Alex Day - Parrot Stories - Chords and Lyrics
1. A Thousand Hours
Capo 3rd
Verse: Em, C, G, B7
Chorus: F, C, B7, Em
If I counted up the hours I spent on the phone to you
Or waiting at train stations to meet you
I’d give myself maybe a thousand hours estimate
And that still wouldn’t make up for the sleep you made me lose
If someone told me I could have it all back
No more writing or reflecting or thinking on what could be
I’d tell that person they don’t know me at all
Cos you made me who I am and they don’t get how much you mean to me
This may come as a surprise
But I don’t care if we fight
Cos I’d rather that you lie
Then you not be there at all
So I’ll sing you some clichés
As I count down day by day
Till I board another train
So I’ll spend another night writing about you all I can
And revel in our shared sense of nostalgia
Memories made from Waterloo to Hyde Park, Covent Garden, Camden Market, Squares of
and Trafalgar
If someone told me I could give it all back
No more hostels or those long goodbyes where no-one wants to go
I’d talk about the time we sung in the rain
Skipping buses cos you didn’t want to leave me to go home
This may come as a surprise,
But I love the sleepless nights
Though I tend to speak my mind
I go overboard, I know
So I’ll sing you some clichés
As I count down day by day
Till I board another train
This may come as a surprise
But I don’t care if we fight
Cos I’d rather that you lie
Then you not be there at all
So I’ll sing you some clichés
As I count down day by day
Till I board another train
2. Hearts
Capo 6th
Verse: C, E, F, Dsus2
Bridge: C, E, Am, F, G
Chorus: Same as verse
There’s someone out there in the world like you
With perfect glossy hair and skinny jeans from Camden
But they won’t be able to drive me crazy
‘Cos that’s a curse that only you seem to know how to do
And everytime I see you
It takes days for me to get back on my feet
I’m not that good at writing but I thought you should know
Every song’s about you ‘cos you’re everywhere I go
If all we do is hold hands and laugh at stuff on TV
That’ll still be a real good day for me
There’s someone out there in the world like you
Who has such a way with words that I couldn’t resist him
But I don’t think you’d be impressed
‘Cos even if he’s more available, he won’t have my honesty
And everytime I need you
I know you’ll never be far away from me
I’m not that good at writing but I thought you should know
Every song’s about you ‘cos you’re everywhere I go
If all we do is hold hands and laugh at stuff on TV
That’ll still be a real good day for me
There’s people out there in the world like us
Who have chemistry and the common sense to act on it
But who needs simplicity in this candid game of hearts
We’ll just keep dancing ’till we tear ourselves apart
I’m not that good at writing but I thought you should know
Every song’s about you ‘cos you’re everywhere I go
If all we do is hold hands and laugh at stuff on TV
That’ll still be a real good day for me
3. No More
Capo 4th
Verse: F, C, E, Am
Chorus: Same as verse
Outro: F, G, E, F
I watched the city lights go up in Glasgow
And I thought about the stupid things we said the night before
There were so many words I had to say
So I wrote ’till I just couldn’t write no more
I knew that come tomorrow, I’d be leaving
And I didn’t want to bring it up because I’d miss you all
There were so many things I could regret
So I’ll think ’till I just can’t think no more
Here comes another night of trying to forget what I won’t remember
And I can’t move forward ’till I push you back
I won’t stop ’till I make it back to you
But I need time to find out what I want from you
And when I clear these voices in my head
I’ll hear what you’ve been saying and we’ll sleep under the stars
I’m told that people like to call us dreamers
Because we won’t ever stop until we’ve done all we can do
There are so many things I haven’t seen
So I’ll look ’till I just can’t look no more
And if I told you everything I wanted
Would you close your eyes or look away or say you didn’t hear
There are so many things I need from you
So I’ll sing ’till I just can’t sing no more
I won’t stop ’till I make it back to you
But I need time to find out what I want from you
And when I clear these voices in my head
I’ll hear what you’ve been saying and we’ll sleep under the stars
Sat under this tree with you, the rain is on our faces
And I can’t think of a single place where I would rather be
Don’t forget, if you ever need me, I’m only a vodka away from you
Don’t forget there’s nothing you could say, nothing you can say that’s any use to me
Don’t forget, if you ever need me, I’m only a vodka away from you
Don’t forget there’s nothing you could say, nothing you can say that’s any use to me
4. Holding On
Capo 4th
Intro: Hammering on C
Verse: C, Am, E
Chorus: F, C, E, Am
Chorus-2: C, G, Em, F
A million and one thousand things are screaming in my head
And I can’t seem to forget, can’t stop thinking about you
I could ride across the sky in a bicycle built for two
Could you teach me how to ride, like you taught me how to feel alive?
And not a single day goes by when I don’t wish for you
To watch me pause to find the words to steal your heart away
But I’ll play every word back round and round to try and find
A clue you might have left behind to say you feel the same
And even if I know
I’ll never be your Leo
I’ll keep holding on
A hundred and three thousand ghosts are laughing in my dreams
My eyes are failing me, everywhere I look I see you
I could bake a chocolate cake for you with tiers up to the moon
Could you show me how it’s done, like you showed me how to fall in love?
You’ll never see that I’m the one who never left you
When you needed me to cry to ‘cos your heart got broke again
So I’ll play until the strings on my guitar give out,
And I’ll be aching from the pain of trying to pretend
And even if I know
I’ll never be your Leo
I’ll keep holding on
5. Candy Floss
Intro: Variations on G
Verse-1: G, Em, A
Verse-2: Em, C7
We ran through the rain together
You said I looked nice, I said you looked pretty
You held my hand, you pulled me close
And whispered “take me home”
We turned around as fast as we could
And jumped on the very next train
I said “I love you more than life”
You said “I feel the same”
And we talked about nothing forever
You spoke to the walls, they told you a story
The world spun underneath our feet
As we shut our exhausted eyes
We wrote our names in a heart on the sand
And saw the sea wash it away
I said “I want you in my life”
She said “okay”
She was gonna go, but I said “no, I don’t think so”
She looked at me, she smiled at me
And now I’ll tell you what she said:
“Do you like candy floss?”
I said “yeah, it’s alright”
She said “take me to a fun fair and we’ll eat candy floss tonight”
And we spun on the teacups
Round and round and round until we felt dizzy
You asked me to win you a bear
And said it was fine when I failed
(And we all know those things are rigged anyway.)
You and me, spinning through the trees ’till our faces were blue
I’ll always be that little boy sharing candy floss with you
6. What You Do
Capo 1st
Verse: Bm7, F
Chorus: E, Am7
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/a/alex_day/parrot_stories_album_crd.html ]
Come, come up to meet
You and I see
All of the world inside your eyes
And I am alive
You move closer to me
I know what you need
I’m gonna set your heart on fire
Feel you inside
I’m addicted to what you do
I’m in love with the way you move
Breathing in every word you say
And all of the promises you make
I know you’ll keep them
Legs twisting round me
Hearing you speak
Saying the things I need to hear
We disappear
Your skin against me
Slide desperately
Tingles are slipping down my spine
You make you mine
I’m addicted to what you do
I’m in love with the way you move
Breathing in every word you say
And all of the promises you make
I know you’ll keep them
I’m addicted to what you do
I’m in love with the way you move
Breathing in every word you say
And all of the promises you make
Oh God I need them
7. No Sacrifice
Verse-1: E, Em
Verse-2: C, Am, E
Chorus: A, Am, E, E7
I wish I could be the person everybody thinks that I’m not
Surrender to an image until personality becomes lost
I don’t want to be the one who always leaves you out in the rain
Every time I try I end up making all the same mistakes
I wish I could stop reacting badly when you speak to me
Push away reaction and just show you what I want you to see
I don’t want to be the one who’s always getting in your way
If I let you go, you could be better for it anyway
I can see who I want to be, but I’m not sure I can reach it anymore
I’ve got no sacrifice, the fantasy of you left me unsure
I think if I think too much I’ll think myself away from you
Thinking never does anyone good if it is all too soon
Memories are remedies to stopping me want you too much
Memory’s my ecstasy to keep me craving you enough
Never have I met another person who is quite like you
Moving on without you would be such a stupid thing to do
Why must you be laughing in my head if I don’t want you there?
Why do I indulge a single moment to making me care?
I can see who I want to be, but I’m not sure I can reach it anymore
(I wish I could be the person everybody thinks that I’m not)
I’ve got no sacrifice, the fantasy of you left me unsure
(I wish I could stop reacting badly when you speak to me)
I can see who I want to be, but I’m not sure I can reach it anymore
(I think if I think too much I’ll think myself away from you)
I’ve got no sacrifice, the fantasy of you left me unsure
8. Impossible Dreams
Verse: C, Am, Em, G
Chorus: F, E, C, Am, Dm, G
This land’s so alien to me
But I just felt comfortable here
And now I don’t know the way home
I don’t know where I’m trying to go
The streets here have numbers
The buildings in blocks
But none of the street signs are pointing to you
I’ve seen a whole different world
The sky’s getting darker, the air’s getting cooler
And I just can’t win anymore
So forgive me, my darling
We all have impossible dreams
I tried so many new things
Smashes don’t matter against memories
Seems that I made the wrong choice
I’d say sorry but I have no voice
To tell you that decisions are hard
And my world is so small
Nothing matters unless you’re satisfied
Who else can I share my chai with
Now the sky’s getting darker, the air getting cooler
And I just can’t win anymore
So forgive me, my darling
We all have impossible dreams
I don’t know much of my life
But I know I want people to know
Maybe I might sing along
As if this was only a song
But now the sky’s getting darker, the air getting cooler
And I just can’t win anymore
So forgive me, my darling
9. Sicily
Capo 5th
Verse: Em, C, D
Chorus: Am, G, B7
Sat in peaceful scenery
The city lights shine bright around me
The smell of last night’s dinner is still breezing through the air
Dozing in tranquility
The morning sun hangs high above me
Clicking camera shutters catch bewildered foreign stares
And I must be away from my home
But it feels so close to me
And I must be away from my home
But it feels so close to me
Clifftop is our tapestry
The sunlit sky does well to cool me
Drifting past the villas in a coach without a care
Blackjack in serenity
Fellow makers ride beside me
Walking through an archway and admiring what lies there
And I must be away from my home
But it feels so close to me
And I must be away from my home
But it feels so close to me
Sat in peaceful scenery
The city lights shine bright around me
Smell of last night’s dinner is still breezing through the air
Through the air
10. How We Were
Verse: Am, F, Em, Am
Bridge: Dm, G, E, Am, Dm, G, E
Chorus: Am, Dm, C, G, Am, Dm, E
Outro: Same as verse
Things I like to think about involving me and you include a wait for a proposal
a London cloud
We make choices and they take us closer to our future and the day I wake up next to you
safe and sound
Maybe we can spend a little time, growing old and drinking wine
Looking forward to the things we’ve yet to face
And if they bring us pearls for us to wear on Judgement Day
We can think ourselves quite lucky that we haven’t worn away
I want to know if this could be something that you could believe in
Or am I just saying words again
I remember how we were, before you became intoxicating
I remember how we were, before I could feel my will escaping
I remember how we were, before my mind was inundated
With wishes of you getting lost in me
Things I have to think about when I don’t know if you will do your best to make this
or if you won’t reciprocate
I could stand in front of you and offer you my world but if you’re not quite ready yet
you will leave me lost in space
Maybe we can spend a couple days, high on life and cheap champagne
Dancing as we discuss possibility
And if hypothetically the two of us become more strange
I’ll think myself quite lucky you don’t throw my hand away
I want to know if this could be something that you could believe in
Or am I just saying words again
I remember how we were, before you became intoxicating
I remember how we were, before I could feel my will escaping
I remember how we were, before my mind was inundated
With wishes of you getting lost in me
11. Don't Look Back
Verse: A, Amaj7, F#, Fmin
“When it gets to midnight/we both know what we want”: D, Dm
Chorus: D, Dm, E7, D, Dm
This won’t be the first time that I’ll give it all I’ve got
I promise I don’t mean for everything to turn out wrong
I’m not a complex person, wind me up and watch me go
You’ll always be second to my love for the unknown
It’s late and your nose is turning red from the cold
Our feet are walking rhythmically and crumpling the snow
And I have got myself a question that I would like to ask
When it gets to midnight, will you take my freezing hands and dance?
And it’s too late for me, but you can still be free if you leave now
And don’t look back, my love
I’m a sucker for stability, which might come as a surprise
But I can’t help but love the way you smile to one side
We don’t need the music to remind us what we’ve lost
I can barely move my fingers and I’m slipping on the frost
Now the dark is all around us but for the full moon in the sky
The world is silent to me, we’re the only ones alive
And I can see my breath in front of me, dancing in the air with yours
We both know what we want, but we can’t cos we’re so unsure
And it’s too late for me, but you can still be free if you leave now
And don’t look back, my love
