Ball And Chain chords by
Xtc (Official Version)

1982Rock3K views

Key: C majorDifficulty: Advanced

Intro 1

Db

Abm11

Db

Abm11

Verse 1
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Oh yeah,
B/Db B/Db 
 
Gb/Db Gb/Db 
 
Db Db 
 
The diggers and the tower    cranes

Verse 2
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,   Oh yeah,
B/Db B/Db 
 
Gb/Db Gb/Db 
 
Db Db 
 
The diggers and the tower    cranes,
B/Db B/Db 
 
Gb/Db Gb/Db 
 
Db Db 
 
The diggers and the tower    cranes

Bridge 1

Ebsus4

Eb

Dbsus4

Db

Don't want demo lition

Ebsus4

Eb

Dbsus4

Db

Don't want your com pensa- tion

Ebsus4

Eb

Dbsus4

Db

It's not just bri cks and mor tar

Ebsus4

Eb

Ab7sus4

Ab

We are lambs to slaughter

Interlude 1

Ab

Ab

Ab9sus4

Ab9sus4

Ab

Ab

Ab9sus4

Ab9sus4

Verse 3
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Db Db 
 
Abm11 Abm11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Oh yeah,
B B 
 
Gb Gb 
 
Db Db 
 
The diggers and the tower cranes,
B B 
 
Gb Gb 
 
Db Db 
 
The diggers and the tower cranes

Bridge 2

Ebsus4

Eb

Dbsus4

Db

Must we live in fear

Ebsus4

Eb

Dbsus4

Db

From those who she d no tears?

Ebsus4

Eb

Dbsus4

Db

Our one and on ly shel- ter

Ebsus4

Eb

Ab7sus4

Ab

Your games, your hel ter skel- ter

Interlude 2

Ab

Ab

Ab9sus4

Ab9sus4

Ab

Ab

Ab9sus4

Ab9sus4

Bridge 3
Gbm Gbm 
 
Motorways and office blocks,
They're standing on the spot
Ab Ab 
 
Where stood a home,
Gbm Gbm 
 
They're crushing on the memories of people,
Ab Ab 
 
Who have since turned to stone
Gbm Gbm 
 
(Ahh)
Ab Ab 
 
They've turned to stone,
Gbm Gbm 
 
(Ahh)
Ab Ab 
 
Ab Ab 
 
They've turned to stone

Solo 1

Db

Abm11

Db

Abm11

Db

Abm11

Db

A

Verse 4
D D 
 
Am11 Am11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
D D 
 
Am11 Am11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
D D 
 
Am11 Am11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
Oh yeah,
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
The diggers and the tower cranes

Verse 5
D D 
 
Am11 Am11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
D D 
 
Am11 Am11 
 
Save us from the ball and chain,
D D 
 
Am11 Am11 
 
Save us from the ball ball chain,
Oh yeah,
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
The diggers and the tower cranes
C C 
 
G G 
 
D D 
 
The diggers and the tower cranes
C C 
 
G G 
 
The diggers and the tower

Outro 1

A

A

A9sus4

A9sus4

A

A

A9sus4

A9sus4

[Repeat and fade]

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsDb Abm11 B/Db Gb/Db Ebsus4...

Chords

Db
Abm11
B/Db
Gb/Db
Ebsus4
Eb
Dbsus4
Ab7sus4
Ab
Ab9sus4
B
Gb
Gbm
A
D
Am11
C
G
A9sus4

Finger positions, low to high (E A D G B e). 0 is open, x is muted.

Db: x-4-6-6-6-x
Abm11: 4-x-4-4-2-x
B/Db: x-4-x-4-4-2
Gb/Db: x-4-4-3-2-2
Ebsus4: x-6-8-8-9-x
Eb: x-6-8-8-8-x
Dbsus4: x-4-6-6-7-x
Ab7sus4: 4-6-4-6-4-4
Ab: 4-6-6-5-4-4
Ab9sus4: 4-x-4-3-2-x
B: x-2-4-4-4-x
Gb: 2-4-4-3-2-2
Gbm: 2-4-4-2-2-2
A: x-0-2-2-2-0
D: x-x-0-2-3-2
Am11: 5-x-5-5-3-x
C: x-3-2-0-1-0
G: 3-2-0-0-0-3
A9sus4: 5-x-5-4-3-x

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 1

1

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

Barre chords ask a lot of the fretting hand. The barre course walks through hand position, pressure, and the cleanest way to land each shape. Practice barre chords

Sus2 and sus4 swap the third in a chord for a second or fourth. The sus course covers the shapes and how to drop them into a progression. Practice sus chords

This is the definitive original version of Ball And Chain by XTC, transcribed exactly as it was recorded in the studio. Unlike our simplified arrangement, this chart preserves the precise chord voicings and progressions in the original key of C major. It is designed for experienced players looking to reproduce the full sonic intent and artistic expression of XTC.

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