Van der Graaf Generator - Masks (chords)

Intro as verse

Verse 1 & 2

E D B E
He's a man of the past and one of the present,
E D G G
a man who hides behind a mask behind a mask;
E A E C (G)E C D D
a clown, a fool, believing it cool to be down
E D C C D E
or that the game is all about who laughs the last.

E D B E
So he tells all his problems to his friends and relations,
E D G G
exposes his neuroses to their view.
E A E C (G)E C D D
They accept as fact every masochistic mumble of his act--
E D C C D
how could they know what was false and what was true?

Riff and verses 3

e--------------------------|
b--------------------------|
g--------------------------|
d-------3------------------|
a-5-5-5---5--3--2--------3-|
E------------------5-3-5---|

Sometimes when he wakes

he feels he's walked into a dream
but all it takes
to remind him things are what they seem

e---------------------------|
b---------------------------|
g---------------------------|
d-------3-------------------|
a-5-5-5---5--3--2-23-3---33-|
E---------------------55---3|

is the belief that the man behind the mask can really dance
Verse 4

e---------------------------|
b---------------------------|
g---------------------------|
d---------------------------|
a---REST------3--2--------3-|
E------------------5-3-5----|

Pirouetting smile

e--------------------------|
b--------------------------|
g--------------------------|
d-------3------------------|
a-5-5-5---5--3--2--------3-|
E------------------5-3-5---|

he sees himself cavorting,

Pierrot for a while
before aborting

e---------------------------|
b---------------------------|
g---------------------------|
d-------3-------------------|
a-5-5-5---5--3--2-23-3---33-|
E---------------------55---3|

to find relief in the shelter of the dark, most telling mask.

Instrumental Part: D -

Last riff
e---------------------------|
b---------------------------|
g-------3-------------------|
d-5-5-5---5--3--2--------3--|
a------------------5-3-5----|
E---------------------------| x 4

e----------------------------|
b----------------------------|
g--------3-------------------|
d-5-5-5----5-3-2--23-3---33--|
a---------------------55----3|
E----------------------------|

Last verse:
E D B E
After all the pantomimes are ended
E D G
he peels all the make-up off his face
E A E C G E C D
to reveal, beneath, the tears running all down his cheeks:
E D C C D
alone, he opens to the world...but it's much too late.
E D C C D E
He's been left, in the end, without a face.