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Life On Mars by David Bowie - Guitar Chords

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            David Bowie
"Life on Mars?" from the album "Hunky Dory"

Key: F

This transcription by markwkidd is based upon previous transcriptions from lovebolts, j03c,
nick_zubarev, and HD Piano. This transcription is harmonically compatible to the original piano version,
although there are certain simplifications due to the differences between the two instruments.

Note that the song uses a "walking" bassline on the piano in many sections. Chord voicings and inversions are
providied that allow a similar affect for the guitar. Many chords are embelleshed with arpeggiations and small
transitional flourishes that can also be emulated on guitar.


[Verse]

F      F/E                     F/Eb
It's a god-awful small affair
       Dsus4         D7    Gm
To the girl with the mousy hair
        Bb/F                  C/E
But her mummy is yelling "No"
         C7/E                 F
And her daddy has told her to go
        F/E                        F/Eb
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
       Dsus4              D7     Gm
Now she walks through her sunken dream
       Bb/F                       C/E
To the seat with the clearest view
          C7/E                        Ab/Eb
And she's hooked to the silver screen


[Pre-Chorus]

        Eaug                      Fm
But the film is a saddening bore
          Abadd2/Gb                  Db
For she's lived it ten times or more
          Dbaug/A                    Bbm
She could spit in the eyes of fools
        Db/B
As they ask her to focus on


[Chorus]

Bb      Eb
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Gm      Gbaug                     F  Fm
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
                   Cm     Ebm
It's the freakiest show
                    Bb
Take a look at the Lawman
Eb
Beating up the wrong guy
Gm      Gbaug                     F   Fm
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
                           Cm    Ebm
He's in the best selling show
                  Gm  Gm/Gb  Gm/F  Gm/E
Is there life on Mars?


[Post-Chorus]

F  Gbdim  Gm  Ddim7  Am  Bbadd9  Bbmadd9


[Verse]

F       F/E                    F/Eb
It's on Amerikas tortured brow
     Dsus4             D7        Gm
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
        Bb/F                       C/E
Now the workers have struck for fame
       C7/E                  F
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
        F/E                          F/Eb
See the mice in their million hordes
     Dsus4        D7      Gm
From Ibeza to the Norfolk Broads
         Bb/F                   C/E
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
         C7/E                    Ab/Eb
To my mother, my dog, and clowns


[Pre-Chorus]

        Eaug                       Fm
But the film is a saddening bore
         Abadd2/Gb                  Db
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
      Dbaug/A              Bbm
It's about to be writ again
     Db/B
As I ask you to focus on


[Chorus]

Bb      Eb
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Gm      Gbaug                     F  Fm
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
                   Cm     Ebm
It's the freakiest show
                    Bb
Take a look at the Lawman
Eb
Beating up the wrong guy
Gm      Gbaug                      F   Fm
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
                           Cm    Ebm
He's in the best selling show
                  Gm  Gm/Gb  Gm/F  Gm/E
Is there life on Mars?


[Outro]

F  Gb/D  Gm  Bb/F  Bb/F  Bb/F  Eb  Ebm  F


[Chords]

NOTE: The Gm chord in the chorus mutes the bottom two strings in order to achieve a walking bassline down
through Gm/Gb, Gm/F, and Gm/E.


Ab/Eb:      x66544
Ab/Gb:      21111x
Abadd2:     xx4545
Bbm:        x13321
Bb/F:       113331
Bb:         688766
Bbadd9:     x10x10
Bbmadd9:    x12x21
C/E:        032010
C7/E:       032310
Cm:         x35543
Db:         x46664
Db/B:       x2x121
Dbaug/A:    x03221
Dsus4:      xx0232
D7:         xx0212
Ddim7:      x20101
D/Gb:       200232
Eaug:       0x6554
Eb:         x68886
Ebm:        x68876
F:          xx3211
F/E:        xx2211
F/Eb:       xx1211
Fm:         133111
Gbaug:      2xx332
Gbdim:      xx2212
Gm:         355333
Gm:         xx5333
Gm/Gb:      xx4333
Gm/F:       xx3333
Gm/E:       xx2333
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