I Bought a Flat Guitar Tutor

Updated on Nov 28, 2023

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Released May 1977 (1977-05) Length 1:48		Genre Art rock Label Mercury
Recorded Strawberry Studios South Writer(s) Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman

"I Bought a Flat Guitar Tutor" is a song by 10cc appearing on their 1977 album, Deceptive Bends.

The song is quite short and often thought of as a novelty piece amongst fans. The lyrics to the song are all puns for musical terminology. Whenever Eric Stewart or Graham Gouldman sing the name of a chord the chord is played as part of the music to the song. The chart below attempts to explain the complex idea.

I bought A = A major (A C♯ E)

[A] flat = A Flat major (A♭ C E♭)

[A flat] diminished = A Flat diminished (A♭ Cb E♭♭)

Responsibility (responsibilitE)= E Major (E G♯ B)

You're de ninth = D9 (D F♯ A C E)

Person to see = C Major (C E G)

To be suspended = Bsus4 (B E F♯)

in a seventh = A7 (A C♯ E G)

[a seventh] major catastro- = A Major 7th (A C♯ E G♯)

phe = E major (E G# B)

It's a minor = A minor (A C E)

point, but Gee = G major (G B D)

[but gee,] Augmented = G augmented (G B D♯)

[Gee, augmented] by the sharpness of your = G sharp augmented (G♯ B♯ D♯♯)

See what I'm going through (C#) = C# Major

A (A) = A Major

to be (B) = B Major (B D♯ F♯) with you E major (E G# B)

in a = A Major

[in a] flat = A flat

by the sea = C Major,, C Major7,, C 7,, C & ad g

References

I Bought a Flat Guitar Tutor Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA