E                   D               A
The day I turned my back on all you people
E         D             A
I felt an itching in my thumbs.
C#m             E7                 F#m           B7
Salt air like a broadcast from the distant, dark beyond
A       D              A (Bbmaj7/A) A
When my transformation comes.

[Verse 2]
E                   D               A
I went down to the warm, warm water
E         D             A
Saw a pelican flypast
C#m             E7                 F#m           B7
Waved once at the highway and then left all that behind me
A       D              A (Bbmaj7/A) A
I went wading through the grass.

[Verse 3]
Bm             Dm             Amaj7
And no one was gonna come and get me.
Bm             Dm          Amaj7
There wasn't anybody gonna know.
F#m           D                C#7                F#m
Even though I leave a trail of burnt things in my wake
A         D             A  (Bbmaj7/A) A
Every single place I go.

[Instrumental]
E D A 
E D A

[Verse 4]
E           D                   A
And it was cool, and it was quiet
E      D                     A
In the humid marsh down there.
C#m                E7               F#m       B7
I let my head sink down beneath the brackish water,
A       D             A (Bbmaj7/A) A
Felt it gumming up my hair.

[Verse 5]
E                   D             A
The sun was sinking into the Atlantic
E                    D                 A
The last time that I turned my back on you.
  C#m             E7          F#m              B7
I tried to summon up a little prayer as I went under
A          D                 A (Bbmaj7/A) A
It was the best that I could do.

[Verse 6]
And I said
Bm                Dm                  Amaj7
Let them all fare better than your servant,
Bm            Dm                Amaj7
The reeds all pricking at my skin.  
       F#m              D                C#7                  B7
Here's hoping they have better luck than I had down here with you
A        D             A (Bbmaj7/A) A
All that water rushing in