Helicopter

Helicopter (live at NSIT O-Fest 9-17-05) - MP3

Lyrics

take my hands severed at the wrists
my turned palms how they run together in a kiss
through all my pride i know my will will be undone
and i'm a shadow of your hope
and your love

please take this child keep her if you can
sheath her smile walk with your hands upon her back 

lay cover on the ground should she be pinned down 

oh my the helicopter heart beats a four-four time
and tears through the atmosphere in a jagged line 

we'll make our pact with a missile's low arc through the sky
and plan our attacks and lay our bodies side by side 

and plant them in the ground should we be cut down 

oh my the helicopter heart beats a four-four time
and tears through the atmosphere in a jagged line

Music

Chords

It's in C major. The verse progression is C F Dm7 G7 with a decending bass. The pre-chorus bit "lay cover on the ground..." is Am Dmaj7 F. The Chorus "oh my the helicopter...." is C G Am Am/G F C G G G/F C/E F C/G G C. And the end of the first verse uses the end of the chorus progression: "and i'm a shadow of your..." uses G G/F C/E F C/G G.

Structure

I think of it as being A' A B A B, where the first verse is slightly longer, and the B section includes both the chorus and the pre-chorus.