Foburg (They Bought) by Cathal Coughlan
From Cathal Coughlan’s 2006 Foburg album. Written by Cathal Coughlan. No capo.
INTRO
[Bb] [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Bb7]
[Bb] [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Cm]
VERSE 1
[E] In olden [E7] days [E] pennies were [Em] saved
By [E] worried [E7] souls with [E] social [Em] roles
[E] Nailed down from [E7] birth, [E] not to be [Em] shirked
Their [E] wads they’d [E7] clasp, each [E] face a [Em] mask
[F] They’d come to town on market [E] days
[E] The merchandise was rough and [Am] grey
[Am] She’d stoop and point, he’d look a [Em] way,
[Em] She had to guess how much he’d [F] pay
[F] The shops were small and often [E] closed
[E] Down Main Street you could hear the [Bb] wind [Bbm] blow
[Bbsus4] At [Bb7] 6:10 p [Bb] m [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Cm]
CHORUS 1
They [Dm] bought, fear and [Bbdim] shame will sell
They [Dm] bought, couldn’t [Bbdim] help themselves
They [Bbmaj7] bought, it [Em6] caught wise ones and [A] fools to [Bbdim] gether
[Gm6] Varnish on twine and [Abmaj7] feathers [Dm]
VERSE 2
A [E] palace of [E7] thrills, [E] perched on the [Em] hill
It’s [E] farci [E7] cal but [E] magi [Em] cal
[E] Madhouse e [E7] rased, [E] re-badged, un [Em] chained
The [E] fast-buck [E7] town went [E] classi [Em] cal
[F] Triumphal arches, draped with [E] vines
Stand where the escalator [Am] climbs
[Am] To meet the towers, sleek and [Em] tall
[Em] Where dreamlight bathes the [F] halls
[F] No cells or wards, just endless [E] space
Five hundred signs dilate to [Bb] bind [Bbm] you
[Bbsus4] [Bb7] In their em [Bb] brace [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Cm]
CHORUS 2
They [Dm] bought, histo [A] ry adjusts
They [Dm] bought and we [A] have been touched
They [Bb] thought, we [Em6] not – give us the future they [Bbdim] worked for
[Gm6] No death, no taxes and [Abmaj7] no war [Dm]
[F7/A] A small rainforest under glass
[F7/A] Glows pink and lime, long moments pass
[F7/A] A rumble grows, becomes a swish
[F7/A] Monsoon arrives, the branches [Cm6] twitch
[F7/A] From ancient Egypt, fifties Rome
[F7/A] Come plastic coats and painted stones
[F7/A] And Turkish carpets, 3D screens
[F7/A] Handheld devices, 38 cui [Cm6] sines
Those [C7] people who we [F7/A] were
Out [C7] moded and in [Am] terred
[Gm] Along with all their [Abmaj7] pain and [Dm] discontent
VERSE 3
[E] To level [E7] one [E] families [Em] come
It’s [E] self-con [E7] tained and [E] risk-a [Em] ware
[E] By level [E7] three, [A] adults [Em] only
A [E] different [E7] dispen [E] sation [Em] there
[F] Who says a man can’t make his [E] home
Someplace where he can’t be a [Am] lone
But is policed and clean and [Em] bright
Where he is welcome day or [F] night
[F] Where in the shifts of light and [E] smell
[E] He sometimes hears his children [Bb] yell [Bbm] [Bbsus4]
[Bb7] “Yes, we’re o [Bb] kay [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Bb7] here in our [Bb] gra [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Bb7] ve”
[Bb] [Bbm] [Bbsus4] [Cm]
CHORUS 3
They [Dm] bought – now there’s [A] no more shame
They [Dm] bought in the sup [A] ply chain
They [Bb] bought, we [Em6] fought gravity [Bbdim] to replace them
[Gm6] Come on and join the [Abmaj7] mayhe [Dm] m