Big Thief - Promise Is a Pendulum: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Promise Is a Pendulum" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

        F
I could never build the ether,
or the grass overgrown
        A#/D            Dm
I could never build the river with
  A#/D           Dm
a mouth full of foam
        Gm7                             C7sus4
I could never built the winter with her cold tears
of glitter
           F
I've been listening to the red oak,
the acorn she cries
A#/D              Dm              A#/D       Dm
Listening to the white birch, the paper she dries
          Gm7                           C7sus4
I've been listening to the frog's joke, listening
to the fire smoke

Chorus:
        F
I could never tell you now what
I had often said before
        A#/D         Dm             A#/D
Because promise is a pendulum, just swinging
        Dm
at the door
            Gm7                        Gm7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous, or scared
anymore
         C7sus4
I'm just saying

I could never build a rainbow or any kind of flower
I could never make a sparrow or a meteor shower
I could never build an earthworm,
never make the earth turn
I've been listening to the laughing
of the fox down the trail
I've been clasping to the listening
of the moss to the snail
Ooh
The shimmer of the beech leaves as
the wind does a big sneeze

Chorus:
I could never tell you now what
I had often said before
Because promise is a pendulum just
swinging at the door
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous
or scared anymore
I'm just saying

I could never build the shadow between
your cheek and your eye
I could never make a freckle or
the warm breath you sigh
The canopy of lashes with the softness of ashes
I've been listening to the memory,
the way that it was
Listening to the echo of whys and because
Listening to the echo telling me to let go

Chorus:
I could never tell you now what
I had often said before
Because promise is a pendulum just
hanging at the door
And I'm not saying I'm not
jealous or scared anymore
I'm just saying
Saying


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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#

Guitar chord A#

C7

Guitar chord C7

C7sus4

Guitar chord C7sus4

D

Guitar chord D

Dm

Guitar chord Dm

F

Guitar chord F

Gm7

Guitar chord Gm7

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Promise Is a Pendulum" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Promise Is a Pendulum" by Big Thief.

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