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Thin Blue Flame

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Cmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]
|    C|    F|    C|    F|
[Chorus]
  CI became a thin blue flaFme
  CPolished on a mountain rFange
  CAnd over hills and fields I Fflew
  CWrapped up in a royal Amblue
[Verse 1]
I flew over Royal CFity last night
A bullfighter on the horns of a nCew moon’s light
Caesar’s ghost I saw the wFar-time tides
The prince of Denmark’s father sCtill and quiet
The whole world was looking Fto get drowned
Trees were a fist shaking themseClves at the clouds
I looked over curtains and it was tFhen that I knew
That only a full house gonna Cmake it through
[Chorus]
  CI became a thin blue wFire
  CThat held the world above the fFire
  CAnd so it was I saw behFind
  CHeaven’s just a thin blue Amline
[Verse 2]
If God’s up there he’s in a Fcold dark room
The heavenly host are just the Ccold dark moons
He bent down and made the world in Fseven days
And ever since he’s been a’waClkin' away
Mixing with nitrogen in loFnely holes
Where neither seraphim or rCaindrops go
I see an old man wandering the haFlls alone
But only a full house gonna mCake a homeF  
[Chorus]
  CBut I became a thin blue Fstream
  CThe smoke between asleep and Fdreams
  CAnd in that clear blue undertFow
  CI saw Royal City far belAmow
[Verse 3]
Borders soft with refugeFes
Streets a’swimming with amputCees
It’s a Bible or a bullet they put over your Fheart
It’s getting harder and harder to teCll them apart
The days are nights and the niFghts are long
Beating hearts blossom into wCalking bombs
And those still looking in the clear blue skFy for a sign
Get missiles from so high they might as welCl be divine
Now the dogs are howling at our doFor
Singing bout vengeance like it’s the joCy of the Lord
Bringing justice to the enemies not the Fother way round
They’re guilty when killed and they’re Ckilled where they’re found
If what’s loosed on earth will be Floosed up on high
It’s a Hell of a Heaven we must go tCo when we die
Where even Laurel begs Hardy for Fvengeance please
The fat man is crying on his Chands and his knees
Back in the peacetime he caught Froses on the stage
Now he twists indecision takes bCourbon for rage
Lead pellets peppering aluminuAmm
Halcyon, laudanum and OpiuCm
Sings kiss thee hardy this poisoneAmd cup
His winding sheet is busy Cwinding up
In darkness he looks for the Amlights that have died
But you need faith for the same reasons that it’s sCo hard to find
And this whole thing is headed for a Amterrible wreck
And like good tragedy that’s wGhat we expect
|    C|    F|    C|    F|
|    C|    F|    C|   Am|
[Verse 4]
At night I make plans for a cFity laid down
Like the hips of a girl on the sCpring covered ground
Spirals and capitals like the Ftwists of a script
Streets named for heroes that could Calmost exist
The fruit trees of Eden and the gaFrdens that seem
To float like the smoke from the Clithium dream
Cedar trees growing in the coFol of the squares
The young women walking in the pCortals of prayer
And the future glass buildings and the pFast an address
And the weddings in pollen and the wiCne bottomless
And all wrongs forgotten and all Fvengeance made right
The suffering verbs put to Csleep in the night
The future descending like a Ambright chandelier
And the world just beginning and the gGuests in good cheer
In Royal City I fell iAmnto a trance
Oh it’s hell to believe there ain’t a hGell of a chance
|   Am|    G|   Am|    G|
|   Am|    G|   Am|    G|
|    C|    F|    C|    F|
[Chorus]  
  CI woke beneath a clear blue sFky
  CThe sun a shout the breeze a Fsigh
  CMy old hometown and the streets I Fknew
  CWere wrapped up in a royal blAmue
[Verse 5]  
I heard my friends laughing out aFcross the fields
The girls in the gloaming and the Cbirds on the wheel
The raw smell of horses and the waFrm smell of hay
Cicadas electric in the heat Cof the day
A run of Three Sisters and the fluFsh of the land
And the lake was a diamond in the vCalley’s hand
The straight of the highway and the Fscattered out hearts
They were coming together they Cpulling apart
And angels everywhere were in mFy midst
In the ones that I loved in the Cones that I kissed
I wondered what it was I’d been loFoking for up above
Heaven is so big there ain’t no neCed to look up
So I stopped looking for royal cFities in the air
Only a full house gonna haCve a prayer
[Outro]
|    C|    F|    C|    F| x6

All chords in this song (4)

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Thin Blue Flame

by Josh Ritter

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

C F C F

| | | | |

[Chorus]

C F

I became a thin blue flame

C F

Polished on a mountain range

C F

And over hills and fields I flew

C Am

Wrapped up in a royal blue

[Verse 1]

I flew over Royal City last night

A bullfighter on the horns of a new moon’s light

Caesar’s ghost I saw the war-time tides

The prince of Denmark’s father still and quiet

The whole world was looking to get drowned

Trees were a fist shaking themselves at the clouds

I looked over curtains and it was then that I knew

That only a full house gonna make it through

[Chorus]

C F

I became a thin blue wire

C F

That held the world above the fire

C F

And so it was I saw behind

C Am

Heaven’s just a thin blue line

[Verse 2]

If God’s up there he’s in a cold dark room

The heavenly host are just the cold dark moons

He bent down and made the world in seven days

And ever since he’s been a’walkin' away

Mixing with nitrogen in lonely holes

Where neither seraphim or raindrops go

I see an old man wandering the halls alone

C F

But only a full house gonna make a home

[Chorus]

C F

But I became a thin blue stream

C F

The smoke between asleep and dreams

C F

And in that clear blue undertow

C Am

I saw Royal City far below

[Verse 3]

Borders soft with refugees

Streets a’swimming with amputees

It’s a Bible or a bullet they put over your heart

It’s getting harder and harder to tell them apart

The days are nights and the nights are long

Beating hearts blossom into walking bombs

And those still looking in the clear blue sky for a sign

Get missiles from so high they might as well be divine

Now the dogs are howling at our door

Singing bout vengeance like it’s the joy of the Lord

Bringing justice to the enemies not the other way round

They’re guilty when killed and they’re killed where they’re found

If what’s loosed on earth will be loosed up on high

It’s a Hell of a Heaven we must go to when we die

Where even Laurel begs Hardy for vengeance please

The fat man is crying on his hands and his knees

Back in the peacetime he caught roses on the stage

Now he twists indecision takes bourbon for rage

Lead pellets peppering aluminum

Halcyon, laudanum and Opium

Sings kiss thee hardy this poisoned cup

His winding sheet is busy winding up

In darkness he looks for the lights that have died

But you need faith for the same reasons that it’s so hard to find

And this whole thing is headed for a terrible wreck

And like good tragedy that’s what we expect

C F C F

| | | | |

C F C Am

| | | | |

[Verse 4]

At night I make plans for a city laid down

Like the hips of a girl on the spring covered ground

Spirals and capitals like the twists of a script

Streets named for heroes that could almost exist

The fruit trees of Eden and the gardens that seem

To float like the smoke from the lithium dream

Cedar trees growing in the cool of the squares

The young women walking in the portals of prayer

And the future glass buildings and the past an address

And the weddings in pollen and the wine bottomless

And all wrongs forgotten and all vengeance made right

The suffering verbs put to sleep in the night

The future descending like a bright chandelier

And the world just beginning and the guests in good cheer

In Royal City I fell into a trance

Oh it’s hell to believe there ain’t a hell of a chance

Am G Am G

| | | | |

Am G Am G

| | | | |

C F C F

| | | | |

[Chorus]

C F

I woke beneath a clear blue sky

C F

The sun a shout the breeze a sigh

C F

My old hometown and the streets I knew

C Am

Were wrapped up in a royal blue

[Verse 5]

I heard my friends laughing out across the fields

The girls in the gloaming and the birds on the wheel

The raw smell of horses and the warm smell of hay

Cicadas electric in the heat of the day

A run of Three Sisters and the flush of the land

And the lake was a diamond in the valley’s hand

The straight of the highway and the scattered out hearts

They were coming together they pulling apart

And angels everywhere were in my midst

In the ones that I loved in the ones that I kissed

I wondered what it was I’d been looking for up above

Heaven is so big there ain’t no need to look up

So I stopped looking for royal cities in the air

Only a full house gonna have a prayer

[Outro]

C F C F

| | | | | x6

About Thin Blue Flame Chords by Josh Ritter

Learn how to play Thin Blue Flame by Josh Ritter with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Thin Blue Flame chords”, “Thin Blue Flame guitar chords”, or “Josh Ritter Thin Blue Flame 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 Thin Blue Flame chords and for experienced players who want accurate Thin Blue Flame lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, F, Am, A, G.

FAQ — Thin Blue Flame by Josh Ritter

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What key is "Thin Blue Flame" in?

The chords for "Thin Blue Flame" show the original chord names (including C, F, Am, A, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.