Decemberists, The – 16 Military Wives

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16 Military Wives

The Decemberists

 

/ E - - - / x4

 

E (2)                               G (2)

     Sixteen military wives

                       A (2)                                       E (2)

Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes

E (2)                                  G (2)

   Staring at the natural tan

                       A (2)                                                E (2)

of thirty-two gently clenching wrinkled little hands

A (2)                                B (2)

Seventeen company men

                   C#                     D                  A (2)

Out of which only twelve will make it back again

E (2)                                   G (2)

Sergeant sent a letter to five

            A (2)                                                          E (2)

Military wives, his tears drip down to ten little eyes

B (4 hold)

     Cheer them on to their rivals

 

Chorus:

                   A       E              A         E         B (2)

'Cause America can, and America can't say no

             A           E           A       E       B (4)

And America does, if America says it's so, it's so

             F#m (2 hold)          A (2 hold)

And the anchorperson on TV goes

 

E (4)

La de da de da

 

E (2)                           G (2)

       Fifteen celebrity mimes

                     A (2)                                               E (2)

Leading their fifteen sorted wretched checkered lives

E (2)                                          G (2)

     Will they find the solution in time

                       A (2)                                  E (2)

Using their fifteen pristine moderate liberal minds?

A (2)                             B (2)

    Eighteen academy chairs

                    C#             D                  A (2)

Out of which only seven really even care

E (2)                                   G (2)

    Doling out a garment to five

                A (2)                                                 E (2)

Celebrity mimes, they're humbly taken by surprise

B (4 hold)

Cheer them on to their rivals

 

Chorus

 

E (8)

La de da de da de-dadedade-da

La de da de da de-dadedade-da

 

Instrumental (play 2x):  / E - - - / - - - - / G - - - / - - - - /

                                         / A - - - / - - - - / E - - - / - - - - /

                      

 

A (2)                          B (2)

    Fourteen cannibal kings

                   C#                    D                    A (2)

Wondering blindly what the dinner bell will bring

E (2)                          G (2)

     Fifteen celebrity mimes

                    A (2)                                          E (2)

Served on a leafy bed to sixteen military wives

B (4 hold)

     Cheer them on to their rivals

 

Chorus

 

E (16)

La de da de da de-dadedade-da

La de da de da de-dadedade-da

La de da de da de-dadedade-da

La de da de da de-dadedade-da

 

Instrumental (play 3x, hold last E):

 

/ E - - - / - - - - / G - - - / - - - - /

/ A - - - / - - - - / E - - - / - - - - /