The Clock Was Tickin' chords

Brandon Flowers

Key: 

Simplify chords 

  			
Intro: G C D C Am D 

G 
  Teacher had you write a letter, you were eight-years-old 
           C 
About the man that you'd become and the positions you'd hold 
      D                           C              Am                          D 
But this was long before you and Jackie Geronimo met in the Prelude Park at midnight 
             G 
Now when it came to bells and whistles Jackie did not lack 
          C 
When she kissed on the kisser boy you kissed her back 
         D                                  C                        Am                            D 
Now you tell her that you love her and she cuts you slack when you drink with your buddies on the weekend. 

C                               D 
  And the weeks fly by and the years roll on 
                 G                 G/F#           Em                    C 
You spend your whole life dropping nickels in the bucket, waking up at dawn 
       Am                   B7            Em      C 
While Jackie bestolled the joys of finger licking 
      D                      C     G 
The clock upon the wall was tickin' 

G 
  You got yourself a job cleaning hospital floors 
     C 
But Jackie had a baby and she had five more 
      D                                C                        Am                              D 
They pay you just enough to drag your ass to the store to buy bread, milk and Better Homes and Gardens 
 G 
Jackie flips the pages and she dreams little dreams 
   C 
A cottage in the country built with real wood beams 
           D                         C                    Am                                  D 
There's a baby in the bedroom he's starting to scream she holds him though he probably won't remember 

C                               D 
  And the weeks fly by and the years roll on 
            G                   G/F#             Em                      C 
Sometimes dreams are all you've got to keep you going when the day gets long 
        Am               B7             Em    C 
And you gave up so many just to make a living 
       D                      C      G 
That clock upon the wall was tickin' 

         G 
Now the kids were all grateful when they left the nest 
     C 
And Jackie wasn't perfect but she did her best 
     D                         C                         Am                                     D 
You seized the opportunity to get you some rest but you can't sleep on the count of screaming grandkids 
     G 
The golden years are meant to leave a gleam in your eye 
         C 
You're starting to discover it's a great big lie 
      D                            C                       Am                                D 
They work you like a dog till you quit or you die but you cant quit 'cause Jackie needs the benefits 

C                               D 
  And the weeks fly by and the years roll on 
          G            G/F#            Em                         C 
They say patience is a virtue but the doctor says she don't have long 
          Am                     B7               Em    C 
And you stood up and tried your damn just not to listen 
           D                      C      G 
But that clock upon the wall was tickin' 

           G                                         C 
When they told you to clear the room that's when it hit you 
     G                                           D 
You watched as a caravan took your sweet heart away 
    G                                                  C 
The arguments and fights and money troubles seemed so worthless 
        G                 D             G 
As the kids throw yellow roses on her grave 

C                               D 
  And the weeks fly by and the years roll on 
           G      G/F#          Em                        C 
House is quiet now everything inside seems to know she's gone 
          Am                      B7            Em 
There's a picture of you both sixteen-years-old kissing 
       D                         C      G 
That clock upon the wall... was tickin' 

Solo: G C D C Am D  (2x)

             G 
You always thought you'd had a chance, but it was somewhere hid 
         C                                     D   C Am 
Now you come to the conclusion that you never did 
                 D 
(Have a chance, now) 

 G C D C Am D G