Van der Graaf Generator - The Undercover Man from the album Godbluff (1975). Transcribed by Cory ([email protected]), July 2010 F#m F# sus E D C#m --2-----2-----4-----2-------| --2-----2-----5-----3----5--| --2-----4-----4-----2----6--| --4-----4-----6-----0----6--| -------------------------4--| ----------------------------| F#m F#sus Here at the glass - F#m F#sus all the usual problems, all the habitual farce. F#m F#sus You ask, in uncertain voice, F#m what you should do, E D as if there were a choice but to carry on C#m miming the song F#m and hope that it all works out right. F#sus Tonight it all seems so strange - F#m/A F#sus/G# my spirit feels rigid, my body deranged; F#m F#sus still that's only from one point of view F#m/A E and we can't have illusion between me and you, D C#m my constant friend, ever close at hand - F#m you and the undercover man. [E F#]E/G# B/D# ---------0----------------| ---------0-------------4--| ---------1-------------4--| ---------2-------------4--| -----------------------6--| -0-2--4-------------------| I re flect: 'It's very strange D to be going through this change G with no idea of what it's all been about [E F G A B C#]Bb/D Bb B5 ----------------------------| --------| -------------------------3--| --3--3--| -------------------------3--| --3--3--| -------------------------3--| --3--2--| --------------0--2----4--5--| --1--1--| --0----1--3-----------------| --------| [E F G A B C#]Bb/D except in the context of time...' Bb B5 C Oh, but I shirk it, I've half a mind not to work it all out. D C C#dim ------------| --7---5--5--| --7---5--3--| --7---5--5--| --5---3--4--| ------------| D G A Is this madness just the recurring wave of total emotion, D G A or a hide for the undercover man, D G A or a litany - all the signs are there of fervent devotion - D C C Cmaj7 C C Cmaj7 F ----------------8--7------------8---7------5--| -------7----5---5--5-----8------5---5------6--| -------7----5---5--5-----9------5---5------5--| -------7----5---5--5-----10-----5---5------7--| -------5----3------------10-------------------| -------------------------8--------------------| or the cracking of the dam? C Cmaj7 C C Cmaj7 F F#dim Adim Cdim Ebdim Em ---------------------------------------------| -----1-------4---7---------------10-------8--| -----2-------5---8---------------11-------9--| -----1-------4---7---------------10-------9--| ------------------------------------------7--| -----2-------5---8---------------11----------| It's cracked; smashed and bursting over you, D C there was no reason to expect such disaster. B Em EmMaj7 G/D A/Db -----7--| ---7--| --3-----5--| -7---8--| ---8--| --3-----5--| -8---9--| ---8--| --4-----6--| -9------| ------| --5--------| -9---7--| ---6--| --5-----4--| -7------| ------| -----------| B Em Now, panicking, you burst for air, EmMaj7 drowning, you know you care G/D A/Db for nothing and no-one but yourself G and would deny even this hand Bm D A G which stretches out towards you to help. Gmaj7 Cmaj7 C B --------------------------------------------------------| ------------3-----------------5--------------5-------4--| ------------4-----------------4--------------5-------4--| ------------4-----------------5--------------5-------4--| ------------------------------3--------------3-------2--| ------------3-------------------------------------------| But would I leave you in this moment of your trial? Gmaj7 Cmaj7 C B Is it my fault that I'm here to see you crying? Am Am+ Am ------------------------------------------------------------| ----------------------1------------1---------------------1--| --------------------2------------2---------------------2----| ------------------2------------3---------------------2------| --------------r-0----------r-0-------------------r-0--------| ------------------------------------------------------------| These phantom figures all around you should have told you, Am+ G you should have found out by now, C if you hadn't gone and tried to do it all by yourself. Ab Bb C Db5 D5 Eb9 -------------| ----------6--| --6--7----6--| --6--7----5--| --4--5----6--| -------------| Sax solo over F minor riff [Db Eb] E B/D# D Ev-en now we are not lost: if you look out at the night G you'll see the colours and the lights seem to say [E F G A Bb C]Bb/D Bb people are not far a-way, at least in distance, B5 and it's only our own dumb resistance C that's making us stay. D C C#dim D G A When the madness comes, let it flood on down and over me sweetly, D G A let it drown the parts of me weak and blessed and damned, D G A let it slake my life, let it take my soul and living completely, D C C Cmaj7 C let it be who I am. A D G A There may not be time for us all to run in tandem together - D G A the horizon calls with its parallel lines. D G A It may not be right for you to have and hold in one way forever D C C Cmaj7 C C Cmaj7 F and yet you still have time, C Cmaj7 C C Cmaj7 F you still have time.
