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The Ballad Of The Shape Of Things by Kingston Trio
The Ballad Of The Shape Of Things
Chords used in this song :
C
e ---|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|---|-x-|---|---|
E ---|---|-o-|---|---| D
e ---|-x-|---|---|---|
B ---|---|-x-|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|---|---|---|---|
A ---|---|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---| E
e ---|---|---|---|---|
B ---|---|---|---|---|
G -x-|---|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|-x-|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---| F
e -x-|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|---|-x-|---|---|
A ---|---|-x-|---|---|
E -x-|---|---|---|---|
G
e ---|---|-x-|---|---|
B ---|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|---|---|---|---|
A ---|-x-|---|---|---|
E ---|---|-x-|---|---| A
e ---|---|---|---|---|
B ---|-x-|---|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|---|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---| B
e ---|-o-|---|---|---|
B ---|---|---|-x-|---|
G ---|---|---|-x-|---|
D ---|---|---|-x-|---|
A ---|-x-|---|---|---|
E ---|-o-|---|---|---| F#
e ---|-x-|---|---|---|
B ---|-x-|---|---|---|
G ---|---|-x-|---|---|
D ---|---|---|-x-|---|
A ---|---|---|-x-|---|
E ---|-x-|---|---|---|
C#
e -x-|---|---|---|---|
B ---|-x-|---|---|---|
G -x-|---|---|---|---|
D ---|---|-x-|---|---|
A ---|---|---|-x-|---|
E ---|---|---|-o-|---| G#
e ---|---|---|-x-|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G -x-|---|---|---|---|
D -x-|---|---|---|---|
A ---|---|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---| D#
3 fr.
e -x-|---|---|---|---|
B ---|-x-|---|---|---|
G -x-|---|---|---|---|
D ---|---|-x-|---|---|
A ---|---|---|-x-|---|
E ---|---|---|-o-|---| Bb
e -o-|---|---|---|---|
B ---|---|-x-|---|---|
G ---|---|-x-|---|---|
D ---|---|-x-|---|---|
A -x-|---|---|---|---|
E -o-|---|---|---|---|
Eb
3 fr.
e -x-|---|---|---|---|
B ---|-x-|---|---|---|
G -x-|---|---|---|---|
D ---|---|-x-|---|---|
A ---|---|---|-x-|---|
E ---|---|---|-o-|---|
1 * 4 * * * 57 *
Com-pletely round is the perfect pearl, the oyster manu-factures
1 * 4 * * * 57 *
Com-pletely round is the steering wheel that leads to compound fractures
4 * 1 * 4 * 1 *
Com-pletely round is the golden fruit that hangs in the orange tree
1 57 1 57
Yes, the circle shape is quite re-nowned
1 57 1 57
And sad to say, it can be found
1 4 57 1
In the dirty, low-down run-a-round
1 4 1 57 1 57 1 *
My true love gave to me - ee, yes, my true love gave to me
Completely square is the velvet box, he said my ring would be in
Completely square is the envelope, he wrote farewell to me in
Completely square is the handkerchief I flourish constantly
As it dries my eyes of the tears I've shed
And blows my nose 'til it turns bright red
For a perfect square is my true love's head
He will not marry me; no he will not marry me
Rectangular is the hotel door my true love tried to sneak through
Rectangular is the transom hole which I had to peek through
Rectangular is the hotel room I entered angrily
Now, rectangular is the wooden box
Where lies my love 'neath the grazing flocks
They say he died of the chickenpox
In part I must agree; one chick too many had he
Triangular is the piece of pie I eat to hide my sorrow
Triangular is the hatchet blade I plan to hide tomorrow
Triangular the relationship that now has ceased to be
And the self-same shape is a garment thin
That fastens on with a safety pin
To a prize I had no wish to win
It's a lasting memory: that my true love gave to me
NOTES:
- Sung in madrigal style
- V3L2: "over" for "hole"
- V3L5: "golden flox" for "grazing flocks" (Kingston Trio)
- V4L4: "triangular" for "the self-same" (Kingston Trio)
SYMBOLS:
- Asterisk (*) = new measure, play same chord
- Period (.) = 1/8 note rest at start of a measure
- Underline(_) = sustain note into next measure
CHORDS (Nashville Number System):
- This system permits you to play a song in any key
- It uses the numeric relationships between chords in a given key
- The numbers are the notes of the diatonic scale (do-re-me-fa-so-la-ti-do)
Common Keys 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Key of C: C D E F G A B
Key of D D E F# G A B C#
Key of E E F# G# A B C# D#
Key of F F G A Bb C D E
Key of G G A B C D E F#
Key of A A B C# D E F# G#
Key of Bb Bb C D Eb F G A
EDITING (to a chosen key):
- Use the "replace" feature of any text editor
- Most songs use four chords or less ( 1 > 5 > 4 > 6 )
- Beware: the number 7 could be the seventh scale note or a 7th chord
------------------
version 2
Tuning: E A D G B E
Key: E
Taken from Kingston Trio “College Concert” where they played in “E” according to my recording,
but I’ve read they played in “F” on other recordings.
Possibly either different recording speeds, or different tuning. Mine is A=440.
2/4 Time
Two of the bars are “two chord” - E/B7
Intro and between verses the following 4 bars, repeated variously.
E F#m A B7
These intro bars also work for the first 4 bars of each verse.
----------------
Long intro, referring to song as "Madrigal Style", then intro bars with fingerpicking and
[Verse 1]
E E E B7 A F# B7 B7
Completely round is the perfect pearl, the oyster manu-factures
B B E C#m F#7 F#7 B7 B7
Completely round is the steering wheel that leads to compound fractures
E F#m A B7 E F#7 B7 B7
Completely round is the golden fruit that hangs in the orange tree
E B7 E / B7 C#m
Yes, the circle shape is quite renowned
E B7 E / B7 C#m
And sad to say, it can be found
E G#7 C#m A
In the low-down, dirty run-a-round
E B7 E A E B7 E
My true love gave to me, yes, my true love gave to me
[Verse 2]
E E E B7 A F# B7 B7
Completely square is the velvet box, he said my ring would be in
B B E C#m F#7 F#7 B7 B7
Completely square was the envelope, he said farewell to me in
E F#m A B7 E F#7 B7 B7
Completely square was the handkerchief I flourish constantly
E B7 E / B7 C#m
As I dry my eyes of the tears I've shed
E B7 E / B7 C#m
And blows my nose what turns bright red
E G#7 C#m A
For a perfect square is my true love's head
E B7 E A E B7 E
He will not marry me; no he will not marry me
[Verse 3]
E E E B7 A F# B7 B7
Rectangular was the hotel door my true love tried to sneak through
B B E C#m F#7 F#7 B7 B7
Rectangular was the transom hole by which I had to peek through
E F#m A B7 E F#7 B7 B7
Rectangular was the hotel room I entered angrily
E B7 E / B7 C#m
And, rectangular was the wooden box
E B7 E / B7 C#m
Where lies my love 'neath the golden flox
E G#7 C#m A
They say he died of the chickenpox
E B7 E A E B7 E
In part I must agree; one chick too many had he
[Verse 4]
E E E B7 A F# B7 B7
Triangular is the piece of pie I eat to ease my sorrow
B B E C#m F#7 F#7 B7 B7
Triangular is the hatchet blade I plan to hide tomorrow
E F#m A B7 E F#7 B7 B7
Triangular the relationship that now has ceased to be
E B7 E / B7 C#m
And triangular is the garment thin
E B7 E / B7 C#m
That fastens on with the safety pin
E G#7 C#m A
To a prize I had no wish to win
E B7 E A E B7 E
It's a lasting memory: that my true love gave to me
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