Chords
Criminal

Fiona Apples song Criminal is often interpreted as her confession of guilt and regret. This track became one of her biggest hits, winning a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. The song delves into themes of guilt, redemption, and morality, reflecting the emotional complexity and raw honesty that Apple brings to her music. Criminal was released as part of the Tidal album in 1996, when Apple was just 18 years old. The music video for the ... song, which features provocative imagery of Apple, also sparked controversy and discussion about the sexualization of young female artists in the music industry. See more [+]

Key: Am

Introduction:

difficulty
intermediate |||||
Am                        F7  
I' ve been a bad bad girl,
Am                                 F7  
I' ve been careless with a delicate man.
Am                        F7  
And it' s a sad sad world,
Am  
When a girl can break a boy
F7  
Just because she can.

C             Bb                    F7  
Don' t you tell me to deny it,
                    C  
I' ve done wrong and I want to
Bb                 Am  
Suffer for my sins.
C                      Bb  
I' ve come to you cause I need
Ab7                         G7  
Guidance to be true
              F7                                      Ab7  
And I just don' t know where I can begin.

F7                     Cm7  
What I need is a good defense
             F7                         Cm7  
cause I' m feelin'  like a criminal.
        F7  
And I need to be redeemed
         Cm7                        Bb  
To the one I sinned against
                    Ab7        G7             F7  
Because he was all I ever knew of love.

Am                      F7  
Heaven help me for the way I am.
Am                      F7  
Save me from these evil deeds.
Am                      F7  
Before I get them done.
Am                      F7  
I know tomorrow brings the consequence at hand.
Am                        F7  
But I keep livin'  this day like
Am                      F7  
The next will never come.

C            Bb                     F7  
Oh, help me, but don' t tell me to deny it.
C  
I' ve got to cleanse myself.
Bb                    Am  
Of all these lies till I' m good enough for him.
C                          Bb             Ab7  
I' ve got a lot to lose and I' m bettin'  high
             G7  
So I' m beggin'  you before it ends
F7                                     Ab7  
Just tell me where to begin.

F7                     Cm7  
What I need is a good defense
             F7                         Cm7  
cause I' m feelin'  like a criminal.
        F7  
And I need to be redeemed
         Cm7                        Bb  
To the one I sinned against
                    Ab7        G7             F7  
Because he was all I ever knew of love.

Eb                  B7  
     Let me know the way
Ab7                          B7  
     Before there' s hell to pay.
Eb                    B7                 Ab7  
     Give me room to lay the law and let me go.
Eb                        B7  
     I' ve got to make a play
Ab7                 B7  
     To make my lover stay.
 Eb                            B7  
     So, what would an angel say?
             Ab7  
cause the devil wants to know.

F7                     Cm7  
What I need is a good defense
             F7                         Cm7  
cause I' m feelin'  like a criminal.
        F7  
And I need to be redeemed
         Cm7                        Bb  
To the one I sinned against
                    Ab7        G7             F7  
Because he was all I ever knew of love.
F7                     Cm7  
What I need is a good defense
             F7                         Cm7  
cause I' m feelin'  like a criminal.
        F7  
And I need to be redeemed
         Cm7                        Bb  
To the one I sinned against
                    Ab7        G7             F7                         Cm7  
Because he was all I ever knew of loooooooooooove.    Love

F7      Cm7      F7      Cm7      F7      Cm7