• Song:

    Seven nation army

  • Artist:

    The White Stripes

  • Album:

    2003-04-11: Brixton Aca...

White Stripes
Seven Nation Army
Elephant

Right.  This song isn't too hard.  It's based on one bass riff:
A-|---7--7--10--7-------------|
E-|----------------10--8--7---|
...and then you just go from there.  Most of it is really repetitve riffs
so we'll label them A, B, etc.  Guitar is distorted, obviously.

RIFF A (slightly palm-muted)
e-|-------------------------------------------------------|
B-|-------------------------------------------------------|
G-|--------------------------------------------------(9)--|
D-|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--(9)--|
A-|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--(7)--|
E-|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-------|
(You only play the notes in parentheses right before you go back into the verse.)


RIFF B
e-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G-|--9----9--12--9--7--5----4----|--9----9--12--9--7--5--7--5--4--|
D-|--9----9--12--9--7--5----4----|--9----9--12--9--7--5--7--5--4--|
A-|--7----7--10--7--5--3----2----|--7----7--10--7--5--3--5--3--2--|
E-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|

INTRO (guitar tacet)

VERSE (guitar tacet)
I'm gonna fight em off
A seven nation army couldn't hold me back
They're gonna rip it off
Takin' their time right behind my back
And I'm talkin to myself out loud because I can't forget
Back and forth through my mind behind a cigarette

CHORUS
RIFF A
And the message coming through my eyes says "Leave it alone"
RIFF B x2 to RIFF A and then into...

VERSE
Don't wanna hear about it
Every single one's got a story to tell
Everyone knows about it
From the Queen of England to the hounds of Hell
And if I catch you comin back my way I'm gonna serve it to you
And that ain't what you want to hear but that's what I'll do

CHORUS
And the feeling coming from my bones says "Find a home"

SOLO
This also revolves mainly around that bass line, played over RIFF B 8 times.  More specifically:
e-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B-|------------------------------|------------10--------10--------|
G-|--9---9--9--9--9--12b12.5--11-|--9---9--12----12--12----12--11-|
D-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
B-|-------------10-----10--------|------------10--------10--------|
G-|--9----9--12----12------12----|--9---9--12----12--12----12--11-|
D-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E-|------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e-|-12--12-12--15--12--12--15---14---|-12--12--15--17--15-15--17--15--14-|
B-|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G-|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
D-|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
A-|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
E-|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|

e-|-12--12-12--15--12--12--/17b18--15-|--12--12-12-15-12-10--8-10-8--7-|
B-|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------|
G-|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D-|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A-|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E-|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e-|-----------------------------------------------------|
B-|-----------------------------------------------------|
G-|--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--9--|
D-|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
A-|-----------------------------------------------------|
E-|-----------------------------------------------------|
Throw a little feedback at the end too.
Also, please note that each section (marked by the bars) = a repetition of the riff. (Well,
the last one is over RIFF A instead of RIFF B but you get the picture.)

VERSE
I'm going to Wichita
Far from this opera forevermore
I'm gonna work the store
Make the sweat drip out of every pore
And I'll plead a minute plead a minute pleadin right before the law
All the words are gonna bleed from me and I will sing no more

CHORUS
And the stains coming from my blood tell me "Go back home"

At the end of RIFF A after the last chorus, end it like this:
e-|-------------|
B-|-------------|
G-|--9----9----|
D-|--9----9----|
A-|--7----7----|
E-|-------------|

OK, so that's it.  Rhythm's approximate and whatever, go listen to the song if you need
to figure it out.  E-mail corrections, questions, etc. to walrus0909@yahoo.com.  And
don't whine because the lyrics are wrong; I really don't care.  Well that's all.  I'll be
back.

(:o(= The Walrus
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