Belle And Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap

intro
G

verse 1

G
a mile and a half on a bus takes a long time , the odour of old prison food
C
takes a long time to pass you by
G
day upon day of this wandering gets you down , nobody gives you a chance or A
C
dollar in this old town
G
hovering silence from you is a giveaway , squalor and smoke’s not your style
C
i don’t like this place , we better go
G
then i compare notes with your older sister , i Am a lazy get , she is as pure
C
as the cold driven snow

D
G

verse 2

G
what did you learn from your time in the solitary cell of your mind?
C
there was noises , distractions from anything good and the old prison food
G
colour my life with the chaos of trouble
G
cause anything’s better than posh isolation , i missed the bus , you were laid

on your back
D
with the boy with the arab strap
G
with the boy from the arab strap

G C
G C
D C G

verse 3

G
it’s something to speak of the way you are feeling to crowds there assembled
C
do you ever feel you have gone too far?
G
everyone suffers in silence a burden , the man who drives minicabs down in old compton
C D
the asian man with his love/hate affair with his racist clientele
G
a central location for you is a must as you stagger about making free with
C
your lewd and lascivious boasts
G
we all know you are soft because we’ve all seen you dancing
C
we know you are hard because we all saw you drinking from noon until noon again
D
you’re the boy with the filthy laugh
G
you’re the boy with the arab strap

G C
G C

verse 4

G
strapped to the table with suits from the shelter shop
C
comic celebrity takes a back seat as the cigarette catches and sets off the smoke alarm
G
what do you make of the cool set in london?
C
you’re constantly updating your hit parade of your ten biggest wanks
D
she’s a waitress and she’s got style
G
sunday bathtime could take a while