Mardy Bum | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| G | F#m | Em | A |
||: D | F# | G F#m | Em :||
Verse 1
| D | F# |
Well, now then, Mardy Bum.
| G F#m | Em |
I’ve seen your frown and it’s like looking down the barrel of a gun.
| D | F# |
And it goes off, and out come all these words.
| G F#m | Em |
Oh, there’s a very pleasant side to you, a side I much prefer.
Chorus 1
| G | A |
It’s one that laughs and jokes around.
| D A | Bm Bm/F# |
Remember cuddles in the kitchen, yeah, to get things off the ground.
| G | A |
And it was up, up and away.
| D A | Bm Bm/F# |
Oh, but it’s right hard to remember that on a day like today.
| G | A |
When you’re all argumentative, and you’ve got the face on.
Instrumental 1
| D | F# | G F#m | Em |
Verse 2
Well, now then, Mardy Bum.
Oh, I’m in trouble again, aren’t I?
I thought as much, ’cause you turned over there.
Pulling that silent disappointment face, the one that I can’t bare.
Chorus 2
Well can’t we, just laugh and joke around?
Remember cuddles in the kitchen, yeah, to get things off the ground.
And it was up, up and away.
Oh, but it’s right hard to remember that on a day like today.
When you’re all argumentative, and you’ve got the face on.
Middle 8
||: F#5 | G5 :||
And, yeah, I’m sorry I was late.
But I missed the train and then the traffic was a state.
And I can’t be arsed to carry on in this debate that reoccurs.
| F#5 | G5 A5 |
Oh, when you say I don’t care but, of course, I do, yeah, I clearly do yeah.
Solo
||: D | F# | G F#m | Em :||
Chorus 3
| G | A |
So laugh and joke around?
| D A | Bm (F# A) |
Remember cuddles in the kitchen, yeah to get things off the ground.
| G | A |
And it was up, up and away.
| D A | Bm | Bm |
Oh, but it’s right hard to remember that on a day like today when you’re all.
| G | A | D |
Argumentative and you’ve got the face on.
Mardy Bum Chords: Understanding the Mediant and Its Tension
In the key of D, the chords in Mardy Bum feature chord III as the key point of interest. It appears in two forms, acting as the second chord in both progressions.
The first progression uses IV – III, while the second progression shifts to I – IIIx.
This shift between the III and the IIIx creates a sense of tension. Classical folk enthusiasts might refer to this as the mediant, or the mediant major, but I simply call it III and IIIx.
Here’s the full verse chord progression:
||: D (I) | F# (IIIx) |
| G (IV) F#m (III) | Em (II) :||
That’s the verse; now we move on to the ||: D (I) | F# (IIIx) |
| G (IV) F#m (III) | Em (II) :||, which functions more like a bridge. Since there’s no other section, I’ve labelled it as a chorus in the chords and lyrics above.
This section features the lines “It’s one that laughs and jokes around…” — a clever way of describing the moody girlfriend, brilliantly written by the young Mr. Turner.
The chords for this part are as follows:
||: G (IV) | A (V) |
| D (I) A (V) | Bm (VI) Bm/F# :||
| G | A |
There’s one more section in Mardy Bum, which can be described as a middle 8. In this part, the F# chord (III) isn’t minor or major, but rather a punk-style 5-chord/power chord.
We begin by moving between III and IV in a loop, reminiscent of the chorus build up in Don’t Look Back In Anger, though slower.
This loop is repeated four times before we move to V for maximum tension, then return to the verse progression, but now as a solo.
Here are the middle 8 chords for Mardy Bum:
||: F#5 | G5 :|| x3
| F#5 | G5 A5 |
I’ve also created a TAB for all of this, arranged for one acoustic guitar. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Mardy Bum – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve mastered the TAB, you can use the chord chart I made for you to play along.
Mardy Bum Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Mardy Bum chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Mardy Bum chord chart iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Mardy Bum was another Arctic Monkeys classic from the debut album!
As the ninth track on the extremely popular Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006), Mardy Bum was never released as a single. Only I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor and When the Sun Goes Down were issued as singles, both of which are much more aggressive than Mardy Bum.
While Mardy Bum reveals a more gentle and romantic side to Alex Turner’s songwriting, it quickly became a fan favourite. The entire album was lauded for its lyrical content, which captured northern club and pub culture in the early 2000s, particularly for late teens and early 20-somethings. Mardy Bum may well be the best example of this, vividly portraying the nuances of young love.
Since their debut album, Arctic Monkeys have become one of the U.K.’s biggest bands, especially popular among girls and festival crowds. For a more mature sound from the band, check out tracks like Do I Wanna Know? and Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? – I’ve included them all on the Arctic Monkeys tunes page.
Mardy Bum Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Mardy Bum (Arctic Monkeys) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
- Don’t Look Back Into The Sun
- I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
- Riptide
- That’s Not My Name
- Time Of Your Life