Key of: C

Intro:
Dm9
F G7

Verse 1:
    C                                 Am 
The family circle gathers 'round from very far and near
   C               C7                 F      
To pass around the same remarks they passed away last year
     Dm                             Em
The little girl you dangled on your knee without mishap
      C                            F  
Stirs something in your memory and something in your lap

Intro

Chorus:
           C
But it's a living
             Am
This is the life
        C     G       Am
For the world and his wife
    F     F#      Bm
The world and his wife

Verse 2:
    C                               Am  
The kissing cousins slip outside to cuddle and confess
C                 C7                   F
She says sweet nothing at all, it's much more of a mess
     Dm                               Em  
The conversation melts like chocolate down their open jaws
C                                F
As the juniper berry slips down just like last night's drawers

Chorus:
           C
But it's a living
             Am
This is the life
        C     G       Am
For the world and his wife
    F     F#      Bm
The world and his wife

Bridge:
   E                  E7               Am 
To tell the truth our Mum ran off with someone else's father
F                   Bb         C 
Went for two weeks' holiday in Taramasalata
E              E7               F  
Daddy went out with the rubbish and he kept on walking
F                   Bb
Between Mum and the walls
         Bb                      G7
God only knows who does the talking

Chorus:
           C
But it's a living
             Am
This is the life
        C     G       Am
For the world and his wife
    F     F#      Bm
The world and his wife

Intro

Verse 3:
     C                                  Am
But later on in the evening through the tears and fol-de-rol
         C           C7                F
Come the sentimental feelings for the lure of vitriol
Dm                                    Em
Longing thoughts go hankering for the old home overseas
       C                               F
With a blindfold and a national anthem sung in different keys

Outro:
           C
But it's a living
             Am
This is the life
           C
It's a living
             Am
This is the life
           C
It's a living
             Am
This is the life
        C     G       Am
For the world and his wife
    F     F#      Bm
The world and his wife
(repeat until fade out)