words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2003 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

INTRO:
A F#m E (Esus4 E)
D-D-D E A

VERSE:
A5 B5 (two note pickup at top of each verse)
i was 
F#m
running cool and humming
       D Dmaj7 Dmaj7-D       Dmaj7 Dmaj7-D        
i just never saw it coming
          E                  Esus4 E
must have missed the warning patter 
         D-D-D E   A    
of those dangerous feet

      F#m
in my wildest imagination
      D      Dmaj7 Dmaj7-D   Dmaj7 Dmaj7-D        
never dreamt such devastation
E            Esus4 E
bulldozer or wrecking ball
    D-D-D-D E     A    
the competition's beat

CHORUS:
         A
she's an engine of destruction
       F#m
little mistress of disruption
         E             Esus4 E
though i truly love to wind her up 
      D              E   A
stand back and watch her go

        A
she's a tiny blonde tornado
        F#m
she’s a three foot tall volcano
         E             Esus4 E
and I’ve got to find a way to rein her
D-D-D-D   E   A
in before she blows

no one 
wants to do the dishes
so, we'll grant mother's dearest wishes
to go eating at a restaurant 
with the family she adores

well, the staff aren't washing either 
but the table looks much cleaner
while the busboy's sweeping shards
of broken china from the floor

she's an engine of destruction 
tiny atom bomb eruption
she's a little teapot short and stout 
and way beyond the boil

waging preschool insurrection 
raining chaos all directions
sugar, spice and all things nice 
they’ve found the perfect foil

well, today has been a long one
but at last the PJs go on
and she wants her favorite Beatles song
before she goes to bed

i concede and ask her which one
she suggests a demonstration
just as bang, bang! Megan’s plastic hammer
comes down upon my head

ow!

guitar SOLO over CHORUS

BRIDGE (light & airy)
   A           Amaj7
my darling, my cherub 
   D          E
so small & so sweet
A            Amaj7         D    E
sharpens her weapons while i am asleep   
   A         Amaj7
my innocent, lovely
      D      E
sweet baby divine
    A             Amaj7
who rips down the safety net
D     E
every time

over-
pay the babysitter
The poor thing never knew what hit her
'Cause she looks so calm and peaceful
when she's planning her attack

and we watch Godzilla movies
it's so hard to find role models
for my golden-haloed angel 
with the pitchfork behind her back

she's an engine of destruction
little mistress of disruption 
she keeps her daddy guessing 
yeah, she keeps me on my toes 

she's a charmer and she’s clever
and this stage won’t last forever
but she’ll prob’ly spark another thousand 
shocks before she goes 
 

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

    G
our neighbors are such kindly folk
D
friendly to the last
    D7
but calm and peaceful living here
    G
has vanished in the past

G                  G7
since the day that they brought home 
  C               A7
a shepherd dog to keep
   D
he doesn't wake us up 
                        G
because we never get to sleep

CHORUS:

oh, bark along with Cody
howl with all your might
bark along at nothing
do it day and night

the song is neverending
join anytime you like
bark along with Cody
step up to the mic

recording in my studio
i work here everyday
he lives outside my window
without much room to play

my clientele is shrinking
it's hard to win them back
with this uninvited guest
on all my drum and vocal tracks

oh, bark along with Cody
howl with all your might
bark along at nothing
do it day and night

we've found no way to stop him
his owners never try
bark along, bark along
bark until you die

his family's inattentive 
it drives him barking mad
and if his bark is worse
his bite could still be pretty bad

while every thundering bow wow
and each unholy woof
puts gray into my hair 
and shakes the shingles from the roof

[solo here, or another chorus]

sometimes i imagine that
he does it out of spite
a devil dog to hound me
and fill my soul with fright

in reality he's just 
a lonely oafish pup
i would love him all to bits 
if i could only shut him up

oh, bark along with Cody
howl with all your might
bark along at nothing
do it day and night

there's no way you can stop him
he's going to have his say
bark along, bark along
let Cody have his day

Cody!  Shaddup!

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2003 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

INTRO: 
F#m – uncomfortably similar to “Money For Nothing” or "Paper in Fire"
F#m B2 A F#m F#m F#m (E5 pickup)

VERSE:
F#m    B2             A  F#m F#m F#m (E5)
always lived with the feeling
    F#m          B2     A    F#m F#m F#m (E5)
the end could be coming soon
F#m        B2            A  F#m A   B2
learned to live with the pa-ra—-noi-a
C#2                         (lick: B-B-A-C-B-A)
learned to run on the fumes

F#m           B2      A F#m F#m F#m (E5)
it's tempered by realization
     F#m        B2      A   F#m F#m F#m (E5)
it's no good to live in fear
    F#m               B2          A   F#m F#m F#m
(at least) I'm taking nothing for granted
    E                 D
and so far, I'm still here

PRE-CHORUS:
A             E
Maybe someday I'll slow down
    D                     A
And won't have to push so hard
A                      E
Watch my sunshine girl turn gray
    D                     A
and chase her kids in the yard

CHORUS:
    B
But there
C#aug5  D5                 A     E
I'm     getting ahead of myself again
     B          C#aug5  D
So I hope I see to------morrow
      C#              
And I thank you for to-
F#m B2 A F#m F#m F#m (E5 pickup) / F#m B2 F#m
day

The climb today so uncertain
Who's gonna prick the balloon?
and I can be high strung to begin with
so I'm hardly immune

Fear sketches Death in a turban
Hate tucks a bomb in a shoe
Justice ignites, but the fire
burns more than the guilty few

Maybe someday we'll wake up
With sorrow swept away
Gather rainbow colors 'round
and teach ourselves to play

But there
I'm getting ahead of myself again
So I hope I see tomorrow
And I thank you for today

REPEAT INTRO “Money For Nothing” FIGURE: 
8 bars

SOLO 
(like verse, but with different turnaround)
F#m B2 A F#m F#m F#m (E5 pickup)
F#m B2 A F#m F#m F#m (E5 pickup)
F#m B2 A F#m F#m F#m (E5 pickup)
E   D

And the success that I strive for
It's nothing to another man
We've never played on the main stage
or put a Dove in the can

But we'll keep on chasing the shiver
Bury it deep in red
Until it’s locked in your brainwaves
Can't pull it from your head

I've still got some big ideas
And I'm gonna see them through
I can't help but think that one
Could make that dream come true

    B
But there
C#aug5  D5                 A     E
I'm     getting ahead of myself again
A               E
Shine a light into the dark
    D              F#m
And try to find my way
  B          C#aug5  D
I hope I see to------morrow
      C#
And I thank you 
                  E   D   B
I thank you for today

OUTRO:  F#m B2 A F#m F#m F#m (E5 pickup)

Thank you            (domo arigato, arigato)
Thank you, thank you (domo arigato, arigato)
I wanna thank you    (domo arigato, arigato)
Please, thank you    (domo arigato)

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

VERSE:
A       C       D A     C    D  A    C     D  A   C D
Walking through a sunny day; it only rains on you
A    C D    A      C  D   E              E7
Everybody's gum is on the bottom of your shoe
A       c    D    A          C    D   A        C D A    C D
All the feathered friends in town are gathered overhead
    A         C    D      A       C   D    E             E7
You think you know what's coming, and it's better left unsaid

CHORUS:
D                                A        C  G   A  C G
Hey, you little victim with your hands up in the air
D                                A       C     G   A     C G
Bagman got the drop on you, he's come to claim his share
D                                      A      C  G    A     C G
Lie within that chalk line, paint that target on your chest
F                          E7
Self-inflicted misery - is that what you do best
           A      C D A [4x]    pick-up: G5, G#5
You little victim

You're sure that God's abandoned you; you're sure He loves you least
Fallen from His favor like a common, filthy beast
In dreams you hung beside Him; man, He wasn't very nice
and He said, "Today, I'll kick your tail straight out of Paradise"

Hey, you little victim, throwing up your pleading hands
Walking under ladders, foiling all the best-laid plans
Tie that noose around your neck and jump into that lake
Following that millstone down - so, tell me where it takes you,
       A      C D A [4x]    pick-up: G5, F#5
Little victim

BRIDGE:
  E                                    F#m              D
Reprieves are always fleeting and hope glimmers just to fade
E                                 F#m             D
Life gave you the lemons, but you don't like lemonade
E                                B
Lie in peaceful meadows, where serenity surrounds
[c#] D                                   E
and  you'll still look up at the sky and scream "It's falling down!"

SOLO
A/A/AACD/AACD
A/A/AACD/AACD
D/D/AACG/AACG
F/F/E/E7

Any platform, any stage; quick to sing those blues
and fond of wishing other folks a mile in your shoes
You think a little walk might earn a sympathetic tone
but everybody else is nursing blisters of their own

Hey, you little victim, throwing up your victim hands
Live your life believing that nobody understands
Cry for every burden, all the shame you've ever felt
When all the people 'round you know you do it to yourself
You little victim

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

E Esus4 E             E      Esus4  E
Hey -     I've got to find a way to say 
                     F#m
the things that your mean to me
       A                     E Esus4 E Amaj7            
'cause little things matter

Say - I do again the way I did
and you did
Small words fill the air
We welcome the chatter

C#m     C#maj7sus4 C#m7th   Bmaj7sus4
Line by line and   stone by stone
   A5          E5
we laid down a path 'cross the 
A               B         E
years and miles up to our door

C#m     C#maj7sus4 C#m7th      Bmaj7sus4
Home is where my   heart finds you

E Esus4 E Amaj7            
(soli)

May it seem that the sun should fail to shine
It's just the hibiscus in bloom; 
it's blocking our window

Shake, rattle, and shiver though you might
remember that it's been ten years 
since we've seen a snowplow

Gray by gray and line by line
I've made my mistakes and I've lost us a fortune or two
but my treasure's where my heart finds you

(repeat soli)

E   A  B    C#m  F#m A    E
All in all, it's a   good life.

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

Intro: A / F#7 / B7 E / A E9 /

Verse:      [singer addresses audience]
A
You've got a muffin in the oven
E                       E7
stork's gonna visit any day
      A                A     Ab7 F#7
you'd better sleep now while you can
       B7          E      A    
'cause you're in a family way

Walk-Up:    [singer turns to Kim]
A      Bb    Ab7   A7
oh,    don't just  howl and scream
               Dmaj7
demand your epidural
D   Ebdim E     B7
you just  might curse your husband's name
             E             E9
that blessed day

Chorus:
A                          F#9
you've got a muffin in the oven
      B7              E  A       E (walk …)
yeah, you're in a family way

you've got an appetite for two now
you've got a passenger on board
don't complain how your back aches
'cause children are a blessing from the Lord

get used to barf and drool
and mounds of dirty diapers
get used to feeding on demand
both night and day

you've got a muffin in the oven
yeah, you're in a family way

jazz guitar SOLO
A/A chromatic walk/F#7/F#7
D Ebdimº/A Ab7 F#7/B7 E/A     

Walk-Up:
(but say) hello to baby's breath
calm sighs and gentle kisses
welcome the special love
that only mothers know

you've got a muffin in the oven
yeah, you've got a month to go

[Half-Time / Kick-Line finish]
A (triplets.  ritard & crescendo)
we were glad when you
D                 Ebdimº   
beat that morning sickness
                A           Ab7 G7 F#7    
don't you wanna feel that baby     kick
                Bm7
those hips open wide
              F#dimº
and say "hey, mama!
             A           Ab7 G7 F#7    
mama, I've arrived!"
              D             Ebdimº   
you'll have a lot to shout about
           A           
when she's makin' like a baby
Ab7 G7 F#7    
and    heading out
       B
'cause you're ...
     E
in a fam ...
  E7 A C#maug5 D Ebdimº E E7 
-'ly waaaay!

[bass notes: E F# G#]   A7 (flurry)

Hello mama, I'm coming out to meetcha!

--------------------

Verse:
Ab7:     4-6-4-5-4-4
F#7:     2-4-2-3-2-2
B7:      7-9-7-8-7-7
B7:      x-2-1-2-0-2

Walk-Up:
A:       x-0-2-2-2-0
Bb:      x-x-3-3-3-x
Ab7:     x-x-1-1-1-2
A7:      x-0-2-2-2-3
B7:      x-x-4-4-4-5
Dmaj7:   x-x-0-2-2-2
Ebdim:   x-x-1-2-1-2
E9:      x-7-6-7-7-7

Chorus:
F#9:     x-9-8-9-9-9
B7:      7-9-7-8-7-7
E:       7-7-9-9-9-7

Kick-Line:
Bm7:     x-2-4-2-3-2
F#dim:   x-3-4-5-3-x
F#dim:   x-x-4-5-4-5
C#maug5: x-4-2-2-2-x 

words and music by Jeff Elbel.  Rideout lyrics by David Byrne.
Jeff Elbel lyrics copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

VERSE 1:
Em          G
many people envy me 
     Cadd9            Asus2
i've got the ways and means
     Em               G
they say it takes the pressure off 
       Asus2            Cadd9
if the sultans miss the scene

      Em            G
yeah, harry's got a day job, too
  Cadd9                Asus2
i guess he's doing all right
  Em              G
i wonder, does he toss and turn?
     Asus2            
does harry sleep at night?

CHORUS:
        C                 G
is it a soul destroyer
   D         Em
oh yeah, all right
          C               G
is it the road to nowhere
   D         Em
oh yeah, all right
        C               G
is it a life stealer, a death dealer
D         Em
yeah, all right
        C                 G
is it a soul destroyer
   D         
oh yeah

VERSE 2:
i haven't been a ditch digger
i haven't worked the docks
i haven't worked a chain gang 
by the railroad breaking rocks

but i have been a janitor
swathed in toxic human mist
and i found more inspiration there
than a dozen years of this

CHORUS:
it's a soul destroyer
oh yeah, all right
it's the road to nowhere
oh yeah, all right
it's a life stealer, death dealer
yeah, all right
it's a soul destroyer
oh yeah

BRIDGE: 
      Am
where misery keeps company
   C
we drive the vermin lanes
          G
and we're practiced at the art
            F                C
of stabbing backs and laying blame

Am
clawing through your thickest skin
   C
to peel it from your bones
    G
but no matter how hard you try 
    C              D   
you always take it home

LAST VERSE:
i'm glad to have my guitar
and a place to lay my head
i like to buy my baby's shoes
and keep my family fed

i'm grateful for provision
but the price sometimes seems high
'cause every time i punch that clock
a little something dies 

CHORUS:
it's a soul destroyer
oh yeah, all right
it's the road to nowhere
oh yeah, all right
it's a life stealer, death dealer
yeah, all right
it's a soul destroyer
oh yeah ... yeah

C            G
  we’re on a road to nowhere
D           Em
  come on inside
C             G
  takin' that ride to nowhere
D                 Em
  we'll take that ride

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

INTRO:  (see Bridge)

VERSE:
    A5                 Ano5 D5   
the leaves were coarse and  fallen
    A5                       B5  D5   
the roots were brown and dry
    A5 
it's stupid
                     Ano5 D5   
how long the flowers de - cayed
            D5    Ano5             B5  A5   
before we noticed that they'd died

the cord had come unravelled
the knot almost untied
it's lucky
if it's not too late to find 
that you care enough to fight

CHORUS:
     D             A
when peace is only pretense
    D              A
and love a cartoon heart
   D                  A
we tiptoe between the nightstands
         F#maug5        E
wielding mallets in the dark
       D            A
when a kiss is only reflex
    D            A
and tenderness a sham
            D                    B
asleep with six-guns beneath the pillows
D          A
goodnight, rabbit
E          A         tag: D A E A
goodnight, sam

travel carries uphill
my back's still pretty sore
but tell me
the angle of our ascent
is it less steep than before?

there are moments of tranquility
and the view can be sublime
it's stunning
when i turn back to gaze
and see how far we've climbed

the peace is sometimes fragile
still, i like the cartoon hearts
we trip between the nightstands
colliding in the dark
and i'll give an E for effort 
to that kiss, but listen ma'am
we could surely use some practice
goodnight, rabbit
goodnight, sam

BRIDGE:
Asus2
this is how i mix my metaphors
Asus2/G
stop me if i used this one before
Asus2/F#   F#m7
any nimble tongue can stumble 
F5                 G5
that's the way the cliche crumbles

SOLO:

perhaps in the beginning
it wasn't the perfect match
young people
as much as anything else
can fear living unattached

but she knows i am faithful
as she is to that vow
together
we'll form a beautiful thing
from the fragments we have now

the peace continues healing
and i'll keep the cartoon hearts
we dance between the nightstands
embracing in the dark
when the kiss regains its feeling
and the laughter isn't canned
holding hands beneath the covers
goodnight, rabbit
goodnight, sam

A5:       x-x-7-9-x-x
A5:       x-0-2-2-x-x
Ano5:     x-x-7-6-x-x
Asus2:    x-0-2-2-0-0
D5:       x-x-7-7-x-x
B5:       x-x-9-11-x-x
F5:       1-2-2-x-x-x
F#mAug5:  2-0-0-2-3-x
F#m7:     2-0-2-2-2-0
G5:       3-5-5-x-x-x

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2004 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

G            Bmaug5		[drum kit, rhyth gtr]
Terrence the drummer
   C         D
is always in time
     G              Bmaug5
he's quick with the count-off
   C        G  D
he keeps us in line
G              Bmaug5
his thundering kick
       C            D
is too big for this room
    G         C
his talent is wasted
   Bmaug5 D  G        [bass walk F#]
on my little tune

    Em            D
but listen to him play
     C           G
man, look at him go
          C                G
like he's reaching for the back seats
       C    Bmaug5 D      [Ebdimº ?]
of the sold out    show
   Em           D
he leaves me so humble
   C           G
he makes me so proud
     C             G
i'll write him his own verse
    C       Bmaug5 D    
and sing it out    loud

[drum fill, straight beat]

Clint is our bassist		[add bass, acoustic guitar]
as sure as a clock
he's faithful and steadfast
and ready to rock
and like Montezuma
when taking revenge
Clint puts the rumble
in Ping's bottom end

listen to him play
man, look at him go
like he's reaching for the bench seats
at the Hollywood Bowl 
he leaves me so humble
he makes me so proud
i'll write him his own verse
and sing it out loud

John and Andy on the guitars	
they're simply the best
they both should be big stars
they outshine the rest
they're so easygoing
and guick with a smile
i'm lucky i've known them
for such a long while

listen to them play
man, look at them go
like we're at Budokan Arena
domo arigato
they leave me so humble
they make me so proud
i'll write them their own verse
and sing it out loud

kim on the vocal
she's saving my day
she's having a baby
but came anyway
she sings like an angel
all girly and high
then belts it out like
The Great Gig in the Sky

listen to her sing
man, look at her go
they'd be swooning in the cheap seats
to the very last row
she leaves me so humble
she makes me so proud
i'll write her her own verse
and sing it out loud

SOLO

so many others
they come and they go
they're all here in spirit
if not at the show
they keep pouring into
my overflown cup
i lean on such good friends
while they prop me up

so listen to us play
man, look at us go
rockin' in your lawn chairs
to the seventh row
so come back to see us
to join us and sing
you're part of the family ...

all in the family
we like to call Ping

Pause. Drum fill, rideout w/solo:

G/Bmaug5/C/D | Em/D/C/D [repeat]

words and music by Jeff Elbel. 
Copyright 2003 Marathon Records.  
Published by Zimbalon (ASCAP).
Tuning: (E-A-D-G-B-E)
Use "Courier" or “Courier New” font to align text.

Verse 1:
     D
It’s time to say goodbye and thanks for showing
                                       A7
It’s time to pack the bags and hit the road
   G
So don’t forget to write
D
Time to raise the lights
                  A7                 D
So here’s a final thought before you go

Chorus 1:
          G
Your mama loves you (yeah yeah)
          D
And Jesus loves you (yeah yeah)
    A7
But save a little room 
            D              D7
inside your heart for me
             G
So now we’re leaving
             D             Bm
But don’t be grieving
   A                 G               D
No band can love you half as much as Ping

Verse 2:
It’s time to change our clothes and take a shower
The order’s wrong, but you know what I mean
The time is done for getting down and dirty
The time has come for getting squeaky clean

Chorus 2:
Your mama loves you (yeah yeah)
And Jesus loves you (yeah yeah)
But save a little shampoo 
and some soap for me
So now we’re leaving
But don’t be grieving
No band can love you half as much as Ping

Verse 3:
The time has come for final introductions
Kim is to my left with perfect pitch
Hi, I’m Jeff, I pull it all together
Or tear it all apart, I don’t know which

Chad’s behind me shaking his percussion
That’s Andrew on the drums and Stace on keys
The time has come for John to take a solo
The time has come for you to clap and scream


Alternate Verse 3:

The time has come for final introductions
To give you all our names in perfect pitch
Hi, I’m Jeff, I pull it all together
Or tear it all apart, I don’t know which

Terrence drums and shakes the sweet percussion
That’s Andrew on guitar and Clint on bass
The time has come for Andy's guitar solo
The time has come for Ping to rock your face

MONSTROUS ROCK SOLO

Verse 4:
So if you parked and sadly left your lights on
Or if you locked your keys inside your car
You can always come back here
And help us load our gear
And marvel at us glamorous rock stars

Chorus 4:
C’mon, I’m joking! (yeah yeah)
What are you smoking? (he’s really joking)
We’ll grouse about our day jobs 
‘til you fall asleep
So now we’re leaving
But don’t be grieving
No band can love you half as much as Ping
We’ve worn our welcome out, it’s time to leave!