[Intro BPM 120 - G#m7b5/D = xx0102 - CAPO 1st fret for original key] -----Bm--------Bm/F#-Bm/A--Bm---------Bm/F#-Bm/A ||:--/---/---/___/---/---|--/---/---/___/----/--:||[x2]
[Keyboard riff] e |-2--2----keep Bm ringing apart from any part fretted with first finger B |-3--3------------------- G |-4--4------------------- D |-4--4------------------- A |-2--2-----0------------- E |-X--X--0h2--------------
[Verse 1 - Chug with no drums] [Bm] When I was young, it seemed that [Gmaj7] life was so [F#m7] wonderful, [(G)] A [A] miracle, oh, it was [G] beautiful, [E7/G#] magical, And all the [Bm] birds in the trees, well, they'd be [Gmaj7] singing so [F#m7] happily, [(G)] Oh, [A] joyfully, oh, [G] playfully [E7/G#] watching me
[Verse 2 - Full drums but slap snare] But then they [Bm] sent me away, to teach me [Gmaj7] how to be [F#m7] sensible, [(G)][A] Logical, oh, re - [G] sponsible, [E7/G#] practical, And then they [Bm] showed me a world where I [Gmaj7] could be so de - [F#m7] pendable, [(G)] Oh, [A] clinical, oh, intel - [G] lectual, [E7/G#] cynical
[Chorus - Just bass drum Bxxb Bxxx] There are [D] times when all the world's a - [G#m7b5/D - XX0102] sleep The questions run too [Gmaj7/D - XX0432] deep for such a simple (drums in) [C] man- [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ----- [G] ---, Won't you (just bass drum) [D] please, ...please, tell me what we've [G#m7b5/D] learnt, I know it sounds ab - [Gmaj7/D] surd, Please, tell me who I [C] am- [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ----- [G] --! -----C-----Em/B-----Am7---G |-/--/--/--/--|--/--/--/--/--|
[Verse 3 - Full snare] I said now, [Bm] watch what you say, they'll be [Gmaj7] calling you a [F#m7] radical, [(G)] A [A] liberal, oh, fan - [G] atical, [E7/G#] criminal, Oh, won't you [Bm] sign up your name? We'd like to [Gmaj7] feel you're ac - [F#m7] ceptable, [(G)] Re - [A] spectable, oh, pre - [G] sentable, a [E7/G#] vegetable, oh, take it, take it!
[Verse 4 - Sax solo - Full drums] ...Yeah! ---Bm----------Gmaj7-F#m7------(G)-A------------G------E7/G# |--/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-| ---Bm----------Gmaj7-F#m7------(G)-A------------G------E7/G# |--/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|
[Chorus - drums as per others] But at [D] night, when all the world's a - [G#m7b5/D] sleep, The questions run so [Gmaj7/D] deep for such a simple [C] man [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ---, [G] Won't you [D] please, please, tell me what we've [G#m7b5/D] learnt? (Oh, won't you tell me? Umm, tell me what!) I know it sounds ab - [Gmaj7/D] surd-----!, (Can you hear me? I know!) (Oh, won't you help me?) Please, tell me who I [C] am- [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ---- [G] --, (Tell me who I am-------------!) who I [C] am- [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ----- [G] --,
Who I [C] am- [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ----- [G] --, who I [C] am- [Em/B] ------ [Am7] ----- [G] ---! Yeah!
[Outro - Fade to End] ----B7-------------------------------------Em----Em7 ||:-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|-/--/--/--/-|
==================================================================== [Coda - with bass notes] This nine bar pattern repeats to the fade
h = Hammer-on notes
B7 e |-------2--2---------|--2-----------------|-------2--2---------| B |-------0--0---------|--0-----------------|-------0--0---------| G |-------2--2---------|--2-----------------|-------2--2---------| D |-------1--1---------|--1---0-h1----------|-------1--1---------| A |----0--2--2------0--|--2---------2--0----|----0--2--2---------| E |--2-----------------|--------------------|--2-----------2--1--|
Em Em7 B7 e |--------------------|-------2--2---------|---2----------------| B |---0--------0--0----|-------0--0---------|---0----------------| G |---0--------0--0----|-------2--2---------|---2----------------| D |---2-----2--0--0----|-------1--1---------|---1---0-h1---------| A |---2----------------|----0--2--2------0--|---2---------2--0---| E |---0----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
B7 Em Bm/D (Bm/F#) G e |-------2--2---------|--0------2----------|---3----------------| B |-------0--0---------|--0------3----------|---3----------------| G |-------2--2---------|--0------4----------|---4----------------| D |-------1--1---4--3--|--2---2--0------4---|---5----------------| A |----0--2--2---------|--------------------|--------------------| E |--2-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
[Additional Notes] Bm Bm/F# Bm/A Bm Bm/F# Bm/A e |---2--2--2--2------------|---2--2--2--2------------| B |---3--3--3--3------------|---3--3--3--3------------| [x2] G |---4--4--4--4------------|---4--4--4--4------------| D |---4--4--4--4------------|---4--4--4--4------------| A |---2--2--2--2--------0---|---2--2--2--2--------0---| E |---------------0-h2------|---------------0-h2------|
[Chorus Riff arpeggios] C Em/B Am7 G (G/A)(G/B) e |----------------------|-------------------------| B |----------------------|-------------------------| G |---------0--------0---|---------0---------------| D |------2--------2------|------2------------------| A |---3--------2---------|---0--------------0--h2--| E |----------------------|------------3------------|
h = hammer-on note
Chord names and fret positions are relative to the capo: Bm = x24432 G = 320033 Em/B = x22000 Bm/F# = 224432 E7/G# = 420100 Am7 = x02010 Bm/A = x04432 D = xx0232 Em = 022000 Gmaj7 = 320002 G#m7b5/D = xx0102 Em7 = 020000 F#m7 = 242222 Gmaj7/D = xx0002 B7 = x21202 A = x02220 C = x32010 Bm/D = xx0432(G) = 3xxxxx
[Verse 1] Dm C Bb A You get a shiver in the dark, it's raining in the park but meantime Dm C Bb A South of the river you stop and you hold everything F C A band is blowing Dixie double four time Bb Dm Bb - C You feel alright when you hear that music ring
[Verse 2] Dm C Bb A Well now, you step inside but you don't see too many faces Dm C Bb A Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down F C Competition in other places Bb Dm Uh, but the horns they blowin' that sound Bb - C way on down south Bb - C way on down south Dm London Town
[Instrumental] Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C x 2
[Verse 3] Dm C Bb A You check out Guitar George, he knows all the chords Dm C Bb A Mind he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing F C They say an old guitar is all he can afford Bb Dm Bb - C When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
[Verse 4] Dm C Bb A And Harry doesn't mind if he doesn't make the scene Dm C Bb A He's got a daytime job, he's doin' alright F C He can play the honky tonk like anything Bb Dm Bb - C Saving it up for Friday night Bb - C with the Sultans Dm with the Sultans of Swing
[Instrumental] Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C x 2
[Verse 5] Dm C Bb A Then a crowd of young boys, they're foolin' around in the corner Dm C Bb A Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles F C They don't give a damn about about any trumpet playin' band Bb Dm Bb - C It ain't what they call rock and roll Bb - C and the Sultans Dm Yeah, the Sultans, they play Creole
[Instrumental] Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C ... Creole Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C
[Lead] | Dm | C Bb | A | A | | Dm | C Bb | A | A | | F | F | C | C | | Bb | Bb | Dm | Dm Bb | | C | C Bb | C | C |
[Instrumental] Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C x 2
[Verse 6] Dm C Bb A And then the man he steps right up to the microphone Dm C Bb A (A7) And says at last just as the time bell ring F C Goodnight, now it's time to go home Bb Dm Bb - C Then he makes it fast with one more thing Bb - C We are the Sultans Dm We are the Sultans of Swing
[Instrumental] Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C x 2
[Outro Solo] Dm - (C passing) Bb - C - C x 2 (repeat and fade, approx x7)