War Paint
View chords used in this chart
Intro
(Helena Rubinstein speaking)
C G C
These portraits ... they trap me in amber.
They will not age.
They will live forever.
verse 1
C
My Dali dear,
That mad surrealist,
F
He made me beautiful
D
Forever Beautiful
Db E
My eyes like gems,
C D
Notice, please, each tiny lash
Ab C
Would you believe he painted with his own mustache?
verse 2
C
Raoul Dufy,
Ebm
A brilliant colorist
B D
He made me beautiful
Forever Beautiful
Db C
A few deft strokes
Poppy red and iris blue
Ab G C
In my small way I do know something of this too
verse 3
C
Made women glorious, Made women glamorous
F
Used all my art to halt the march of time
D Gb
I slowed it down a bit,
F
There is no stopping it,
Gb F
But in a painting it is always your prime
B F
Right?
verse 4
C
Tamara de Lempicka
She was bisexual
Ebm
You see her love for me,
D
But it's sub-textual
Db C
My lifelong fight
Is to keep my figure trim
Ab C
But now I eat 'cause Giacometti keeps me slim
Bridge
(First man speaking)
C
Seven guest rooms. When was the last time she even had a visitor?
(Second man speaking)
She's old, and scared.
(First man speaking)
B
Wouldn't you be?
verse 4
Ab
Good, go then, you money men
Ebm Bbm
I read your beady eyes:
Ebm Ab
'Vain old lady all alone
Db C Bbm
In bed until she dies
Verse 5
Bbm
I admit,
C Ab
I am a little bit afraid to me-et death,
D Bbm
But with brilliant eye for art,
G D
When I depart,
B
I'll cheat death
Verse 6
Db
With my Picasso
His early cubist years
Gb
I posed no clothes with him,
Ebm
Thank God, who knows with him?
Bbm Db Ebm
He says 'Your ears are like elephant in size
G Db Ab Db
I say from you, well, who can tell from ears or eyes?
Verse 7
Db
When I was girl of eight,
G
My papa sneered at me
Ab Db C
A plainer face he'd never seen before
G
I said to hell with fate,
Db
I'll mold my destiny,
Ab Db
Packed my satchel and walked right out the door
Verse 8
Db
From discontented life
Ab Db
Without a cent I was
C
Became a name the world could not ignore
Verse 9
C
I reinvent my life
B
As every artist does
Bbm
I had nothing, I knew nothing
G Gb
I only know there must be something more
Ab E
So much more
verse 10
Db
Look at them all
E
Their light will never dim
Db Gb
If death should come for me,
F
They bar the door on him
Db
Though flesh may fade,
Bbm Db
Canvas lives immortally,
C
And there I'll hang from now through all eternity
verse 11
D
Who gives a damn?
No children visit me
Ab G
These are my pro-ge-ny
Each an exquisite me
verse 12
B
Who says I'm old?
D G
I look at my life so far
E
And I am beautiful, And I feel beautiful
C D
Forever beautiful
B Ab C
When you feel beautiful,
D
You are
Outro
G F D
How to play War Paint
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is C. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.