A little bit of a guilty pleasure but this tune is just so catchy! Not a guitar song as
but still nice to play and sing. In the Bee Gees' version the main instrument is a harpsichord.
In order to get the feel I mostly use the voicings suggested below and strike them hard and
Short with a plec in the first part of the verses. The rest (starting with the C chord) can be
strummed ad lib.
TURN OF THE CENTURY
(Barry Gibb/Robin Gibb)
From: Bee Gees 1st (1967)
Intro (semi-baroque woodwind)
Am Am/G Am/F Am/E E/D E/C E/B E
| e | | 5 | | |
| B | | 5 | 3 5 6 | 6 5553 |
| G | 2 4 5 4—2 | | 4 | |
| D | | | | |
| A | | | | |
| E | | | | |
Am Am/G Am/F Am/E E/D E/C E/B E
| e | | | 4 | |
| B | | 5 | 5 | |
| G | 2 4 5 4—2 | 4 5 4 5 | 4 | 4 |
| D | | | | |
| A | | | | |
| E | | | | |
Link (brass)
Bb A D Bm
| e | | | | |
| B | 3 5 6 5 3 | 2 3 5 3 2 | 3 | |
| G | — | | 2 | 4 |
| D | | | | 4 |
| A | | | | |
| E | | | | |
Em F# E F#
Outro (brass)
C B E Bm
| e | | | | |
| B | 5 7 8 7 5 | 4 5 7 5 4 | 5 | |
| G | — | | 4 | 6 |
| D | | | | 6 |
| A | | | | |
| E | | | | |
Em F# C#
Intro | Am Am/G | Am/F Am/E | E/D E/C | E/B E | (2 times)
Am Am/G
Ev'rything's happening
Am/F Am/E E/D E/C E/B E
At the turn of the century.
Am Am/G Am/F
I'm gonna buy myself a time machine
Am/E G G/A
Go to the turn of the century.
G/B G C Am
And all those people passing by
Bb G
And the town crier makes his cry
C Am
At the turn of the century,
C Am
Turn of the century.
Am Am/G
Big wide hats and men in spats
Am/F Am/E E/D E/C E/B
At the turn of the century.
E Am Am/G Am/F
With those horseless carriages
Am/E G G/A
At the turn of the century.
G/B G C Am
And there are lots of things to do
Bb G
On a bicycle built for two
C Am
At the turn of the century,
C Am
Turn of the century.
| Bb | A | D | Bm | Em | F# | E | F# | F# |
(Link)
Bm Bm/A
Ev'rything's happening
Bm/G Bm/F# F#/E F#/D F#/C# F#
At the turn of the century.
Bm Bm/A Bm/G
I'm gonna buy myself a time machine
Bm/F# A A/B A/C#
Go to the turn of the century.
A D Bm
And all those people passing by
C A
And the town crier makes his cry
D Bm
At the turn of the century,
D Bm
Turn of the century.
D G
Turn of the century.
| C | B | E | C#m | F#m | G# | C#
(Outro)
e-B-G-D-A-E
| Am 0 1 2 x x x |
| Am/G 0 1 0 x x x |
| Am/F 0 1 2 3 x x |
| Am/E 0 1 2 2 x x |
| E/D 0 0 1 0 x x |
| E/C 0 0 1 x 3 x |
| E/B 0 0 1 x 2 x |
| E 0 0 1 2 x x |
| G 3 3 0 0 x 3 |
| G/A 3 3 0 0 0 x |
| G/B 3 3 0 0 2 x |
| Bm x 3 4 4 2 x |
| Bm/A x 3 4 4 0 x |
| Bm/G x 3 4 4 x 3 |
| Bm/F# x 3 4 4 x 2 |
| F#/E 2 2 3 2 x x |
| F#/D 2 2 3 0 x x |
| F#/C# 2 2 3 x 4 x |
| F# 2 2 3 4 x x |
| A/B 0 2 2 2 2 x |
| A/C# (0) 2 2 2 4 x |