Life on Mars chords
by David BowieSong Key: Bb Major
Key Signature: 2 flats (Bb, Eb)
Time Signature: 4/4 (♩)
Tempo: 124 bpm (Allegro)
Vocal Range: F#4 - Bb4
Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e
Skill Level: Intermediate
Chords: Bb, Bbm, C7, Cm, Caug, Db7, D, Ddim7, Eb, Ebm7, F, Fm, F#aug, F#dim7, Gm, Ab, Ab7, Am, Aaug
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Life on Mars
Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
F
Intro: 4/4 ‖ (It's a)‖
F Cm
1. It's a God-awful small af-fair
D Gm
To the girl with the mou-sy hair
C7
But her mum-my is yel-ling, "No!"
F
And her dad-dy has told her to go
F Cm
But her friend is now-here to be seen
D Gm
Now she walks through her sun-ken dream
C7
To the seat with the clear-est view
Ab
And she's hooked to the sil-ver screen | (But the) |
Caug Fm
But the film is a sad-den-ing bore
Ab7 Db
For she's lived it ten times or more
Aaug Bbm
She could spit in the eyes of fools
Db7
As they ask her to focus on...
Bb Eb
Chorus: Sail-ors fight-ing in the dance hall
Gm7 F#aug F
Oh man! Look at those cave-men | go |
Fm Cm7
It's the freak-i-est show
Ebm7
Take a look at the...
Bb Eb
Law-man beat-ing up the wrong guy
Gm7 F#aug F
Oh man! Won-der if he'll ever know | |
Fm Cm7
He's in the best sel-ling show
Ebm7 Gm F#aug
Is there life on Mars? | |
Bb C7 F F#dim7 Gm Ddim7 Am Bb Bbm
‖ | | | | | | | | ‖
F Cm
2. It's on A-me-ri-ca's tor-tured brow
D Gm
That Mi-ckey Mouse has grown up a cow
C7
Now the work-ers have struck for fame
F
'Cause Len-non's on sale a-gain
F Cm
See the mice in their mil-lion hordes
D Gm
From I-bi-za to the Nor-folk Broads
C7
Rule Bri-tan-nia is out of bounds
Ab
To my mo-ther, my dog, and clowns | (But the) |
Caug Fm
But the film is a saddening bore
Ab7 Db
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
Aaug Bbm
It's a-bout to be writ a-gain
Db7
As I ask you to focus on...
Bb Eb
Chorus: Sail-ors fight-ing in the dance hall
Gm7 F#aug F
Oh man! Look at those cave-men | go |
Fm Cm7
It's the freak-i-est show
Ebm7
Take a look at the...
Bb Eb
Law-man beat-ing up the wrong guy
Gm7 F#aug F
Oh man! Won-der if he'll ever know | |
Fm Cm7
He's in the best sel-ling show
Ebm7 Gm
Is there life on Mars?
F#aug Bb C7 F F#dim7 Gm
‖ | | | | | |
Bb Eb Ebm Bb
| | 𝄎 | 𝄎 | | | 𝄑 ‖
(rall.) Notes
- rall. (Rallentando): broadening of the tempo - progressively slower
- 𝄑 fermata: pause symbol - play and hold (This symbol shows up on some browsers as a square)
- All augmented (aug) chords can als be written as + chords, i.e., C+, F#+ and A+
- There is no real 'easy key' due to the inclusion of augmented and diminished chords. Make sure you try these chords as they are all very easy to play, and "sit well" in the song giving it a slightly discordant sound which complements the song's lyrical theme.
- Songwriter: David Bowie
- Lyrics Begin: It's a God-awful small affair, to the girl with the mousy hair.
- Performing Artist: David Bowie
- Album: Hunky Dory
- Recorded: 8 June – 6 August 1971
- Released: 17 December, 1971
- Single Release: 22 June, 1973
