• Song:

    Ahead By A Century

  • Artist:

    Tragically Hip

  • Album:

    Warchild Benefit

The Tragically Hip - Ahead by a Century
=======================================
    Tabbed by Owen Tosh
                mailfortytwo@gmail.com
                http://42.servehttp.com

This song is easy to strum along to - the one tough part is the intro, which is
throughout the song.  Read my notes on the fingerings if you find it difficult.  If 
rather
learn it, just play D and E (see the simple tab below to know when to play them).

 Legend:
     V = downbeat
     ^ = upbeat

         EADGBe
     A = X02220
    A2 = 002200 (Asus2 or Esus4)
 Cadd9 = X32030 (or Cadd2)
     D = X00232
    D2 = X00230 (Dsus2)
    D* = X00235 (an alternate of D)
     E = 022100
    E4 = 002100 (Eadd4 or Amaj7sus2)
   E4* = 002X00 (an alternate of Eadd4)
   G/B = X20033


The Intro
=========


The simple melody, broken down (with the simple chords):

    D                                               E
    V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^
e |-2-----------0-------5-------2-|-----5-------------------------|
B |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G |-------------------------------|-----------------1---2---1-----|
D |-------------------------------|-------------2---------------2-|
A |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|


But if you want to strum and play the melody, you'll need the chords.  When you strum,
harder on the area where the melody is carried (i.e. on the higher strings during the D
and on the middle ones during the E4 and A2 stuff) and it'll come through.


    D           D2      D*      D       D*     E4*  E4  A2  E4 E4*
    V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^   V   ^
e |-2-----------0-------5-------2-|-----5-------0---0---0---0---0-|
B |-3-----------3-------3-------3-|-----3-------0---0---0---0---0-|
G |-2-----------2-------2-------2-|-----2-----------1---2---1-----|
D |-0-----------0-------0-------0-|-----0-------2---2---2---2---2-|
A |-0-----------0-------0-------0-|-----0-------0---0---0---0---0-|
E |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|


The trick to the D part is the fingering.  When playing the first D, use your index
to bar the G, B, and e strings on the 2nd fret, and your middle finger on the B string on
3rd fret.  This way, you can lift your index finger off the E string to play the D2, and 
your pinky finger over to the 5th fret to reach the D* chord.

The Song
========

Intro  x4 (see above notes)

D
First thing we'd climb a tree
D
And maybe then we'd talk
D
Or sit silently
D                          Cadd9
And listen to our thoughts
                      D
Illusions of some day
                       Cadd9
Casting a golden light
                   D
No dress rehearsal

This is our life


Intro x2


D                                   Cadd9
And that's when the hornet stung me
                      D
And I had a feverish dream
                    Cadd9
With revenge and doubt
                       D
Tonight we smoke them out

A
  You are ahead by a century
G/B
  You are ahead by a century
A                             G/B
  You are ahead by a century


Intro x4


D
Stare in the morning shroud
D
And then the day began
D
I tilted your cloud
D                  Cadd9
You tilted my hand
                        D
Rain falls in real time
                            Cadd9
Rain fell through the night
                    D
No dress rehearsals

This is our life

D


D                                   Cadd9
But that's when the hornet stung me
                     D
And I had a serious dream
                    Cadd9
With revenge and doubt
                       D
Tonight we smoke them out

A
  You are ahead by a century
G/B
  You are ahead by a century
A                             G/B
  You are ahead by a century

A
  You are ahead by a century
G/B
  You are ahead by a century
A                             G/B
  You are ahead by a century

                           D
  And disappointing you's getting me down

Intro x6

Other Notes
===========

During the verses, feel free to play around with a D2 during the long D part.

The strumming pattern of the verses goes something like this:

      Beat: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
  Emphasis: *     *     *     *     *   *
    Rhythm: 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 1 2

Hope this makes sense.  Enjoy learning an awesome song!
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