G

[Verse 1]
G
I’m at the brink, don’t laugh
The wrinkles and bricks that we’re left with at last

G
At the winks I’ve masked
And drink will fix all those questions unasked

C                        G
Who’ll save you when you fall?
Who died and made you king of it all

G
Who wins this war? You’ve a knack
Now the wind is so warm on the back of my neck

G
For applause from the back of the stalls but you lack
As I walk with the sun hand in hand from the wreck

C                                               G
The conviction to look at me straight and say yes
Some fictions we took to mean fate believe me I know

G
Don’t be uncouth, be a man
Tell the truth to me love, does my hair look as nice

G
Don’t lie with your eyes, you know I despise that look
As it did when you once tied it up in your eyes?

C                                              G
                           You’re home.        For God’s sake I’m
Look at me as you say this, don’t look at your phone

G
Done with your dreams, they won’t last
Cos that sun that beams down as my hands touch the grass

G
Thirty winters will pass, you’ll look back
After summers of fasting I feel hunger at last

C                                                         G
At the woman fifty year old you will be proud to have     known
For the person fifteen year old me would be proud to have known


[Prechorus]

Am F C G

Am F G G

[Chorus]

C
Cos these plates they smash like waves

C
Place your smile in mine

F
And the wine stains hide the tears

F
Why stay? Hide the

Am
But that breathing you hear don't mistake it for sighs

Am                                               F     G
Don’t you realise - They’re just battle cries dear

C
And these lines aren’t wrinkles dear heart

C
Hardly knew the words

F                                              G
I’m dolled up love don’t I deserve to just
They’re just dollops of paint on a new work of art

Am
And as I walk away I know I’ve been through the wars

Am                                                          F         G
But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause



[Verse 2]

G
Come on love, please don’t start
With you I could summon the gods and the stars

G
Sing your notes, play your part
Watch them dance out the plays that we wrote from the heart

C                                                  G
Then we’ll leave. We were gods
And we’d laugh at the ghosts of our fears. We were kids

G
‘Come at me your blaggards you’d yell
‘Come at me you blaggards’, you’d yell from the banks

G
From the back of the gallery
Wielding words against make-believe wizards and tanks.

       C                                            G
Say goodbye.                                            I am not
And by god love believe me, I wanted to play too, I did

G
A drunkard, A daughter, A preacher, god knows how you
But we sunk into water no creature can know

G
You dragged us both into the darkness that grows
You dragged me along to watch all your shows

     C                                               G
                       Oh dear God.                        I won’t
Our devils broke rank, and out of the depths came an army. I won’t

G
Leave without a fight
Let you turn our last night into this

G
I’m going to binge watch a box set, drink wine, reminisce

C                                                 G
This isn’t a break up dear heart, it’s a season finale

[Pre-chorus]
Am C F G
Am C G G

[Chorus]

C
Cos these plates they smash like waves

C
Place your smile in mine

F
And the wine stains hide the tears

F         G
Why stay? Hide the

Am
But that breathing you hear don't mistake it for sighs

Am                                         F        G
Don’t you realise - They’re just battle cries dear

C
And these lines aren’t wrinkles dear heart

C
Hardly knew the words

              F                                G
They’re just dollops of paint on a new work of art
                I’m dolled up love don’t I   deserve to just

         Am
And as I walk away I know I’ve been through the wars

Am                                                          F
But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause

F
It’s not pain it’s applause

G                      C
It’s not pain it’s applause

F G Am Am F G

[Outro]

G
All it took to unearth in the dust and the dirt

G
Some release or respite from the heat and the hurt

     C                                        G
Was taking the time now and then to ask how I am

G
And now at the end, at the end of all things

G
I’m not going to scream, beat my chest at the wind

G
I’m doing fine