From: phillip@flagstaff.princeton.edu (Phillip Charles Saunders)
Subject: CRD: The Poisoned Rose, Elvis Costello


The Poisoned Rose
Spencerob@aol.com

(N.C.)       Eb     Ab
The poisoned rose
                 Eb    Ab
That you gave to me
           Eb    C
It left me half alive
    F            Bb  B9  Bb  Eb
And half in ecstasy
                        Eb7
But if half of your love
Ab7          Adim7
Is all I can win
Eb             C7
Give me just a fraction
    F7      Bb       Eb  Ab7   Eb
But no more medicine

    Bb Bb+   Eb      Ab
The poisoned rose
               Eb    Ab
On a Valentine card
              Eb              C
That you take straight to the heart
     F               Bb   B9   Bb   Eb
That you call my junkyard
                    Eb7
But if all I can do
Ab7               F7
is save pieces of you
                  Eb
The piece of your mind
                  Eb7    Ab7
The piece of your heart
                Adim7
Didn't tear me apart
                       F7
Like the poisoned rose
           Gm7          Bb7   Ab
I received    from you

              Db9+11
I don't know
                     Eb
How we came to grow
          Bb       Eb       F7
Into this very sad affair

Everytime we do the decent thing
         B9                  Bb9
Somebody    spikes the drink

And a single becomes a pair


(N.C.)       Eb    Bb7
The poisoned rose
                      Eb7     Ab7
That you wear at your best
            Eb                  C7
That I keep pressed between the white sheets
      F7             Bb     B9   Bb    Eb
Where you lie half undressed

I threw away my shirt and shoes
    Eb7                    Ab7
You looked and I dived in
                           F7
It's just you and me now
                             Eb
'Cause I threw away the gin

I threw away your alibis
    Eb7                       Ab7
And all your worn-out clothes

I threw myself upon the floor
    Adim7
But       I couldn't throw away
              Eb     Ab
This poisoned rose
              Eb     Ab
This poisoned rose
              (N.C.) Eb
This poisoned rose