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Burn Down The Mission

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BURN DOWN THE MISSION
Year: 1971
Album: TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION
Writers: Elton John\ Bernie Taupin
( G   Em7  Bb\ C   G   Em7Bb\C)*
G   Em  Bb\C  
You tell me there's an angel in your tree
Eb  G\ D  A\ C#  Dsus4  
Did he say he'd come to call on me
GEm7sus4 Bb\C  
For things are getting desperate in our home
C#dim7 G\ D   D   CG\ B  Am7  
Living in the parish of the restless folks I know
GEverybodFy now CbrinGg yoGur GfAamBily DdEown to the riverside
FLook tCo the eGast tGo AseBe wDhere the fat stock hide
G\ B   C   G   G   A   C  D  
Behind four walls of stone the rich man sleeps
G  C6\ G  Bb\C  
It's time we put the flame torch to their keep
Bb\C  
DbBurn down Abthe mission
GbIf we're gonna stay alive
DbWatch the Abblack smoke fly to heaven
SGbee the red flame light the sky
Eb\ Bb  Bb  
Burn down the mission
BAburn it down to stay alive
Eb\ Bb  Bb  
It's our only chance of living
Ab   Db  Bb\C  
Take all you need to live inside
[ F  Eb\ Bb  Bb\ F  F  
(REPEAT 3x)
F   Eb  Bb\ D  F\ C   Bb  F\ AEb\G  
F   Eb  Bb\ D  F\ C   Bb  F\ AEb\G  
G   F  C\ E  G\ D   C  G\ B  C  
G   F  C\ E  G\ D   C  G\ B  C]**
Bb\ C  Db\ Ab   Bbm   Bbm6  F\ CF\ ABb\ C  Bb  
Oh______________________!
( G   Em7  Bb\ C   G   Em7Bb\C)*
G   Em  Bb\C  
Deep in the woods the squirrels are out today
Eb  G\ D  A\ C#  Dsus4  
My wife cried when they came to take me away
GEm7sus4 Bb\C  
But what more could I do just to keep her warm
C#dim7 G\ D   D   CG\ B   Am7  G  
Than burn burn burn burn down the mission walls
(CHORUS)
F   Eb  Bb\ DF\ C   BbF\ AEb\G  
F   Eb  Bb\ DF\ C   BbF\ AEb\G  
G   F  C\ EG\ D   CG\ B  C  
G   F  C\ EG\ D   CG\ B  C]**
(G\ C  F\ C   C  G)**
(REPEAT, FADE)
*FIRST TIME THROUGH:
Lower case letters are played as octaves, upper case letters as chords:
G G A D D E Bb Bb Bb Bb
G Em C C C C C
All chords in this song (20)

The story behind the song

"Burn Down The Mission" comes from an album deeply inspired by Americana and American Westerns, even though its writers had not yet visited the United States. The album was influenced by The Band's Music From Big Pink and Robbie Robertson's songs, reflecting a love for the genre. This song embodies that spirit, channeling a sense of dramatic storytelling and frontier energy. Playing it means stepping into a vivid, cinematic landscape.

AI-written from these sources:Tumbleweed Connection — Wikipedia ↗Elton John — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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About Burn Down The Mission Chords by Elton John

Learn how to play Burn Down The Mission by Elton John with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Burn Down The Mission chords”, “Burn Down The Mission guitar chords”, or “Elton John Burn Down The Mission 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 Burn Down The Mission chords and for experienced players who want accurate Burn Down The Mission lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Em7, Bb, C, Em, Eb.

FAQ — Burn Down The Mission by Elton John

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Can I transpose "Burn Down The Mission" to a different key?

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Is "Burn Down The Mission" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Burn Down The Mission" in?

The chords for "Burn Down The Mission" show the original chord names (including G, Em7, Bb, C, Em, Eb). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.