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Church Underground

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Dminor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

DmShe stood spotlit in a plain print dress
Came howling out of the wilderness
Gm................F..........................C  
....There beat a cunning and murderous heart
Beneath that calm exterior
Dm"You know my name
You don't know my mind
Don't doubt my eyes
They betray the past
Gm............F  
....And I've already forgotten
C....Much more than you will ever know"
Dm..................................F/C  
....And every word that I have spoken is true
G/B.....Except for those that were broken in two
C/Bb......................................F/A  
.....I'm trying to make peace after a long night of pretend
C/Bb...............................F/A  
.....I need a pawnbroker or a moneylender
GWhy do you do me down, Mister?
..............F.......C  
Sing "Hallelujah," Sister
 C/Bb...........................F/A  
Turn up the volume, just to turn it down
Dm.........Dm/C...........G/B  
The trivial secrets buried with the profound
....C.................................F............C/E...Dm  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
....C.................................F............C/E...Dm  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
Dm.....Deflowered young and then ever since
She's tried to wash off his fingerprints
Gm.......F.................C  
So every charlatan and prince
Was made to feel inferior
DmShe worked for tips in a 10-cent dance
Said moving pictures might pay perchance
Gm......F.........................C  
10,000 one-way tickets to the sparkling coast
From the blank interior
Dm..................F/A  
Everybody's either talking in code
G/BOr getting ready to explode
C/Bb..........................F/A  
Then she was singing in a five-piece band
C/Bb...........................F/A  
But seems that no-one really wants this sound
GWhy do you do me down, Mister?
..............F.......C  
Sing "Hallelujah," Sister
 C/Bb...........................F/A  
Turn up the volume, just to turn it down
Dm.........Dm/C...........G/B  
The trivial secrets buried with the profound
....C.................................F............C/E...Dm  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
....C.................................F  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
Bb..................F.........................C/E  
.....The shaft of fanlight streaked with rain
.......................A...............................Eb  
Poured through the glass, punched through the pain
...........D........................Gm...........................C  
The holy picture hidden in the midden of that poisoned stitch
.............Gm........Gm/Bb.....Am  
Her lonely voice was just a ruin in these riches
DmShe must have been dreaming this all along
Could she be redeeming herself in song?
Bb..................F....................Em  
.....“I'm no-one's martyred, plaster saint
............A7  
Below the grease, beneath the paint”
.....Dm  
I'm rolling like barrel
F/CSwinging like a gallows
.....G/B  
I'm rising up fast like all hell and all hallows
GWhy do you do me down, Mister?
..............F.......C  
Sing "Hallelujah," Sister
 C/Bb...........................F/A  
.... I'll be damned or purgatory bound
Dm.........Dm/C..............G/B  
....Before those jokers ever understand
....C.................................F............C/E...Dm  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
....C.................................F............C/E...Dm  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
....C.................................F............C/E...Dm  
It's enough to put a Church Underground
 Dm   Dm7(x3)
(organ part that follows:  A   Dsus2   Dsus4   D   Asus4  D)

All chords in this song (22)

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Church Underground

by Elvis Costello

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

F/C

G/B

C/Bb

F/A

Dm/C

C/E

Dm7

Dsus2

Dsus4

Asus4

She stood spotlit in a plain print dress

Came howling out of the wilderness

Gm F C

..........................................

....There beat a cunning and murderous heart

Beneath that calm exterior

"You know my name

You don't know my mind

Don't doubt my eyes

They betray the past

Gm F

............

....And I've already forgotten

....Much more than you will ever know"

Dm F/C

..................................

....And every word that I have spoken is true

G/B

.....Except for those that were broken in two

C/Bb F/A

......................................

.....I'm trying to make peace after a long night of pretend

C/Bb F/A

...............................

.....I need a pawnbroker or a moneylender

Why do you do me down, Mister?

F C

.....................

Sing "Hallelujah," Sister

C/Bb F/A

...........................

Turn up the volume, just to turn it down

Dm Dm/C G/B

....................

The trivial secrets buried with the profound

C F C/E Dm

....................................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

C F C/E Dm

....................................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

.....Deflowered young and then ever since

She's tried to wash off his fingerprints

Gm F C

........................

So every charlatan and prince

Was made to feel inferior

She worked for tips in a 10-cent dance

Said moving pictures might pay perchance

Gm F C

...............................

10,000 one-way tickets to the sparkling coast

From the blank interior

Dm F/A

..................

Everybody's either talking in code

G/B

Or getting ready to explode

C/Bb F/A

..........................

Then she was singing in a five-piece band

C/Bb F/A

...........................

But seems that no-one really wants this sound

Why do you do me down, Mister?

F C

.....................

Sing "Hallelujah," Sister

C/Bb F/A

...........................

Turn up the volume, just to turn it down

Dm Dm/C G/B

....................

The trivial secrets buried with the profound

C F C/E Dm

....................................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

C F

.....................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

Bb F C/E

...........................................

.....The shaft of fanlight streaked with rain

A Eb

......................................................

Poured through the glass, punched through the pain

D Gm C

..............................................................

The holy picture hidden in the midden of that poisoned stitch

Gm Gm Bb Am

...................../.....

Her lonely voice was just a ruin in these riches

She must have been dreaming this all along

Could she be redeeming herself in song?

Bb F Em

......................................

.....“I'm no-one's martyred, plaster saint

............

Below the grease, beneath the paint”

.....

I'm rolling like barrel

F/C

Swinging like a gallows

G/B

.....

I'm rising up fast like all hell and all hallows

Why do you do me down, Mister?

F C

.....................

Sing "Hallelujah," Sister

C/Bb F/A

...........................

.... I'll be damned or purgatory bound

Dm Dm/C G/B

.......................

....Before those jokers ever understand

C F C/E Dm

....................................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

C F C/E Dm

....................................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

C F C/E Dm

....................................................

It's enough to put a Church Underground

Dm Dm7

(x3)

A Dsus2 Dsus4 D Asus4 D

(organ part that follows: )

About Church Underground Chords by Elvis Costello

Learn how to play Church Underground by Elvis Costello with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Church Underground chords”, “Church Underground guitar chords”, or “Elvis Costello Church Underground 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 Church Underground chords and for experienced players who want accurate Church Underground lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Dm, Gm, F, C, F/C, G/B.

FAQ — Church Underground by Elvis Costello

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What key is "Church Underground" in?

The chords for "Church Underground" show the original chord names (including Dm, Gm, F, C, F/C, G/B). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.