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Independence Day - Elliott Smith
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Tabbed by: F# 11th w3
Tuning: Open C --> C-G-C-E-G-C
This tab is meant for the way Elliott played it live when solo acoustic! On the
album (and in his live performances with a band) this song is played in normal
tuning and hence played different.
All chord names are what you're actually playing, so no 'relative to tuning'
chord names or whatever.
Chord shapes used:
Cm9th Dm13th C Bb6th
|--10-| |--11-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---8-| |--10-| |--0--| |--12-|
|--10-| |--10-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---0-| |---0-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---x-| |---x-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---x-| |---x-| |--0--| |---x-|
G# Fadd9 G G7th
|--8--| |--7--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |--10-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--x--| |---7-|
C* Am G#aug5 D
|--7--| |--0--| |--0--| |--2--|
|--9--| |--2--| |--1--| |--2--|
|--8--| |--0--| |--0--| |--2--|
|--7--| |--0--| |--0--| |--2--|
|--x--| |--2--| |--1--| |--2--|
|--x--| |--x--| |--x--| |--2--|
F Fadd9* Cmaj7 G#flat5/aug5
|--5--| |--5--| |--4--| |--2--|
|--5--| |--5--| |--4--| |--1--|
|--5--| |--5--| |--3--| |--0--|
|--5--| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--5--| |--5--| |--4--| |--1--|
|--5--| |--7--| |--x--| |--x--|
Bb Gsus4/6th Cflat5 Csus4/no5
|--10-| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--10-| |--9--| |--11-| |--10-|
|--10-| |--8--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--10-| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--10-| |--9--| |--11-| |--10-|
|--10-| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
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The structure of this song is as follows:
Intro
Riff 1
Riff 2 | Verse 1:
| Future butterfly, gonna spend the day, higher than high.
| You'll be, beautiful confusion.
| Ooh oh oh oh oh, once i was you.
Riff 1 (2x)
Riff 2 | Verse 2:
| I saw you caught between, all the people out, making the scene.
| And a bright, ideal tomorrow.
| Ooh don't go too far, stay who you are.
Riff 3 | Bridge:
| Everybody knows, everybody knows, everybody knows.
| You only live a day.
| But it's brilliant anyway.
Riff 4 | Verse 3:
| I saw you at, a perfect place.
| It's gonna happen soon, but not today.
Riff 5 | Verse 4:
| So go to sleep, and make the change.
| I'll meet you here tomorrow, independence day,
| independence day, independence day.
Outro
Except for the intro and outro, don't take every stroke that I tabbed too
literally. Elliott plays this song fingerpicked, but it's very playable with a
plectrum as well.
For this tab I used some video material from live performances by Elliott
himself to find the sometimes weird chords. And of course listening to the song
over and over again helped as well.
================================================================================
Intro:
Cm9th
e|----10----------10----------10----------10----------10----------10------|
B|----10----8-----------8-----------8-----------8-----------8-----------8-|
G|-------10----------10----------10----------10----------10----------10---|
D|-0------------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0---------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Dm13th C Bb6th G#
e|---------11---------|------12-11---|--------------10-|-------8-------------8-|
B|---10-------10------|--------------|-12--12----12----|-----8-----12--8---8---|
G|------10---------10-|----0-------0-|-10--------------|---8-------------------|
D|-0-------------0----|-0------------|--------10-------|-8-------8-------8-----|
A|--------------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
C* Fadd9 G G# C
e|-------|-------7---5-------7-|------------|-------10----|------0--0-0-|
B|---9---|-----5---------7h8---|-/7---------|-----8-----8-|------0--0-0-|
G|-----8-|---5-----------------|-/7--8-8--7-|-/8--8-----8-|------0--0-0-|
D|-7-----|-5-------5---5-------|-/7--7-7--7-|-/8----------|-0----0------|
A|-------|---------------------|------------|-------------|-0----0------|
E|-------|---------------------|------------|-------------|---0--0------|
Drums, bass guitar, and some kind of organ kick in from here.
Riff 1:
C Bb6th G# C*
e|-------10b12--10---|-----------------|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|
B|-----0-------------|-12---12-12-12-9-|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|
G|---0-------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|
D|-0-----------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|
A|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
E|-------------------|-----------------|---------------------|--------|
Fadd9 G G# C ****************
e|----7-5------5-|-----------|-----10-------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
B|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|------8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
G|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|-/8---8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
D|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
A|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8---------0-|----0-------------0------------|
E|---------------|-----------|--------------|-0--0----------0--0----------0-|
***** = skip the 1st time when you play this riff twice between verse 1 and 2!
Riff 2:
Am G#aug5
e|-0--0--0----|---0--0-0-0----0--0-0-0-|----0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
B|-5--4--2--0-|---2--2-2-2----2--2-2-2-|----1--1-1-1-----1--1-1-1-|
G|-0--0--0--0-|---0--0-0-0----0--0-0-0-|----0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
D|-0--0--0--0-|---0--0-0-0----0--0-0-0-|----0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
A|-5--4--2--0-|-2-----------2----------|-1------------1-----------|
E|-0--0-------|------------------------|--------------------------|
1. Future butterfly, gonna spend the
2. I saw you caught between, all the people
D F Fadd9*
e|----2--2-2-2-2-----2----|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|
B|----2--2-2-2-2-----2----|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|
G|----2--2-2-2-2-----2--2-|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|
D|----2--2-2-2-2-----2--4-|----5--5-5-5-|----7--7-7-7-|
A|----2--2-2-2-2-----2--2-|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-7-|
E|-2--------------2-----4-|-5-----------|-7-----------|
1. day, higher than high. You'll
2. out, making the scene. And a
G# G7th
e|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
B|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|----10--10-10-10------10--10-10-10-|
G|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
D|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
A|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
E|-8-------------8-----------|-7-----------------7---------------|
1. be, beautiful confusion.
2. bright, ideal tomorrow.
Cmaj7 Am
e|----4--4-4-4------4-4------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
B|----4--4-4-4------4-4------|----2--2-2-2------2--2-2-2-|
G|----3--3-3-3------3-3------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
D|----0--0-0-0------0-0--0-0-|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
A|-4-------------4-------2-0-|-2-------------2-----------|
E|---------------------------|---------------------------|
1. Ooh oh oh oh oh, once i was
2. Ooh don't go too far, stay who you
G#flat5/aug5
e|----2--2-2-2------2------|
B|----1--1-1-1------1--1-0-|
G|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-|
D|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-|
A|-1-------------1-----1---|
E|-------------------------|
1. you.
2. are.
Riff 3:
C Bb6th G# C*
e|-------10b12--10---|------10-10-10-9-9-|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|
B|-----0-------------|-12---12-12-12-9-9-|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|
G|---0-------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|
D|-0-----------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|
A|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
E|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
F G#
e|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
B|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
G|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
D|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
A|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8--8-|
E|-5-------------5-----------|-8-------------8-------10-|
Everybody knows, everybody
C Bb
e|----0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
B|---12-12-12-12-----12-12-12-12-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
G|----0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
D|---12-12-12-12-----12-12-12-12-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
A|----0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
E|-0---------------0-------------|-10-----------------10---------------|
knows, everybody knows. You only live a
F Fadd9* G# Gsus4/6th
e|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----7--7-7-7-|
B|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----9--9-9-9-|
G|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----8--8-8-8-|
D|----5--5-5-5-|----7--7-7-7-|----8--8-8-8-|----7--7-7-7-|
A|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----9--9-9-9-|
E|-5-----------|-7-----------|-8-----------|-7-----------|
day. But it's brilliant anyway.
Fadd9 G G# C
e|----7-5------5-|-----------|-----10-------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
B|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|------8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
G|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|-/8---8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
D|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
A|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8---------0-|----0-------------0--------|
E|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8-----------|-0--0----------0--0--------|
Riff 4:
Cflat5 Csus4/no5 Cno5 Bb6th
e|-----0---0--0--0-|-----0---0--0--0-|-0--10b12--10---|-----------------|
B|----11--11-11-11-|----10--10-10-10-|-9--------------|-12--------------|
G|-----0---0--0--0-|-----0---0--0--0-|-0------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-|
D|-----0---0--0--0-|-----0---0--0--0-|-0--------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|
A|----11--11-11-11-|----10--10-10-10-|-9--------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|
E|-0---------------|-0---------------|-0--------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|
I saw you at,
G# C* Fadd9 G
e|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|----7-5------5-|-----------|
B|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|
G|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|
D|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|
A|-8------------8------|--------|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|
E|-8------------8------|--------|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|
a perfect place. It's gonna happen soon,
G# C
e|-----10-------|----0--0-0-0-|
B|------8--8----|----0--0-0-0-|
G|-/8---8--8----|----0--0-0-0-|
D|-/8------8--0-|----0--0-0-0-|
A|-/8---------0-|----0--------|
E|-/8-----------|-0--0--------|
but not today.
Riff 5:
C Bb6th G# C*
e|-------10b12--10---|-------------------|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|
B|-----0-------------|-12----------------|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|
G|---0-------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|
D|-0-----------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|
A|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
E|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
So go to sleep, and make the change.
Fadd9 G G#
e|----7-5------5-|-----------|-----10-------|
B|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|------8--8----|
G|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|-/8---8--8----|
D|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|
A|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8---------0-|
E|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8-----------|
I'll meet you here tomorrow, independence
F G#
e|------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5-|-----10-------|
B|------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5-|------8--8----|
G|----5-5--5-5-5------5-5--5-5-5------5-5--5-5-5-|-/8---8--8----|
D|----5-5--5-5-5------5-5--5-5-5------7-7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|
A|----5---------------5---------------5----------|-/8---------0-|
E|-5---------------5---------------7-------------|-/8-----------|
day, independence day, independence day.
Outro:
C Bb6th G#
e|------10b12--10---|-----------------|-------8-------------8-|
B|------------------|-12--12-12-12-12-|-----8-----12--8---8---|
G|----0-----------0-|-10--10-10-10-10-|---8-------------------|
D|-0----------------|-10--10-10-10-10-|-8-------8-------8-----|
A|------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
C* Fadd9 G G# C
e|-------|-------7---5-------7-|------------|-------10-----|------0-|
B|---9---|-----5---------7h8---|-/7---------|---8--------8-|------0-|
G|-----8-|---5-----------------|-/7--8-8--7-|------------8-|------0-|
D|-7-----|-5-------5---5-------|-/7--7-7--7-|-8---8----8---|-0----0-|
A|-------|---------------------|------------|--------------|-0----0-|
E|-------|---------------------|------------|--------------|---0--0-|
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Hope you will enjoy this! Let me know if you find any mistakes.
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