I Palindrome I by They Might Be Giants
[Convention: each chord is two beats/half a measure. A dash indicates that
the chord is held for another two beats; two chords with a slash between
them are held for one beat/a quarter of a measure each.]
1.
|: D G Em A Bm G Em A 😐
Some day mother will die and I’ll get the money
Mom leans down and says, «My sentiments exactly
Bb — G A
you son of a bitch» — I palindrome I
Chorus:
|: Bm G Em A 😐
(I palindrome I) I palindrome I
(I palindrome I)
Bm D G D Em G A —
And I am a snake head eating the head on the opposite side
(snake head) (snake head)
|: G — D — 😐
I palindrome I (man o man)
2.
See that bulletproof dress hanging from the clothesline
see the medical chart with the random zig-zag
Now I’ll help it decide — I palindrome I
(Chorus)
Bridge:
G A Bm A(bass C#) D Em D(F#) G
«Son I am able,» she said, «though you scare me.» «Watch,» said I,
A Bm A(C#) Bm(D) Em D G A
«Beloved,» I said, «watch me scare you though» — said she: «Able am I, son…»
3.
See the spring of the grandfather clock unwinding
(egad, a base tone denotes a bad age)
see the hands of my offspring making windmills
Dad palindrome dad — I palindrome I
(Chorus)
-E.M.