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#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the #
#song You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research#
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
Song title: Government Center
Original Album: The Modern Lovers
Words and Music by Jonathan Richman
Copyright 1976 Beserkley Records
Published by Modern Lovers Music
Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfretsnet)
NOTES:
Guitar Figure 1 is played in the INTRO and VERSEs
Chords are fifths and are played as quavers (eighth-notes)
Timing is 4/4 / indicates same as previous note
Guitar Figure 1
A E
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|*-------------9///////--*|
|*--7///////---9///////--*|
|---7///////---7///////---|
|---5///////---0///////---|
| |
|-------------------------|
|*-----------------------*|
|*-----------------------*|
|---5///////---0///////---|
INTRO:
[play: Guitar Figure 1] [x2]
VERSE:
A E
Well, we've got a lot, a lot, a lot of hard work today
E
We gotta rock at the government center
A E
To make the secretaries feel better
E A
When they put those stamps on the letters
VERSE:
And they got a lot, a lot, a lot of great desks and chairs
Uh huh, at the government center
We gotta make the secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on all the letters
VERSE:
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a non-stop tonight
Uh huh, at the government center
Make the secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the ledgers
[play Guitar Figure 1] [x2]
BRIDGE:
D
We won't stop until we see the secretaries smile
A
And see some office boys there jumpin' for joy
D
Tell old Mr Ahern, "Calm down a while,
E
You know that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
VERSE:
Let's rock-a rock-a rock-a non-stop tonight
Uh huh, at the government center
Make the secretaries feel better
A E [Guitar Figure 1]
Where they put the stamps on the letters
[play: Guitar Figure 1] [x2]
You gotta make them feel betteroh, look out
[play out over Guitar Figure 1 to fade]
Make them feel better
etc
CHORDS:
A 577655
E 079997
D 557775
Intro: A E D E A
Well we've got [A] a lot a lot of hard [D] work today
We gotta rock at the government [E] center
[A] To make the secretaries feel [E] better
When they put those [E] stamps on the [A] letters
And they got a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on all the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
Uh huh, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We [A] won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some [D] office boys jump up for [A] joy
Tell [D] old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
You know that's the [E] only way the center is ever gonna get better"
[[Verse chords again]]
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
[[Closing ad-lib section: A D A D A D]]
Well we've got a lot a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make the secretaries feel better
When they put those stamps on the ledgers
And they got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Uh huh, at the government center
We got to make the secretaries feel better
When they put those stamps on all those letters
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
Uh huh, at the government center
Make the secretaries feel better
When they put those stamps on the ledgers
Won't stop until we see secretaries smile
We gotta see some office boys there jumping for joy
Tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
You know that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
So let's rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
Uh huh, At the government center
Make the secretaries feel better
When they put those stamps on the
Letters
Gonna make them feel better
Oh look out
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
You know, we have a lot of hard work to do today
What might that be Jonathan?
Well we've got a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make the secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the letters
They got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
Oh oh
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
Uh huh, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some office boys jump up for joy
We'll tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
Sir that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
So,
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
Oh tonight
We'll make them feel all right
Ahh tonight
What you say man?
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Well we gotta lotta lotta lotta hard work today
We got to rock up the government centre
Make those secretaries feel better
When they a put the stamps on the letters
They gotta lotta lotta lotta great desks and chairs
Uh huh at the government centre
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then the write it down in the ledger
So let's rocka rocka rocka nonstop tonight
Uh huh at the government centre
Make those secretaries feel better
When they a put the stamps on the letters
Won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some office boys jumping for joy
Tell old Mr [???] 'sir come down awhile sir sir
Cause that's the only way the centre sir is ever sir gonna get better'
Come [???] that's a rocka rocka rocka non stop tonight
Uh huh at the government centre
Make those secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the letter
We're gonna make em feel better
We're gonna make then feel better
We're gonna help them out
We're gonna be nice
Bring everything
Make it be all right
And wait until the security guards kick us out
At the centre
Try and make them feel a little better
We can do it
We can help them out
Bring the magic feeling inside
We'll see them smile
We'll see them smile
Yes
But they won't like it
They'll like it we'll see
All right
We hope so
[This is so late, let's see I'll try out some stuff here, just a minute, adjusted the microphone now, ok, try this]
Well we've got a lot a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
Make the secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the letters
They got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledgers
So we gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some office boys jump up for joy
We'll tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
Cause that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
So, we gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
Oh tonight
Gonna make them feel all right
Feel all right
Well, gonna make them feel better tonight
At the government centre
Oh
We're gonna go, try to make them feel better
At the government centre
Ok, ??? now
Well modern lovers, we have a lot of hard work to do today
What might that be Jonathan?
Well we've got a lot a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make those secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the letters
They got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
You know, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
So we gotta go rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At el government central
Where they put the stamps on the lentral [???]
And then they write it down in the lencher [???]
Yes
Won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some office boys jump up for joy
Tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
So that's the only way the center is ever going to get better"
We gotta go rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At this so called government center
Where they put all the little stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We shall go there tonight
Going to make them feel better
[???]
Well you know
We're going to make them feel better tonight
Make them feel better tonight
Make them feel better tonight
[[Repeats with Jonathan ad libbing stuff]]
That's right, don't you know they've got
Desks and desks and desks
Chairs and chairs and chairs
[???]
You know, we have a lot of hard work to do today modern lovers
Well we've got a lot a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make the secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the letters
They got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
That's Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
Do you know
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We won't stop until we see secretaries smile
Wanna see some office boys jump up for joy
We'll tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
Sir that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
That's Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
??? Go there tonight
We'll make them feel better
???
(Make them feel better)
[[Repeats, I got lazy so I didn't count them]]
[You know, modern lovers, we have a lot of hard work to do today
What might that be Jonathan?]
Well we've got a lot a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make the secretaries feel better
When they put those stamps on the letters
And they got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some office boys jump up for joy
Tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
So that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We're gonna go tonight
???
???
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
Make them feel better
???
Well we've got a lot a lot a a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make the secretaries feel better
When they put the stamps on the letters
They got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it right down in the ledger
We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We won't stop until we see secretaries smile
And see some office boys jump up for joy
We'll tell old Mr Ayhern, "Calm down a while,
Sir that's the only way the center is ever gonna get better"
It's our job now to rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
That's where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they go write it down in the ledger
Oh tonight
???
Make us all feel better
What you say man?
Make them feel better [[repeats]]
???
It means we have to go to the government centre
Well we've got a lot a lot a lot of hard work today
We gotta rock at the government center
To make the secretaries feel better
When they put those cute little stamps on the letters
They got a lot a lot a lot of great desks and chairs
Now, at the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
So we gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it down in the ledger
We won't stop until at least we see a few secretaries smile
And see the office boys jump up for joy
We'll tell old Mr Ayhern, "now calm down a while, sir
That's the only way your center I think that's the only way it's ever gonna get better"
Well we gotta go rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight
At the government center
Where they put the stamps on the letters
And then they write it all down in the ledger
Oh tonight
Gotta go over tonight
???
Gotta make them feel better [[repeat]]
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