May172023

Robert Wyatt – Muddy Mouth Chords on Piano & Ukulele

These are Muddy Mouth chords by Robert Wyatt on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard.

[Intro]
"wah-wah"

E7     E      G9     G7
Fm7 Bb7 Bb     Db9    Db
B   B7  B   B7  D9    D7
Cm7 F7  F   Ab   Ab
Gb     Gb    A7    A
Gm7 C7  C   F   Eb
F   Eb     Db      B
Ebm   Ab    E7   E
Bb   Bb7   Bb   Bb
Bb     Bb

[Verse 1]
E7            E
  Deep in the undergrows
      G9             G7
Handy si-ghed with relief
            Fm7         Bb7  Bb
He'd come a-lone in the dark
           Db9         Db7
He'd come agai---n a-t dawn,
          B   B7  B
 if not befo---re the
    B7       D9
morning cockrise
D7
Meanwhile in the

 Cm7      F7  F
 bu-shes above
           Ab
Behind the toepath
       Ab       Gb
which goes alo-ng
Gb           A7
Beside the cana---l
 A              Gm7
leading to the sea
         C7  C
Which in turn leads on
    F    Eb
 to a-ll the- major oceans
F  Eb
Indian, Atlantic,
Db    B    Ebm    Ab
 Pa
 E7   E
-ci---fic
Bb   Bb7
I--- ca---n't
 Bb   Bb     Bb    Bb
re---me---m-ber

[Verse 2]
    E7           E
The names of the others off
      G9          G7
Handy ci---ded to leave
            Fm7
He'd come a-part
        Bb7  Bb
 at the seams

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           Db9
Endangered life and
   Db7          B   B7
 la-wn order be-fore
B        B7       D9
The more since he lies
D7         Cm7         F7  F
Even under oath, Handy lies
              Ab          Ab
When he feels caught between
              Gb
 righthand wro-ng
Gb              A7
I think he just mi-ght
 A                    Gm7
have been wrong this time
         C7  C
Which in turn left him with
 F   Eb
 few alternatives
   F   Eb
To relieving himself
 Db    B
by--- ha---nd
Ebm Ab      E7    E
A---lo---ne i---n the---
 Bb       Bb7  Bb
 da---rk, hi---di---ng
  Bb    Eb     Eb
i---n the--- bo---g

[Outro]
E

How to play Muddy Mouth: key, chords and progression

Muddy Mouth by Robert Wyatt is centred on F♯ major (six sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯). The song uses 26 chords: E7, E, G9, G7, Fm7, Bb7, Bb, Db9, Db, B, B7 and D9 and 14 more.

The progression the song keeps returning to is E7 – E – G9 – G7 (♭VII7 – ♭VII – ♭II9 – ♭II7 in F♯ major). Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Good to know: G9, Fm7, Bb7, Bb and Db9 are played as barre or movable shapes on guitar. Practise the change into them slowly; on piano and ukulele the same chords are easier.