Chords for Gil Scott Heron - Inner city blues
Tempo:
79.4 bpm
Chords used:
G
D
A
Bb
B
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[G]
Rockets and moonshots and blame it on the helpers.
Money we made it.
[D] [G] Yeah, but before we see [D] it, [G] are they taking it?
[A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
The way they do your life.
Make you want to holler right on.
[A] The way [Bb] they end your [B] life.
[G]
Inflation means there ain't no chance.
To [Em] increase [D] a little bit [G] of finance.
Bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
Send that boy off to die.
[A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
[Em] The way they do your life.
[A] Make you want to holler right [D] on.
[A] The [Bb] way they end [B] your [D] life.
[G]
Hang ups and let downs.
And bad rates and setbacks.
Natural and natural factors.
[D] [G] I [D] can't pay.
[G] No taxes.
[A] Yes, it makes me want to holler [G] sometimes.
Throw up on my hands.
It makes me want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw [B] up on my hands.
[G] So you say you never heard of the inner city blues.
And what's more, you don't understand at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind walls.
Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt and tie and run on downtown to standing [D] lines.
A job, washing dishes, you may not [G] qualify.
Walk a big [D] hole in a brand new [E] pair of shoes and you've had your first [G] look at the inner city blues.
Go looking for a place to live, but all the while, remember what lurks behind the devil's smile.
Are [D] we stupid [G] or just naive that we continue to believe money can buy us anything, including a slice of the American dream?
Yeah, answer ads in the paper about houses for sale and get treated [A] like Charles Manson out on [G] bail.
When you start to get [Am] frustrated by the tactics [Db] they use, you'll recognize the [Am] feeling.
It's the inner city [Em] blues.
Yeah, make [A] you want to holler [Bb] sometimes.
[Bm] Throw up on your hands.
[G] And haven't you ever wondered about why some brothers and sisters were down and out, [D] receiving their [G] sympathy from a bottle of wine?
Or worse yet, old homicide, living their lives in a glassine bag or facing the mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoops of shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you want to holler sometimes and throw up both your hands.
To see, sweet sisters, the blossoms of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about 10 and 3.
Because in spite of [Gm] all the money we [G] made and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at the hungry babes and some [A] decisions had to be made.
Did you tell her [G] it's better to go to your grave as a slave with a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and [A] throw up both your [Bb] hands.
[B] [E] [Db] And what [G] happens when people [Am] start to feel [G] they have nothing to lose?
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Did you ever hear about Mark Essex and the things that made him choose to fight the inner city blues?
Yeah, Essex took to the rooftops guerrilla style and watched while all the crackers went wild.
But in 600 troops, I hear brand new to see them crushed with fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and Reddit, tat, tat, tat, tat, was the only sound.
Yeah, bring on the clone rifles to knock down walls.
Bring on the [A] elephant gun.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
[A] Yeah, made the devil want to [G] holler because eight was dead and a dozen [A] was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [Bm] Frisco, L.A., justice [G] was served and the unjust were afraid.
Because after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found, and [G] spreading them goddamn blues around.
Yeah, I think you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say liberation.
[D] Crime is [G] increasing.
[D]
[G] [D] [G] Sugar happy policing.
Panic is, panic is spreading.
[D] [G]
And Lord knows where we're heading.
Yes, [A] make you want to holler [Em] sometimes and throw up both your hands.
Make you want to holler sometimes [A] and [Bb] throw up [B] both your hands.
[Gb] Throw up both your hands.
Throw up [Ebm] both your hands.
[E] [Bm] Throw up both your hands, hands, hands.
Rockets and moonshots and blame it on the helpers.
Money we made it.
[D] [G] Yeah, but before we see [D] it, [G] are they taking it?
[A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
The way they do your life.
Make you want to holler right on.
[A] The way [Bb] they end your [B] life.
[G]
Inflation means there ain't no chance.
To [Em] increase [D] a little bit [G] of finance.
Bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
Send that boy off to die.
[A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
[Em] The way they do your life.
[A] Make you want to holler right [D] on.
[A] The [Bb] way they end [B] your [D] life.
[G]
Hang ups and let downs.
And bad rates and setbacks.
Natural and natural factors.
[D] [G] I [D] can't pay.
[G] No taxes.
[A] Yes, it makes me want to holler [G] sometimes.
Throw up on my hands.
It makes me want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw [B] up on my hands.
[G] So you say you never heard of the inner city blues.
And what's more, you don't understand at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind walls.
Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt and tie and run on downtown to standing [D] lines.
A job, washing dishes, you may not [G] qualify.
Walk a big [D] hole in a brand new [E] pair of shoes and you've had your first [G] look at the inner city blues.
Go looking for a place to live, but all the while, remember what lurks behind the devil's smile.
Are [D] we stupid [G] or just naive that we continue to believe money can buy us anything, including a slice of the American dream?
Yeah, answer ads in the paper about houses for sale and get treated [A] like Charles Manson out on [G] bail.
When you start to get [Am] frustrated by the tactics [Db] they use, you'll recognize the [Am] feeling.
It's the inner city [Em] blues.
Yeah, make [A] you want to holler [Bb] sometimes.
[Bm] Throw up on your hands.
[G] And haven't you ever wondered about why some brothers and sisters were down and out, [D] receiving their [G] sympathy from a bottle of wine?
Or worse yet, old homicide, living their lives in a glassine bag or facing the mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoops of shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you want to holler sometimes and throw up both your hands.
To see, sweet sisters, the blossoms of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about 10 and 3.
Because in spite of [Gm] all the money we [G] made and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at the hungry babes and some [A] decisions had to be made.
Did you tell her [G] it's better to go to your grave as a slave with a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and [A] throw up both your [Bb] hands.
[B] [E] [Db] And what [G] happens when people [Am] start to feel [G] they have nothing to lose?
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Did you ever hear about Mark Essex and the things that made him choose to fight the inner city blues?
Yeah, Essex took to the rooftops guerrilla style and watched while all the crackers went wild.
But in 600 troops, I hear brand new to see them crushed with fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and Reddit, tat, tat, tat, tat, was the only sound.
Yeah, bring on the clone rifles to knock down walls.
Bring on the [A] elephant gun.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
[A] Yeah, made the devil want to [G] holler because eight was dead and a dozen [A] was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [Bm] Frisco, L.A., justice [G] was served and the unjust were afraid.
Because after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found, and [G] spreading them goddamn blues around.
Yeah, I think you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say liberation.
[D] Crime is [G] increasing.
[D]
[G] [D] [G] Sugar happy policing.
Panic is, panic is spreading.
[D] [G]
And Lord knows where we're heading.
Yes, [A] make you want to holler [Em] sometimes and throw up both your hands.
Make you want to holler sometimes [A] and [Bb] throw up [B] both your hands.
[Gb] Throw up both your hands.
Throw up [Ebm] both your hands.
[E] [Bm] Throw up both your hands, hands, hands.
Key:
G
D
A
Bb
B
G
D
A
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Rockets and moonshots and _ blame it on the helpers. _
_ _ Money we made it.
[D] _ [G] Yeah, but before we see [D] it, [G] are they taking it?
_ [A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
The way they do your life.
Make you want to holler right on.
[A] The way [Bb] they end your [B] life.
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ Inflation means there ain't no chance.
To [Em] increase [D] a little bit [G] of finance.
_ _ Bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
_ _ Send that boy off to die.
_ [A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
[Em] The way they do your life.
[A] Make you want to holler right [D] on.
[A] The [Bb] way they end [B] your [D] life.
[G] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
Hang ups and let downs. _
_ And bad rates and setbacks.
_ _ Natural and natural factors.
[D] [G] I [D] can't pay.
_ [G] No taxes.
_ [A] Yes, it makes me want to holler [G] sometimes.
Throw up on my hands.
It makes me want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw [B] up on my hands.
[G] So you say you never heard of the inner city blues.
And what's more, you don't understand at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind walls.
Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt and tie and run on downtown to standing [D] lines.
A job, washing dishes, you may not [G] qualify.
Walk a big [D] hole in a brand new [E] pair of shoes and you've had your first [G] look at the inner city blues.
Go looking for a place to live, but all the while, remember what lurks behind the devil's smile.
Are [D] we stupid [G] or just naive that we continue to believe money can buy us anything, including a slice of the American dream?
Yeah, answer ads in the paper about houses for sale and get treated [A] like Charles Manson out on [G] bail.
When you start to get [Am] frustrated by the tactics [Db] they use, you'll recognize the [Am] feeling.
It's the inner city [Em] blues.
Yeah, make [A] you want to holler [Bb] sometimes.
[Bm] Throw up on your hands.
[G] _ And haven't you ever wondered about why some brothers and sisters were down and out, [D] receiving their [G] sympathy from a bottle of wine?
Or worse yet, old homicide, living their lives in a glassine bag or facing the mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoops of shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you want to holler sometimes and throw up both your hands.
To see, sweet sisters, the blossoms of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about 10 and 3.
Because in spite of [Gm] all the money we [G] made and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at the hungry babes and some [A] decisions had to be made.
Did you tell her [G] it's better to go to your grave as a slave with a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and [A] throw up both your [Bb] hands.
[B] _ [E] _ [Db] And what [G] happens when people [Am] start to feel [G] they have nothing to lose?
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Did you ever hear about Mark Essex and the things that made him choose to fight the inner city blues?
Yeah, Essex took to the rooftops guerrilla style and watched while all the crackers went wild.
But in 600 troops, I hear brand new to see them crushed with fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and Reddit, tat, tat, tat, tat, was the only sound.
Yeah, bring on the clone rifles to knock down walls.
Bring on the [A] elephant gun.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
[A] Yeah, made the devil want to [G] holler because eight was dead and a dozen [A] was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [Bm] Frisco, L.A., justice [G] was served and the unjust were afraid.
Because after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found, and [G] spreading them goddamn blues around.
Yeah, I think you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say liberation.
_ [D] Crime is [G] increasing.
_ [D] _
[G] _ _ [D] [G] Sugar happy policing.
_ _ _ _ Panic is, panic is spreading.
[D] _ [G] _ _
And Lord knows where we're heading.
Yes, [A] make you want to holler [Em] sometimes and throw up both your hands.
Make you want to holler sometimes [A] and [Bb] throw up [B] both your hands.
[Gb] _ _ Throw up both your hands.
_ _ Throw up [Ebm] both your hands.
[E] _ _ _ [Bm] Throw up both your hands, hands, hands. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
Rockets and moonshots and _ blame it on the helpers. _
_ _ Money we made it.
[D] _ [G] Yeah, but before we see [D] it, [G] are they taking it?
_ [A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
The way they do your life.
Make you want to holler right on.
[A] The way [Bb] they end your [B] life.
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ Inflation means there ain't no chance.
To [Em] increase [D] a little bit [G] of finance.
_ _ Bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
_ _ Send that boy off to die.
_ [A] Yes, make you want to holler [G] right on.
[Em] The way they do your life.
[A] Make you want to holler right [D] on.
[A] The [Bb] way they end [B] your [D] life.
[G] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
Hang ups and let downs. _
_ And bad rates and setbacks.
_ _ Natural and natural factors.
[D] [G] I [D] can't pay.
_ [G] No taxes.
_ [A] Yes, it makes me want to holler [G] sometimes.
Throw up on my hands.
It makes me want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw [B] up on my hands.
[G] So you say you never heard of the inner city blues.
And what's more, you don't understand at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind walls.
Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt and tie and run on downtown to standing [D] lines.
A job, washing dishes, you may not [G] qualify.
Walk a big [D] hole in a brand new [E] pair of shoes and you've had your first [G] look at the inner city blues.
Go looking for a place to live, but all the while, remember what lurks behind the devil's smile.
Are [D] we stupid [G] or just naive that we continue to believe money can buy us anything, including a slice of the American dream?
Yeah, answer ads in the paper about houses for sale and get treated [A] like Charles Manson out on [G] bail.
When you start to get [Am] frustrated by the tactics [Db] they use, you'll recognize the [Am] feeling.
It's the inner city [Em] blues.
Yeah, make [A] you want to holler [Bb] sometimes.
[Bm] Throw up on your hands.
[G] _ And haven't you ever wondered about why some brothers and sisters were down and out, [D] receiving their [G] sympathy from a bottle of wine?
Or worse yet, old homicide, living their lives in a glassine bag or facing the mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoops of shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you want to holler sometimes and throw up both your hands.
To see, sweet sisters, the blossoms of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about 10 and 3.
Because in spite of [Gm] all the money we [G] made and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at the hungry babes and some [A] decisions had to be made.
Did you tell her [G] it's better to go to your grave as a slave with a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and [A] throw up both your [Bb] hands.
[B] _ [E] _ [Db] And what [G] happens when people [Am] start to feel [G] they have nothing to lose?
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Nothing to lose.
Did you ever hear about Mark Essex and the things that made him choose to fight the inner city blues?
Yeah, Essex took to the rooftops guerrilla style and watched while all the crackers went wild.
But in 600 troops, I hear brand new to see them crushed with fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and Reddit, tat, tat, tat, tat, was the only sound.
Yeah, bring on the clone rifles to knock down walls.
Bring on the [A] elephant gun.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
[A] Yeah, made the devil want to [G] holler because eight was dead and a dozen [A] was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [Bm] Frisco, L.A., justice [G] was served and the unjust were afraid.
Because after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found, and [G] spreading them goddamn blues around.
Yeah, I think you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say liberation.
_ [D] Crime is [G] increasing.
_ [D] _
[G] _ _ [D] [G] Sugar happy policing.
_ _ _ _ Panic is, panic is spreading.
[D] _ [G] _ _
And Lord knows where we're heading.
Yes, [A] make you want to holler [Em] sometimes and throw up both your hands.
Make you want to holler sometimes [A] and [Bb] throw up [B] both your hands.
[Gb] _ _ Throw up both your hands.
_ _ Throw up [Ebm] both your hands.
[E] _ _ _ [Bm] Throw up both your hands, hands, hands. _ _ _