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While You Were Sleeping

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Aminor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

1/10

Tempo 80 BPMVol

Sound:

Position

Step 1 / 10Position: 1

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

[Intro]
   (G)     (Am)         (G)    (C) strum C, G  
e|--3-----|-0-----------------|-------------------|
B|-----3--|----1-----1--------|----1--------------|
G|--------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
D|--------|----------------2--|-------------------|
A|--------|-------------------|-3-----------------|
E|--------|-------------3-----|-------------------|
Am    G  C    G  Am
[Verse]
While Gyou were sleCeping your Gbabies Amgrew
The sGtars shiCned and the Gshadows Ammoved
GTime Cflew the Gphone Amrang
There Gwas a Csilence when the Gkitchen Amsang
Its Gsongs compCeted like Gkids for Amspace
We stGared for Chours in our Gmaker's fAmace
They gGave us pCicks said "go Gmine the Amsun
And gGo gCold and come bacGk when you're Amdone"
GUh oCh   GUh OAmh
[Verse]
While yGou were Csleeping you Gtossed you Amturned
You Grolled your Ceyes as the Gworld Amburned
The Gheavens fCell the Gearth Amquaked
I tGhought you Cmust be but you Gweren't aAmwake, no
YGou were Cdreaming you Gignored the Amsun
You grew your pGower gCarden for your Glittle Amones
And you Gfound Cbrides for them on GChristmas AmEve
They Ghung young CCain from the GAdam Amtrees
GAnd Cdanced Guh Amoh
GUh COh  GUh OAmh
[Chorus]
AmWhile you were Esleeping I tossed and I tuAmrned too
I closed my eyDmes but the future buGrned through
The planet Cturned a hair Fgrey as I relived the Eday
[Verse]
While yoGu were slCeeping the mGoney diAmed
MacGhines were hCarmless and the Gearth sAmighed
GThe wCind you sGwept Amsound
anGd graviCty brought my lGove aAmround
The Goceans Crose sang Gabout Amdecay
The Gwitches Cflew and the Gmermaids Amstayed
FuGll of Cdreams you GoverAmslept
In keeping Gwith the qCuiet through the wGalls I Amcrept
I Gwalked on tCip-toes sent dGarkness Amswirling over
AGll the Ckitchen in the Gearly Ammorning
GUh oCh uGh oAmh
[Chorus]
I'll never catch Eup to you who Amsleep so sound
My Dmyawns are useless my Gheart beats too loud
To go to Csleep my mind's too Fproud to bow Eout
[Verse]
While yGou werCe sleeping thGe timAme changed
GAll your tChings were GrearAmranged
Your vGampire Cmirrors Gface to Amface
GThey saw Cforever out Ginto spAmace
and foGund you Cdreaming in bGlack and wAmhite
While it rainGed in Call the colors oGf the Amnight
GUh Coh Guh Amoh
[Chorus]
I watched the Etv's memorAmies
champion shDmips vanish to seGa
Can it bCe my honey Fbee-tween you and meE  
[Verse]
GSo I Cwaited for thGe riddleAmd sky to be
sGolved Cagain by the GsunAmrise
And I Gmade a Cdeath Gsoup for Amlife
GFor my Cfather's ill wGidowed Amwife
[Chorus]
Did you have that stEranger's dream before you Amwoke
'Cause in your goDwn you had the butterfly stGroke
Did it Cescape you like some half-told jFoke
When you reached for your plume of Esmoke
[Verse]
And it'll GhauCnt you my Ghoney Ambee
Anyone Gwho's aCnyone has that Gsame dAmream
GWere you fCalling Gwere you Amflying and
Gwere you Ccalling out or Gwere you dAmying
But Gthank gCod you're up now let's Gstay this Amway
Else there'll Gbe no Cmornings and Gno more Amdays
'CaGuse when were Cdreaming the baGbies Amgrow
The Gsun shCines and the shGadows fAmlow
TiGme flCies the pGhone Amrings
ThGere is a Csilence when eGverybody Ctries to sing
GUh Coh uGh Amoh
GUh Coh uGh Amoh
GUh Coh uGh Amoh

All chords in this song (7)

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While You Were Sleeping

by Elvis Perkins

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

G Am G C G

() () () () strum C,

e|--3-----|-0-----------------|-------------------|

B|-----3--|----1-----1--------|----1--------------|

G|--------|-------2-----------|-------------------|

D|--------|----------------2--|-------------------|

A|--------|-------------------|-3-----------------|

E|--------|-------------3-----|-------------------|

Am G C G Am

[Verse]

G C G Am

While you were sleeping your babies grew

G C G Am

The stars shined and the shadows moved

G C G Am

Time flew the phone rang

G C G Am

There was a silence when the kitchen sang

G C G Am

Its songs competed like kids for space

G C G Am

We stared for hours in our maker's face

G C G Am

They gave us picks said "go mine the sun

G C G Am

And go gold and come back when you're done"

G C G Am

Uh oh Uh Oh

[Verse]

G C G Am

While you were sleeping you tossed you turned

G C G Am

You rolled your eyes as the world burned

G C G Am

The heavens fell the earth quaked

G C G Am

I thought you must be but you weren't awake, no

G C G Am

You were dreaming you ignored the sun

G C G Am

You grew your power garden for your little ones

G C G Am

And you found brides for them on Christmas Eve

G C G Am

They hung young Cain from the Adam trees

G C G Am

And danced uh oh

G C G Am

Uh Oh Uh Oh

[Chorus]

Am E Am

While you were sleeping I tossed and I turned too

Dm G

I closed my eyes but the future burned through

C F E

The planet turned a hair grey as I relived the day

[Verse]

G C G Am

While you were sleeping the money died

G C G Am

Machines were harmless and the earth sighed

G C G Am

The wind you swept sound

G C G Am

and gravity brought my love around

G C G Am

The oceans rose sang about decay

G C G Am

The witches flew and the mermaids stayed

G C G Am

Full of dreams you overslept

G C G Am

In keeping with the quiet through the walls I crept

G C G Am

I walked on tip-toes sent darkness swirling over

G C G Am

All the kitchen in the early morning

G C G Am

Uh oh uh oh

[Chorus]

E Am

I'll never catch up to you who sleep so sound

Dm G

My yawns are useless my heart beats too loud

C F E

To go to sleep my mind's too proud to bow out

[Verse]

G C G Am

While you were sleeping the time changed

G C G Am

All your things were rearranged

G C G Am

Your vampire mirrors face to face

G C G Am

They saw forever out into space

G C G Am

and found you dreaming in black and white

G C G Am

While it rained in all the colors of the night

G C G Am

Uh oh uh oh

[Chorus]

E Am

I watched the tv's memories

Dm G

champion ships vanish to sea

C F E

Can it be my honey bee-tween you and me

[Verse]

G C G Am

So I waited for the riddled sky to be

G C G Am

solved again by the sunrise

G C G Am

And I made a death soup for life

G C G Am

For my father's ill widowed wife

[Chorus]

E Am

Did you have that stranger's dream before you woke

D G

'Cause in your gown you had the butterfly stroke

C F

Did it escape you like some half-told joke

When you reached for your plume of smoke

[Verse]

G C G Am

And it'll haunt you my honey bee

G C G Am

Anyone who's anyone has that same dream

G C G Am

Were you falling were you flying and

G C G Am

were you calling out or were you dying

G C G Am

But thank god you're up now let's stay this way

G C G Am

Else there'll be no mornings and no more days

G C G Am

'Cause when were dreaming the babies grow

G C G Am

The sun shines and the shadows flow

G C G Am

Time flies the phone rings

G C G C

There is a silence when everybody tries to sing

G C G Am

Uh oh uh oh

G C G Am

Uh oh uh oh

G C G Am

Uh oh uh oh

About While You Were Sleeping Chords by Elvis Perkins

Learn how to play While You Were Sleeping by Elvis Perkins with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “While You Were Sleeping chords”, “While You Were Sleeping guitar chords”, or “Elvis Perkins While You Were Sleeping 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 While You Were Sleeping chords and for experienced players who want accurate While You Were Sleeping lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Am, C, B, D, A.

FAQ — While You Were Sleeping by Elvis Perkins

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What key is "While You Were Sleeping" in?

The chords for "While You Were Sleeping" show the original chord names (including G, Am, C, B, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.