Posted by
edkupfer
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
comments (0)
Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline
I put this song in the key of C, and notated it as if the G string was an octave lower. The original is in B, tune down a half step to play along with it.
The intro is pretty neat to play:
The only other things to know is the little riffs during the verse and during the chorus. The verse:
and chorus:
C
Where it began
F
I can't begin to knowin'
C G
But then I know it's growing strong
C
Was in the spring
F
And spring became the summer
C G
Who'd have believed you'd come along
C C6
Hands, touchin' hands
G F G F G
Reachin' out touchin' me touchin' you
C F
Sweet Caroline
(F) G F G
Good times never seemed so good
C F
I've been inclined
G F Em Dm
To believe they never would but now I
Look at the night
And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurtin' runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when I'm with you
Warm, touchin' warm
Reachin' out
Touchin' me
Touchin' you
Posted by
edkupfer
Sunday, September 20, 2009
comments (0)
The Kinks - Come Dancing
The Kinks continue their career of exploring nostalgia with this bittersweet pop hit from 1983, a song that is itself now drenched in nostalgia. Ooh, recursivity!
I'm not going to go too deep into this song, just the chords and the intro riff:
G D
They put a parking lot on a piece of land
D G
Where the supermarket used to stand.
G D
Before that they put up a bowling alley
D G
On the site that used to be the local palais.
C G
That's where the big bands used to come and play.
D G
My sister went there on a Saturday.
chorus:
C
Come dancing,
G
All her boyfriends used to come and call.
D C G
Why not come dancing? it's only natural
riff
Another Saturday, another date.
She would be ready but she's always make them wait.
In the hallway, in anticipation,
He didn't know the night would end up in frustration.
He'd end up blowing all his wages for the week
All for a cuddle and a peck on the cheek.
chorus:
Come dancing,
That's how they did it when I was just a kid,
And when they said come dancing,
My sister always did.
riff
Em D C
My sister should have come in at midnight,
Em D C
And my mom would always sit up and wait.
Em D C
It always ended up in a big row
Em D C
When my sister used to get home late.
G D
(spoken) Out of my window I can see them in the moonlight,
D
Two silhouettes saying goodnight by the garden gate.
G
(Mom yells at them...)
Em D C
The day they knocked down the palais
Em D C
My sister stood and cried.
Em D C
The day they knocked down the palais
Em D C
Part of my childhood died, just died.
Em D C D Em D C D Em D C D Em D C D
repeat intro: G D D G
Now I'm grown up and playing in a band,
And there's a car park where the palais used to stand.
My sister's married and she lives on an estate.
Her daughters go out, now it's her turn to wait.
She knows they get away with things she never could,
But if I asked her I wonder if she would,
chorus:
Come dancing,
Come on sister, have yourself a ball.
Don't be afraid to come dancing,
It's only natural.
C
Come dancing,
C G
Just like the palais on a Saturday.
D
And all her friends will come dancing
C Em
Where the big bands used to play.
Then a modulation up a half step, which I won't bother with.
Posted by
edkupfer
Friday, September 18, 2009
comments (0)
Spirit of the West - Home For A Rest
Great drinking song from Spirit of the West, released in 1990.
Here's the main melody (watch the time signature -- the intro is in 3/4):
Here is that intro arranged for fingerpicking:
(Those numbers may be a little difficult to read. At the bottom of this post is a link to a pdf and Power Tab file so you can make it easier for yourself.)
The chords are played over a quick double-time rhythm (about 290 bpm). I've shamelessly stolen these from this site. What's missing is the little breakdowns after each chorus -- I have not transcribed these out of laziness.
Am G C F
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
C G
I've been gone for a month
F
I've been drunk since I left
Am G
These so called vacations
C F
Will soon be my death
C G
I'm so sick from the drink
I need home for a rest ...
Then it breaks into a verse with fast paced chords:
Am G C F
We arrived in December and London was cold
C G
So we stayed in the bars
F
Along Charing Cross Road
Am G C F
We never saw nothin' but brass taps and oak
C G
Kept the shine on the bar
F G
With the sleeves of our coats
Chorus:
G C G
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
C F
I've been gone for a week
G
I've been drunk since I left
G
These so-called vacations
C G
Will soon be my death
C F
I'm so sick from the drink
G C
I need home for a rest ...
Verse #2
Euston Station the train journey north
In the buffet car we lurched back and forth
Past odd crooked dykes
Through Yorkshire's green fields
We were flung into dance
As the train jigged and reeled
Chorus
Verse #3
By the light of the moon she'd drift through the streets
A rare old perfume so seductive and sweet
She'd tease us and flirt as the pubs all closed down
Then walk us on home and deny us a round
Chorus
Verse #4
The gas heater's empty, it's damp as a tomb
And the spirits we drank like a ghost in the room
I'm knackered again, come on please take me soon
And don't lift up my head
'till the twelve bells at noon
Chorus
Posted by
edkupfer
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
comments (0)
J Geils Band - Centerfold
Everybody remembers this one. The J Geils Band performed it in G, and we will too. The main melodic theme is simple enough:
Incorporating that melody into a strumming pattern is a little trickier:
That's all there is to it. The rest of the song is just strumming the chords, included below. But first I want to point out Hayseed Dixie's cover of the song (also in G), performed in double time. I love playing the song in double time, it's a real strumming workout.
VERSE
G F
Does she walk, does she talk
C F C
Does she come complete
G F
My homeroom, homeroom Angel
C F C
Always pulled me from my seat
G F
She was pure like snowflakes
C F C
No one could ever stain
G F
The memory of my Angel
C F C
Could never cause me pain
PRECHORUS
Em
The years go by, I'm looking through
Am C D
A girlie magazine
Em
And there's my homeroom Angel
Am C D
On the pages in between
CHORUS
G F C F C
My blood runs cold, my memory has just been sold
G F C F C
My Angel is a centerfold, Angel is a centerfold
G F C F C
My blood runs cold, my memory has just been sold
G F C F C
Angel is a centerfold
VERSE
Slip me notes under the desk
While I was thinking about her dress
I was shy, I turned away
Before she caught my eye
I was shaking in my shoes
Whenever she flashed those baby blues
Something had a hold on me
When Angel passed close by
PRECHORUS
Those soft and fuzzy sweaters
Too magical to touch
To see her in that negligée
Is really just too much
CHORUS
Na na, na-na na na...
VERSE
It's OK, I understand
This ain't no Never Never Land
I hope that when this issue's gone
I'll see you when your clothes are on
Take your car, yes we will
Take your car and drive it
Take it to a motel room
And take them off in private
PRECHORUS
A part of me has just been ripped
The pages from my mind are stripped
Oh, no, I can't deny it
Oh yeah, I guess I gotta buy it
CHORUS AND OUT
Bruce plays it in A, playing his guitar with a capo on the 2nd fret so that the chords he plays are in the key of G. My arrangement will also be in G — tune up a full step to play along with the record.
The main riff played during the verse is very simple:
Incorporated into the chord strumming pattern, try to make those high notes stand out:
The only other deviation from the straight chord pattern is an added suspended 2nd on the D chord:
VERSE
G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
I hold you in my arms
G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
as the band plays
G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
What are those words whispered baby
D / Dsus2 D
just as you turn away
I saw you last night
out on the edge of town
I wanna read your mind
To know just what I've got in this new thing I've found
CHORUS
Em G C G
So tell me what I see
Em G C G
when I look in your eyes
Em G D Em
Is that you baby
C G D
or just a brilliant disguise
VERSE
I heard somebody call your name
from underneath our willow
I saw something tucked in shame
underneath your pillow
Well I've tried so hard baby
but I just can't see
What a woman like you
is doing with me
CHORUS
So tell me who I see
when I look in your eyes
Is that you baby
or just a brilliant disguise
BRIDGE
D
Now look at me baby
G
struggling to do everything right
C
And then it all falls apart
G
when out go the lights
D
I'm just a lonely pilgrim
C
I walk this world in wealth
G
I want to know if it's you I don't trust
D
'cause I damn sure don't trust myself
VERSE
Now you play the loving woman
I'll play the faithful man
But just don't look too close
into the palm of my hand
We stood at the alter
the gypsy swore our future was right
But come the wee wee hours
Well maybe baby the gypsy lied
CHORUS
So when you look at me
you better look hard and look twice
Is that me baby
or just a brilliant disguise
OUT VERSE
G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
Tonight our bed is cold
G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
I'm lost in the darkness of our love
G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
God have mercy on the man
D G Gsus2 Gsus4 G
Who doubts what he's sure of
Posted by
edkupfer
Friday, September 11, 2009
comments (0)
Manu Chao - "Desaparecido"
Always loved this song. Some great lyrics (even the English translation is pretty good). The basis of the song is the rhumba rhythm (with kind of a reggae-ish accents):
The X rhythm marker is a palm muted strum.
This is my first uke tab. I've noticed that a lot of the tabs out there are arrangements which incorporate the song's melody and chords. I'm not going to do this, since I like to play the uke to accompany my singing. My arrangement is features the acoustic guitar part that runs throughout the song, along with the chords. Here are the three parts:
Those images look difficult to read, but there is a link to the pdf at the bottom of this post.
E7
Me llaman el desaparecido
Am
Cuando llega ya se ha ido
E7
Volando vengo, volando voy
Am
Deprisa deprisa a rumbo perdido
E7
Cuando me buscan nunca estoy
Cuando me encuentran yo no soy
E7
El que está enfrente porque ya
Me fui corriendo más allá
E7
Me dicen el desaparecido
Am
Fantasma que nunca está
E7
Me dicen el desagradecido
Am
Pero esa no es la verdad
Dm
Yo llevo en el cuerpo un dolor
Am
Que no me deja respirar
E7
Llevo en el cuerpo una condena
Am
Que siempre me echa a caminar
E7
Me dicen el desaparecido
Am
Que cuando llega ya se ha ido
E7
Volando vengo, volando voy
Am
Deprisa deprisa a rumbo perdido
E7
Me dicen el desaparecido
Am
Fantasma que nunca está
E7
Me dicen el desagradecido
Am
Pero esa no es la verdad
Yo llevo en el cuerpo un motor
Que nunca deja de rolar
llevo en el alma un camino
Destinado a nunca llegar
Cuando me buscan nunca estoy
Cuando me encuentran yo no soy
El que esta enfrente por que ya
me fui corriendo mas alla
Me dicen el desaparecido
Cuando llega ya se ha ido
Volando vengo, volando voy
Deprisa deprisa a rumbo perdido
Perdido en el siglo...
Perdido en el siglo…
siglo XX...
rumbo al XXI…
(English Translation)
They call me the disappearer
when they come I've already gone,
Flying I come, flying I go
Quickly, quickly on a lost course
When they hunt me I'm not there
When they find me, I’m someone else
The one that’s always just ahead,
because I've already moved on
They call me the disappearer
The phantom whos never there
They call me the ungrateful,
But that's not the way it is
I carry on me a pain and sorrow,
that doesn't let me breathe,
I carry on me a final sentence,
That’s always pushing me along
They call me the disappearer
when they come I've already gone,
Flying I come, flying I go
Quickly, quickly on a lost course
They call me the disappearer
The phantom whos never there
They call me the ungrateful,
But that's not the way it is
I carry in my body a motor
that's always running and alive
I carry in my soul a destination,
but I never will arrive
When they hunt me, I'm not there
When they find me, I’m someone else
The one that’s always just ahead,
because I've already moved on
They call me the disappearing one
When they come I've already gone,
Flying I come, flying I go
Quickly, quickly on a lost course
Lost in the century,
the 20th century,
Heading for the 21st
