From: Harlan L Thompson 

20TH CENTURY MAN- The Kinks

A A A(move A shape from down a fret back) A D D A E E

 A (riff 2x)           A D G D G D A (riff 2x)

 A                                              E
This is the age of machinery, a mechanical nightmare
  A
A wonderful world of technology
 D                 G        D        A  (riff)
Napalm, hydrogen bomb, biological warfare
 A                                            E
This is the twentieth century, too much aggrevation
  A
It's the age of insanity
  D                      G              D          A (riff)
What has become of the green pleasant fields of Jeruselem?
 A                G G A                    G G
Ain't got no ambition, I'm just disillusioned
       D      (no chord)                                         A(riff)
I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want, don't wanna be here

A    D G D G D A (riff)

A                              G  G#  A
My momma says she can't understand me
                  E
Can't see me motivation
 A
Just give me some security
          D                G             D      A (riff)
I'm a paranoid schitzoid product of the 20th century
 A                                G G# A
You keep all your smart modern writers
                   E
Give me William Shakesphere
 A
You keep all your smart modern painters
 D                    G        D           A (riff)
I'll take Rembrant, Titian, DeVinci and Gainsborough

 A                         G G# A                         G
Girl, we gotta get out of here,  we gotta find a solution
        D         (no chord)                                     A(riff)
I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want, don't wanna die here
 A                        G G# A                             G
Well, we gotta get outta here,  we've gotta find a solution
       D    (no chord)                                            A
I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want, don't wanna be here

BRIDGE:
        Em                A5      Em             G G/F# Em
I was born in a welfare state, ruled by bureaucracy
    D                   Am          C      C/B       A5
Controlled by civil servants and people dressed in grey
 A5         Am  A5          G G/F# Em
Got no privacy, got no liberty
          D                  A5            C   C/B     A     (riff)
Cos the twentieth century people took it all away from me

RIFF #2 FOUR TIMES


A (no chord)                    G D A
Don't wanna get myself shot down
(no chord)                      G D A
By some trigger happy policeman
(no chord)                      G D
Gotta keep a hold of my sanity
         D        F      C          G          A
I'm a twentieth century man but I don't wanna die here

RIFF #2 FOUR TIMES

(no chord)                  G  D  A
My mama says she can't understand me
 (no chord)             G  D  A
Can't see my motivation
 (no chord)           G D
Ain't got no security
          D        F     C          G           A
I'm a twentieth century man but I don't wanna die here

RIFF #2 (repeat ...)

I don't want twentieth century man, I don't want twentieth century man
I don't want twentieth century man, I don't want twentieth century man
A                           G D A
This is the twentieth century
                      G D A
Too much aggrevation
                          G D
This is the age of insanity
          D        F     C         G           A
I'm a twentieth century man but I don't wanna be here


RIFF:
    'A' chord
----------------------------
-------------------3-3-3-2--
-------------------2-2-2-2--   repeat
-------------------4-4-4-2--
----0-5p0-5p0---0-----------
--------------0-------------

RIFF #2:
  A           G      G/F#    Em
------------------------------------
----3-3-2---------0------0----------
----2-2-2---------0------0----------
----4-4-2---0---0------0------0-----
--0-------0-------------------------
--------------3------2------0-------

NOTE: Pick notes on the bridge, strum all other times.  The riffs are
approximate, to give the general idea.  The bridge has been altered a bit
to make it sound better for guitar.  This is the way the song goes in my
mind.
(from Muswell Hilbillies, 1971)
(sent by Harlan at harlat@hawaii.edu)