The Good Book
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[Intro]
BbLife is like an ocean voyage
FAnd our bodies are the ships
CAnd without a moral compass
We would Aall be cast adriftDm Dm/C
BbSo to keep us on our bearings
CThe Lord gave us a gift
C7And like most gifts you get
It was a Cbook
[Verse 1]
I Fonly read one book
But it's a Bbgood book, don't you know
I C7act the way I act because
The CGood Book tells me Fso
If I Fwant to know how F/Ebto be good
It's Bb/Dto the Good Book Bbm/Dbthat I go
Cause the C7Good Book is a book
And it is Fgood and it's a book
I Fknow the Good Book's good because
The BbGood Book says it's good
I know the C7Good Book knows it's good
Because a Creally good book Fwould
You wouldn't Fcook without a F/Ebcookbook
And I Bb/Dthink it's underBbm/Dbstood
You can't be C7good without a Good Book
Cause it's Fgood and it's a book
And it is good for cookin'
I Dmtried to read some other books
But I Asoon gave up on that
The Bbparagraphs ain't numbered
And they Fcomplicate the Cfacts
I Acan't read Harry A/GPotter
Cause they're D/F#worshiping false goDm/Fds and that
And GDumbledore's a poofter
And that's Cbad cause it's not good!
MoFrality is written there
In Bbsimple white and black
I feel C7sorry for you heathens
Got to C7think about all Fthat
FGood is good and F/Ebevil's bad
And Bb/Dgoats are good
And Bbm/Dbpigs are crap
You'll C7find which one is which
In the FGood Book
Cause it's good and it's a Gbook
And it's a book (yeah!)
I Dmhad a cat, she gave birth to a Alitter
The Bbkittens were adorable
And they Fmade my family Claugh
But Aas they grew they A/Gstarted misbeDm/Fhaving
So I Gdrowned the little fuckers in the Cbath!
When the Acreatures in your care start being Dmmenaces
The Ganswers can be found right there in CGenesis
Chapter Dsix, verse five through seven! Yee-haw!
GSwing your partner by the hand
CHave a baby if you can
DBut if the voices in your head
Say to sacrifice your Gkid
GTo satiate your G7loving God's
CFetish for dead C7baby blood
It's Dsimple faith the book demands
So raise that knife up in your hands
BeFfore the Good Book made us good
There was Bbno good way to know
If a Cthing was good or not-not good
Or kind of touch-and-Fgo—so
FGod decided F7he'd give writing
BbAllegoric prose a go
And Cso he wrote a book
And it was Fgenerally well-received
The BbTelegraph said 'This god is remiFniscent of the CNorse'
The BbTimes said 'Kind of turgid, but I Fliked the bit with Chorses'
The AMail said 'Lots of massacres; a Dmviolent tour-de-force
If you Gonly read one book this year
Then Cthis one is a book
And it is Dgood
And it's a book' Yee-haw!
GSwing your daughter by the hand
But Cif she gets raped by a man
And Drefuses then to marry him
Stone her to death!
If Emyou just close your eyes and block your Bears
To the Caccumulated knowledge of the Glast two thousand Dyears
Then Bmorally – guess what? – you're off the Emhook
And thank AChrist you only have to read one Dbook
DmJust because the book's contents
Were Awritten generations hence
By Dmhairy desert-dwelling gents
ASquatting in their dusty tents
EmJust because what Heaven said
BWas said before they'd leavened bread
EmJust cause Jesus couldn't read
BDoesn't mean that we should need
When maCnipulating human genes
To alGleviate pain or fight disease
When deCciding whether it's wrong or right
To Ghelp the dying let go of life
Or Dstop a pregnancy when it's
DJust a tiny blastocyst
There's Bno reason why we should take a Emlook
DAt any other Cbook
But the G/BGood Book
Cause it's Agood and it's a book
And it's a Dbook and it's quite good!
GGood is good and G7/Fevil's bad
And C/Ekids get killed when Cm/EGod gets mad
You Dbetter take a good look
At the GGood Book
All chords in this song (23)
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The Good Book
by Tim Minchin
Chords in this song · guitar
Bb
F
C
A
Dm
Dm/C
C7
F/Eb
Bb/D
Bbm/Db
A/G
D/F#
Dm/F
G
D
G7
F7
Em
B
G/B
G7/F
C/E
Cm/E
[Intro]
Bb
Life is like an ocean voyage
F
And our bodies are the ships
C
And without a moral compass
A Dm Dm/C
We would all be cast adrift
Bb
So to keep us on our bearings
C
The Lord gave us a gift
C7
And like most gifts you get
C
It was a book
[Verse 1]
F
I only read one book
Bb
But it's a good book, don't you know
C7
I act the way I act because
C F
The Good Book tells me so
F F/Eb
If I want to know how to be good
Bb/D Bbm/Db
It's to the Good Book that I go
C7
Cause the Good Book is a book
F
And it is good and it's a book
F
I know the Good Book's good because
Bb
The Good Book says it's good
C7
I know the Good Book knows it's good
C F
Because a really good book would
F F/Eb
You wouldn't cook without a cookbook
Bb/D Bbm/Db
And I think it's understood
C7
You can't be good without a Good Book
F
Cause it's good and it's a book
And it is good for cookin'
Dm
I tried to read some other books
A
But I soon gave up on that
Bb
The paragraphs ain't numbered
F C
And they complicate the facts
A A/G
I can't read Harry Potter
D/F# Dm/F
Cause they're worshiping false gods and that
G
And Dumbledore's a poofter
C
And that's bad cause it's not good!
F
Morality is written there
Bb
In simple white and black
C7
I feel sorry for you heathens
C7 F
Got to think about all that
F F/Eb
Good is good and evil's bad
Bb/D
And goats are good
Bbm/Db
And pigs are crap
C7
You'll find which one is which
F
In the Good Book
G
Cause it's good and it's a book
And it's a book (yeah!)
Dm A
I had a cat, she gave birth to a litter
Bb
The kittens were adorable
F C
And they made my family laugh
A A/G Dm/F
But as they grew they started misbehaving
G C
So I drowned the little fuckers in the bath!
A Dm
When the creatures in your care start being menaces
G C
The answers can be found right there in Genesis
D
Chapter six, verse five through seven! Yee-haw!
G
Swing your partner by the hand
C
Have a baby if you can
D
But if the voices in your head
G
Say to sacrifice your kid
G G7
To satiate your loving God's
C C7
Fetish for dead baby blood
D
It's simple faith the book demands
So raise that knife up in your hands
F
Before the Good Book made us good
Bb
There was no good way to know
C
If a thing was good or not-not good
F
Or kind of touch-and-go—so
F F7
God decided he'd give writing
Bb
Allegoric prose a go
C
And so he wrote a book
F
And it was generally well-received
Bb F C
The Telegraph said 'This god is reminiscent of the Norse'
Bb F C
The Times said 'Kind of turgid, but I liked the bit with horses'
A Dm
The Mail said 'Lots of massacres; a violent tour-de-force
G
If you only read one book this year
C
Then this one is a book
D
And it is good
And it's a book' Yee-haw!
G
Swing your daughter by the hand
C
But if she gets raped by a man
D
And refuses then to marry him
Stone her to death!
Em B
If you just close your eyes and block your ears
C G D
To the accumulated knowledge of the last two thousand years
B Em
Then morally – guess what? – you're off the hook
A D
And thank Christ you only have to read one book
Dm
Just because the book's contents
A
Were written generations hence
Dm
By hairy desert-dwelling gents
A
Squatting in their dusty tents
Em
Just because what Heaven said
B
Was said before they'd leavened bread
Em
Just cause Jesus couldn't read
B
Doesn't mean that we should need
C
When manipulating human genes
G
To alleviate pain or fight disease
C
When deciding whether it's wrong or right
G
To help the dying let go of life
D
Or stop a pregnancy when it's
D
Just a tiny blastocyst
B Em
There's no reason why we should take a look
D C
At any other book
G/B
But the Good Book
A
Cause it's good and it's a book
D
And it's a book and it's quite good!
G G7/F
Good is good and evil's bad
C/E Cm/E
And kids get killed when God gets mad
D
You better take a good look
G
At the Good Book
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About The Good Book Chords by Tim Minchin
Learn how to play The Good Book by Tim Minchin with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Good Book chords”, “The Good Book guitar chords”, or “Tim Minchin The Good Book 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 Good Book chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Good Book lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Bb, F, C, A, Dm, Dm/C.
FAQ — The Good Book by Tim Minchin
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