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Cygnet Committee

Chords

4.996 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

This song took me two hours to figure out.  It is probably, in my opinion,
one of the greatest David Bowie songs.  It is off of -Space Oddity- and 
quite a track coming in at over nine minutes.  It is quite a piece moving
through so many key changes and other things.  Those are things 
characteristic of -Space Oddity-, figuring out songs off that album is   
quite difficult.  I was quite frustrated trying to get some of it but now 
that I got all of it, I am quite proud and happy I did it.  I am typing   
this on a word processor program that does not show any quotation or
apostrophe marks.  So to not cause any confusion on the lyrics, I will     
use a ~ for an apostrophe and ~~ for both open and closed quotation marks.   
I took the lyrics right off of the album and even capitalized a lot of   
things  that were capitalized on the album sleeve. I hope you enjoy this,  
(it took me a really strenuous long time to do but I did enjoy doing it
anyway):
                          CYGNET COMMITTEE
                           by David Bowie
[Verses]
DI bless you mD/Cadly
BmSadly Bbas I tie my sDhoe
I love you bD/Cadly
BmJust in tBbime, at times, I gDuessD/C  
BeBmcause of yBbou I need to rDestD/C  
BBmecause it~s Bbyou that sets the tDest
EbSo much has gone and lBbmittle is new
BbmAnd as the spaArrow sings
Dawn chF#orus for
SBbmomeone else to hear
BbmThe thinker sAits alone
GrF#owing oBbmlder
And so bitter
F~~I gave Them life, I gave Them Bbmall
They Cdrained my very sFmoul...dry
FI crushed my heart to ease Their pBbmains
No thoCught for me remFmains thereAb  
BbmNothing can they Dbspare
What of mCe?
AmWho praised Their efforts to be free?F  
WGords of strength and care and sympathyC  
AmI open doors that would have blocked their wayF  
I bGraved Their cause to guide for little payC  
AmI ravaged at my finanace just for ThoseF  
Those whose claimGs were steeped in peace, tranquilityC  
AmThose who said a new world, new ways ever freeF  
Those whose promises stretched in hoGpe and grace for me.~~C  
Am     F      G
DI bless you madlyD/C  
SBmadly as BbI tie my shoeD  
I love you badlyD/C  
JBmust in timBbe, at times, I guessD  D/C  
BeBmcause of you I Bbneed to restD  D/C  
BeBmcause it~s you tBbhat sets the testD  
EbSo much has gone and little Bbmis new
BbmAnd as the sunrisAe stream
FF#lickers on meBbm  
My friends talk of Bbmglory, uAntold dream
Where alF#l is God and God is Bbmjust a word
F~~We had a friend, a talking manBbm  
Who spokCe of many powers tFmhat he had
NFot of the best of men but OursBbm  
We uCsed him, We let him use his poFmwersAb  
We Bbmlet him fill our needDbs       
Now we are strongC.
AmAnd the road is coming to its endF  
NGow the damned have not time to make amendsC  
AmNo purse of token fortunes stands in Our wayF  
The sGilent guns of love will blast the skyC  
AmWe broke the ruptured structure build of ageF  
Our weapGons were tongues of crying rageC  
Where monAmey stood we planted seeds of rebirthF  
And stabGbed the backs of fathers, sons of dirtC  
InAmfiltrated business cesspools
Hating through Our sFleeves
Yea, and We slit Gthe Catholic throat
Stoned the poor on slogans Cas:
        -Wish You Could Hear-
        -Love Is All We Need-Am  
        -Kick Out The Jams-
        -Kick Out Your Mother-
        -CFut Up Your Friend-
        -Screw Up Your Brother or He~ll Get You In Gthe End-
And We KnoCw the Flag of Love is from AboveAm  
And We Can Force FYou to Be Free
And We Can Force GYou to Believe.~~C  
And I close my eyes and tighten up Ammy brain
For I once read a book in which the lovers were slFain
For they Knew not the words of the Free States~ refrain,G  
It said:
~C~I Believe in the Power of Good
I BeAmlieve in the State of Love
I Will FighFt For the Right to be Right
          G
CI Will Kill for the Good of the Fight for the Right to be Right.~~
And I open my eyes Amto look aroundF  
And I see a child laid slain on the groundG  
CAs a love machine lumbers Amthrough desolation rows
FPloughing down man, woman, Glistening to its command
But not heaCring anymore-
Not hearAming anymoreF  
Just the shrieks Gfrom the old rich
And I Want to BelievCe
In the madness that calls ~GNow~
And I Want to BelievCe
That a light is shining through somGehow
And I Want to BelievBbe
And You Want to BelieveF  
And We Want to BelievCe
And We Want to LiveG  
Oh, We Want to LiveAb  
We Want to LiveBb  
We Want to LiveC  
(marching-type beat configuration appears)
We Want to LiGve
We Want to LiveAb  
We Want To LiveBb  
I Want to LiveC  
I Want to LiveG  
I Want to LivAbe
I Want to LivBbe
I Want to LiveC  
I Want to LiveG  
LAbive
LBbive
LCive
(it continues with the G-Ab-Bb-C chords until it fades)
The Chords Used Are:
        E--A--D--G--B--E-
D       x x 0 2 3 x
D/C     x 3 x 2 3 x
Bm      x 2 4 4 3 2
Bb      x 1 3 3 3 x
Eb      x 6 5 3 4 3
Bbm     x 1 3 3 2 1
A       x 0 2 2 2 0
F#      2 4 4 3 2 2
F       1 3 3 2 1 1
C       x 3 2 0 1 0
Fm      1 3 3 1 1 1
Ab      4 6 6 5 4 4
Db      x 4 6 6 6 x
Am      x 0 2 2 1 0
G       3 2 0 0 0 3
Make sure to play the marching chords at the end in barre form.
And that is pretty much it.  Please send my email and comment if you find
any errors or anything else not of that nature.  Bye-bye.
(This thing came out a bit screwed up, especially with the chords above the
words, but I hope you get the idea)

All chords in this song (17)

The story behind the song

This ambitious progressive folk rock song developed from an earlier composition, "Lover to the Dawn," written in the style of Simon and Garfunkel. It was originally intended for Bowie's folk combo, Feathers, which included his girlfriend at the time, Hermione Farthingale, who is also the subject of other songs on his 1969 album. The song's lyrics reflect Bowie's disillusionment after attempting to encourage creativity at the Beckenham Arts Lab, an experience that led him to quit. At its heart, this song captures the feeling of idealism turning into disappointment.

AI-written from these sources:Cygnet Committee — Wikipedia ↗David Bowie — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Cygnet Committee

by David Bowie

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

D/C

Bbm

This song took me two hours to figure out. It is probably, in my opinion,

one of the greatest David Bowie songs. It is off of -Space Oddity- and

quite a track coming in at over nine minutes. It is quite a piece moving

through so many key changes and other things. Those are things

characteristic of -Space Oddity-, figuring out songs off that album is

quite difficult. I was quite frustrated trying to get some of it but now

that I got all of it, I am quite proud and happy I did it. I am typing

this on a word processor program that does not show any quotation or

apostrophe marks. So to not cause any confusion on the lyrics, I will

use a ~ for an apostrophe and ~~ for both open and closed quotation marks.

I took the lyrics right off of the album and even capitalized a lot of

things that were capitalized on the album sleeve. I hope you enjoy this,

(it took me a really strenuous long time to do but I did enjoy doing it

anyway):

CYGNET COMMITTEE

by David Bowie

[Verses]

D D/C

I bless you madly

Bm Bb D

Sadly as I tie my shoe

D/C

I love you badly

Bm Bb D D/C

Just in time, at times, I guess

Bm Bb D D/C

Because of you I need to rest

Bm Bb D

Because it~s you that sets the test

Eb Bbm

So much has gone and little is new

Bbm A

And as the sparrow sings

Dawn chorus for

Bbm

Someone else to hear

Bbm A

The thinker sits alone

F# Bbm

Growing older

And so bitter

F Bbm

~~I gave Them life, I gave Them all

C Fm

They drained my very soul...dry

F Bbm

I crushed my heart to ease Their pains

C Fm Ab

No thought for me remains there

Bbm Db

Nothing can they spare

What of me?

Am F

Who praised Their efforts to be free?

G C

Words of strength and care and sympathy

Am F

I open doors that would have blocked their way

G C

I braved Their cause to guide for little pay

Am F

I ravaged at my finanace just for Those

G C

Those whose claims were steeped in peace, tranquility

Am F

Those who said a new world, new ways ever free

G C

Those whose promises stretched in hope and grace for me.~~

Am F G

D D/C

I bless you madly

Bm Bb D

Sadly as I tie my shoe

D/C

I love you badly

Bm Bb D D/C

Just in time, at times, I guess

Bm Bb D D/C

Because of you I need to rest

Bm Bb D

Because it~s you that sets the test

Eb Bbm

So much has gone and little is new

Bbm A

And as the sunrise stream

F# Bbm

Flickers on me

Bbm A

My friends talk of glory, untold dream

F# Bbm

Where all is God and God is just a word

F Bbm

~~We had a friend, a talking man

C Fm

Who spoke of many powers that he had

F Bbm

Not of the best of men but Ours

C Fm Ab

We used him, We let him use his powers

Bbm Db

We let him fill our needs

Now we are strong.

Am F

And the road is coming to its end

G C

Now the damned have not time to make amends

Am F

No purse of token fortunes stands in Our way

G C

The silent guns of love will blast the sky

Am F

We broke the ruptured structure build of age

G C

Our weapons were tongues of crying rage

Am F

Where money stood we planted seeds of rebirth

G C

And stabbed the backs of fathers, sons of dirt

Infiltrated business cesspools

Hating through Our sleeves

Yea, and We slit the Catholic throat

Stoned the poor on slogans as:

-Wish You Could Hear-

-Love Is All We Need-

-Kick Out The Jams-

-Kick Out Your Mother-

-Cut Up Your Friend-

-Screw Up Your Brother or He~ll Get You In the End-

C Am

And We Know the Flag of Love is from Above

And We Can Force You to Be Free

G C

And We Can Force You to Believe.~~

And I close my eyes and tighten up my brain

For I once read a book in which the lovers were slain

For they Knew not the words of the Free States~ refrain,

It said:

~~I Believe in the Power of Good

I Believe in the State of Love

I Will Fight For the Right to be Right

I Will Kill for the Good of the Fight for the Right to be Right.~~

Am F

And I open my eyes to look around

And I see a child laid slain on the ground

C Am

As a love machine lumbers through desolation rows

F G

Ploughing down man, woman, listening to its command

But not hearing anymore-

Am F

Not hearing anymore

Just the shrieks from the old rich

And I Want to Believe

In the madness that calls ~Now~

And I Want to Believe

That a light is shining through somehow

And I Want to Believe

And You Want to Believe

And We Want to Believe

And We Want to Live

Oh, We Want to Live

We Want to Live

(marching-type beat configuration appears)

We Want to Live

We Want To Live

I Want to Live

Live

(it continues with the G-Ab-Bb-C chords until it fades)

The Chords Used Are:

E A D G B E

-----------

D x x 0 2 3 x

D/C x 3 x 2 3 x

Bm x 2 4 4 3 2

Bb x 1 3 3 3 x

Eb x 6 5 3 4 3

Bbm x 1 3 3 2 1

A x 0 2 2 2 0

F# 2 4 4 3 2 2

F 1 3 3 2 1 1

C x 3 2 0 1 0

Fm 1 3 3 1 1 1

Ab 4 6 6 5 4 4

Db x 4 6 6 6 x

Am x 0 2 2 1 0

G 3 2 0 0 0 3

Make sure to play the marching chords at the end in barre form.

And that is pretty much it. Please send my email and comment if you find

any errors or anything else not of that nature. Bye-bye.

(This thing came out a bit screwed up, especially with the chords above the

words, but I hope you get the idea)

About Cygnet Committee Chords by David Bowie

Learn how to play Cygnet Committee by David Bowie with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Cygnet Committee chords”, “Cygnet Committee guitar chords”, or “David Bowie Cygnet Committee chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Cygnet Committee chords and for experienced players who want accurate Cygnet Committee lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, D/C, Bm, Bb, Eb, Bbm.

FAQ — Cygnet Committee by David Bowie

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Many players learn "Cygnet Committee" by David Bowie with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by David Bowie below.

What key is "Cygnet Committee" in?

The chords for "Cygnet Committee" show the original chord names (including D, D/C, Bm, Bb, Eb, Bbm). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.