This is just an update I did over the summer. The original tab came from Aaron Yarlas, and thanks is owed to J. Cooper and Paul Andersen as well. Any corrections are welcomed, and if someone was inclined to do a bass-tab, well that would be swell. N-joy, will.
Imagination (Is a Powerful Deceiver) words & music by Elvis Costello from the Rykodisc rerelease of ÒMy Aim Is TrueÓ
So you're trying to make connection, you heard whispers in the hall
She'll be out again this evening, when you come around to call
So, you dodge the lady-killer, who came creepin' 'cross the floor
The you caught up in a whirlwind, you got blown right out the door
Oh, yes it was a whirlwind, sweet romance was on your side
If you wanna dance on my face, you must tell me why you lied
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
I see a look of recognition, so well hidden in your eye
And your peepshow regulations, they just don't seem to apply,
Well, did I see you in the circus, in the ring without a hand
Now you think that you can curse us, steal the show and stop the band
Oh, you can follow your dreams, oh but please don't lead me on,
If you wanna bleed in my face, you were here and now you're gone
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
(repeat intro and end on D)
Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver) from the Rykodisc rerelease of My Aim Is True
Note: This is the way I play the song; his chords might actually be different, but the basic sound and changes are the same.
Instr. Intro.:
So you're trying to make connection, you heard whispers in the hall
She'll be out again this evening, when you come around to call
So, you dodge the lady-killer, who came creepin' 'cross the floor
Then you caught up in a whirlwind, you got blown right out the door
Oh, yes it was a whirlwind, sweet romance was on your side
If you wanna dance on my face, you must tell me why you lied
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
I see a look of recognition, so well hidden in your eye
And your peepshow regulations, they just don't seem to apply,
Well, did I see you in the circus, in the ring without a hand
Now you think that you can curse us, steal the show and stop the band
Oh, you can follow your dreams, oh but please don't lead me on,
If you wanna bleed in my face, you were here and now you're gone
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
Note2: Some of the accents on the chords might be a little off; when I converted the document, it messed up the format, and I don't have my guitar handy.
Enjoy!
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I hate to say this, and I don't want to sound ungrateful for someone's efforts, but the chords listed for the song "Imagination..." are way, WAY oversimplified. If you had to play this song with just E, A, D, G, and C chords, I suppose these versions would do...but the progressions are far more involved than that.
***Example, posted version:
Well, did I see you in the circus, in the ring without a hand
Now you think that you can curse us, steal the show and stop the band
***The way I hear it:
Well, did I see you in the circus, in the ring without a hand
Now you think that you can curse us, steal the show and stop the band
***Posted version:
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
***The way I hear it:
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
There are far too many D chords in the posted version -- the only time there's actually a D chord is in the chorus ("...a little too much"), and I can't find a G chord in the whole song to save me.
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After seeing a couple of posting regarding the chords to Imagination I decided to try my hand at figuring them out because neither of the versions I saw worked. I don't know if the writers guitars were out of tune or what, but they definately are not the chords that EC is playing on the recording. So at the risk of being severly flamed I will post my version of the chords. I don't think they are perfect by any means, but if you play these chords along with the recording at least it will sound like the same song.
So you're trying to make connection, you heard whispers in the hall
She'll be out again this evening, when you come around to call
So, you dodge the lady-killer, who came creepin' 'cross the floor
The you caught up in a whirlwind, you got blown right out the door
Oh, yes it was a whirlwind, sweet romance was on your side
If you wanna dance on my face, you must tell me why you lied
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
When you try to believe her just a little too much
Imagination is a powerful deceiver
I'll go out of my mind, if I'm losing your touch
Then the second part is the same as the first, except for the ending. The weird thing about this song is that while it sounds like it doesn't flow right on the recording, when you are playing and singing the tune it sounds perfect, and it's tons of fun to play. If these chords work for you, experiment with adding in the bass line, you will find that much of the bass line can be played without having to use alternate fingerings for the chords.