Chords for Gil Scott-Heron - inner City Blues (Poems "The Siege Of New Orleans") (1981) ♫
Tempo:
105.9 bpm
Chords used:
G
A
E
Em
B
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[G]
Rockets and moonshots and blame it on the help not money we made it.
But before we see it, they take it.
[A] Yes, make you want to holler right on.
[G] The way they do your [G] life, make you want to holler right [E] on.
The way [Bb] they do [B] your life, [G]
inflation means there ain't no chance.
And to increase a little bit of finance,
bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
[A] [Em] Send that boy off [G] to die.
Yes, [A] make you want to holler [G] right on.
[A] The way they do [Em] your life, [A] make you want to holler right on.
The [Bb] way they [B] do your life, [G]
[B]
[G]
hang ups and let downs.
And bad breaks and setbacks.
Natural, the natural fact is, baby, but I can't pay.
No taxing.
Yes, [A] it make me want to holler sometimes.
Throw up [G] on my hands.
It make me [E] want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw up on my [D] hands.
[Em] So you say you [G] never heard of the inner city [Em] blues and what's more, you don't understand
at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind [G] walls.
[Em] Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt, and tie [D] and run on down to [B] the standing lines.
A job, white conditions, you will not [G] qualify.
Walk a big hole in a brand new pair of shoes and you've had your first 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 we stupid 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 [A] treated like Charles Manson out on bail.
When you start to get frustrated by the tactics they use, you'll [Em] recognize the feeling.
It's the inner [E] city blues.
Yeah, make you want to holler [A] sometimes [Bb] and [Bm] throw up off your hands.
[G] And haven't you ever wondered about why some [Em] brothers and sisters were down and out, [Gb] receiving their sympathy from a bottle of [G] wine?
Or worse yet, old homicides living their lives in a glassine [D] bag or facing the [G] mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoop the shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you [E] want to holler sometimes and throw up off your hands.
To see, sweet [G] sisters, the blossoms [E] of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about ten and [E] three.
Because in spite of all the money we made [G] and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at hungry babes and some decisions [A] had to be made.
Did you tell her [Em] it's better to go to your [E] grave as a slave at a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and throw up off your [A] hands.
[Bb] [B] [E] [B] And what happens [G] when people start to feel they have 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.
Brought in 600 troops, I hear, brand new to see them crush your fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and reddit, tat [E] tat tat tat tat was the only sound.
[G] Yeah, bring on the [E] stone rifles to knock down [G] walls.
Bring on the elephant [A] guns.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
Yeah, made the devil [Em] want to holler because eight was dead and a dozen was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [B] Frisco, LA, justice [B] was served and the unjust [G] were afraid.
But after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found and spreading them [G] goddamn blues around.
Yeah, make you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say, liberate.
[B] Crime is a prison.
[G]
[Em] [D] [G] Sugar happy pollution.
Panic is [E] spreading.
[D] [G]
And Lord knows where we're heading.
[A] Yes, make you want to holler sometimes [Em] and throw [G] up both your hands.
[A] Make you want to [E] holler sometimes and throw [Bb] up [B] both your hands.
[E] Throw up both your [Gb]
hands.
Rockets and moonshots and blame it on the help not money we made it.
But before we see it, they take it.
[A] Yes, make you want to holler right on.
[G] The way they do your [G] life, make you want to holler right [E] on.
The way [Bb] they do [B] your life, [G]
inflation means there ain't no chance.
And to increase a little bit of finance,
bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
[A] [Em] Send that boy off [G] to die.
Yes, [A] make you want to holler [G] right on.
[A] The way they do [Em] your life, [A] make you want to holler right on.
The [Bb] way they [B] do your life, [G]
[B]
[G]
hang ups and let downs.
And bad breaks and setbacks.
Natural, the natural fact is, baby, but I can't pay.
No taxing.
Yes, [A] it make me want to holler sometimes.
Throw up [G] on my hands.
It make me [E] want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw up on my [D] hands.
[Em] So you say you [G] never heard of the inner city [Em] blues and what's more, you don't understand
at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind [G] walls.
[Em] Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt, and tie [D] and run on down to [B] the standing lines.
A job, white conditions, you will not [G] qualify.
Walk a big hole in a brand new pair of shoes and you've had your first 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 we stupid 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 [A] treated like Charles Manson out on bail.
When you start to get frustrated by the tactics they use, you'll [Em] recognize the feeling.
It's the inner [E] city blues.
Yeah, make you want to holler [A] sometimes [Bb] and [Bm] throw up off your hands.
[G] And haven't you ever wondered about why some [Em] brothers and sisters were down and out, [Gb] receiving their sympathy from a bottle of [G] wine?
Or worse yet, old homicides living their lives in a glassine [D] bag or facing the [G] mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoop the shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you [E] want to holler sometimes and throw up off your hands.
To see, sweet [G] sisters, the blossoms [E] of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about ten and [E] three.
Because in spite of all the money we made [G] and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at hungry babes and some decisions [A] had to be made.
Did you tell her [Em] it's better to go to your [E] grave as a slave at a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and throw up off your [A] hands.
[Bb] [B] [E] [B] And what happens [G] when people start to feel they have 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.
Brought in 600 troops, I hear, brand new to see them crush your fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and reddit, tat [E] tat tat tat tat was the only sound.
[G] Yeah, bring on the [E] stone rifles to knock down [G] walls.
Bring on the elephant [A] guns.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
Yeah, made the devil [Em] want to holler because eight was dead and a dozen was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [B] Frisco, LA, justice [B] was served and the unjust [G] were afraid.
But after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found and spreading them [G] goddamn blues around.
Yeah, make you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say, liberate.
[B] Crime is a prison.
[G]
[Em] [D] [G] Sugar happy pollution.
Panic is [E] spreading.
[D] [G]
And Lord knows where we're heading.
[A] Yes, make you want to holler sometimes [Em] and throw [G] up both your hands.
[A] Make you want to [E] holler sometimes and throw [Bb] up [B] both your hands.
[E] Throw up both your [Gb]
hands.
Key:
G
A
E
Em
B
G
A
E
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Rockets and moonshots and _ _ _ blame it on the help not _ _ _ _ _ money we made it.
_ But before we see it, they take it.
_ _ [A] Yes, make you want to holler right on.
[G] The way they do your [G] life, make you want to holler right [E] on.
The way [Bb] they do [B] your life, _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
inflation means there ain't no chance.
And to increase a little bit of finance,
_ _ _ bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
_ _ [A] _ [Em] Send that boy off [G] _ to die.
_ Yes, [A] make you want to holler [G] right on.
[A] The way they do [Em] your life, _ [A] make you want to holler right on.
The [Bb] way they [B] do your life, _ _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ hang ups and let downs. _
_ _ _ _ And bad breaks and setbacks.
_ _ _ Natural, the natural fact is, _ baby, but I can't pay.
_ _ _ No taxing.
Yes, [A] it make me want to holler sometimes.
Throw up [G] on my hands.
It make me [E] want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw up on my [D] hands.
[Em] _ So you say you [G] never heard of the inner city [Em] blues and what's more, you don't understand
at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind [G] walls.
[Em] Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt, and tie [D] and run on down to [B] the standing lines.
A job, white conditions, you will not [G] qualify.
Walk a big hole in a brand new pair of shoes and you've had your first 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 we stupid 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 [A] treated like Charles Manson out on bail.
When you start to get frustrated by the tactics they use, you'll [Em] recognize the feeling.
It's the inner [E] city blues.
Yeah, make you want to holler [A] sometimes [Bb] and [Bm] throw up off your hands.
_ _ [G] And haven't you ever wondered about why some [Em] brothers and sisters were down and out, [Gb] receiving their sympathy from a bottle of [G] wine?
Or worse yet, old homicides living their lives in a glassine [D] bag or facing the [G] mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoop the shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you [E] want to holler sometimes and throw up off your hands.
To see, sweet [G] sisters, the blossoms [E] of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about ten and [E] three.
Because in spite of all the money we made [G] and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at hungry babes and some decisions [A] had to be made.
Did you tell her [Em] it's better to go to your [E] grave as a slave at a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and throw up off your [A] hands.
[Bb] _ [B] _ _ [E] _ [B] And what happens [G] when people start to feel they have 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.
Brought in 600 troops, I hear, brand new to see them crush your fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and reddit, tat [E] tat tat tat tat was the only sound.
[G] Yeah, bring on the [E] stone rifles to knock down [G] walls.
Bring on the elephant [A] guns.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
Yeah, made the devil [Em] want to holler because eight was dead and a dozen was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [B] Frisco, LA, justice [B] was served and the unjust [G] were afraid.
But after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found and spreading them [G] goddamn blues around.
Yeah, make you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say, liberate.
_ _ [B] Crime is a prison.
_ [G] _
_ [Em] _ _ [D] _ [G] Sugar happy pollution.
_ _ _ _ _ _ Panic is [E] spreading.
_ [D] _ _ [G] _ _
And Lord knows where we're heading.
_ _ [A] Yes, make you want to holler sometimes [Em] and throw [G] up both your hands. _
_ [A] Make you want to [E] holler sometimes and throw [Bb] up [B] both your hands.
_ [E] _ _ Throw up both your _ _ _ _ [Gb] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ hands.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Rockets and moonshots and _ _ _ blame it on the help not _ _ _ _ _ money we made it.
_ But before we see it, they take it.
_ _ [A] Yes, make you want to holler right on.
[G] The way they do your [G] life, make you want to holler right [E] on.
The way [Bb] they do [B] your life, _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
inflation means there ain't no chance.
And to increase a little bit of finance,
_ _ _ bills they're gonna pile up in the sky.
_ _ [A] _ [Em] Send that boy off [G] _ to die.
_ Yes, [A] make you want to holler [G] right on.
[A] The way they do [Em] your life, _ [A] make you want to holler right on.
The [Bb] way they [B] do your life, _ _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [B] _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ hang ups and let downs. _
_ _ _ _ And bad breaks and setbacks.
_ _ _ Natural, the natural fact is, _ baby, but I can't pay.
_ _ _ No taxing.
Yes, [A] it make me want to holler sometimes.
Throw up [G] on my hands.
It make me [E] want to holler sometimes.
[Bb] Throw up on my [D] hands.
[Em] _ So you say you [G] never heard of the inner city [Em] blues and what's more, you don't understand
at all what the ghetto people mean when they say living behind [G] walls.
[Em] Well, then put on your best suit, white shirt, and tie [D] and run on down to [B] the standing lines.
A job, white conditions, you will not [G] qualify.
Walk a big hole in a brand new pair of shoes and you've had your first 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 we stupid 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 [A] treated like Charles Manson out on bail.
When you start to get frustrated by the tactics they use, you'll [Em] recognize the feeling.
It's the inner [E] city blues.
Yeah, make you want to holler [A] sometimes [Bb] and [Bm] throw up off your hands.
_ _ [G] And haven't you ever wondered about why some [Em] brothers and sisters were down and out, [Gb] receiving their sympathy from a bottle of [G] wine?
Or worse yet, old homicides living their lives in a glassine [D] bag or facing the [G] mysteries of terminal skag?
Some of our brothers parading in drag, another set of victims, two whoop the shoes.
Yeah, you can recognize that.
That's the inner city blues.
Makes you [E] want to holler sometimes and throw up off your hands.
To see, sweet [G] sisters, the blossoms [E] of our African tree [D] profiling on the corner, talking about ten and [E] three.
Because in spite of all the money we made [G] and taxes we paid, the woman was looking at hungry babes and some decisions [A] had to be made.
Did you tell her [Em] it's better to go to your [E] grave as a slave at a minimum wage?
Well, I hardly think so, but make you want to holler sometimes and throw up off your [A] hands.
[Bb] _ [B] _ _ [E] _ [B] And what happens [G] when people start to feel they have 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.
Brought in 600 troops, I hear, brand new to see them crush your fear.
Essex fought back with a thousand rounds and New Orleans was a changing town and reddit, tat [E] tat tat tat tat was the only sound.
[G] Yeah, bring on the [E] stone rifles to knock down [G] walls.
Bring on the elephant [A] guns.
Bring on the helicopters to block [G] out the sun.
Yeah, made the devil [Em] want to holler because eight was dead and a dozen was down and crying for freedom was a brand new sound.
New York, [Bb] Chicago, [B] Frisco, LA, justice [B] was served and the unjust [G] were afraid.
But after all the years and all the fears, brothers were alive, the [D] courage found and spreading them [G] goddamn blues around.
Yeah, make you want to holler, black people, and hold up both your hands and say, liberate.
_ _ [B] Crime is a prison.
_ [G] _
_ [Em] _ _ [D] _ [G] Sugar happy pollution.
_ _ _ _ _ _ Panic is [E] spreading.
_ [D] _ _ [G] _ _
And Lord knows where we're heading.
_ _ [A] Yes, make you want to holler sometimes [Em] and throw [G] up both your hands. _
_ [A] Make you want to [E] holler sometimes and throw [Bb] up [B] both your hands.
_ [E] _ _ Throw up both your _ _ _ _ [Gb] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ hands.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _