• Song:

    When It Signs

  • Artist:

    Elvis Costello

This song will likely sound better on guitar in drop D tuning.


D A/C# D/C  Bm Bb A

G  F#m Em   G  F#m Em

         D               A/C#     D/C
All the words you say to me have music in them
         Bm              Bb         A
All the sorrows and the joys, like magnetism
       G            F#m    Em          
And a selfish boy looks through a prism
     C        Bm      Bb   A         D
And says what is but never asks what isn't

                Bm                   G
But a voice contains many precious things
    C#m                F#m
It laughs and then it sings
             F(/D ) F7             Gm(/D )
And all the lies     that we can tell
    Bb Bb4 A+ A6   A-5  
e |  | ---------------------- |  | 
B |  | -6---------6--7------- |  | 
G |  | ----8--------------8-- |  | 
D |  | ---------------------- |  | 
A |  | ---------------------- |  | 
D |  | -8*--------7*--------- |  |   *let ring
   To our    foolish selves

        D          A/C#          D/C 
Maybe this is the love song that I refused to
  Bm              Bb        A
Write her when I loved her like I used to
       G              F#m Em    
And I fear my heart may spin and fracture
      C        Bm    Bb       A      D
Like tears of stone falling from a statue

                Bm                        G
But a voice contains all that's true and false
       C#m             F#m
Then cries for someone else
              F(/D ) F7       Gm(/D )
And for some honest   tenderness
Bb B4 A+   A6 A-5
So I    must confess

          D               A/C#     D/C
All the words you say to me have music in them
         Bm              Bb         A
All the sorrows and the joys, like magnetism
       G            F#m    Em          
And a selfish boy looks through a prism
     C        Bm      Bb   A         D
And says what is but never asks what isn't
Show more