Kevin Devine - She Stayed As Steam

this song is in standard tuning in the demo , and tuned a half step down when
played live . ( pretty accurate , definitely not perfect )

( all the chords in this section are palm muted power chords )

F C
all that music in your mouth
G Am
rivers rushing at your teeth
A# F
cresting waves through wading valleys
A# F
flooded language tributaries
A# F C/G
connect and cover over me
F C
tensing jaw & cork screw eyelids
G Am
as if you couldn’t bare to see
A# F
all that water pouring from you
A# F
collecting clouds inside the ballroom
A# F C/G A#
over people who don’t know you

but darling i do

on ’do’ , begin this riff :
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – 2 – 0 – 2 – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – – 0 – 2 – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – 0 – 2 – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – – – – 3 – 3333333 – – |
| – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – 3 – 3 – 3333333 – – |
| – – 11 – 1 – 1 – 111 – 111 – 1/55 – 5 – 5 – 555 – 533 – 011 – 1 – 1 – 111 – 111 – 155 – 5555 – – 1111111 – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

( return to palm – muted power chords )
F C
you trance yourself back towards the city
G Am
blood not moving to your feet
A# F
your foot falls tentative and muffled
A# F
automatic listless shuffle
A# F C/G
your sidewalk scatter brain , cry uncle
F C
you paint yourself back in your corner
G Am
and look for her on your t . v .
A# F
it’s friday night and i Am hungry
A# F
for a hand , a mouth , a body
A# F C/G A#
a love i wouldn’t have to carry

( for the next section , either play the riff or the chords below )

. . mouth . . now . . canal . . town
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – 2 – 0 – 2 – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – – 0 – 2 – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – 0 – 2 – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – – – – 3 – 3333333 – – |
| – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – 3 – 3 – 3333333 – – |
| – – 11 – 1 – 1 – 111 – 111 – 1/55 – 5 – 5 – 555 – 533 – 011 – 1 – 1 – 111 – 111 – 155 – 5555 – – 1111111 – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

F/A#
a stitch in my mouth
Dm
and i’m untying now
F/A#
a concrete canal
Dm G A
in a bomb border town

( return to palm muted power chords again )

A# Am
an echo in the rafters
Dm G
reminding you there was a sound
( D ) | – 7 – – – – – 5 – – – 3 – | Dm
but you killed her in waves
C F C
she stayed a steam to hiss at you now

( stop palm muting here )
G Gadd9 Am A# F Am A# F Am A# F C/G C7
| – 33335555555555556666 – – – – – 111110001111 – – – – 111110001111111100000000 – |
| – 33333333555555556666 – – – – – 111111113333 – – – – 111111113333111111111111 – |
| – 44444444555555557777 – – – – – 222222223333 – – – – 222222223333222200003333 – |
| – 555533337777777788888 – – – – 333332223333 – – – – 333332223333333322222222 – |
| – 5555555577777777888883 – – – 33333000111110 – – 333330001111333333333333 – |
| – 333333335555555566666 – – 3 – 11111 – – – – – – – – – 3111111 – – – – – – – 11113333 – – – – – |

A# F
he killed her in waves
Am Dm
but that’s not today

( back to palm muting again )

Dm
so you breathe through your mouth
A#
try to calm yourself down
F
and keep what you found
A
and shout it out loud

( and stop palm muting again )

Dm
she can hover and hurt
A#
or dissolve to dirt
F A
some prayer in you mouth
G
and she might stay a steam
C
so get to the beams
F A
let you figure her out

G , Dm , A# , F , A# , F , A# , C/G , C7 , F