Angels With Guns

Written by John Stewart

‘Angels with Guns’ is the first song on the brilliant “Punch the Big Guy” album, The Ship on Cypress, 1987, CD on Line Records, 1990.

Angels don´t have guns, or do they? This song has always been a mystery to me. I like mysteries. Spain – could be the Spanish Civil War? Could be many other things. This is a fine song, excellently played and produced, but it does sound good on a lone guitar (or banjo, or keyboard), too. Don´t take my word for it – go and try yourself.

(Em7/B)(Em7/B)(C)(Cj7)(C) (Em7/B)(Em7/B)(C)(Cj7)(C)

(pattern continues into verse and sneaks in again later – you´ll hear, not written out so as not to confuse you too much – OR play as intro (Em7) (Cj7) three times, longer intervals).

(Em) Across cold water lies the (Cj7)sun,
(Em) For now the journey has be(Cj7)gun.

(G) The soldiers (D)marching one by (C)one
(G) With golden (D)light and silver (C)drums,
(bass run C-B-A, last bass note already on...)(Am)

For the battle they have (D)come. (D/A)(D) (D/A)(D)

Oh, and out of the (Em)sun
Come angels with (Cj7)guns, (C9)
Oh, and out of the (Em)sun
Come angels with (Cj7)guns, (C9)
Angels with (Em)guns. (Cj7) (C9) (Em) (Cj7) (C9)

(Em) And there is thunder in the (Cj7)east,
(Em) Mark the time that the wind re(Cj7)leased. (C9)
(G6) The birds of (D)prey that shadow (C)Spain (C9)
(G6) Who stand a (D)witness to the (C)rain, (C9)
(G6) And there is (D)movement in the (C)west, (C9)
(G6) For they are (D)gathering the (C)blessed,
(bass run C-B-A, last bass note already on...)(Am)

Speaking as (D)one. (D/A)(D) (D/A)(D)

Oh, and out of the (Em)sun
Come angels with (Cj7)guns, (C9)
Oh, and out of the (Em)sun
Come angels with (Cj7)guns, (C9)
Oh, and out of the (Em)sun
Come angels with (Cj7)guns, (C9)
Oh, and out of the (Em)sun
Come angels with (C)guns,
Angels with (Em)guns. (Cj7) (C9) (Em) (Cj7) (C9)

(Em) (Cj7) (Em) (Cj7)

With one more (Em)second,
With one more (Cj7)minute,
With one more (Em)hour,
With one more (Cj7)day,
We will find a (G)way,
We will find a (Cj7)way, (C5)
Oh, we will find a (G)way,
Oh, we will find a (Cj7)way.

Oh, and out of the (Em)sun,
Oh, and out of the (Cj7)sun, (C5)
Out of the (Em)sun,
Oh, and out of the (Cj7)sun, (C5)
Out of the (Em)sun,
Out of the (Cj7)sun, (C5)
And out of the (Em)sun,
Oh, and out of the (Cj7)sun. (C5)
(Em)Angels fly in the July sky,
Out of the (Cj7)sun, (C5)
(Em)Angels fly in the July sky,
Out of the (Cj7)sun. (C5)
(Em)Angels fly in the July sky,
Out of the (Cj7)sun, (C5)
(Em)Angels fly in the July sky,
Out of the (Cj7)sun... (C5) (Em)

janhauenstein@gmx.de, Charlie Woodward & Art Faller

July 2004