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Featuring the songs of Nick Sullivan

Demos, discussion, lyrics, sheet music

This Kind of World

 
 

Album:  Songs Sung Sideways

12. This Kind of World

It’s not out of the question that we happen to live on the best planet in the Galaxy and are actually having a cushy time compared to most. But probably not. Could we do better? Sure hope so.

"I have always tried to live in an ivory tower; but a huge wave of excrement is beating against its walls, [enough] to make it crumble."
Gustave Flaubert, novelist (1821-1880)

The Song

Walt: I’m not religious myself but I’ve seen too many behooved and behorned monsters with pitchforks and spiked tails not to figure there’s something nasty waiting out there. It does look as though there might not be anyone holding up the other end.

The Music

This is a fast, angry-sounding song in E minor.

Nick: The latter part of the song consists of a shuffle-time chorus in the parallel major followed by a coda in the original rhythm and key. Some pianists may find, as I did, that it takes a bit of practice to get those rhythmic transitions tidy. Others may cheat.

Lyrics and Chords

Verse 1

Em

Hungry body, hungry street,

     D           C         B7

It’s one for the devil and none for me;

Em

Hungry city where the corners meet

     D           C         B7

It’s two for the devil and none for me;

   Em              A

Go down, where the night and the day

    D       C    B7

Are melting into one;

       Em

You’ve got to believe

         D         C            B7

It won’t always be this kind of world.

Verse 2

Silent neighbour, silent street,

It’s three for the devil and none for me;

Your heart’s corruption and your heart’s defeat

It’s four for the devil and none for me;

Go down yourself some time

And take a look around;

You’ve got to believe

It won’t always be this kind of world.

Verse 3

Lonely face, lonely eyes,

It’s five for the devil and none for me;

Wasted words, half-truths and lies,

It’s six for the devil and none for me;

Go down, try to claim a few

Of those prizes you have won;

You’ve got to believe

It won’t always be this kind of world.

Chorus of lost souls

           A

Well, it’s six for the devil in his coat of black,

         E

And it’s five for the monkey with the stripes on his back;

     A

It’s four for the winds that blow no good,

         E

And it’s three for the judge in his cloak and hood;

     A

It’s two for some trouble in the second degree,

         E

And it’s one for the thing that your mind won’t see;

     D           C         B7

It’s six for the devil and none for me,

D           C         B7

Six for the devil and none for me;

Coda

   Em           A

Go down, at the bottom of the day

    D        C        B7

And see what has been done;

       Em

You’ve got to believe

         D         C            B7

It won’t always be this kind of world.

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