#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
After The Fall - Elvis Costello
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by John Kean ([email protected]).

Uses acoustic guitar on chords,
 and classical guitar on fills (tabbed below).

6/8 timing.



Bm    Bm


Bm              F#
In an anonymous rendezvous

          F#7                Bm
Where the forbidden lovers repair

        D                         A
They're burning down another damn candle

        F#                     G
They're melting the tables and chairs
                              |----------------------|
                              |----------------------|
                    Classical |----------------------|
                     Guitar:  |----------------------|
                              |----------------------|
                              |----------------2h3h2-|
               Approx Timing:   ,  .  .  ,  .  .
                                                  
  Bm                               F#
Beneath them applause from the     balcony
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------4--------------|
|--2-----------------------------|---------------4------7----5----|
|--------------------------------|--2-------2-6-------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#7                              Bm
Whenever they accomplished making  love
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|------------7----7----5---------|
|--------------------------------|------------7----7----6----6----|
|--------------------------------|---------------------------7----|
|--4-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  D                                A
  Other times they thought they heard laughter
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--7-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#                               G        (bass run: G    F#)
  Coming from the balcony         above
|--------------------------------|-----------------7---------7-10-|
|--------------------------------|---------------8---------8---12-|
|--------------------------------|------------7---------7---------|
|--------------------------------|----------9---------9-----------|
|--------------------------------|------10------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Em
                            She
|-10-----------10-10---9-------7-|
|-12-----------12-12--10-------9-|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .     

  A                                E
  lies to his right and she        carelessly recites
|--9-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-10-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#m                              C#m
  All  of  her  brand  new   appetites                  She seems
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|---------------7-9----7---------|
|--------------------------------|----------6s9-----------------9-|
|--------------------------------|-----2s6------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  A                                E
  brittle and small it don't       sound like her at all
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--6-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#m                              F#
  Since she came back to him       After the fall
|--------------------------------|---------------------------9s---|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#
                        She said
|-s6-----------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|-----------------6----4-------3-|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Bm                               F#
  "You   never   visit   the       countryside           So I've
|----------------10--------10----|--9-------------12---10----9----|
|----------------12--------12----|-11-------------14---12---11----|
|--4-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#7                              Bm
  made   you   a   country   to    order"                   She
|--6-----------------------------|-10----9------7-----------------|
|--7-----------------------------|----------------10----8-------7-|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  D                                A
  put up a little tent in the      bedroom
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--7-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#                               G
  Crickets  played  on  a  tape-recorder                      The
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------2----4----|
|--------------------------------|--------------0--5--------------|
|--------------------------------|------0---2---------------------|
|--------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Bm                               F#
  ceiling was festooned with       phosphorous stars          She
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--3-----------------------------|---------------5-5----3----5----|
|--------------------------------|---------------6-6----4----6----|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#7                              Bm
  noticed  his  skin  turning      cold
|--------------------------------|-----------------7s9-10----7----|
|--7-----------------------------|---------------7-------------10-|
|--------------------------------|----------6-7-------------------|
|--------------------------------|-------9------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----9--------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  D                                A
  Burning all his clothes on the   bonfire
|--------------------------------|------------9----9----9----9----|
|--7-----------------------------|-----------10---10---10---10----|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#                               G        (bass run: G    F#)
"Relax"  she  whispered  and       tightened the blindfold
|--9-----------------------------|-10-------------10------------7-|
|-11-----------------------------|-12-------------12------------8-|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Em
                            She
|--7------------3-3----2---------|
|--8------------5-5--------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .     

  A                                E
  lies to his right and she        carelessly recites
|--0-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------0----2----4----|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#m                              C#m
  All  of  her  brand  new   appetites                  She seems
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|---------------------------5----|
|--------------------------------|-------------------------6------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------2----6---------|
|--------------------------------|---------------4----------------|
|--2-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  A                                E
  brittle and small it don't       sound like her at all
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--6-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#m                              F#
  Since she came back to him       After the fall
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#
                          You've
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|---------------------------1----|
|-----------------2----4---------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Bm                               F#
  changed   but  not  for  the     better babe
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------3--------------|
|--------------------------------|---------------4-----------6--5-|
|--2-----------------------------|----------1-4-------------------|
|--------------------------------|-------2------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#7                              Bm
  I'd tell you why but what's the  use
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--4-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--9h10p9p7------------------7---|
|--------------------------------|-----------10-9s6-7----9--------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,      .    .   ,    .    .

  D                                A
    'Cos it's the same kind of     pity                       A
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--5------------7-8----7----5----|
|-----------------7--------------|--6-----------------------------|
|--0-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#                               G
  drunkard   gives   as   his   excuse                   You were
|--------------------------------|------------7----7----7----7----|
|--------------------------------|------------8----8----8----8----|
|--6-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Bm                               F#
  sharp  and  ideal  as  a         bobby pin             Now your
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--7-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#7                              Bm
  eyes  are  deserted  and         quiet                       We
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  D                                A
  both look like those poor shattered mannequins
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#                               G        (bass run: G    F#)
  Thrown through the window in the riot
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|---------------0-0h2-------2--4-|
|--------------------------------|--3---------3-------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  Em
                            She
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|------------2--4-4s5--4----2----|
|--5-----------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .     

  A                                E
  lies  in  his  arms      and without any qualms
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#m                              C#m
  Revels    in    shallow      delights                 She seems
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--9--------------5--s-3--s-2----|
|--------------------------------|--9--------------6--------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  A                                E
  brittle and small it don't       sound like her at all
|--------------------------------|----------------------4---------|
|----------------------5h7p5-----|----------------------5---------|
|----------------------6----6----|--------------------------------|
|----------------------7---------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .

  F#m                              F#
  Since she came back to him       After the fall
|--5-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--7-----------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .


  F#
|----------------------9---------|
|---------------------11---------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|---------------------------2----|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .


  Bm                               F#
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--2---------2--2-2----2h4--2----|--1--2-4------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .


  F#7                              Bm
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------0-2---0---4--|--4s2--2------------------------|
|-4h5p4p2-4h5p4p2-4--------------|------------------------------4-|
|--------------------------------|----------------------7--5-7----|
  ,       .       .   ,   .   .     ,    .    .    ,    .    .


  D                                A
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|------------4--5-7----5----4----|--4-h5p4s2------------2--4-2--0-|
|--5-------7---------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,      .   .   ,    .    .


  F#                               Bm              G
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--4---------4--5-5s7--5----4----|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--7-----------------------------|
   ,    .    .    ,    .    .       ,    .    .    ,    .    .


  Bm
|-----------7--9h10p9p7-----------------|------------------||
|--------7---------------7--------------|------------------||
|-----7---------------------9--7--------|------------------||  Fine
|--9------------------------------9--7--|--9---------------||
|---------------------------------------|------------------||
|---------------------------------------|------------------||
  ad lib.