Shipbuilding — Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Chords and lyrics for Shipbuilding by Elvis Costello & The Attractions (key of Em).
Verse 1
Elvis Costello, Clive Langer
From EC's _Punch the Clock_
(P) 1983
The Robert Wyatt version from 1982 is very much the same, only shorter.
The key is transposed two and a half tones up, his version is in Am.
Lyrics are from the _Punch the Clock_ inner sleeve
D: x-x-0-2-3-2 On most of the song: x-5-7-7-7-5
Dm: x-x-0-2-3-1 But may also be: x-5-7-7-6-5
Em: 0-2-2-0-0-0 On the first times: x-x-2-0-0-0
Em/D#: x-x-1-0-0-0
Em/D: x-x-0-0-0-0
C#dim: x-x-2-3-2-3 Also fits: A7: x-0-2-0-2-0
Cmaj7: x-3-5-4-5-3 Easier to play: x-3-2-0-0-0
Eb7 x-7-9-7-9-7 Can be played C#dim as well - I don't know.
Am | C | D | D |
[Em]Is it [Em/D#]worth it
[Em/D]A new winter [C#dim]coat and shoes for the [D]wife
[Dm]And a bicycle [Cm7]on the boy's [D]birthday
It's just a rumour that was [G]spread around town
[C]By the women and [D]children
Soon we'll be [G]shipbuilding
[Em]Well I [Em/D#]ask you
[Em/D]The boy said [C#dim]"Dad they're going to make me [D]to task
[Dm]But I'll be [Cm7]back by [D]christmas"
It's just a rumour that was [G]spread around town
[Cmaj7]Somebody said that [D]someone got filled in
[Cmaj7]For saying that [D]people get killed in
[Cmaj7]The result of [D]this shipbuilding[G]
With all the [G7]will in the world
Diving for [Eb6]dear life
[D]When we could be [G]diving for pearls
[Em] [Em/D#] [Em/D] [C#dim]
[D] [Dm] [Cm7]
[D]It's just a rumour that was [G]spread around town
[Cmaj7]A telegram or a [D]picture postcard
[Cmaj7]Within weeks they'll be [D]re-opening the shipyards
[Cmaj7]And notifying the [D]next of kin
[G]Once again
It's all we're [G7]skilled in
We will be [Eb6][D]shipbuilding[G]
With all the [Gm]will in the world
Diving for [Eb6]dear [D]life[D][D]
[D]When we could be [Em]diving for pearls
[Em/D#] [Em/D] [C#dim]
[D] [Dm] [Cm7] [D]
[G] [Cmaj7] [D] [Cmaj7]
[D] [Cmaj7] [D] [G]
It's all we're [G7]skilled in
We will be [Eb6][D]shipbuilding[G]
With all the [Gm]will in the world
Diving for [Eb6]dear [D]life[D][D]
[D]When we could be [D]diving for [D]pearls[D]
[D]When we could be [D]diving for [D]pearls[D]
[D]When we could be [Em]diving for pearls
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