Standard (EADGBE)

Beethoven's gone but his music lives on,

And Mozart don't go shopping no more.

You'll never meet Liszt or Brahms again,

And Elgar doesn't answer the door.

Chord Pattern 2

Schubert and Chopin used to chuckle and laugh,

Whilst composing a long symphony.

But one hundred and fifty years later,

There's very little of them left to see.

They're Decomposing composers, there's not much anyone can do.

You can still hear Beethoven, but Beethoven cannot hear you.

Chord Pattern 1

Handel and Haydn and Rachmaninov,

Enjoyed a nice drink with their meal.

But nowadays no one will serve them,

And there gravy is left to congeal

Chord Pattern 2

Verdi and Wagner delighted the crowds,

With their highly original sounds.

The pianos they played are still working,

But they're both six feet underground.

Same Chords as Chorus

(Be warned the rhythm of the last line is different to that of the first chorus.

Start the C chord on "say". Hope this is clear.)

They're decomposing composers. There's less of them every year.

You can say what you like to Debussy, But there's not much of him left to hear.

Claude Achille Debussy-- Died, 1918.

Christophe Willebald Gluck-- Died, 1787.

Carl Maria von Weber-- Not at all well, 1825. Died, 1826.

Giacomo Meyerbeer-- Still alive, 1863. Not still alive, 1864.

Modeste Mussorgsky-- 1880, going to parties. No fun anymore, 1881.

Johan Nepomuk Hummel-- Chatting away nineteen to the dozen with his mates down

the pub every evening, 1836. 1837, nothing.