Decemberists - Picaresqueties

1 . the bandit queen
2 . bridges and balloons
3 . constantinople
4 . the kingdom of spain

1 . the bandit queen

originally tabbed by : unregistered

verse 1

C C7
as the sun is sinking low ,
F Fm
and the evening’s tucked in tow ,
C Am G G7
on the horizon , my true love i see – E – E – E – eee .
C C7
she ain’t fancy , she ain’t fine
F Fm
while her fingers number only nine
C Am F G
she’s the belle of the ball of the insurgency .

chorus

C Am
she’s my bandit queen , laying beneath the moon
F G
in a bandit cave , a blanket laid for two
C Am
if i could find a way to your hideaway by the sea
F G7 C
o bandit queen , steal away to me .

bridge

Am
somewhere on a mountain , by a starry water fountain
C C/B
in an alcove hid by some trees
Am
amidst a pile of treasure , reclining at her leisure ,
F G
my ladylove sniffs at the breeze .
F
and sitting up , she adjusts her turban
C
and takes another swig from a bottle of bourbon
D7 G
and listening to the whistling of the train in station
n . C
odds are it will never reach its destination .
C Am
’cause the bandit queen , astride her steed will ride
F G C
oh , let me be the one to lay within your theivin’ arms tonight .

chorus

C Am
she’s my bandit queen , laying beneath the moon
F G
in a bandit cave , a blanket laid for two
C Am
if i could find a way to your hideaway by the sea
F G7 C
o bandit queen , steal away to me .

2 . bridges and balloons

capo 4

verse 1

G
we sailed away on a winter’s day
Cadd9
with fate as malleable as clay
G
but ships are fallible , i say
Cadd9
and the nautical , like all things , fades
G
and i can recall our caravel
Cadd9
a little wicker beetle shell
G
with four fine maste and lateen sails
Cadd9
its bearings on cair paravel

chorus

Am Cadd9
oh my love
G
oh it was a funny little thing
Am
to be
C
the ones
G
to’ve seen

verse 2

G
the sight of bridges and balloons
Cadd9
makes calm canaries irritable
G
and they caw and claw all afternoon
Cadd9
catenaries and dirigibles
G
brace and buoy the living room
Cadd9
a loom of metal warp woof wimble
G
and a thimbles worth of milky moon
Cadd9
can touch hearts larger than a thimble

chorus

Am Cadd9
oh my love
G
oh it was a funny little thing
Am
to be
C
the ones
G
to’ve seen

outro

Am Cadd9
oh my love
G
it was a funny little thing
Am C G
oh it was a funny funny funny little thing

Cadd9 G Cadd9 G Cadd9 G

3 . constantinople
originally tabbed by : aflowerandagun

intro : C C/B

verse 1

C C/G C C/G
o the minarets of constantinople
Am Am/E Am Am/E
are plated gold , ivory , and opal
F F/C F F/C G G G G
their cupolas all onion domed and light .

verse 2

C C/G C C/G
and the magistrate of constantinople
Am Am/E Am Am/E
has made a match; his family was hopeful
F F/C F F/C G G G G
their daughter would be promised a wedding night .

chorus

F G
but the sultan’s weary bride , she won’t be wed tonight
C C/B C/A C/G Am Am/E Am Am/E
nor fall beneath a canopy to lie
F F/C F F/C G G G G
for far across the town , her lover now is drowned
C C/B C/A C/G Am Am/E Am Am/E
and painted by the bosporus in blue
F F/C F F/C G G G G
and there’s nothing for a broken heart to do .

verse 3

C C/G C C/G
down the dirty streets of constantinople
Am Am/E Am Am/E
the beggars weep , their hands all wide open
F F/C F F/C G G G G
their severed leper limbs all swing and sway .

verse 4

C C/G C C/G
at a windowsill in constantinople
Am Am/E Am Am/E
our hero sighs to melodies noteful
F F/C F F/C G G G G
and gazes on the walls that hold his love .

chorus

F G
but the sultan’s weary bride , she won’t be wed tonight
C C/B C/A C/G Am Am/E Am Am/E
nor fall beneath a canopy to lie
F F/C F F/C G G G G
for far across the town , her lover now is drowned
C C/B C/A C/G Am Am/E Am Am/E
and painted by the bosporus in blue
F F/C F F/C G G G G
and there’s nothing for a broken heart to do .

outro

F F/C F F/C G G G G
no , there’s nothing for a broken heart to do .
C C/B C/A C/G Am Am/E Am Am/E F F/C F F/C G G G G
except cry .

G G G7 C

4 . the kingdom of spain

originally tabbed by : unregistered

G G C D G

verse 1

C
in the kingdom of spain
D G Em
there are such colors
C
they defy any name
D G Em
like drab and dolor

chorus

C D
but oh the king and the queen of spain
G Em
with their long unpronounceable names
C D Em D
grace the table at the long lost kingdom of spain

verse 2

C
in the kingdom of light
D G Em
a lithe young lawyer
C
tries a case for
D G Em
her unjustly arrested brother

chorus

C D
but oh the king and the queen of light
G Em
rule with unbendable might
C D Em D
so it’s to the gallows with the long lost kingdom of light

bridge

G G C D G

verse 3

C
in the kingdom of love
D G Em
oh , we’re all just fodder
C
as the cannonades drub
D G Em
our sons and daughters

chorus

C D
but oh the king and the queen of love
G Em
in their long white fingerless gloves
C D Em D
bang the gavel for the long lost kingdom of love

outro

D Em
of love
D Em
of love
D