We Chords

Elevator Operator

Courtney Barnett

Chord: Principal (acoustic and electric guitars)
We Chords Seal: This chord has been reviewed to meet the official criteria of our Quality Team.
key: A
E
  Oliver Paul, twenty years old
A
Thick head of hair, worries he's going bald
E
  Wakes up at quarter past nine
A
Fair evades his way down the 96 tram line
E
Breakfast on the run again, he's well aware
     A                                        E       A  E  A
He's dropping soy linseed Vegemite crumbs everywhere
E
  Feeling sick at the sight of his computer
   A
He dodges his way through the Swanston commuters
E
Rips off his tie, hands it to a homeless man
A                                                   E
Sleeping in the corner of a metro bus stand and he screams

"I'm not going to work today
          A
Going to count the minutes that the trains run late
E                                                      A  E  F#m7/9  G  A
  Sit on the grass building pyramids out of Coke cans"
E
Headphone wielding to the Nicholas building
   A
He trips on a pothole that's not been filled in
  E
He waits for an elevator, one to nine
  A
A lady walks in and waits by his side
   E
Her heels are high and her bag is snakeskin
A
Hair pulled so tight you can see her skeleton
E
Vickers perfume on her breath
  A
A tortoise shell necklace between her breasts
             E
She looks him up and down with a botox frown
     A
He's well used to that look by now
    E        F#m7/9         G          A
The elevator dings and they awkwardly step in
      E      F#m7/9         G       A
Their fingers touch on the rooftop button
      E                      A                 G6
Don't jump little boy, don't jump off that roof
                 E                               A                  G6
You've got your whole life ahead of you, you're still in your youth
E                          A            G6  E  A  G6
I'd give anything to have skin like you
         E
He said "I think you're projecting the way that you're feeling
    A
I'm not suicidal, just idling insignificantly
   E
I come up here for perception and clarity
   A
I like to imagine I'm playing SimCity
         E              F#m7/9         G   A
All the people look like ants from up here
         E               F#m7/9          G    A
And the wind's the only traffic you can hear"
          E   F#m7/9        G     A
He said "All I ever wanted to be
        E      F#m7/9          G          A
Was an elevator operator, can you help me please?"
       E                      A                 G6
Don't jump little boy, don't jump off that roof
                 E                               A                  G6
You've got your whole life ahead of you, you're still in your youth
E                          A            G6  E  A  G6
I'd give anything to have skin like you
       E                      A                 G6
Don't jump little boy, don't jump off that roof
                  E                              A                  G6
You've got your whole life ahead of you, you're still in your youth
E                          A            G6  E  A  G6
I'd give anything to have skin like you

[Final]  E  F#m7/9  G  A
            E  F#m7/9  G  A
            E  F#m7/9  G  A
            E  F#m7/9  G  A
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