Phantom of My Own Opera

- More Songs of Pain (1983), Early Recordings Volume I (2003)

thanks to Judy

I'm the phantom of my own Opera
oh don't I know it
and I think of you, sweetheart
I'm lurking in the shadows
of my memory
we were going to have a circus in the bar
but the creature lurks among us
the ghost of our past
the gho-o-ost of our love
and if I had my own way
I always say that phrase
I thought it was a phase
but it wasn't
and so here I am
in my baggy-clown costume
perform any funny trick and throw a kiss
to the audience
and I'm wearing a mask
but you don't have to ask
who I'm thinking about
and there's a monkey in the background
hung by a rope from the ceiling
and I'm the villain, acting fierce
and stretching whiskers toothsomely
the phantom wears a black coat
long trousers and a derby
stands erect
and cracks the whip loudly
I'm the phantom of my own opera
I perform all the parts
and I think of you, sweetheart
I'm even the audience
and I can't help thinking
we were going to have a circus in the bar
can't pull the curtain
I can't help remembering
turn a somersault after singing a verse
and the song is never ending
and I never quit rehearsing
a performance of a sad and twisted art
and if I had my own way
I don't know what I'd do
I probably wish it was you
 

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Phantom of my own Opera (More Songs of Pain)
important corrections submitted by Judy - thanks, Judy

I'm the phantom of my own Opera                C | E
oh don't I know it                             F | D
and I think of you, sweetheart                 C | G
                                               C | G

I'm lurking in the shadows                     C | E
of my memory                                   F | D
we were going to have a circus in the bar      C | G
                                               C | G

but the creature lurks among us                C | E
the ghost of our past                          F | D
the gho-o-ost of our love                      C | G
                                               C | G

and if I had my own way                        G
I always say that phrase                       C
I thought it was a phase                       F C
but it wasn't                                  G

and so here I am                               C | E
in my baggy-clown costume                      F | D
perform any funny trick and throw a kiss       C | G
to the audience                                C | G

and I'm wearing a mask                         C | E
but you don't have to ask                      F | D
who I'm thinking about                         C | G
                                               C | G

and there's a monkey in the background         C | E
hung by a rope from the ceiling                F | D
and I'm the villain, acting fierce]            C | G
and stretching whiskers toothsomely            C | G

the phantom wears a black coat                 G
long trousers and a derby                      C
stands erect                                   F C
and cracks the whip loudly                     G

I'm the phantom of my own opera                C | E
I perform all the parts                        F | D
and I think of you, sweetheart                 C | G
                                               C | G

I'm even the audience                          C | E
and I can't help thinking                      F | D
we were going to have a circus in the bar      C | G
                                               C | G

can't pull the curtain                         C | E
I can't help remembering                       F | D
turn a somersault after singing a verse        C | G
                                               C | G

and the song is never ending                   C | E
and I never quit rehearsing                    F | D
a performance of a sad and twisted art         C | G
                                               C | G

and if I had my own way                        G
I don't know what I'd do                       C
I probably wish it was you                     F C | G_