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A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left by Andrew Bird

Chords

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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)
Dm
Over prescribed
G
Under the mister
C/B   (01022X) Play as walk down from open chord ‘C’
We had survived to
A7
Turn on the history channel
G
And ask our esteemed panel
           C
Why are we alive
    A7
And here's how they replied
G
You're what happens when two substances collide
       Am
And by all accounts you really should've died
E	(Pluck Root note and then rest of chord in 4/4)
	E	(Then play ‘E’ chord loud into interlude…)

Interlude (RIFF 1):
E (Interlude chords played behind RIFF 1)
	 Gm
G]-----99--------[x2]-----99-55----[x2]----77-------[x2]--|
D]--77----1010-77------55-------55------55----88-55-------|
	  E
G]-----99--------------1010-99-----------|    {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:
C/G
Stretched out on the tarmac
E
Six miles south of North Platte
C/G
He can't stand to look back
E
At sixteen tons of HazMat

PRE-CHORUS:
              Am
And it's what goes
E
Undelivered
E
Undelivered
CHORUS:
           Gm
And it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
                                 F
It's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
                    E
Of the what? Of the head to the left
Gm
Exercise yourself 'till you're bereft
                                        F
'Cause it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
                  E
Of the...of the...to the...

VERSE:
C/G ..etc.
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:
              Am
And it's what goes
E
Undelivered
E
Undelivered
CHORUS:
Gm
It's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
              E
A nervous tic motion of the head

OUTRO:
Dm
Over imbibed
G
Under the mister
C/B
Barely alive we
Dm
Cover the blisters in flannel
                              G
Though the words we speak are banal
                    C
Not one of them's a lie
    A7
Not one of them's a lie
            Dm
You're what happens when
               G
Two substances collide
           Dm
And by all accounts
                     Am
You 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).