Know Your Onion

then
E   B   x4
 E    B       E      B
Shut out, pimpled and angry
    E     B            A          B
I quietly tied all my guts into knots
E     B      E         B
Gave up on trying to make them
   E             B             A            B
I Figured it'd take them too long to look up
C#m                  G#          A                        E
And besides, it was undeniably clear to me, I don't know why
            A             E            D            A
When every other part of life seemed locked behind shutters
    B
I knew the worthless dregs we've always been
E       B               E        B
Lucked out, found my favourite record
E         B            A         B
Lying in wait at the Birmingham Mall
E     B            E           B        E
The songs that I heard, the occasional book
          B    A      B        G#
Were the only fun I ever took
       A            B      E
And I got on with making myself
(Instrumental, listen for timing to change from E to A, easy to see when Mercer plays it live)
E                  A    B
E                  A    B
G#       A        B                   C
Now the trick is just making yourself
C                                              G
But when they're parking their cars on your chest
G                                       C
You've still got a view of the summer sky
C                                 G                           C
To make it hurt twice when your restless body caves to it's whim
C                                 B
And suddenly struggles to take flight

Rundown

(Instead of rundown riff, Chords B A G#m F#m can be played here)
E                B          E
Three thousand miles north-east
    B           E              B      A         B             E
I left all my friends at the morning bus stop shaking their heads
E              B             E           B          E
"What kind of life you dream of? You're allergic to love"
       B          A           B       C#m
Yes I know but I must say in my own defense
           G#           A                     E
It's been undeniably dear to me, I don't know why
            A             E           D              A
When every other part of life seemed locked behind shutters
   B
I knew the worthless dregs we are
The selfless, loving saints we are
                                         E
The melting, sliding dice we've always been