Song: Shipbuilding
Artist: Elvis Costello
Music: Clive Langer
Lyrics: Elvis Costello
Album: Punch the clock
Tabbed by DJ ('DiddyD' at ultimateGuitar.com)
24th April 2014
N.B. Please IGNORE ANY POP-UP CHORD BOXES the website might
automatically suggest and use the typed shapes shown below:
Am = x02210 A#dim = x12020 C/G = 332010 G/F# = 2xxxxx
Am7/G = 302010 Dm/F = xx3231 D/A = x00232 Dsus4 = xx0233
D/F# = 200232 Cm/D# = xx1013 G/B = x2xxxx Dsus2 = xx0230
D = xx0232 D/A = x00232 G/A = x0xxxx Dm = xx0231
D#m = xxx342 G = 320033 G * = 3xxxxx Cm = x35543
Em = xx2000 Gaug = xx1003 G7/F = xx3433 Gm/A# = x1xxxx
B7/D# = xx1202 C = x32010 D# = xx5343 Fsus4 = 133311
G/D = xx0003 C/E = 032010 D7 = xx0212 D#dim = xx1212
Em9 = 020002
**********************************************************************
[Intro]
Am Am7/G D/F# D D#m
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 1]
Em B7/D# G/D A#dim D
Is it worth it, a new winter coat and shoes for the wife,
Dm/F Cm/D#
And a bicycle on the boy's birthday?
D D/A G
It's just a rumour that was spread around town,
C D D/F# G
By the women and children, soon we'll be shipbuilding!
[Verse 2]
G Gaug Em B7/D# G/D
| / / / / | Well, I ask you, the boy said,
A#dim D
"Dad, they're going to take me to task,
Dm/F Cm/D#
But I'll be back by Christmas!"
D D/A G
It's just a rumour that was spread around town,
C D
Somebody said that someone got filled in...
C/E D/F#
...For saying that people get killed in...
C/G D/A G
...The result of this shipbuilding-------!
[Bridge]
G/B G/A G * G7/F G/B G/A G * D#
With all the will in the world, div - ing for dear life,
D7 G
When we could be diving for pearls!
[Break 1]
G G/F# Em B7/D# G/D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
A#dim D Dm/F Cm/D#
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 3]
D D/A G
It's just a rumour that was spread around town,
C D
A telegram or a picture postcard,
C/E D/F#
...Within weeks they'll be re - opening the shipyards,
C/G D/A G
And notifying the next of kin, once again!
[Verse 4]
G/B G/A G * G7/F G/B G/A G * D# D7 G
It's all we're skilled in, we will be shipbuilding-------,
G/B G/A G * Fsus4 Gm/A# G/A G * D# Dsus4 D Dsus2
With all the ...will in the world, div - ing for dear life,
D7 Em B7/D# G/D
When we could be diving for pearls----------------!
[Break 2]
Bbdim D Dm Cm
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
D G C D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
C/E D/F# C/G D/A G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 5]
G/B G/A G * G7/F G/B G/A G * D# D7 G
It's all we're skilled in, we will be shipbuilding-------,
G/B G/A G * Fsus4 Gm/A# G/A G * D# Dsus4 D Dsus2
With all the ...will in the world, div - ing for dear life--------,
D Dsus2
When we could be diving for pearls--------------!
D7 D#dim
When we could be diving for pearls--------------!
D7 Em9
When we could be div - ing for pearls-----------!
***********************************************************************
There is a rare video of Elvis playing this on guitar,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUCUnHLaduE ,it's the 2nd song at[3:38]
Instead of the progression used on piano,
in verses 1, 2 and the break, he uses this progression...
Em [02200] - Emmaj7 [02100] - Em7/D [020000] - C#m7-5 [042000]
but not hitting the 5th and 6th strings, apart from the C#m7-5 where the
root on the 5th string is played.
Also, I think, he played the G7/F as [120003] or [12003x]
which I don't find as easy on the ear as the shape in my tab.
Instead of Cm/D#, he plays a conventional Cm [335543]
with his thumb on the bottom G, but is probably only muting it,
and doesn't appear to hit it.
