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Psycho Killer (A Major)
Artist: Talking Heads    Genre: New Wave    Tempo: Moderate    Strum Pattern: | D – D – D U D U |    Roman Numerals: I, i, ii, m3, m6, m7    Instrument: Guitar - Standard Tuning [E,A,D,G,B,E]   
Song Notes:  
Talking Heads, 1977.

Strum pattern: | D – D – D U D U | with variations, noted.

Slashes between chords indicate that they share one measure. The [Am] [Am]/ /[G]* lines are played like this: | [Am] D – D – D U D U || [Am]/ D – D – D /[G]* UDU – | – play those last three G–strums double–time (noted with an asterisk, as a reminder).

NOTE: Where you see a chord in parentheses "(Am)," it means that a new measure is starting in that chord, which is a repeat of the previous chord, but this is the only way to note it.
Entered by: Cheryl Leon Levy   
▼ Show transpose, instrument, and other display options ▼
A
(A,C♯,E)
- A E A C♯ E
Am
(A,C,E)
- A E A C E
Bm
(B,D,F♯)
F♯ B F♯ B D F♯
C
(C,E,G)
x,3,2,0,1,0
- C E G C E
F
(F,A,C)
F C F A C F
G
(G,B,D)
G B D G B G

Intro Riff    (playing options: v1   v2   v3   v4   )
E|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--3--|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--3--| B|--------------------------|--------------------------| G|--------------------------|--------------------------| D|--------------------------|--------------------------| A|--------------------------|--------------------------| E|--------------------------|--------------------------|


Intro – Riff, then
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (Am)/ /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (Am)/ /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *

Verse 1
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] I can’t seem to face (A)/ up to the facts /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] I’m tense and nervous, and I (A)/ can’t relax /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] I can’t sleep ’cause my (A)/ bed’s on fire /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Don’t touch me, I’m a (A)/ real live wire /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *

Chorus 1
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Psycho killer,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] qu’est–ce que c’est?		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Fa–fa–fa–fa–fa, fa (Am) fa–fa–fa–fa, better
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Run, run, run,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] run, run, run, run a–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –way ... (C) ohh, ohh
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Ohh, psycho killer,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] qu’est–ce que c’est?		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Fa–fa–fa–fa–fa, fa (Am) fa–fa–fa–fa, better
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Run, run, run,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] run, run, run, run a–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –way ... (C) oh–oh–oh–		 [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] –ohh,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] (–5 strums) ay–ya–ya–ya–ya

Instrumental 1
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (Am)/ /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (Am)/ /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *

Verse 2
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] You start a conversation, (A)/ you can’t even finish it /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] You’re talking a lot, but (A)/ you’re not saying anything /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] When I have nothing to say, (A)/ my lips are sealed /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Say something once, (A)/ why say it again? /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *

Chorus 2
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Psycho killer,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] qu’est–ce que c’est?		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Fa–fa–fa–fa–fa, fa (Am) fa–fa–fa–fa, better
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Run, run, run,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] run, run, run, run a–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –way ... (C) ohh, ohh
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Ohh, psycho killer,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] qu’est–ce que c’est?		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Fa–fa–fa–fa–fa, fa (Am) fa–fa–fa–fa, better
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Run, run, run,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] run, run, run, run a–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –way ... (C) oh–oh–oh–		 [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] –ohh,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] (–5 strums) ay–ya–ya–ya–ya

Bridge
[BmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second] Ce que j’ai (Bm) fait, ce soir–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –là (C)
[BmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Major Second] Ce qu’elle a (Bm) dit, ce soir–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –là (C)
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Réalisant (F) mon espoir
[GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] Je me lance, (G) vers la gloire, o–		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] –kayyy– (A)/ –yyy /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Ye–ya–ya–ya–ya–ya–ya– (A)/ –ya–ya–ya–ya–yeah /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] We are vain and (A)/ we are blind /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *
[AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] I hate people when they’re (A)/ not polite /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *

Chorus 3
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Psycho killer,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] qu’est–ce que c’est?		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Fa–fa–fa–fa–fa, fa (Am) fa–fa–fa–fa, better
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Run, run, run,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] run, run, run, run a–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –way ... (C) ohh, ohh
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Ohh, psycho killer,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] qu’est–ce que c’est?		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Fa–fa–fa–fa–fa, fa (Am) fa–fa–fa–fa, better
[FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] Run, run, run,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] run, run, run, run a–		 [CMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Third] –way ... (C) oh–oh–oh–		 [FMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Sixth] –ohh,		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] (–5 strums) ay–ya–ya–ya–ya

Outro
[AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] Oooh– (Am)/ –ooh /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (Am)/ /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *		 [AmMinor Chord (U,m3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (Am)/ /		 [GMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Minor Seventh] *		 [AMajor Chord (U,M3,P5)
on the Perfect Unison] (–1 last strum, let it ring)
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