#--------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research.#
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Song title:      Sweet Gene Vincent
Original Album:  New Boots and Panties!!

Words and Music by Ian Dury and Chas Jankel
Copyright © 1976 Stiff Records
Published by Warner Music Group

Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfrets.net)


INTRO:
Chords:
F  x33211
D5 xx023x

                                   F       D5
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|---------3~~--------------------|
|--------------------------------|---------2~~--------------------|
|--------------------------------|-3-------0~~--------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|

          Blue Gene, baby...  [spoken]



[play: Guitar Figure 1]  [x2]

Guitar Figure 1

  F                                Dm
|-------1---------------1--------|-------1---------------1--------|
|-----1---1-----------1---1------|-----2---2-----------2---2------|
|---2-------2-------2-------2----|---3-------3-------3-------3----|
|-3---------------3--------------|-0---------------0--------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|



VERSE:
Notes:
Guitar Figure 1 is played for the F-Dm transitions.
Chords are provided to show the changes.
Other chords are picked at the same tempo.

Chords:
F  133211    C  x32010    A7 x02223    C#7 x46464
Dm xx0231    C+ x3211x    G  355433
Bb xx0331    Am x02210    D  x57775
G7 353433    Gm 355333    D7 x57575

F                        Dm
Skinny white sailor, the chances were slender,
    F                   Dm
The beauties were brief.
        F                             Dm
Shall I mourn your decline, with some Thunderbird wine,
      F                    Dm
And a black handkerchief?

            F       Dm    Bb
I miss your sad, Virginia whisper.
           G7                    C     C+
I miss the voice, that called my heart.

Bb    Am   Dm       Bb        Am      Gm
Sweet Gene Vincent, young and old and gone.
C     A7   Dm
Sweet Gene Vincent.


|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-----0---2---3------------------|---------3-------2-------3---4--|
|-3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|
                N.C.
                Who, who, who slapped John?


[INTERLUDE:]

[play: Guitar Figure 2]  [Rock'n'roll tempo]

Guitar Figure 2
  G
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-5---5---7---7---5---5---7---7--|-5---5---7---7---5---5---7---7--|
|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3--|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3--|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|

  D
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-7---7---9---9---7---7---9---9--|-7---7---9---9---7---7---9---9--|
|-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5--|-5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5--|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|

  G
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-5---5---7---7---5---5---7---7--|-5---5---7---7---5---5---7---7--|
|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3--|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3--|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & -|


N.C.
White face, black shirt, white socks, black shoes.
Black hair, white Strat, bled white, dyed black.


CHORUS:
Notes:
Rock'n'roll tempo continues. Strum chords accordingly.

Chords:
G  355433
C  x35553
D  x57775

G     C    G                C                G      D
Sweet Gene Vincent, let the blue cats roll tonight;
       G        C            G     C               G      D       G
At the sock hop ball, in the union hall, where the bop is their delight.

          G           C               G
Here come duck-tailed Danny, dragging Uncanny Annie,
          C                   G     D
She's the one with the flying feet.
        G         C            G      C           G       D       G
You can break the peace, daddy sickle grease; the beat is reet complete.


BRIDGE:
Chords:
C  x35553    A7  x02223
G  355433    D7  x57575
G7 353433    C#7 x46464

        C                                       G                  G7
And you jump back honey in the dungarees, tight sweater and a pony tail;
         C
Will you guess her age, when she comes back stage?
    A7                  D7    C#7
The hoodlums bite their nails.


[Guitar SOLO over: | C | % | G | % | C | % | D7 | G |]


N.C.
Black gloves, white frost, black crepe, white lead.
White sheet, black knight, jet black, dead white.


CHORUS:
Chords:
G  355433
C  x35553
D  x57775

G     C    G                C            G    D
Sweet Gene Vincent; there's one in every town,
        G     C                G        C             G        D      G
And the Devil drives, 'til the hearse arrives and you lay that pistol down.

G     C    G                C       G       D
Sweet Gene Vincent; there's nowhere left to hide.
     G    C        G        C       G    D     G
With lazy skin and ash-tray eyes; a perforated pride.


[Guitar SOLO over: | D | % | C | % |]  [x2]


VERSE:
Chords:
G  355433
C  x35553
D  x57775

       G         C              G                 C             G     D
So farewell ma'm-selle, Knicker-bocker Hotel, farewell to money owed.
              G         C              G         C
But when your leg still hurts, and you need more shirts,
    G          D           G
You got to get back on the road.