Artist: Barenaked Ladies
Song: Elf's Lament
Album: Barenaked For The Holidays (2004)


(Capo on 2)


Dm7:    xx0211
G7:     320001
C:      x32010
Am7:    x02010
C7:     x32310
Dm7/C:  xxx565
G/D:    xxx787
C/E:    xxx988
Am/C:   xxx555
E/B:    xxx454
E7:     020100
Dsus2:  xx0230
Cadd9:  x30030
G/B:    x20033
G:      320033
Csus4:  x33010
G6/B:   x20030
A#6b5:  x10030
Fmaj13: 100010
Em7:    020030  (or possibly 030030)
Dm:     xx0231


Dm7   G7    C   Am7
Dm7   G7    C   C7

Dm7/C        G/D              C/E          Am/C
I'm a man of reason, and they say 'tis the season
       Dm7/C           G/D             C/E            E/B
To be jolly, but it's folly when you volley for position
Dm7         G7                  C           Am7
Never in existence has there been such a resistance
     Dm7             G7                   C                   E7
To ideas meant to free us, if you could see us then you'd listen
Dm7                  G7             C              Am7
Toiling through the ages making toys on garnished wages
            Dm7                 G7               C             E7
There's no union, we're only through when we outdo the competition

Dm7  G7   C                  C7
I   make  toys but I've got aspirations
Dm7   G7    C               C7
Make some noise, use your imagination
Dm7   G7   C                 C7
Girls and boys, before you wish for
           Dm7                G7
What you wish for, there's a list for who's been
Dsus2      Cadd9        G/B       G           C  Csus4  C  N.C.
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

  Dm7               G7           C               Am7
A full indentured servitude can reflect on one's attitude
    Dm7            G7                   C               E7
But that silly red hat just makes the fat man look outrageous
  Dm7                G7                  C                   Am7
Absurd though it may seem, you know I've heard there's even been
         Dm7                      G7             C                  E7
Illegal doping, and though we're coping, I just hope it's not contagious
    Dm7             G7                  C             Am7
You try to start a movement and you think you see improvement
            Dm7            G7              C               E7
But when thrown into the moment, we just don't seem so courageous

Dm7  G7   C                  C7
I   make  toys but I've got aspirations
Dm7   G7    C               C7
Make some noise, use your imagination
Dm7   G7   C                 C7
Girls and boys, before you wish for
           Dm7                G7
What you wish for, there's a list for who's been
Dsus2      Cadd9        G/B       G           Cadd9
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

                   G6/B
You look at yourself, you're an elf
            A#6b5                 A7sus4           Fmaj13
And the shelf is just filled with disappointing memories
Cadd9               G6/B                        A#6b5
  Trends come and go, and your friends wanna know
                     A7Sus4        Fmaj13         Em7
Why you aren't just happy making crappy little gizmos
     Dm                         G               Csus4  C  N.C.
Every kid knows they'll just throw this stuff away

      Dm7          G7             C         Am7
We're used to repetition so we drew up a petition
        Dm7              G7                C              E7
We the undersigned feel undermined, let's redefine employment
   Dm7                   G7                C                  Am7
We know that we've got leverage, so we'll hand the fat man a beverage
           Dm7             G7              C               E7
He'll sit back while we attack the utter lack of our enjoyment
   Dm7                G7              C                    Am7
It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow
          Dm7                G7           C   N.C.              E7
He may thunder, but if he blunders he may wonder where the toys went

Dm7  G7   C                  C7
I   make  toys but I've got aspirations
Dm7   G7    C               C7
Make some noise, use your imagination
Dm7   G7   C                 C7
Girls and boys, before you wish for
           Dm7                G7
What you wish for, there's a list for who's been
Dsus2      Cadd9        G/B       G
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Dsus2      Cadd9        G/B       G
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Dsus2      Cadd9        G/B       G     N.C.     C (7 fr.)
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf