Chords for Never Any Good - Martin Simpson (Live Union Chapel 2007)
Tempo:
120.95 bpm
Chords used:
D
G
Bm
A
F#m
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[D] I wrote this song about my dad.
My [Bm] dad was born in 1899 and he fought in both world wars.
And he didn't marry until he was 52.
[A] And he had me when he was 54, which [Bm] is exactly how old I am now.
[A] [G]
[D] So my dad would be 108 if he was still here.
[A] [G#] [D]
[Bm] [A]
[D]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [A] [D]
[Bm] [D]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [A] [G]
[D]
[G] [D] [Bm] [D]
[Bm] [D]
When your grammar school days were over, it was 1917.
[G] And you did [D] the right and proper [B] thing.
[D] You were just 18.
You were never mentioned in dispatches.
You never mentioned what you did or saw.
You were just another keen young man in the mud [A] and [D] stink of war.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for [Bm] the office.
[D] Not hard enough for the heart.
You'd rather be singing the Pirate King or fishing with your split cane rod.
You were never any good with [Bm] money.
[D]
You couldn't even hold a job.
And you came home from the Great War with the pips of a captain's rank
[G] and a German [D] officer's luger and no money in the bank.
Your family sent you down to coal mines to learn to be captain there.
[G] But you [D] didn't stand it [Bm] very long.
[D] You needed the light in the air.
Oh, you were never any good.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be watching the fulmers fly or fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [D] good with money.
[Bm] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
So when the Second War came along, you knew what should be done.
[G] You would [D] reenlist to teach young men [F#m] the booby [G] trap [A] and the [D] gun.
And they sent you home to Yorkshire with [G] a crew and a [D] Lewis gun.
[G] So you could [D] save your [Bm] seaside [D] town from the bombers of the Horn.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G]
Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be finding the night jars and as a fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [Bm] good with money.
[D] You couldn't even hold a job.
When my mother came to your door [G] with a baby [D] in her arms.
[G] And her big, [D] hurt boy, just nine years old, [F#m] trying to [D] keep her from [A] [D] harm.
If you had been a practical man, you would have been [G] forewarned.
And you would [D] have seen that it never [Bm] would [D] work.
And I would have never been born.
[G] [D] [G]
[D]
[G]
[D]
There was no proper work in your seaside town.
So we moved here looking for a job.
You were storming at the power [Bm] station just [D] before I came along.
And nobody talked about how you quit, but I know that's what you did.
[G] My mother [D] said you were a selfish man and I was your selfish kid.
You were never any good with money.
[G] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not steady [Bm] enough for the office.
Not [D] hard enough [A] for the [D] heart.
And your Norton it was soon gone along with your split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [D] with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
You showed me I brightened the hedge, oh.
[G]
Speed well and [D] traveler's joy.
You showed me how to [Bm] use my eyes.
[F#m] I was [D] just a boy.
And you taught me how to love a song.
[G] And all you knew of [D] nature's ways.
These [G] are the greatest [D] gifts I've ever known.
And I use them every day.
Oh, you were never any good with money.
[G]
[D] Couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Maybe not [D] hard enough [Gm] for [A] the [D] heart.
You'd rather be riding your Norton.
[G] Going [Bm] fishing with your [D] split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [Bm] with money.
You [D] [A] couldn't even [D] hold a job.
[N]
It's been a real
My [Bm] dad was born in 1899 and he fought in both world wars.
And he didn't marry until he was 52.
[A] And he had me when he was 54, which [Bm] is exactly how old I am now.
[A] [G]
[D] So my dad would be 108 if he was still here.
[A] [G#] [D]
[Bm] [A]
[D]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [A] [D]
[Bm] [D]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [A] [G]
[D]
[G] [D] [Bm] [D]
[Bm] [D]
When your grammar school days were over, it was 1917.
[G] And you did [D] the right and proper [B] thing.
[D] You were just 18.
You were never mentioned in dispatches.
You never mentioned what you did or saw.
You were just another keen young man in the mud [A] and [D] stink of war.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for [Bm] the office.
[D] Not hard enough for the heart.
You'd rather be singing the Pirate King or fishing with your split cane rod.
You were never any good with [Bm] money.
[D]
You couldn't even hold a job.
And you came home from the Great War with the pips of a captain's rank
[G] and a German [D] officer's luger and no money in the bank.
Your family sent you down to coal mines to learn to be captain there.
[G] But you [D] didn't stand it [Bm] very long.
[D] You needed the light in the air.
Oh, you were never any good.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be watching the fulmers fly or fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [D] good with money.
[Bm] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
So when the Second War came along, you knew what should be done.
[G] You would [D] reenlist to teach young men [F#m] the booby [G] trap [A] and the [D] gun.
And they sent you home to Yorkshire with [G] a crew and a [D] Lewis gun.
[G] So you could [D] save your [Bm] seaside [D] town from the bombers of the Horn.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G]
Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be finding the night jars and as a fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [Bm] good with money.
[D] You couldn't even hold a job.
When my mother came to your door [G] with a baby [D] in her arms.
[G] And her big, [D] hurt boy, just nine years old, [F#m] trying to [D] keep her from [A] [D] harm.
If you had been a practical man, you would have been [G] forewarned.
And you would [D] have seen that it never [Bm] would [D] work.
And I would have never been born.
[G] [D] [G]
[D]
[G]
[D]
There was no proper work in your seaside town.
So we moved here looking for a job.
You were storming at the power [Bm] station just [D] before I came along.
And nobody talked about how you quit, but I know that's what you did.
[G] My mother [D] said you were a selfish man and I was your selfish kid.
You were never any good with money.
[G] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not steady [Bm] enough for the office.
Not [D] hard enough [A] for the [D] heart.
And your Norton it was soon gone along with your split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [D] with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
You showed me I brightened the hedge, oh.
[G]
Speed well and [D] traveler's joy.
You showed me how to [Bm] use my eyes.
[F#m] I was [D] just a boy.
And you taught me how to love a song.
[G] And all you knew of [D] nature's ways.
These [G] are the greatest [D] gifts I've ever known.
And I use them every day.
Oh, you were never any good with money.
[G]
[D] Couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Maybe not [D] hard enough [Gm] for [A] the [D] heart.
You'd rather be riding your Norton.
[G] Going [Bm] fishing with your [D] split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [Bm] with money.
You [D] [A] couldn't even [D] hold a job.
[N]
It's been a real
Key:
D
G
Bm
A
F#m
D
G
Bm
[D] _ I wrote this song about my dad.
My [Bm] dad was born in 1899 and he fought in both world wars.
_ And he didn't marry until he was 52. _
_ [A] And he had me when he was 54, _ _ _ which [Bm] is exactly how old I am now.
[A] _ [G] _
_ [D] So my dad would be 108 _ _ _ if he was still here. _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ [G#] _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ [A] _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ [A] _ [D] _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ [D] _ _ [A] _ _ [G] _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ [D] _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Bm] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _
_ _ When your grammar school days were over, it was _ _ 1917.
_ [G] And you did [D] the right and proper [B] thing.
[D] You were just 18.
You were never mentioned in dispatches.
You never mentioned what you did or saw.
You were just another keen young man in the mud [A] and [D] stink of war.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for [Bm] the office.
[D] Not hard enough for the heart.
You'd rather be singing the Pirate King or fishing with your split cane rod.
You were never any good with [Bm] money.
[D]
You couldn't even hold a job.
And you came home from the Great War with the pips of a captain's rank
[G] and a German [D] officer's luger and no money in the bank.
Your family sent you down to coal mines to learn to be captain there.
[G] But you [D] didn't stand it [Bm] very long.
[D] You needed the light in the air.
Oh, you were never any _ _ good.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be watching the fulmers fly or fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [D] good with money.
[Bm] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
So when the Second War came along, you knew what should be done.
[G] You would [D] reenlist to teach young men [F#m] the booby [G] trap [A] and the [D] gun.
And they sent you home to Yorkshire with [G] a crew and a [D] Lewis gun.
[G] So you could [D] save your [Bm] seaside [D] town from the bombers of the Horn.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G]
Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be finding the night jars and as a fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [Bm] good with money.
[D] You couldn't even hold a job.
When my mother came to your door [G] with a baby [D] in her arms.
[G] And her big, [D] hurt boy, just nine years old, [F#m] trying to [D] keep her from [A] [D] harm.
If you had been a practical man, you would have been _ [G] forewarned.
And you would [D] have seen that it never [Bm] would [D] work.
And I would have never been born. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ [G] _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
There was no proper work in your seaside town.
So we moved here looking for a job.
You were storming at the power [Bm] station just [D] before I came along.
And nobody talked about how you quit, but I know that's what you did.
[G] My mother [D] said you were a selfish man and I was your selfish kid.
You were never any good with money.
[G] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not steady [Bm] enough for the office.
Not [D] hard enough [A] for the [D] heart.
And your Norton it was soon gone along with your split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [D] with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
You showed me I brightened the hedge, oh.
_ [G]
Speed well and [D] traveler's joy.
You showed me how to [Bm] use my eyes.
[F#m] I was [D] just a boy.
And you taught me how to love a song.
[G] And all you knew of [D] nature's ways.
These [G] are the greatest [D] gifts I've ever known.
And I use them every day.
Oh, you were never any good with money.
_ [G]
[D] Couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Maybe not [D] hard enough [Gm] for [A] the [D] heart.
You'd rather be riding your Norton.
[G] Going [Bm] fishing with your [D] split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [Bm] with money.
You [D] [A] couldn't even [D] hold a job. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ It's been a real
My [Bm] dad was born in 1899 and he fought in both world wars.
_ And he didn't marry until he was 52. _
_ [A] And he had me when he was 54, _ _ _ which [Bm] is exactly how old I am now.
[A] _ [G] _
_ [D] So my dad would be 108 _ _ _ if he was still here. _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ [G#] _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ [A] _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ [A] _ [D] _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ [D] _ _ [A] _ _ [G] _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ [D] _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Bm] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _
_ _ When your grammar school days were over, it was _ _ 1917.
_ [G] And you did [D] the right and proper [B] thing.
[D] You were just 18.
You were never mentioned in dispatches.
You never mentioned what you did or saw.
You were just another keen young man in the mud [A] and [D] stink of war.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for [Bm] the office.
[D] Not hard enough for the heart.
You'd rather be singing the Pirate King or fishing with your split cane rod.
You were never any good with [Bm] money.
[D]
You couldn't even hold a job.
And you came home from the Great War with the pips of a captain's rank
[G] and a German [D] officer's luger and no money in the bank.
Your family sent you down to coal mines to learn to be captain there.
[G] But you [D] didn't stand it [Bm] very long.
[D] You needed the light in the air.
Oh, you were never any _ _ good.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be watching the fulmers fly or fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [D] good with money.
[Bm] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
So when the Second War came along, you knew what should be done.
[G] You would [D] reenlist to teach young men [F#m] the booby [G] trap [A] and the [D] gun.
And they sent you home to Yorkshire with [G] a crew and a [D] Lewis gun.
[G] So you could [D] save your [Bm] seaside [D] town from the bombers of the Horn.
And you were never any good with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
[G]
Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Not [F#m] hard [D] enough for the heart.
You would rather be finding the night jars and as a fishing with your split cane [G] rod.
You were never any [Bm] good with money.
[D] You couldn't even hold a job.
When my mother came to your door [G] with a baby [D] in her arms.
[G] And her big, [D] hurt boy, just nine years old, [F#m] trying to [D] keep her from [A] [D] harm.
If you had been a practical man, you would have been _ [G] forewarned.
And you would [D] have seen that it never [Bm] would [D] work.
And I would have never been born. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ [G] _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
There was no proper work in your seaside town.
So we moved here looking for a job.
You were storming at the power [Bm] station just [D] before I came along.
And nobody talked about how you quit, but I know that's what you did.
[G] My mother [D] said you were a selfish man and I was your selfish kid.
You were never any good with money.
[G] You [D] couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not steady [Bm] enough for the office.
Not [D] hard enough [A] for the [D] heart.
And your Norton it was soon gone along with your split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [D] with money.
You couldn't even hold a job.
You showed me I brightened the hedge, oh.
_ [G]
Speed well and [D] traveler's joy.
You showed me how to [Bm] use my eyes.
[F#m] I was [D] just a boy.
And you taught me how to love a song.
[G] And all you knew of [D] nature's ways.
These [G] are the greatest [D] gifts I've ever known.
And I use them every day.
Oh, you were never any good with money.
_ [G]
[D] Couldn't even hold a job.
[G] Not [D] steady enough for the [Bm] office.
Maybe not [D] hard enough [Gm] for [A] the [D] heart.
You'd rather be riding your Norton.
[G] Going [Bm] fishing with your [D] split cane rod.
[G] You were never any good [Bm] with money.
You [D] [A] couldn't even [D] hold a job. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ It's been a real