Skip to content
Sleep of the Just cover art

Sleep of the Just

Elvis Costello
ChordsKeyGadvanced
4.6(18)

Chords in this song11

Verse 1

The soldier asked my name and did I come here very often
Well, I thought that he was asking me to dance
In my holy coat and hat and him in his red bonnet
We'd have made a lovely couple but we never had the chance

Chorus

And now you say that you've got to go
Well, if you must you must
I suppose that you need the sleep of the just   

Verse 2

Well, it was a powerful day and there were black crows in the road
And I kept my strong opinions to my chest
I suppose I should have told them that I was on fire for you
When the bus burst into flames outside some place, 'The Poet's Rest'

Chorus

And now you say that you've got to go
Well, if you must you must
I suppose that you need the sleep of the just   

Bridge

A girl woke up in a naked light and said, "Oh no, not again"
He even looked like her brother in the army but she never mentions him
He'll be tucked up in his bed tonight with his dirty-pictures girl
Saying, 'You're some mother's daughter you know or is it
immaterial girl?' 

Verse 3

Now she's pinned up upon the barracks wall in her home town
All the soldiers taking turns with their attentions
And as they speculate what she'd look like beneath that thin nightgown
His family pride was rising up as he cast his eyes down
Last chorus: come out of it with Em then repeat verse chords to fade

Comments

Spotted a wrong chord, or know a capo position that sounds closer to the record?

Sign in to join the conversation.

No comments yet. If you play this one, say what works.