And we need never feel alone
Dm
A
And we will learn to feel quite clean
G
In this new skin that we have grown
D/f#
Because our young and healthy bones
A
Would never lead us astray
Dm
A
We will learn to feel quite clean, in this new skin that we have
Dm
A
We will learn to feel quite clean, in this new skin that we have
Dm
A
G
Will learn to feel quite clean, in this new skin that we have grown
D/f#
A
Because our young and healthy bones would never lead us astray

Cross Your Fingers

C
Am
Em
Look down on the body that you have grown
C
Am
Em
Four mountains stand around you, they're not your own
C
Am
Em
And light squares and bodies are all you see
C
/b
/a
G
Since you broke down
C
/b
/a
G
Since I broke down
C
/b
/a
G
Since we broke down
F
C
Oh I jumped into your grave and died
F
C
And on my word you'll give up your whole life for me
Am
Em
F
And you'll be reborn bigger and stronger and less alive
C
Am
Em
I... I... I...
C
Am
Em
I... I... I...
C
Am
Em
Cross your fingers, hold your toes, we're all going to die when the building blows
C
Am
Em
Cross your fingers, hold your toes, we're all going to die when the building blows
C
Am
Em
And the house that you were born in is crumbling at the corner
C
Am
Em
Sagging skin and feet of crows, feet of crows
F
C
Oh you'll jump into your grave and die
F
C
And on my word you'll give up your whole life for me
Am
Em
F
And you'll be reborn bigger and stronger and less alive
C
Am
Em
I... I... I...
C
Am
Em
I... I... I...

Crawled Out Of The Sea (Interlude)

Oh you crawled out of the sea Straight into my arms Straight into my arms
G
Bm
Oh, you crawled out of the sea
Am
Straight into my arms
D
Straight into my arms
Repeat twice more with chords
|
G
|
Bm
|
Am
|
D
| ...

My Manic And I

Capo:
I
Am
G
Am
G
Am
He wants to die in a lake in Geneva
Em7
The mountains can cover the shape of his nose
Am
He wants to die where nobody can see him
Em7
But the beauty of his death will carry on so
Am
Em7
I don't believe him He greets me with kisses when good days deceive him And sometimes we're scorned and sometimes I believe him And sometimes I'm convinced that my friends think I'm crazy Get scared and call him, but he's usually hazy At one in the morning the day is not ended By two he is scared that sleep is no friend By four he will drink but he cannot feel it Sleep will not come because sleep does not will it
Am
Em7
And I don't believe him
Am
Em7
Morning is mocking me I wander the streets, avoiding them eats Till the ring on my finger slips to the ground A gift to the gutter, a gift to the city The veins of which have broken me down
Am
Em7
And I don't believe him
Am
Em7
Morning is mocking me
Am
G
Am
G
Am
G
Am
G
All the gods that he believes never fail to amaze me
Am
G
He believes in the love in his god of all things
Am
G
But I find him wrapped up in all manner of sins
Am
G
The drugs that deceive him and the girls that believe him
Am
G
I can't control you, I don't know you well
F
Em7
These are the reasons I think that you're ill
Am
G
I can't control you, I don't know you well
F
Em7
These are the reasons I think that you're ill
Am
Em7
And since last that we partied, last that I saw him
Am
Em7
Down by a river, silent and hardened
Am
Em7
Morning was mocking us, blood hit the sky
Am
Em7
I was just happy, my manic and I
Am
Em7
He couldn't see me, the sun was in his eyes
Am
Em7
F
G
G
And birds were singing to calm us down
Am
Em7
F
E
G
And birds were singing to calm us down
Am
G
And I'm sorry young man, I can not be your friend
Am
G
I don't believe in a fairytale end
Am
G
I don't keep my head up all of the time
Am
G
I find it dull when my heart meets my mind
Am
G
And I hardly know you, I think I can tell
F
Em7
These are the reasons I think that we're ill
Am
G
I hardly know you, I think I can tell
F
Em7
These are the reasons I think that I'm ill
Am
G
Am
G
Am
G
Am
G
And the gods that he believes never fail to disappoint me
Am
G
Am
G
Am
G
Am
G
And the gods that he believes never fail to disappoint me
Am
Em7
Am
Em7
My nihilist, my happy man, my manic and I
Am
Em7
F
E
Have no plans to move on
Am
G
F
Em7
But birds are singing to calm us down
Am
G
F
E
And birds are singing to calm us down
Am

Night Terror

Em
Am
Am
B
Em
Am
I woke up and he was screaming
Am
B
I'd left him dreaming
Em
Am
I'll roll over and shake him tightly
Am
B
And whisper "If they want you, well they're gonna have to fight me"
Am
Dm
Em
Oh, fight me I woke up on a bench on Shepherds Bush Green Oh, a candle at my chest, and a head on his knee I got up it was dark there's no one in the park at this hour How do I keep finding myself here? Oh, fight me If I look back and he is screaming I'd left him dreaming, a dangerous feeling And I'll roll back and shake him tightly And scream "if they want him, oh they're gonna have to fight me!" Oh, fight me But if I wake up on a bench on Shepherds Bush Green Oh, a candle at my chest, and a head on his knee I'll roll over and hold him tightly And scream "If you want him, well you're gonna have to fight me!" Oh, fight me
Em
Am
Am
B
x4
Am
Dm
Em
Oh fight me

The Captain And The Hourglass

Capo:
I
Em
G
Em
You kick the blow, now you've gotta kick the guy
G
Em
You sat alone under billowing sky
D
Em
If I feel God judging me
D
Em
Well, I fell into the water, and now I'm free
Em
My friends they don't really get me, think I'm the only one
G
D
C
Em
Well I sold my soul to Jesus and since then I've had no fun
Em
Behind every tree is a cutting machine and a kite fallen from grace
G
D
C
Em
Inside every man is a heart of sand, you can see it in his face
Em
D
He'll tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick away
Em
D
Another second lost with every fallen grain
Em
D
He'll tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick away
Em
D
Another second lost with every fallen grain
Em
The wind and I, we speak the same, but he don't hear so well
D
Em
You're gonna have to curse him, well, you're gonna have to yell
Em
The sky and I, we've had our fights and I'm coming round to rain
G
D
C
Em
If the rain come round and don't go out and I'll never have to speak again I can tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick away Another second lost with every fallen grain Can tick tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick away Another second lost with every fallen grain
Em
The captain's got his boots on and he's heading out the door
D
Em
Leaving his lady alone thinkin' "He don't love me no more"
Em
He's done with all this bullshit, he's going back to war
G
D
C
Em
If Heaven is as Heaven does then this is Hell for sure And he'll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away Another second lost with every fallen grain He'll tick tick tick tick tick tick tick away Another second lost with every fallen grain
G
Em
You kick the blow, now you've gotta kick the guy
G
Em
You sat alone under billowing sky
D
Em
If I feel God judging me
D
Em
But I fell into the water, and now I'm free

Shine

Asus2 x022xx F5 13xxxx
Fsus2 1330xx C x3201x
G5 35xxxx G 3200xx
Intro
|--3p1--0----------------------------------------|
|----------0--(1)-(3)-(1)-----------1--3--0h1----|
|-------------------------(2)--2h4---------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
Verse
Asus2
Fsus2
|---------------------------------|----------------------------|
|---------------------------------|----------------------------|
|---------------------------------|------------------0---------|
|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2-|--------3------3-----3------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|---3-------3------------3---|
|---------------------------------|-1---1-------1--------------|
Asus2
Fsus2
I have travelled past your window many times
Asus2
Fsus2
I find your face too hard to define
Asus2
Fsus2
I can't touch you, hollow thing
Asus2
G5
F5
You plague my mind
Asus2
G5
F5
I can never go outside
Asus2
G5
F5
Asus2
G5
F5
I will never go back to being blind
Intro
Asus2
Fsus2
I have wondered what you're doing every day since last I asked
Asus2
Fsus2
Are your cheeks hollow? I don't like your eyes dark
Chorus (repeat throughout)
C
G
|------------------|------------------|
|----1-------1-----|------------------|
|--------0-------0-|---0-------0------|
|------2-------2---|-------0-------0--|
|--3-------3-------|-----2-------2----|
|------------------|-3-------3--------|
C
G
C
G
I need shine, I need shine, I need shine
C
G
C
Step away from my light I need shine
Asus2
Fsus2
I am honest, no, not a shouter
Asus2
Fsus2
I am reformed, reborn and forgiven
Asus2
Fsus2
And you've been busy but you've missed me
Asus2
G5
F5
And I've plagued your mind
Asus2
G5
F5
You will never go outside
Asus2
G5
F5
Asus2
G5
F5
You will never go back to being blind I need shine, I need shine, I need shine Step away from my light I need shine I need shine, I need shine, I need shine Step away from my light I need shine I need shine, I need shine, I need shine Step away from my light I need shine I need shine, I need shine, I need shine Step away from my light I need shine
Outro
C
G
C
|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
|---1-------1-----|-----------------|---1-------1-------|
|-------0-------0-|---0-------0-----|-------0-----------|
|-----2-------2---|-------0-------0-|-----2---------0---|
|-3-------3-------|-----2-------2---|-3-------3-------3-|
|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-------------3-----|

Your Only Doll (Dora)

Capo:
VI
D/e x30450
Em/d 0000xx
G
D/e
G
D/e
G
D/e
I fell into the street, poison in my veins
G
D/e
Clamber to my feet and into the night again
G
D/e
Back to my home, back to my owner
G
D/e
Who screams at my tardiness, put his hands to the sky, and says
Em/d
Am7
What can I do, with a girl
G
D/e
If she refuses to be mine? In his bed I am queen, unobtainable me Sexual being, human with feelings The two are not me The two will not be mine And what can you do with a girl If she refuses to be mine? Put his hand on my shirt, hand on my face Head to the wall When you've broken your only doll And what will you do with a girl If she refuses to be alive? And you've broken your only doll And what will you do with a girl If she's refusing to be alive?

Alas, I Cannot Swim

G
C
G
There's a house across the river, but alas I cannot swim
G
D
And a garden of such beauty that the flowers seem to grin
G
C
G
There's a house across the river, but alas I cannot swim
G
D
G
I'll live my life regretting that I never jumped in
C
G
C
G
C
G
G
There's a boy across the river with short black curly hair He wants to be my lover, and I want to be his peer There's a boy across the river, but alas I cannot swim I never will get to put my arms around him There's a life across the river that was meant for me Instead I live my life in constant misery There's a life across the river, but I do not see Why I should please those who will never be pleased?
Em
C
Em
There is gold across the river, but I don't want none
Em
C
G
There is gold across the river, but I don't want none
Em
C
G
Gold is fleeting, gold is fickle, gold is fun
Em
D
G
Gold is fleeting, gold is fickle, gold is fun There is gold across the river, but I don't want none I would rather be dry than held up by a golden gun Saying work more, earn more, live more, have more fun
G
C
G
Saying work more, earn more, live more, have more fun
G
C
G
Saying work more, earn more, live more, have more fun
G
G
C
G