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Swordfishtrombone

Chords

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                   [Am]          
Well he came home from the war
           [E]
with a party in his head
        [E]                                [Am]
and modified Brougham DeVille
         [Am]
and a pair of legs that opened up
      [E]
like butterfly wings
          [E]                               [Am]
and a mad dog that wouldn't sit still
              [Dm]                     [Am]
he went and took up with a Salvation Army Band girl
           [Dm]                          [Am]
who played dirty water on a swordfishtrombone
                 [Dm]                                   [Am]
he went to sleep at the bottom of Tenkiller lake
                                                  B[E7]
and he said "gee, but it's great to be home."
Well he came home from the war
with a party in his head
and an idea for a fireworks display
and he knew that he'd be ready with
a stainless steel machete
and a half a pint of Ballentine's each day
and he holed up in room above a hardware store
cryin' nothing there but Hollywood tears
and he put a spell on some poor little Crutchfield girl
and stayed like that for 27 years
Well he packed up all his 
expectations he lit out for California
with a flyswatter banjo on his knee
with a lucky tiger in his angel hair
and benzedrine for getting there
they found him in a eucalyptus tree
lieutenant got him a canary bird and shaked her head with every word
and Chesterfielded moonbeams in a song
and he got 20 years for lovin' her from some Oklahoma governor
said everything this Doughboy does is wrong
Now some say he's doing
the obituary mambo
and some say he's hanging on the wall
perhaps this yarn's the only thing
that holds this man together
some say he was never here at all
Some say they saw him down in Birmingham, 
sleeping in a boxcar going by
and if you think that you can tell a bigger tale
I swear to God you'd have to tell a lie...

All chords in this song (5)

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Swordfishtrombone

by Tom Waits

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[]

Well he came home from the war

[]

with a party in his head

E Am

[] []

and modified Brougham DeVille

[]

and a pair of legs that opened up

[]

like butterfly wings

E Am

[] []

and a mad dog that wouldn't sit still

Dm Am

[] []

he went and took up with a Salvation Army Band girl

Dm Am

[] []

who played dirty water on a swordfishtrombone

Dm Am

[] []

he went to sleep at the bottom of Tenkiller lake

B E7

[]

and he said "gee, but it's great to be home."

Well he came home from the war

with a party in his head

and an idea for a fireworks display

and he knew that he'd be ready with

a stainless steel machete

and a half a pint of Ballentine's each day

and he holed up in room above a hardware store

cryin' nothing there but Hollywood tears

and he put a spell on some poor little Crutchfield girl

and stayed like that for 27 years

Well he packed up all his

expectations he lit out for California

with a flyswatter banjo on his knee

with a lucky tiger in his angel hair

and benzedrine for getting there

they found him in a eucalyptus tree

lieutenant got him a canary bird and shaked her head with every word

and Chesterfielded moonbeams in a song

and he got 20 years for lovin' her from some Oklahoma governor

said everything this Doughboy does is wrong

Now some say he's doing

the obituary mambo

and some say he's hanging on the wall

perhaps this yarn's the only thing

that holds this man together

some say he was never here at all

Some say they saw him down in Birmingham,

sleeping in a boxcar going by

and if you think that you can tell a bigger tale

I swear to God you'd have to tell a lie...

About Swordfishtrombone Chords by Tom Waits

Learn how to play Swordfishtrombone by Tom Waits with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Swordfishtrombone chords”, “Swordfishtrombone guitar chords”, or “Tom Waits Swordfishtrombone 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 Swordfishtrombone chords and for experienced players who want accurate Swordfishtrombone lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, E, Dm, B, E7.

FAQ — Swordfishtrombone by Tom Waits

How do I play "Swordfishtrombone" by Tom Waits on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Swordfishtrombone" by Tom Waits on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Swordfishtrombone" by Tom Waits free?

Yes. The chords for "Swordfishtrombone" by Tom Waits are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Swordfishtrombone" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Swordfishtrombone" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Swordfishtrombone"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Swordfishtrombone" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Swordfishtrombone" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Swordfishtrombone" by Tom Waits with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Tom Waits below.

What key is "Swordfishtrombone" in?

The chords for "Swordfishtrombone" show the original chord names (including Am, E, Dm, B, E7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.