• Song:

    Joes Garage

  • Artist:

    Frank Zappa

NOTE: There is two versions of this song, one original version which is tabbed here and  
version, the single version which doesnt contain verse 2 and 3 and doesnt have such a  
outro... 
 
Intro: 
 
E 
We take you now to a garage in Canoga Park 
(It makes its own sauce . . . if you add water) 
 
Verse 1 
 
E 
It wasn't very large 
           A                   B 
There was just enough room to cram the drums 
In the corner over by the Dodge 
It was a fifty-four 
With a mashed up door 
And a cheesy little amp 
With a sign on the front said 
"Fender Champ" 
And a second-hand guitar 
It was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar 
 
(note: You can play it like this or you can just push down the whammy bar while playing  
B at the time when the A is positioned here) 
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-7\9-9-9--9-9-9--7\9-9-9--9-9-9--7\9-9-9--9-9-9--7\9-| 
-7\9-9-9--9-9-9--7\9-9-9--9-9-9--7\9-9-9--9-9-9--7\9-| 
-5-7-7--7-7-7--5-7-7--7-7-7--5-7-7--7-7-7--5-| 
 
Verse 2 
 
We could jam in Joe's Garage 
His mama was screamin' 
His dad was mad 
We was playin' the same old song 
In the afternoon 'n sometimes we would 
Play it all night long 
It was all we knew, 'n easy too 
So we wouldn't get it wrong 
All we did was bend the string like . . . 
 
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-8b9--8--8b9--8--8b9--8--8b9-8-8b9-8-8b9-| 
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Verse 3 
 
Hey! 
Down in Joe's Garage 
We didn't have no dope or LSD 
But a coupla quartsa beer 
Would fix it so the intonation 
Would not offend yer ear 
And the same old chords goin' over 'n over 
Became a symphony 
We could play it again 'n again 'n again 
Cause it sounded good to me 
ONE MORE TIME! 
 
-15b16--15--15b16--15--15b16--15--15b16-15-15b16-15-15b16-| 
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Verse 4 
 
We could jam in Joe's Garage 
His mama was screamin', 
"TURN IT DOWN!" 
We was playin' the same old song 
In the afternoon 'n sometimes we would 
Play it all night long 
It was all we knew, 'n easy too 
So we wouldn't get it wrong 
Even if you played it on a saxophone 
 
(note: played by a saxophone(of course?!) 
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-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--------------------------------------------| 
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Verse 5 
 
We thought we was pretty good 
We talked about keepin' the band together 
'N we figured that we should 
'Cause about this time we was gettin' the eye 
From the girls in the neighborhood 
They'd all come over 'n dance around like . . . *cheerleader-dance-clap-type-of-thing* 
 
Verse 6 
 
So we picked out a stupid name 
Had some cards printed up for a coupla bucks 
'N we was on our way to fame 
Got matching suits 
'N Beatle Boots 
'N a sign on the back of the car 
'N we was ready to work in a GO-GO Bar 
ONE TWO THREE FOUR 
LET'S SEE IF YOU'VE GOT SOME MORE! (during this just slide up the neck while picking  
if you listen carefully you can hear it) 
 
(note: those two tablines are played at the same time, not after eachother, listen to  
song and youll understand) 
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---5-6-7-7-7-5-----5-6-7-7-7-5-----5-------------------------| 
-7-------------7-7-------------7-7---7-5-5-5-5--5-5--9--7--7-| 
 
---------------------------------------5-5-5-5--5-5--9--7--7-| 
---2-3-4-4-4-2-----2-3-4-4-4-2-----2-------------------------| 
-4-------------4-4-------------4-4---4-----------------------| 
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Verse 7 
 
People seemed to like our song 
They got up 'n danced 'n made a lotta noise 
An' it wasn't 'fore very long 
A guy from a company we can't name 
Said we oughta take his pen 
'N sign on the line for a real good time 
But he didn't tell us when 
These "good times" would be somethin' 
That was really happenin' 
So the band broke up 
An' it looks like 
We will never play again . . . 
 
Guess you only get one chance in life 
To play a song that goes like . . . 
 
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---4--2--4-2---4--2--4-2---4--2--4-2---4--2--4-2----------------------------| 
-0-----------5-----------0-----------5--------------------------------------| 
 
Turn it down! 
Turn it DOWN! 
I have children sleeping here . . . 
Don't you boys know any nice songs? 
 
Outro: 
           E 
Well the years was rollin' by 
  A               D 
Heavy Metal 'n Glitter Rock 
Had caught the public eye 
Snotty boys with lipstick on 
Was really flyin' high 
'N then they got that Disco thing 
'N New Wave came along 
'N all of a sudden I thought the time 
Had come for that old song 
We used to play in "Joe's Garage" 
And if I am not wrong 
You will soon be dancin' to the . . 
 
(note: a synth/keyboard play the verse chords, E A and B during this) 
The WHITE ZONE is for loading and unloading only. If you gotta load or unload, go to the  
ZONE . . 
 
(note: This part of the outro is played with the verse chords, also, E A and B) 
I said the years was rollin' by, yeah 
The years was rollin' by . . . 
I'm calling THE POLICE! 
So the years was rollin' by . . . 
I did it! 
So the years was rollin' by . . . 
They'll be here . . . shortly! 
By, by, the years was rollin' by . . . 
This is the Police . . . 
I'm not joking around anymore! 
Come out! 
We have the garage surrounded 
The years was rollin' by . . . 
Give yourself up 
We will not harm you 
Or hurt you, neither 
I said the years was rollin' by . . . 
You'll see now! 
There they are, they're coming! 
This is the Police 
Give yourself up 
We will not harm you 
The years was rollin' by . . . 
Listen to that mess, would you! 
This is the Police 
Give yourself up 
We have the garage surrounded 
Every day this goes on around here! 
The years was rollin' by . . . 
We will not harm you 
Or maim you 
(SWAT Team 4, move in!) 
The years was rollin' by . . . 
He used to cut my grass . . . 
He was a very nice boy . . . 
This is the Police 
Come out with your hands up 
 
This is the CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER . . . 
That was Joe's first confrontation with The Law. 
Naturally, we were easy on him. 
One of our friendly counselors gave him 
A do-nut . . . and told him to 
Stick closer to church-oriented social activities. 
 
If you got any questions about the song or the tab, mail me at danielwidegren@hotmail.com 
 
/Daniel "HanMeGitarren Widegren
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