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The Undercover Man

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Eminor

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Van der Graaf Generator - The Undercover Man
from the album Godbluff (1975).
    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#mF#sus 
Here at the glass - 
                                      F#mF#sus
all the usual problems, all the habitual farce.
                   F#mF#sus
You ask, in uncertain voice, 
what you should F#mdo,
as if there were a Echoice but to carry Don 
miming the C#msong
and hope that it all works out F#mright.
Tonight it all seems so F#susstrange - 
               F#m/          AF#sus/G#  
my spirit feels rigid, my body deranged;
                                F#mF#sus
still that's only from one point of view
                    F#m/                A  E  
and we can't have illusion between me and you,
my constant Dfriend, ever close at C#mhand -
you and the undercover F#mman.
[ E  F#]           E/G#  B/D#  
---------0----------------|
---------0-------------4--|
---------1-------------4--|
---------2-------------4--|
-----------------------6--|
-0-2--4-------------------|
 I re flect: 'It's very strange
to be going through this Dchange
with no idea of what it's Gall 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...'
Oh, but I Bbshirk itB5, I've half a mind not to work it all Cout.
--D----C---C#dim---|
--7---5--5--|
--7---5--3--|
--7---5--5--|
--5---3--4--|
------------|
DIs this madness just the recurring Gwave of total emoAtion,
or a Dhide for the undercover Gman,A  
or a Dlitany - all the signs are Gthere of fervent devoAtion -
-------D-----C----C8--Cmaj77-----C-------C8---Cmaj77------F5--|
-------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,
there was no Dreason to expect such diCsaster.
    B      EmEmMaj7     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------| ------| -----------|
BNow, Empanicking, you burst for air,
EmMaj7
drowning, you know you care
G/Dfor nothing and no-one but yoursA/Dbelf
and would Gdeny even this hand
which stretches Bmout toDwards Ayou to Ghelp.
------------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?
Is it my fauGmaj7lt that I'm Cmaj7here to see you CcryBing?
                         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,
if you hadn't gone and tried to do it all by youCrself.
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
you'll see the colours and the Glights seem to say
[  E     F     G     A    Bb  C]             Bb/D  Bb  
 people are not far a-way, at least in distance,
and it's B5only our own dumb resistance
that's making us Cstay.
D  C  C#dim
DWhen the madness comes, let it flood on Gdown and over me sweeAtly,
let it Ddrown the parts of me weak and blessed and Gdamned,A  
let it Dslake my life, let it take my Gsoul and living comApletely,
let Dit Cbe Cwho Cmaj7I     Cam.
AThere may Dnot be time for us all to Grun in tandem toAgether -
the Dhorizon calls with its parallel Glines.A  
It may Dnot be right for you to have and Ghold in one way forAever
and Dyet Cyou Cstill Cmaj7have  Ctime,C  Cmaj7  F  
you Cstill Cmaj7have  Ctime.C  Cmaj7  F  

All chords in this song (24)

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The Undercover Man

by Van der Graaf Generator

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

F#m

C#m

E/G#

B/D#

Bb/D

C#dim

Cmaj7

F#dim

Adim

Cdim

Ebdim

Van der Graaf Generator - The Undercover Man

from the album Godbluff (1975).

F#m F# E D C#m

sus

--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 G#

/ F#sus/

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

to be going through this change

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--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 G/D A/Db

EmMaj7

-----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

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,

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

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,

and it's only our own dumb resistance

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.

About The Undercover Man Chords by Van der Graaf Generator

Learn how to play The Undercover Man by Van der Graaf Generator with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Undercover Man chords”, “The Undercover Man guitar chords”, or “Van der Graaf Generator The Undercover Man 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 The Undercover Man chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Undercover Man lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include F#m, F#, E, D, C#m, F#sus.

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The chords for "The Undercover Man" show the original chord names (including F#m, F#, E, D, C#m, F#sus). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.