American Without Tears tab - elvis costello

American Without Tears


G                          C              G
Outside in New Orleans the heat was almost frightening
       G                       A              D
But my hotel room as usual was freezing and unkind
   G                    C           G
On TV they prosecute anyone who's exciting
     G                      D            G
So I put on my overcoat and went down to find
   G                          C           G
In Revlon and Crimpelene they captured my heart
       G                       A            D
To the strain of a piano and a cocktail murderess
        G                               C                G
She was singing that "It's Too Late", I agreed with that part
    G                         D               G
For two English girls who had changed their address

[chorus:]
       C                           G
Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years
      Em                            C                G
Now I don't speak any English, just American without tears
     C                G
Just American without tears

One had been a beauty queen and the other was her friend
They had known rogues and rascals and showbiz impresarios
While the boys were licking Hitler they had something to defend
From men armed with chewing gum and fine nylon hose
By a bicycle factory as they sounded the siren
And returned into the dancehall she knew he was the one
Though he wasn't tall or handsome she laughed when he told her
"I'm the Sheriff of Nottingham and this is Little John"

[chorus]
     A                           D       A
At a dock in Southampton full of tearful goodbyes
    A                             B       E
Newsreel commentators said "Cheerio, G.I. brides"
A                           D              A
Soon they'll be finding the cold facts and lies
    A                              E         A
New words for suspenders and young girls backsides
    A                  D            A
Now I'm in America and running from you
        A                                B              E
Like my grandfather before me walked the streets of New York
      A                           D                   A
And I think of all the women I pretend mean more than you
       A                   E             A
When I open my mouth and I can't seem to talk

       D                           A
Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years
      F#m [barre it]                D                A
Now I don't speak any English just American without tears
 
      D               A
Just American without tears

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Video American Without Tears

Elvis Costello at Village Music: American Without Tears
EC is accompanied by the charming and talented Austin DeLone

Elvis Costello - American Without Tears
from the 1986 album "King Of America" F-Beat ZL70976 The Little Hands Of Concrete - vocal, acoustic guitar Jo-El Sonnier - French accordion James Burton - electric guitar Jerry Scheff - string bass Ron Tutt - brushes & drums Outside in New Orleans the heat was almost frightening But my hotel room as usual was freezing and unkind On TV they prosecute anyone who's exciting So I put on my overcoat and went down to find In Revlon and Crimpelene they captured my heart To the strain of a piano and a cocktail murderess She was singing that "It's Too Late", I agreed with that part For two English girls who had changed their address [chorus:] Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years Now we don't speak any English, just American without tears Just American without tears One had been a beauty queen and the other was her friend They had known rogues and rascals and showbiz impresarios While the boys were licking Hitler they had something to defend From men armed with chewing gum and fine nylon hose By a bicycle factory as they sounded the siren And returned into the dancehall she knew he was the one Though he wasn't tall or handsome she laughed when he told her "I'm the Sheriff of Nottingham and this is Little John" [chorus] At a dock in Southampton full of tearful goodbyes Newsreel commentators said "Cheerio, G.I. brides" Soon they'll be finding the cold facts and lies New words for suspenders and young girls' backsides Now I'm in America and running from you Like my grandfather before me walked the streets of New York And I think of all the women I pretend mean more than you When I open my mouth and I can't seem to talk [chorus] Now it seems we've been crying for years and for years Now I don't speak any English just American without tears Just American without tears Just American without tears

american without tears
my version of the elvis costello song guitars, vocals, bass, bouzouki, drum samples

American without Tears acoustic cover
Elvis Costello song from King of America...First 30 seconds is me trying to work out the intro key, I forgot to cut it off...