Suicide is Painless - M*A*S*H

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dwarf

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Holy shit :eek: M*A*S*H had lyrics?

OK over that does any one know the chord progression I've tried looking the music up but all I get is puncy one note tabs that mimic the lyrics.

Cheers.
 
I believe if you start with b-minor, making it a Bmsus4 and then a Bm2, rocking between that, you'll be close to the intro.

Once the verse starts, it's Em7, A7sus-A7, D, Bm and around again resolving in Bm. Or at least somewhat close to that.

Hope that helps a bit!
 
dwarf said:
Holy shit :eek: M*A*S*H had lyrics?
Click to expand...
Song: M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless)
Writer: Johnny Mandel
Lyrics:

Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...

[chorus]:

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...

[Chorus]

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

[Chorus]

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
and to another give my seat
for that's the only painless feat.

[Chorus]

MASH
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...

[Chorus]

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
'is it to be or not to be'
and I replied 'oh why ask me?'

'Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
...and you can do the same thing if you choose.
 
If you rent the movie, you can hear the original guitar part and lyrics during the "Painless Paul suicide scene."
 
i found some tab or chords a long time ago for this, I'll try to look for it on my PC at home and post it later tonight. Although fab4ever seems to have a good idea.


If you have not heard the original from the movie, with lyrics, it is definately worth renting. Great film (was on the clips that played when Robert Altman (director) was given a lifetime achievement award at the oscars this year).

Daav
 
Fab4ever said:
Once the verse starts, it's Em7, A7sus-A7, D, Bm and around again resolving in Bm.
Click to expand...
That sounds right to me, but doesn't it also go to B7 instead of Bm just before each refrain?
 
wow check this out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Is_Painless

"Cover versions
Manic Street Preachers released a cover version as a charity single to help The Spastics Society (now SCOPE) in 1992. It was their first UK top ten hit.
Marilyn Manson, well known for recording cover versions, did a version for the soundtrack of the Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000.
Matt Costa, singer-songwriter from Huntington Beach, CA, covered the song on his six-track "The Elasmosaurus E.P." in 2005. "
 
Wow, those are possibly the darkest lyrics I've read. Anyway, I have a guitar techniques mag laying around that i'll dig up. It has a beautiful rendition of this song fingerpicked for acoustic. Maybe I'll fire up my scanner and pm it if i find it, and you're interested. You should have a capo though if I remember correctly (for this rendition)
 
Yeah I alternate between the Bminor and the B7.

I just didn't believe something that dark could have been written in the 60/70's, I though some emo band just added lyrics to the notes.

Darrvid If you could get a copy up that would be great, just to confirm what I've been doing.

Cheers guys.
 
dwarf said:
I just didn't believe something that dark could have been written in the 60/70's, I though some emo band just added lyrics to the notes.
Click to expand...

The tone of the lyrics remind me a lot of Wilfred Owen's WW1 poetry

The Manic Street Preachers did an awesome cover of that tune years ago. Of course that was when they were good...their lyrics, before Richie Edwards disappeared, were some of the darkest I've ever read.
 
My guitar teacher taught me a finger picked version in D minor that went something like Dm G7 Csus something with an E and an A for the verses but I don't have a guitar in front of me now.

I think I remeber him saying he transposed it to any easier key for finger picking that did not use bar chords until the chorus.
 
Yeah I've seen that version, but though fuck it I'll just learn it the way I hear it. I'm half assed fingerpicking it.
 
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