A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left by Andrew Bird
Transcribed by: Chuck or Charmister      Email: chhuckim@gmail for Q&A
(LONG transcription; There are song comments "between the lines" and you can
copy+paste and cut out the comments in Word if wanted: Credit to Charmister)

Tuning: Standard E
INTRO:(Either strum once lightly for melancholy effect or rhythmically)
DmOver (xx0231@1)prescribed
GUnder (320003@1)the mister
C      C/B   (01022X) Play as walk down from open chord ‘C’
We had survived to
A7Turn (x02020@1)on the history channel
Dm (xx0231@1)                 GAnd (320003@1)ask our esteemed panel
           CWhy (x32010@1)are we alive
    C/B (x2555x@1)             A7And (x02020@1)here's how they replied
Dm (xx0231@1)                                    GYou're (320003@1)what happens when two substances collide
       Dm (xx0231@1)             G (320003@1)              AmAnd (x02210@1)by all accounts you really should've died
Am (x02210@1)name="chord_022100@1">E	(Pluck Root note and then rest of chord in 4/4)
	E(Then (022100@1)play ‘E’ chord loud into interlude…)

Interlude (RIFF 1):
Am C/G Gm F E (Interlude chords played behind RIFF 1)
	 Am (x02210@1)   C/G (3x555x@1)    GmG]-----99--------[x2]-----99-55----[x2]----77-------[x2]--| (355333@1)D]--77----1010-77------55-------55------55----88-55-------|
	  F (133211@1)             EG]-----99--------------1010-99-----------| (022100@1)   {last measure
D]--77----1010-77---77---------99--------|    one time}
(All notes should be relatively staccato)

[[Play this Interlude into Verse as many times as you want… Or if you are 
as does Andrew in his live version, then play until comfortable. w/ looping, have riff continue 
Verses and Chorus.]]

VERSE 1:
Am (x02210@1)                 C/GStretched (3x555x@1)out on the tarmac
Gm (355333@1)               F (133211@1)            ESix (022100@1)miles south of North Platte
Am (x02210@1)              C/GHe (3x555x@1)can't stand to look back
Gm (355333@1)               F (133211@1)       EAt (022100@1)sixteen tons of HazMat

PRE-CHORUS:
              AmAnd (x02210@1)it's what goes
B (x2444x@1)   EUndelivered (022100@1)A (x02220@1) D (xx0232@1)  GmGm/F (355333@1)EUndelivered (022100@1)CHORUS:
           Am (x02210@1)                      C/G (3x555x@1)               GmAnd (355333@1)it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
                                 FIt's (133211@1)a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
                    EOf (022100@1)the what? Of the head to the left
Am (x02210@1)                    C/G (3x555x@1)          GmExercise (355333@1)yourself 'till you're bereft
                                        F'Cause (133211@1)it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
                  EOf (022100@1)the...of the...to the...

VERSE:
Am (x02210@1)	C/G..etc. (3x555x@1)Splayed out on a bathmat
Six miles north of South Platte
And he just wants his life back
What's in that paper knapsack

PRE-CHORUS:
              AmAnd (x02210@1)it's what goes
B (x2444x@1)   EUndelivered (022100@1)A (x02220@1) D (xx0232@1)  GmGm/F (355333@1)EUndelivered (022100@1)CHORUS:
Am (x02210@1)                             C/G (3x555x@1)             GmIt's (355333@1)a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
              F (133211@1)           EA (022100@1)nervous tic motion of the head

OUTRO:
DmOver (xx0231@1)imbibed
GUnder (320003@1)the mister
C (x32010@1)    C/BBarely (x2555x@1)alive we
A7 (x02020@1)                  DmCover (xx0231@1)the blisters in flannel
                              GThough (320003@1)the words we speak are banal
                    CNot (x32010@1)one of them's a lie
    C/B (x2555x@1)           A7Not (x02020@1)one of them's a lie
            DmYou're (xx0231@1)what happens when
               GTwo (320003@1)substances collide
           DmAnd (xx0231@1)by all accounts
                     AmYou (x02210@1)really should've died
(Song order may vary -Follow recording or cover in your own way.

This song is one of my most favorites of Andrew Bird’s. I watch his live 
on “looping” and was inspired to buy a 'Loop' pedal myself.
Live Version that I am transcribing nearly to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRk2iHkOcNE
I had to comprise (between live and album versions), for to mimic Andrew is to only try 
because of his talking-singing-voice and incredible whistling and violin playing).
God Bless, and joyful music-ing!
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