Chords for Tom Lehrer: Oedipus Rex (concert live) (1959)
Tempo:
122.75 bpm
Chords used:
C
F
G
D
Bb
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[F] [Bb]
[C] [Bb]
Most of the songs that you hear [Gb] these days on the radio played by the [N] disc jockeys, apart
from Rock and Roll and other children's records, tend to be motion picture title songs.
Apparently
producers feel that we will not attend their movies unless we have the titles well drilled
into our heads in advance.
Of course, we don't go anyway, but at least this way they make
back on the song some of what they've lost on the picture.
With the rise of the motion picture title song, we have such hits of the past few years
as the Ten Commandments, Mambo, Brothers Karamazov, Cha-Cha, Incredible Shrinking Man, I Love You.
I'm sure you're all familiar with these, but a few years ago a motion picture version
appeared of Sophocles' immortal tragedy, Oedipus Rex.
This picture played only in the
so-called art theaters and it was not a financial success.
And I maintain that the reason it
was not a financial success, you're way ahead of me, was that it did not have a title tune
which the people could hum, and which would make them actually eager to attend this particular
flick.
So I've attempted to apply this, and here then is the prospective title song from Oedipus Rex.
[G]
[C] From the Bible to the popular song, there's [Bb] one theme that we find right along.
[Ab] Of all
ideals they hail as good, [G] the most sublime is motherhood.
[C] There was a man, though who
it seems, [Bb] once carried this ideal to extremes.
He [Ab] loved his mother and she loved him, [G] and
yet his story is rather grim.
[F]
[C]
[G] [C] There once lived a [F] man named Oedipus [C] Rex.
You may have
heard about his odd complex.
His name appears [F] in Freud's Index [D] because he [G] loved his mother.
[D] [G]
[C] His rivals used to [F] say quite a bit [C] that as a monarch [G] he was most unfit, but still and
all [F] they had to [D] admit that he [C] loved his mother.
Yes, he loved his mother [Eb] like no [D] other.
His
daughter was his [G] sister and his son was his brother.
One thing on which you can depend
is he sure knew who a boy's best friend is.
[C] When [F] he found what he had [C] done, he tore his
eyes [G] out one by one.
[C] A tragic end to a loyal [D] son who [C] loved his mother.
[Cm] [C] So be sweet and
kind to mother now and then, have a chat.
[Bb] Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand new
hat.
[Ab] But maybe you had better let it go at that.
You [C] may [Db] find yourself with a quite [E] complex
[A] complex and [D] you may end up like Oedipus.
I'd rather marry a duck [G]-billed [D] platypus than end
up like [F] Oedipus Rex.
[C] [N]
The outpatients are out in force tonight I see.
[Fm]
[F]
[Fm] [Db]
[F]
[C] [Bb]
Most of the songs that you hear [Gb] these days on the radio played by the [N] disc jockeys, apart
from Rock and Roll and other children's records, tend to be motion picture title songs.
Apparently
producers feel that we will not attend their movies unless we have the titles well drilled
into our heads in advance.
Of course, we don't go anyway, but at least this way they make
back on the song some of what they've lost on the picture.
With the rise of the motion picture title song, we have such hits of the past few years
as the Ten Commandments, Mambo, Brothers Karamazov, Cha-Cha, Incredible Shrinking Man, I Love You.
I'm sure you're all familiar with these, but a few years ago a motion picture version
appeared of Sophocles' immortal tragedy, Oedipus Rex.
This picture played only in the
so-called art theaters and it was not a financial success.
And I maintain that the reason it
was not a financial success, you're way ahead of me, was that it did not have a title tune
which the people could hum, and which would make them actually eager to attend this particular
flick.
So I've attempted to apply this, and here then is the prospective title song from Oedipus Rex.
[G]
[C] From the Bible to the popular song, there's [Bb] one theme that we find right along.
[Ab] Of all
ideals they hail as good, [G] the most sublime is motherhood.
[C] There was a man, though who
it seems, [Bb] once carried this ideal to extremes.
He [Ab] loved his mother and she loved him, [G] and
yet his story is rather grim.
[F]
[C]
[G] [C] There once lived a [F] man named Oedipus [C] Rex.
You may have
heard about his odd complex.
His name appears [F] in Freud's Index [D] because he [G] loved his mother.
[D] [G]
[C] His rivals used to [F] say quite a bit [C] that as a monarch [G] he was most unfit, but still and
all [F] they had to [D] admit that he [C] loved his mother.
Yes, he loved his mother [Eb] like no [D] other.
His
daughter was his [G] sister and his son was his brother.
One thing on which you can depend
is he sure knew who a boy's best friend is.
[C] When [F] he found what he had [C] done, he tore his
eyes [G] out one by one.
[C] A tragic end to a loyal [D] son who [C] loved his mother.
[Cm] [C] So be sweet and
kind to mother now and then, have a chat.
[Bb] Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand new
hat.
[Ab] But maybe you had better let it go at that.
You [C] may [Db] find yourself with a quite [E] complex
[A] complex and [D] you may end up like Oedipus.
I'd rather marry a duck [G]-billed [D] platypus than end
up like [F] Oedipus Rex.
[C] [N]
The outpatients are out in force tonight I see.
[Fm]
[F]
[Fm] [Db]
[F]
Key:
C
F
G
D
Bb
C
F
G
_ _ _ [F] _ _ [Bb] _ _ _
_ _ [C] _ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _
Most of the songs that you hear [Gb] these days on the radio played by the [N] disc jockeys, apart
from Rock and Roll and other children's records, _ _ tend to _ _ be _ _ _ motion picture title songs.
Apparently
producers feel that we will not attend their movies unless we have the titles well drilled
into our heads in advance.
Of course, we don't go anyway, but at least this way they make
back on the song some of what they've lost on the picture.
_ _ With the rise of the motion picture title song, we have such hits of the past few years
as the Ten Commandments, Mambo, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Brothers Karamazov, Cha-Cha, _ _ _ _ _ _ Incredible Shrinking Man, I Love You. _
_ _ _ _ _ I'm sure you're all familiar with these, but a few years ago a motion picture version
appeared of Sophocles' immortal tragedy, Oedipus Rex.
_ This picture played only in the
so-called art theaters and it was not a financial success.
And I maintain that the reason it
was not a financial success, _ _ _ _ you're _ _ _ _ way ahead of me, _ _ _ was that it did not have a title tune
which the people could hum, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ which would make them actually eager to attend this particular
flick.
So I've attempted to _ _ apply this, and here then is the prospective title song from Oedipus Rex.
_ [G] _ _ _
_ _ [C] From the Bible to the popular song, there's [Bb] one theme that we find right along.
[Ab] Of all
ideals they hail as good, [G] the most sublime is _ motherhood.
[C] There was a man, though who
it seems, [Bb] once carried this ideal to extremes. _ _
He [Ab] loved his mother and she loved him, [G] and
yet his story is rather grim.
_ _ _ [F] _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
[G] _ _ [C] There once lived a [F] man named Oedipus [C] Rex.
You may have
heard about his odd complex.
His name appears [F] in Freud's Index [D] because he [G] loved his mother.
[D] _ _ _ [G] _
[C] His rivals used to [F] say quite a bit [C] that as a monarch [G] he was most unfit, but still and
all [F] they had to [D] admit that he [C] loved his mother.
_ _ _ Yes, he loved his mother [Eb] like no [D] other.
His
daughter was his [G] sister and his son was his brother.
One thing on which you can depend
is he sure knew who a boy's best friend is.
[C] When [F] he found what he had [C] done, he tore his
eyes [G] out one by one.
[C] A tragic end to a loyal [D] son who [C] loved his mother.
[Cm] _ _ _ [C] _ So be sweet and
kind to mother now and then, have a chat.
[Bb] Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand new
hat.
[Ab] But maybe you had better let it go at that.
_ You [C] may [Db] find yourself with a quite [E] complex
[A] complex and [D] you may end up like Oedipus.
I'd rather marry a duck [G]-billed [D] platypus than end
up like [F] Oedipus Rex.
_ [C] _ _ _ _ [N] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The outpatients are out in force tonight I see. _ _
_ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Fm] _ [Db] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [C] _ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _
Most of the songs that you hear [Gb] these days on the radio played by the [N] disc jockeys, apart
from Rock and Roll and other children's records, _ _ tend to _ _ be _ _ _ motion picture title songs.
Apparently
producers feel that we will not attend their movies unless we have the titles well drilled
into our heads in advance.
Of course, we don't go anyway, but at least this way they make
back on the song some of what they've lost on the picture.
_ _ With the rise of the motion picture title song, we have such hits of the past few years
as the Ten Commandments, Mambo, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Brothers Karamazov, Cha-Cha, _ _ _ _ _ _ Incredible Shrinking Man, I Love You. _
_ _ _ _ _ I'm sure you're all familiar with these, but a few years ago a motion picture version
appeared of Sophocles' immortal tragedy, Oedipus Rex.
_ This picture played only in the
so-called art theaters and it was not a financial success.
And I maintain that the reason it
was not a financial success, _ _ _ _ you're _ _ _ _ way ahead of me, _ _ _ was that it did not have a title tune
which the people could hum, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ which would make them actually eager to attend this particular
flick.
So I've attempted to _ _ apply this, and here then is the prospective title song from Oedipus Rex.
_ [G] _ _ _
_ _ [C] From the Bible to the popular song, there's [Bb] one theme that we find right along.
[Ab] Of all
ideals they hail as good, [G] the most sublime is _ motherhood.
[C] There was a man, though who
it seems, [Bb] once carried this ideal to extremes. _ _
He [Ab] loved his mother and she loved him, [G] and
yet his story is rather grim.
_ _ _ [F] _
_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
[G] _ _ [C] There once lived a [F] man named Oedipus [C] Rex.
You may have
heard about his odd complex.
His name appears [F] in Freud's Index [D] because he [G] loved his mother.
[D] _ _ _ [G] _
[C] His rivals used to [F] say quite a bit [C] that as a monarch [G] he was most unfit, but still and
all [F] they had to [D] admit that he [C] loved his mother.
_ _ _ Yes, he loved his mother [Eb] like no [D] other.
His
daughter was his [G] sister and his son was his brother.
One thing on which you can depend
is he sure knew who a boy's best friend is.
[C] When [F] he found what he had [C] done, he tore his
eyes [G] out one by one.
[C] A tragic end to a loyal [D] son who [C] loved his mother.
[Cm] _ _ _ [C] _ So be sweet and
kind to mother now and then, have a chat.
[Bb] Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand new
hat.
[Ab] But maybe you had better let it go at that.
_ You [C] may [Db] find yourself with a quite [E] complex
[A] complex and [D] you may end up like Oedipus.
I'd rather marry a duck [G]-billed [D] platypus than end
up like [F] Oedipus Rex.
_ [C] _ _ _ _ [N] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The outpatients are out in force tonight I see. _ _
_ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Fm] _ [Db] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _