John Cale Tabs
Antarctica Starts Here
Tabbed by: Bert Timmermans <bonzothegod@hotmail.com>
| Author: | John Cale | |
| Album: | Paris 1919 (1973) | |
| Key: | F Major (1 flat) |
It's the subtle change of the bass notes that does it in this one: chords are repeated, but with different bass notes, giving the song its clustered and subtly shifting feeling. Chord symbols are repeated if it's a whole bar, noted once if it's half a bar (so two beats per symbol). If half a bar contains two chords, there's a "-" between them. Just prior to the instrumental break you've got this sublime chord (C9-C11), which really lifts the whole thing up!
Intro : / Fma7 Fma7 / Bb6 Bb6 / Fma7 Fma7 / Bb6 Bb6 /
Fma7 Fma7
The paranoid great movie queen
Bb6 Bb6
Sits idly fully armed
Fma7 Fma7
The powder and mascara there
Bb6 Bb6
A warning light for charm
Bb(ma7)6 F/A [the (ma7) is when you include the vocal line]
We see her every movie night
Gm F
The strong against the weak
Bb6 F/A
The lines come out and struggle with
Gm C
The empty voice that speaks
Gm Gm Fma7 Fma7
- that spea-ea---ea-ea-eaks
/ Bb6 Bb6 /
Fma7 Fma7
Her heart is o so tired now
Bb(ma7)6 Bb6
Of kindnesses gone by
Fma7 Fma7
Like broken glasses in a drain
Bb6 Bb6
Gone down but not well spent
Bb(ma7)6 F/A [see above]
The road from Barbary to here
Gm F
She sold then stole right back
Bb6 F/A
The vanity, insanity
Gm C
Her hungry heart forgave
Bb/D F/C [bass line follows the vocal melody]
The fading bride's dull beauty grows
Bb(ma7) F/A [...and leaves it again: (ma7) with the vocal]
Just begging to be seen
Gm7 Gm
Beneath the magic lights that reach
C9 - C11 F [C in bass + Bb-D-G (C9); + Bb-D-F (C11)]
From Barbary to here
Instrumental: first half / C C / Dm-C F / C C / Dm-C F /
second half / F F / Gm Gm / Bb Bb / C C /
Bb/D F/C [see note above]
Her schoolhouse mind has windows now
Bb(ma7)6 F/A [see note above]
Where handsome creatures come to watch
Gm6 Gm6
The anaesthetic wearing off
Gm6 Edim Edim
Antarctica starts here