Whistle For The Choir | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| E | E | G#m | G#m Gm |
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
Verse 1
| E | E |
Well, it’s a big, big city and it’s always the same. Can never
| G#m | G#m Gm |
be too pretty, tell me your name, is it
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
out of line, if I was to be bold and say would you be mine?
Verse 2
| E | E |
Because I may be a beggar and you may be the queen,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
I know I may be on a downer I’m still ready to dream, though it’s
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
3 o’clock, the time is just the time it takes for you to talk.
Chorus 1
| E | E |
So if you’re lonely why’d you say you’re not lonely.
| G#m | G#m Gm |
Oh, you’re a silly girl, I know I heard it so,
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
it’s just like you to come and go.
| E | E |
You know me, no you don’t even know me,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
you’re so sweet to try, oh my, you caught my eye,
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
a girl like you’s just irresistible.
Instrumental
| E | E | G#m | G#m Gm |
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
Verse 3
| E | E |
Well, it’s a big, big city and the lights are all out,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
but it’s as much as I can do you know to figure you out.
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
And I must confess, my heart’s in broken pieces, and my head’s a mess.
Verse 4
| E | E |
And it’s 4 in the morning, and I’m walking along,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
beside the ghost of every drinker here who’s ever done wrong.
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
And it’s you, woo-hoo, that’s got me going crazy for the things you do.
Chorus 2
| E | E |
So if you’re crazy, I don’t care, you amaze me,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
oh you’re a stupid girl, oh me, oh my, you talk,
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
I die, you smile, you laugh, I cry.
| E | E |
And only, a girl like you could be lonely,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
and it’s a crying shame if you would think the same,
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
a boy like me is just irresistible.
Solo
| D | D | F#m | F#m Fm | Em | Em | A | B7 |
| E | E | G#m | G#m Gm | F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
Chorus 3
| E | E |
So if you’re lonely, why’d you say you’re not lonely,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
oh you’re a silly girl, I know I heard it so,
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
it’s just like you to come and go.
| E | E |
And know me, no you don’t even know me,
| G#m | G#m Gm |
you’re so sweet to try, oh my, you caught my eye,
| F#m | F#m | B7 | B7 |
a girl like you’s just irresistible.
Whistle For The Choir Guitar Lesson | Course Preview
The Fratellis‘ Whistle For The Choir is in the key of E, using a great four-chord progression for all sections.
The acoustic guitar part is played using an alternating bass line. Over E, play E E/B, for F#m, play F#m F#m/C#, etc.
The Solo moves down a tone to start on a D chord before it goes back up again as we start singing in the original key.
When I play this with a female singer, we have to be in the key of A. If you thought of the progression as I – III – II – V, when playing in E, this will really help when playing in A.
As we play the solo in G, again, it’s still just I – III – II – V.
Thinking in Roman numerals is a great start, however, when changing the key, we can’t just simply change the chords and play the same parts.
All chord shapes will lend themselves to playing the song in different ways, especially when it’s a one-guitar arrangement.
Here is Whistle For The Choir’s chords and lyrics in the key of A. You can hear this version in the video above, starting at 3:31, play along!
Whistle For The Choir | Chords + Lyrics (key of A)
Intro
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
Verse 1
| A | A |
Well, it’s a big, big city and it’s always the same.
| C#m | C#m Cm |
Can never be too pretty, tell me your name,
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
is it out, of line, if I was to be bold and say would you be mine?
Verse 2
| A | A |
Because I may be a beggar and you may be the queen,
| C#m | C#m Cm |
I know I may be on a downer I’m still ready to dream,
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
though it’s 3 o’clock, the time is just the time it takes for you to talk.
Chorus 1
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
So if you’re lonely why’d you say you’re not lonely. Oh you’re a silly
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
girl, I know I heard it so, it’s just like you to come and go.
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
You know me, no you don’t even know me, you’re so sweet to
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
try, oh my, you caught my eye, a girl like you’s just irresistible.
Instrumental
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
Verse 3
| A | A |
Well, it’s a big, big city and the lights are all out,
| C#m | C#m Cm |
but it’s as much as I can do you know I figure you out.
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
And I must confess, my heart’s in broken pieces, and my head’s a mess.
Verse 4
| A | A |
And it’s 4 in the morning, and I’m walking along,
| C#m | C#m Cm |
beside the ghost of every drinker here who’s ever done wrong.
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
And it’s you, woo-hoo, that’s got me going crazy for the things you do.
Chorus 2
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
So if you’re crazy, I don’t care, you amaze me, oh you’re a stupid
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
girl, oh me, oh my, you talk, I die, you smile, you laugh, I cry.
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
And only, a girl like you could be lonely, and it’s a crying
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
shame if you would think the same, a boy like me is just irresistible.
Solo
| G | G | Bm | Bm Bbm | Am | Am | Dsus2/A | (Eb7) E7 |
La, la, la, la…
| Aadd9 | Aadd9 | C#m7 | C#m7 | Bm | Bm | E7 | E7 |
Chorus 3
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
So if you’re lonely, why’d you say you’re not lonely, oh you’re a silly
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
girl, I know I heard it so, it’s just like you to come and go.
| A | A | C#m | C#m Cm |
And know me, no you don’t even know me, you’re so sweet to
| Bm | Bm | E | E7 |
try oh my, you caught my eye, a girl like you’s just irresistible.
Whistle For The Choir’s 8 guitar lessons
In the course, you’ll spend four lessons working on CAGED fretting exercises before you even begin to play with the female singer in the key of A.
This is essential since the song may only have four chords, but we play it in four keys, all over the neck, with two different singers.
In total, there are 8 step-by-step lessons for Whistle For The Choir available. Here are links to each lesson in the course (members only):
- Step 1 – CAGED fretting exercises, C & A shapes
- Step 2 – CAGED fretting exercises, G & E shapes
- Step 3 – CAGED fretting exercises, D shapes
- Step 4 – The I III II V in the key of C
- Step 5 – Key of A and G
- Step 6 – The complete song, key of A, full TAB
- Step 7 – Key of E and D
- Step 8 – The complete song, key of E, full TAB
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Whistle For The Choir chords | Related pages
Intermediate Acoustic
Most intermediate acoustic tunes can’t be played using just basic open-position chords. We have to move up the fretboard and play CAGED barre chords as well.
We incorporate bass lines, add licks, extend chords, and play vocal melodies. Most importantly, we invent second guitar parts and play these songs together.
Five similar tunes
- American Pie chords
- Brown Eyed Girl chords
- Don’t Look Back In Anger chords
- Losing My Religion chords
- Sunny Afternoon chords
The Fratellis
The Fratellis shot to fame in late 2006, and mainly 2007 when they had three successful singles from their debut album Costello Music.
Since their debut, The Fratellis have continued to gather new fans around the UK with their blues-influenced pop songs.
The Fratellis on the web
Pop & Rock
Whenever a tune doesn’t fit into a specific genre, it tends to end up here, in the Pop & Rock section.
Learn tunes from Tom Petty, Eagles, Toto, Oasis, Elvis, Clapton, John Mayer, Kings Of Leon, R.E.M., Radiohead, Bruno Mars, and more.
