Biography:
Swans is a band from New York, United States, active from 1982 to 1997, reformed in 2010, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira.
Marginally associated with the no wave scene at first, their original sound was slow and extremely heavy, with live performances that were often so brutal and physical that in a number of instances certain audience members were made ill, police were called and venues were shut down. This early physical sound is possibly best heard on the live album Public Castration Is A Good idea.
Read more on Last.fm
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
Swans - God damn the sun : Burning World (1989)
Please visit http://swans.pair.com/
* This is one of Michael Gira's finest songs as far as I'm concerned. The album it
on (Burning World) is impeccable and marked an interesting shift in direction for The Swans.
* The song itself is pretty much an unbroken verse, so I have not divided it, instead
it as one. Also note that I have placed the chords above the lyrics for the first couple
"cycles" and that's it because of it's repetitive nature. Included is a chart for the outro.
* Listening to the guitars will help you with your rhythm, just keep it simple and use
I hope to analyse the parts in greater detail later on down the track, so keep your eyes
for a Powertab / Guitar Pro version. The Swans were never renowned for virtuosity, but
certainly came up with interesting textures and ideas. That was their brilliance....
The Chord Shapes
* D x x 0 2 3 2
* Dadd4 x x 0 0 3 2
* A x 0 2 2 2 0
* Emadd9 0 2 4 0 0 0
* G/D x x 0 4 3 3
[Intro]
D Dadd4 A Emadd9
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse]
D Dadd4
When, when we were young
A
We had no history
Emadd9
So nothing to lose
D
Meant we could choose
Dadd4
Choose what we wanted then
A Emadd9
Without any fear, or thought of revenge
D
But then you grew old
Dadd4
And I lost my ambition
A
So I gained an addiction
Emadd9
To drink and depression
D
They are mine
Daddd4
My only true friends
A
And I'll keep them here with me
Emadd9
Until the very end
D *(Continue w/chord cycle until the Outro
I'd choose not to remember
But I miss your arrogance
And I need your intelligence
And your hate for authority
But now you're gone
I read it today
They found you in Spain
Face down in the street
With a bottle in your hand
And a wild smile on your face
And a knife in your back
You died in a foreign land
And they found my letter
Rolled up in your pocket
Where I said I'd kill myself
If she left me again
So now she's gone
And you're both in my mind
I've got one thing to say
Before I am drunk again:
God damn the Sun
God damn the Sun
God damn anyone
That says a kind word
God damn the Sun
God damn The Sun
God damn the light it shines
And this world it shows
D
God damn the Sun < Outro begins here
[Outro]
D G/D
| / / / / | / / / / | (Play 4 times)
D
| o | | Ends
Please visit http://swans.pair.com/
* This is one of Michael Gira's finest songs as far as I'm concerned. The album it
on (Burning World) is impeccable and marked an interesting shift in direction for The Swans.
* The song itself is pretty much an unbroken verse, so I have not divided it, instead
it as one. Also note that I have placed the chords above the lyrics for the first couple
"cycles" and that's it because of it's repetitive nature. Included is a chart for the outro.
* Listening to the guitars will help you with your rhythm, just keep it simple and use
I hope to analyse the parts in greater detail later on down the track, so keep your eyes
for a Powertab / Guitar Pro version. The Swans were never renowned for virtuosity, but
certainly came up with interesting textures and ideas. That was their brilliance....
The Chord Shapes
* D x x 0 2 3 2
* Dadd4 x x 0 0 3 2
* A x 0 2 2 2 0
* Emadd9 0 2 4 0 0 0
* G/D x x 0 4 3 3
[Intro]
D Dadd4 A Emadd9
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse]
D Dadd4
When, when we were young
A
We had no history
Emadd9
So nothing to lose
D
Meant we could choose
Dadd4
Choose what we wanted then
A Emadd9
Without any fear, or thought of revenge
D
But then you grew old
Dadd4
And I lost my ambition
A
So I gained an addiction
Emadd9
To drink and depression
D
They are mine
Daddd4
My only true friends
A
And I'll keep them here with me
Emadd9
Until the very end
D *(Continue w/chord cycle until the Outro
I'd choose not to remember
But I miss your arrogance
And I need your intelligence
And your hate for authority
But now you're gone
I read it today
They found you in Spain
Face down in the street
With a bottle in your hand
And a wild smile on your face
And a knife in your back
You died in a foreign land
And they found my letter
Rolled up in your pocket
Where I said I'd kill myself
If she left me again
So now she's gone
And you're both in my mind
I've got one thing to say
Before I am drunk again:
God damn the Sun
God damn the Sun
God damn anyone
That says a kind word
God damn the Sun
God damn The Sun
God damn the light it shines
And this world it shows
D
God damn the Sun < Outro begins here
[Outro]
D G/D
| / / / / | / / / / | (Play 4 times)
D
| o | | Ends
Swearing at Moto (...)
Sweater Beats (f (...)
Sweatshop Union
Swedish Erotica
Sweeney Todd