Peter Hammill - Here Come the Talkies (chords)


Chord transcription by Mikayel Abazyan mikayelabazyan@yahoo.com


Cm             Bb                 G#
  Hair in the gate, let's take a minute

Cm                         Bb                  G#
  to find out where this character's lost his way...

Cm                    Bb               G#
  unless I'm much mistaken I'm at the limit

                        Cm         Bb
of what I can and can't say.


Cm               Bb                 G#
  Something untoward seems to be occurring,

Cm                     Bb          G#
  the best that I can do is play along

Cm                  Bb                    G#
  for much as I deplore it the camera's still turning...

                      Fm       Fm/d#   Fm/d    Cm
you don't have to be bad to be in    the     wrong,

                      Fm     Fm/d#       Fm/d       Cm
you don't have to be bad             to get it all wrong.

         
     Gm
Fighting the light,

Cm         Gm
  there's not much time...

Cm      Gm               Fm
  What future bright is mine?

         
In the course of that scene you looked right through me,
though I was holding your attention as best I could.
I feel I'm dropping down the credits of my own movie...
Even when you're in the right you could be gone for good;
take a look at these shoes where the understudy stood.
         
Fighting the light,
there's not much time...
What future bright is mine?


F                  D#                  F        Cm
  With uncertainty   as a constant companion

F                                      D#                     F        Cm
  yeah you'll never be alone if you're open to your own self-doubt...

              Cm
better let it out.
         

Riff in C:
The riff's main notes are:  c    c a# c    c a# c d# g c    c a# c    c a# b c f d# c . The following paragraph is played to it.

This is no time for you to stutter in dismay
as frame by frame all your references unlock;
wired up as anything, the future's on its way
like electricity, you judder with the shock.
You judder with the shock,
until you're utterly unblocked;
yeh, you judder with the shock.


Riff in G:
The riff's main notes are:  g b d g    d e g    g b d g    d e edcb. The following paragraph is played to it.
         
Time to get a grip, we're all mummers in a freak show,
come on, read my lips and then maybe you'll acquire a different taste.
Take another tip, find a method in the madness...
when everything is stripped I see no fortune in your face.
Oh, look out!

Riff in B:
Not identified yet.


Riff in G:
Walking on the coals your star was never brighter,
good as solid gold, but that standard's not so relevant today -
typecast in the role, is your strength all in your silence?


Riff in B:
Here come the talkies - what's that you say?


Riff in G:
Fashion what you make from the clay of your experience;
you might deserve a break but the longer you go on the less it's fair;
you be sure to claim your stake, but the ground below you's shifted.
Just like Rudy as the Sheikh do you feel there's something alien in the air?
         

Riff in B:
Here come the talkies,
obsolescence guaranteed;
here come the talkies, don't you see?

Short fragments of Riff in G and Riff in B interchange each other.


Riff in B:
And you never thought you'd feel so absurd,
but now you're fluffing your famous last words....
         
Thank you and goodnight.


C      Gm
  Fighting the light,

C         Gm
  there's always time

C     Gm                     F
  to stand and fight your decline...
         

C              Bb
  Hair in the gate,

                   G#
that Klieg light, dim it.

C                           Bb              G#
  Let's find out how this character acts at   bay:

C            Bb                                G#7
  If he's strong in his belief there'll be no limit

                          Fm  Fm7  Cm  Gm7
to what he can and can't say,

Fm            Fm7     G
  to what he can and can't....


C      Bb         
  Fighting the light,

C     Bb
  in tune with time...

C       Bb                    F
  what future bright will be mine?


          C         
Will, be mine. 




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