Artist: Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mescaleros
Song: Forbidden City
Written: Joe Strummer
Album: Rock Art and the X-Ray Style

Background: From the debut album released by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros in 1999.
Author: Richard Grosser (grosserr@gmail.com)

Tuning: Standard with Capo on 2nd fret
(Hence all chords are up two semitones, or a tone)

Chords:
C:   ======= 332010
F7:  ======= 131211
G:   ======= 355433
Am:  ======= 002210

Notes:
1. Totally revised from my previously posted 2008 version.
2. Where the chords are shown with triplets in brackets (e.g. x3) 
...it's a quick, forceful(forte) staccato rhythmic chords.

Intro:
[Tom-Tom & Bongos, over organ riff, with arpeggiated chords]
| C (x32010@1) F7 (131241@1)G (320003@1) F7| (131241@1) 
Okay, dream of freedom...
| C (x32010@1) F7 (131241@1)G (320003@1) F7| (131241@1)C(x3) (x32010@1)
Verse 1:
C (x32010@1)                          F7 (131241@1)  
Under the moon in the dragon room,
G7 (320001@1)                 F7 (131241@1) CInside (x32010@1)the mind of a soul confined.
C (x32010@1)                                 F7 (131241@1)   
Don't talk about soon in the dragon room,
G (320003@1)                   F7 (131241@1)     C (x32010@1)  
Under the scream of a jet machine.
F7(x3) G(x3) F7(x3) 
Who knows in the hills,
Am(x3) F7(x3) G(x3) G
Who knows when she will.

Chorus 1:
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 GWhen (320003@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
       C (x32010@1)          F7 (131241@1)C (x32010@1)G(x3) F7(x3) C(x3)
...Oh, China, Yeah, China.

Verse 2:
C (x32010@1)                               F7 (131241@1)   
Gold silk in a loom in the dragon room,
G (320003@1)                             F7 (131241@1)       CThat (x32010@1)silk that will be for the flag of the free.
F7(x3) G(x3) F7(x3) 
Who knows in the hills,
Am(x3) F7(x3) G(x3) G
Who knows when she will.

Chorus 2:
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 GWhen (320003@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out.
F7 (131241@1)C (x32010@1)    F7 (131241@1)  C (x32010@1)
Oh, China, Yeah, China. 
F7 (131241@1)C (x32010@1)    F7 (131241@1)  C (x32010@1)   
Oh, China, Yeah, China.

Instrumental:
G(x3) F7(x3)
Yeah, they got lots of towers, 
(Organ riff over muffled gunfire)
Am (x02210@1)                        F7' (131241@1)Never pushed someone so far.
Am (x02210@1)                        F7 (131241@1)Chorus 3:
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 F7When (131241@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,
Am (x02210@1)                                                 GWhen (320003@1)all the hidden pity in the forbidden city comes out,

Coda:
        C (x32010@1)    
...Oh, Ch-i-na

(End)

Footnote:
This is an even more timely song, Joe! Especially, in 2012. :-R

Show more