Your Dictionary
(Partridge)
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Album version, 3'15.
Released on Apple Venus Volume 1.
Demo version.
Released on 27 September 1999 on Homespun in the U.K.
Andy:“I tried and tried NOT to write a divorce song, I really did, you have to believe me. The last thing I wanted was to come over as a grieved cattle bum crying into his beer in the bar of heartbreak motel. Or even worse, as Phil Collins. I mean, divorce is so. . . middle-aged and crap.
“Trouble was, the internal stale steam kept building, the pus kept expanding inside my head. I needed a safety valve, maybe if I just put all the hurt in one song. Not even that XTC should record this song mind you. Just let me release this cak out of my head, then I can move on.
“Boy did this thing come together quickly, and do you know what?, I felt better, clearer about things the second I finished the demo. In fact, I felt so different, I became very reluctant about going back to the state of mind I was in when I wrote it. This would only make a difficulty if the band ever recorded it, and of course we wouldn't choose to pick it for the album. It sounding so petulant and snide. Nobody would want to record ‘Dictionary’. So, no problem. This dog doesn't need to return to his vomit. I feel different from that now.
“Oh dear! Everyone in the band loves it, our new record companies love it, the producer loves it and the few friends who've heard it, love it. I was to be hoist by my own petard. Protesting meekly would do no good. If everyone else likes it so much, I must be in the wrong. Perhaps it was my embarrassment at penning such a childish tantrum of a song. Very reluctantly I agreed to record it, hoping secretly that it would fall at the last hurdle. But no, it came out fine, and I was left feeling annoyed for writing such a self exposing shanty.
“This demo recording is close to the finished thing. I guess I knew how it ought to go all along.”
Instrumental version.
Released on 17 October 2002 on Instruvenus in Japan.
[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]
[THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
Album version:
H-A-T-E
Is that how you spell love in your dictionary
K-I-C-K
Pronounced as kind
F-U-C-K
Is that how you spell friend in your dictionary
Black on black
A guidebook for the blind
Well now that I can see my eyes won't weep
Now that I can hear your song sounds cheap
Now that I can talk all your corn I'll reap
I'm not so sure that Joey wed a Virgin Mary
There are no words for me inside your dictionary
S-L-A-P
Is that how you spell kiss in your dictionary
C-O-L-D
Pronounced as care
S-H-I-T
Is that how you spelt me in your dictionary
Four-eyed fool
You led 'round everywhere
Now that I can see it's the queen's new clothes
Now that I can hear all your poison prose
Now that I can talk with my tongue unfroze
I'm not so sure of Santa or the buck tooth fairy
There are no words for me inside your dictionary
Now your laughter has a hollow ring
But the hollow ring has no finger in
So let's close the book and let the day begin
And our marriage be undone
© 1998 Copyright Control
Demo:
H-A-T-E
Is that how you spell love
In your dictionary
K-I-C-K
Pronounced as kind
F-*-C-K
Is that how you spell friend
In your dictionary
Black on black
A guidebook for the blind
Now that I can see
My eyes won't weep
Now that I can hear
Well your song sounds cheap
Now that I can talk
You'll hear my faith leap
And I'm not so sure
That Joey wed a Virgin Mary
There are no words for me
In your dictionary
S-L-A-P
Is that how you spell kiss
In your dictionary
H-U-R-T
Pronounced as care
S-H-*-T
Is that how you spelt me
In your dictionary
Four-eyed fool
You led 'round everywhere
Now that I can see
It's the queens new clothes
Now that I can hear
For the poison prose
Now that I can talk
With my tongue unfrozen
I'm not so sure
Of santa or the bucked tooth fairy
There are no words for me
In your dictionary
Now your laughter has a hollow ring
But the hollow ring has no finger in it
So let's close the book
And let the day begin
And our marriage be undone
[transcribed by Jim Zittel, with help from Annie Sattler]
Date: Mon, 01 Nov 1999 13:11:53 +0000
From: Howard Wright <howard (at) souzoukakia dot netscapeonline dot co dot uk>
Subject: guitar chords for "Your dictionary"
Message-ID: <381D9199.41C6 (at) souzoukakia dot netscapeonline dot co dot uk>
Your Dictionary - XTC
---------------------
From the album Apple Venus vol. I
transcribed by Howard Wright
howard.wright (at) physics dot org
All chord shapes given at the end.
The main chords are reasonably straight forward, but it's important
to pay attention to the muted strings.
"A" section:
------------
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A Em D6/F# G5 D/F#
H. A. T. E. is that how you spell love in your dictionary?
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A G B
K. I. C. K. pronounced as kind
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A Em D6/F# G5 D/F#
F. U. C. K. is that how you spell friend in your dictionary?
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A G B
Black on black, a guidebook for the blind
"B" section:
------------
C G A7
Well now that I can see my eyes won't weep
C G A7
Now that I can hear your song sounds cheap
C G A7
Now that I can talk all your corn I'll reap
F
I'm not so sure that Joey wed a Virgin Mary
C/G D Bbadd#4
There are no words for me inside your dictionary
Instrumental section:
---------------------
(repeat of first half of "A" section)
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A Em D6/F# G5 D/F#
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A G B
Repeat of "A" section:
----------------------
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A Em D6/F# G5 D/F#
S. L. A. P. is that how you spell kiss in your dictionary?
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A G B
C. O. L. D. pronounced as care
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A Em D6/F# G5 D/F#
S. H. I. T. is that how you spelt me in your dictionary?
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A G B
Four-eyed fool you led 'round everywhere
Repeat of "B" section:
----------------------
C G A7
Now that I can see it's the queen's new clothes
C G A7
Now that I can hear all your poison prose
C G A7
Now that I can talk with my tongue unfroze
F
I'm not so sure of Santa or the buck tooth fairy
C/G D Bbadd#4
There are no words for me inside your dictionary
End section:
------------
E
Now your laughter has a hollow ring
A
But the hollow ring has no finger in
E
So let's close the book and let the day begin
A B(II) E
And our marriage be undone
Chord shapes:
-------------
N.B. For most of the chords in the "A" section (Em, D6/F#, G5, D5/A,
D/F#) the top string is muted. The A string is also muted on
quite a few of these shapes.
The G and B bar chords from the "A" section sound as if
some of the strings are muted, but it's hard to be sure which.
I've written out shapes that use all six strings for these two
chords, but I think the top string and maybe the G string are
muted on the original.
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
02200x 2x020x 3x003x x0023x
Em D6/F# G5 D5/A
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE E A D G B E
2x023x 355433 799877 8 10 10 9 8 8
D/F# G B C
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
575655 133211 332010 xx0232
A7 F C/G D
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x13330 022100 x02220 x2444x
Bbadd#4 E A B(II)Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 17:45:48 +0000
From: Tim Harris <wordsrus (at) wordsrus dot demon dot co dot uk>
Subject: chords for Your Dictionary
Message-ID: <rlJR2HAMj$n0EwHJ (at) wordsrus dot demon dot co dot uk>
YOUR DICTIONARY
(detune 1 semitone for recorded key)
Em D G D
H- A- T- E
Em D
Is that how you spell love
G D
In your dictionary
Em D G D
K- I- C- K
G B7
Pronounced as kind
Em D G D
** F- U- C- K
Em D
Is that how you spell friend
G D
In your dictionary
Em D
Black on black
G D G B7
A guidebook for the blind ##
C
Now that I can see
G A7
My eyes won't weep
C
Now that I can hear
G A7
Well your song sounds cheap
C
Now that I can talk
G A
You'll hear my faith leap
F
And I'm not so sure
C
That Joey wed a Virgin Mary
F
There are no words for me
D7
In your dictionary
[instrumental from ** to ##, ends with notes GthruB B7chord]
S-L-A-P
Is that how you spell kiss
In your dictionary
H-U-R-T
Pronounced as care
S-H-I-T
Is that how you spelt me
In your dictionary
Four-eyed fool
You led 'round everywhere
Now that I can see
It's the queens new clothes
Now that I can hear
For the poison prose
Now that I can talk
With my tongue unfrozen
I'm not so sure
Of santa or the bucked tooth fairy
There are no words for me
In your dictionary
E Abm/E(021100) E6 E
Now your laughter has a hollow ring
A C#m/A A6 A
But the hollow ring has no finger in it
E Abm/E
So let's close the book
E6 E
And let the day begin
A B E
And our marriage be undone
--
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