James - God Only Knows

Taken from the album Gold Mother

Written and performed by James

Main Riff:

e----------------------------------------------------5--------
B--7----5-7----5-7----5-------5-7----5-7----5-7----5---7-5----
G----7------7------7------4-7-----7------7------7----------7--
D-----------------------7-------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------

Verse "Riff":

e------------------       e-----------------------------------
B------------------       B-----------------------------------
G--7-7--7-7-7------  x 3  G--7-7--7-7-7-----------------------
D--7-7--7-7-7------       D--5-5--5-5-5-----------------------
A------------------       A-----------------------------------
E------------------       E-----------------------------------

Song Structure:

A kind of "Riff" is played throughout the verses, which I've tabbed, along with the Main Riff and many of the variations that come along with it.  At all other times the guitars play the chords (unless there aren't any guitars playing, in which case they can't be, duh!).

Lyrics/Chords:

D                                           G
You may say I'm cynical, but I'd say man is flawed

   D                                      G
He has a vague memory of life before some fall

  D                                            G
Behaving like a reptile, that talks of walking tall

   D                                         G
If god is in his image, the almighty must be small

 
D                                                    G
Swaggart has been caught with his trousers round his knees

      D                                    G
After damning me and you to hell for eternity

D                                              G
Sex and power and money is the prayer of these priests

     D                                                      G
They drive their way past heaven's gates and steal a set of keys

 

God only, God only, God only knows

God only, God only, God only knows

God only, God only, God only knows

 

My guru has been sleeping with adepts and with sheep

While I was f***ing celibate, self-righteous in belief

Yesterday he was god, now he is a creep

We fell upon each other starving for relief

 
God only, God only, God only knows

God only, God only, God only knows

God only, God only, God only knows

 

I damn you all to hell

I speak in the name of god

I know him intimately

I speak in the name of that white haired old man in the clouds

Always a man

(Blessed are the sheep, for they shall inherit the grass)

Dispensing lightning justice from his fingertips

As self-righteous and vengeful as those who created him

(You were born sinful and then things get worse)

A cruel desert god with absolutely no sense of humour

(You must believe)

How do you feel old man?

How do you feel?

With these self-righteous fanatics speaking for you

(The desert can do some awful strange things to a man)

Is heaven full, oh lord, of these babbling preachers and God-fearing bigots

Well I know where I'd rather be

Away from this cacophony

 

Do you feel abused?

Do you feel abused?

Do you feel abused?

God only knows

God only knows

God only knows



  
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.

alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk