When I Say Wife

Studio CD: Having A Party With Jonathan Richman
Compilation: Action Packed
Live Bootleg: Binghamton, Live In Victoria
Having A Party With Jonathan Richman

Chords

E
When I say 'wife'
            A                  E
It's cause I can't find another word
       A      B
For the way we be
A                            B
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
A                       B
'Wife' sounds like laundry


          E
When I say 'wife'
            A                  E
It's cause I can't find another word
       A      B
For the way we are
   A                         B
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
A                     E
Sounds like the family car


B
The tax form comes

Fill out 'married'

Cause I know what they're looking for
   C#m
But I'm telling you

That I'm just a person
                B
Same as I was before


E
When I say 'wife'
                 A                  E
It's cause if you said 'lover' every day
            A        B
You're gonna begin to gag
A                            B
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
A                      E
Sounds like the laundry bag


B
The tax form comes

Fill out 'married'

A technicality
   C#m
But I'm telling you

That I'm not married

I'm not single
B
I'm still me


E
I say 'wife'
          A                    E
Because it stops all talk right away
         A      B
About the way we be
   A                         B
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
A                       E
'Wife' sounds like laundry

Chordpro

[E] When I say 'wife'
it's cause I [A] can't find another [E] word
for the [A] way we [B] be
[A] but 'wife' sounds like you're [B] mortgaged
[A] 'wife' sounds like laund[B]ry

When I say [E] 'wife'
it's cause I [A] can't find another [E] word
for the [A] way we [B] are
but [A] 'wife' sounds like you're [B] mortgaged
[A] sounds like the family [E] car

[B] the tax form comes
fill out 'married'
cause I know what they're lookin for
but [C#m] I'm tellin you
that I'm just a person
same as I was be[B]fore

[E] When I say 'wife'
it's cause if you [A] said 'lover' every [E] day
you're gonna [A] begin to [B] gag
[A] but 'wife' sounds like you're [B] mortgaged
[A] sounds like the laundry [E] bag

[B] the tax form comes
fill out 'married'
a technicality
but [C#m] I'm tellin you
that I'm not married
I'm not single
[B] I'm still me

[E] I say 'wife'
because it [A] stops all talk right [E] away
about the [A] way we [B] be
but [A] 'wife' sounds like you're [B] morgaged
[A] 'wife' sounds like laund[E]ry

Lyrics

When I say 'wife'
It's cause I can't find another word
For the way we be
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
'Wife' sounds like laundry

When I say 'wife'
It's cause I can't find another word
For the way we are
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
Sounds like the family car

The tax form comes
Fill out 'married'
Cause I know what they're looking for
But I'm telling you
That I'm just a person
Same as I was before

When I say 'wife'
It's cause if you said 'lover' every day
You're gonna begin to gag
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
Sounds like the laundry bag

The tax form comes
Fill out 'married'
A technicality
But I'm telling you
That I'm not married
I'm not single
I'm still me

I say 'wife'
Because it stops all talk right away
About the way we be
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
'Wife' sounds like laundry

Binghamton

Lyrics

[Thanks
Now you'll notice sometimes I use the word 'wife' in these songs
???]

When I say 'wife'
It's cause I can't find another word
For the way we are
But 'wife' sounds like a mortgage
Sounds like a family car

When I say 'wife'
It's cause I can't find another word
For the way we be
But 'wife' sounds like a mortgage
And 'wife' sounds like laundry

Well the tax form comes
I fill out 'married'
Cause I know what they're looking for
But I'm telling you
That I'm still a person
Same as I was before

When I say 'wife'
It's cause if I said 'lover' all the time
Everyone would start to gag
But 'wife' sounds like a mortgage
Sounds like the laundry bag

The tax form comes
Fill out 'married'
A technicality
But I'm telling you
That I'm not married
I'm not single
I'm still me

I say 'wife'
Because it shuts people up, just like that
About the way we be
But 'wife' sounds like you are a mortgage, more or less
'Wife' sounds like laundry

[So now that I've done that I can do this other stuff for you see
Oh one more assault on the institution of marriage before I go though]

Live In Victoria

Lyrics

When I say 'wife'
It's cause I can't find another word
For the way we are
But 'wife' to me sounds like you're mortgaged
Sounds like the family car

If I say 'wife'
It's cause I can't find another word
For the way we be
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
And 'wife' sounds like laundry

Well
The tax form comes
I fill out 'married'
Cause I know what they're looking for
But I'm telling you
That I'm still a person
Same as I was before

If I say 'wife'
It's cause if I said 'lover' all the time
Well you'd begin to gag
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
Sounds like the laundry bag

Well
The tax form comes
I check 'married'
A technicality
But I'm telling you
That I'm not married
I'm not single
I'm still me

I say 'wife'
Because it shuts people up right away
About the way we be
But 'wife' sounds like you're mortgaged
And 'wife' sounds like laundry