As I Washed The Blood Off by the Fatima Mansions
From the Fatima Mansions’ 1994 Nite Flights single. Written by Cathal Coughlan.
INTRO
[A7/F#] [F/Eb] [Eb/F] (x2)
VERSE 1
[A7/F#] As I washed the blood off she [F/Eb] yelled at [Eb/F] me
Though no [A7/F#] blows had been struck and she still [Bbmaj7] looked so se [Dm] rene
[F] Then she started to [Bb] cry
[F] Then she burst out [Bb] laughing
[F] Then three sharp words in that [Am] warrior’s tongue
I’d [Gm6] learned them well through this [F6] night in hell
[E] I’m not ashamed of my body
[E] I never said you hurt me
With your [B] faithless wit and your [D] aimless [G7] guile
And your [B] fall from hands and your [D] shame-faced [G7] smile
Every [B] thing you touch is [D] gonna [G7]
[D] Turn to dust, not a [E] stone will stand u [D] pon a [E] stone
Not a [E] stone will stand u [D] pon a [E] stone
VERSE 2
[A7/F#] As I washed the blood off she [F/Eb] laughed at [Eb/F] me
And [A7/F#] asked whose reincarnation [Bbmaj7] I might [Dm] be
[F] I said, “I’m not your [Bb] father
Or the [F] two-legged beast who [Bb] scarred you
[F] Though I have done great [Am] wrongs of my own
They were [Gm6] long ago, so how [F6] could you know?
[E] I never asked for your pity
[E] That’s just as well if you ask me
Then the [B] lights went out and a [D] rumble [G7] built
To be [B] come a roar but she [D] screamed, “It’s [G7] you!
Every [B] day you wake is gonna
[D] End in [G7] hate – not a [E] stone will stand upon a stone
Not a [E] stone will stand upon a stone
[F] I didn’t know what to [Eb] do
How could I tell her the [Dm] truth?
I climbed up out of her [C7] hall
And went to [Eb] sleep on the [F] roof
[F] When I woke up to the [Eb] sun
Her brother brought me some [Dm7] food
And we played cards until ‘noon – [Bb7] five [A7] stories [G7] up from…
The [B] pools of blood and the [D] blasted [G7] rocks
And the [B] children screaming who will [D] never [G7] stop
And the [B] blast of heat and the [D] stink of [G7] gas
And the [B] lost dogs fighting over [D] human [G7] scraps
And she [B] called to us from the [D] street [G7] beneath
“My [B] footloose ways will be the [D] death of [G7] me!”
And she [B] took the hand of a [D] drunk mi [G7] litia
[D] Captain – not a [E] stone will stand upon a stone
Not a [E] stone will stand upon a stone
VERSE 3
[A7/F#] As I washed the blood off she [F/Eb] spat at [Eb/F] me
And said [A7/F#] it’s about time you [F/Eb] died [Eb/F]
My [A7/F#] outbound train gave a [F/Eb] sickening lurch [Eb/F]
And I [A7/F#] hung my head and [F/Eb] cried [Eb/F]
For [A7/F#] shame I sat and [F/Eb] cried [Eb/F]
I [A7/F#] could not help but [F/Eb] cry [Eb/F]
FADE
[A7/F#] [F/Eb] [Eb/F]