The Pogues - Smell of Petroleum: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Smell of Petroleum" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. 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.

Learn Smell of Petroleum Guitar Chords and Lyrics by The Pogues

This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "Smell of Petroleum" smoothly on your guitar.

D                              C
Shaman came a calling, he was howling at the moon
G                             D                 A
He offered me a vision on the end of a silver spoon
D                                 C
He said he'd give me dreams, that all were in
     G
his powers
   D             A              G
If only I would follow him, the universe was ours

Walked a thin white line to the coffin club,
downstairs from the devils den
Had a large double Jesus chased down with
a shot of Zen
The last thing I remember was lying in the tank
And when I came around again, everything was blank

Chorus:
  D
Floating high above the world
                    A
Out on the astral plane
     D               A
I'm bouncing like a pinball
      G
He's busy being born again

I met God on Primrose Hill, that's where
he came to me
He stepped out of his saucer and I got down on
my knees
From his lips came just one word, he left me
all aglow
I sat down and had a smoke and watched the
flowers grow

Chorus:
The bats are in the belfry
And the bubbles in the bong
The secret of the universe
Is hidden in this song

La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la

The shaman left a crawling as the dawn broke
the gloom
Talking in some other tongue and laughing
like a loon
The early morning sunlight splashed colours
on the wall
And I don't know if it ever really happened at all

Chorus:
The bats are in the belfry
And the bubbles in the bong
The molecules inside my head
Are chiming like a gong

The bats are in the belfry
And the bubbles in the bong
The secret of the universe
Is hidden in this song

La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la

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Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

G

Guitar chord G

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 "Smell of Petroleum" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Smell of Petroleum" by The Pogues.

The Pogues Song List