Black Balloon
Tuning: Db Ab Db Ab Db Db (D A D A D D for live performances)
This is a great song by the Goo Goo Dolls. I've seen a lot of tabs
for this song but I seen any that include the harmonic intro or the right
chords for the chorus' and I've seen them perform many times in concert
and have seen many live videos and have studied John's finger movements.
The intro is on electric guitar butit also sounds really cool you play it
on acoustic an octave lower. If you don'twant your B string to snap while
tuning it you can also tune it to and Ab or replaceit with an E string.
I've included a little but of the strumming but not all of it (just to give
you a feel for it). It's very easy to figure out. I also included the
lyrics and the electric guitar part. Here it is.
UPDATE: I realized the harmonic riff in the intro was incorrect. I have included a way
play it with 3 guitars which is accurate to the recording and a way to do it with one
in standard tuning down a half step which is how I've seen them play it live. For the
intro with 3 guitars one of the guitars is tuned to Bb Ab Db Ab Db Db. If you are
playing with one electric guitar in the Db Ab Db Ab Db Db tuning play the top riff only
that is mostly what the riff is based around and the other parts are there to make a
effect. I prefer playing it in the standard tuning way.
* = Harmonic
|-3-| = Triplet
/ = Slide up
\ = Slide down
x = Block string out
PM = Palm mute
000000 = Sideways tab (very left is the low E string and the very right is the high e)
Intro:
Electric:
(Harmonic riff)
* * * * * * * * * *
Db|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------| (Repeat until chorus)
Db|-------------4-5----------|
Ab|---5-4-5---5-----4---5----|
Db|-9-------9----------------|
| * *PM---|
Db|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------| (Repeat until chorus)
Db|-----0-------0-0---0------|
Ab|-------0---0-----0---0----|
Db|-9-------9----------------|
| * * * * *
Db|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------| (Repeat until chorus)
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|-----------7-5-7-5---7----|
Bb|-0-------0----------------|
OR
* * * * * * * * * * *
eb|--------------------------|
Bb|---------------7----------|
Gb|-----------------7--------| (Repeat until chorus)
Db|-------------7------7-----|
Ab|---7-4-5-7------------7---|
Eb|-7---------7--------------|
The rest of the electric guitar part is basically the same as the acoustic
part. After "But on your Knees" play 22xxx/55xxx and palm mute
it and slowly open. After "But on your knees" play 000000 and then play the
harmonic riff. End with the harmonic riff and fade.
Acoustic:
(Play this over the Electric after it plays the harmonic riff twice)
Db|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
Ab|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
Db|-7-7-7-7-7--0-0-0-0-0-| 3x
Ab|-5-5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-5-|
Db|------------5-5-5-5-5-|
Verse:
Db|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
Ab|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
Db|-7-7-7-7-7--0-0-0-0-0-| 3x
Ab|-5-5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-5-|
Db|------------5-5-5-5-5-|
Baby's black balloon makes her fly
I almost fell into that hole in your life
And you're not thinking about tomorrow
Pre-chorus:
|-3-| |-3-----------------------|
Db|-------0--------0---------0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Db|-----0--------0--------0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Ab|---0--------0--------0----0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Db|--------------------------0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Ab|-2--------4--------5------5-5-5--5-5-5--7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5----|
Db|--------------------------5-5-5--5-5-5--7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5----|
Cause you were the same as me...But on your knees
Break: Repeat intro
Verse:
(Play harmonic riff underneath)
Db|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-7-7-7-7-7--0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-5-5-5-5-5--5-5-5-5-5|
Db|------------5-5-5-5-5|
A thousand other boys could never reach you
How could I have been the one
I saw the world spin beneath you
Pre-chorus:
|-3-| |-3-----------------------|
Db|-------0--------0---------0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Db|-----0--------0--------0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Ab|---0--------0--------0----0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Db|--------------------------0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Ab|-2--------4--------5------5-5-5--5-5-5--7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5----|
Db|--------------------------5-5-5--5-5-5--7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5----|
And scatter like ice from the sun...That was your womb
Chorus:
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0| 3x
Ab|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--5-5-5-5|
Db|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--0-0-0-0|
Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Db|-0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-5-5-7-7-7|
Db|-5-5-7-7-7|
Or are you someone's prayer?
Break:
(Play harmonic riff underneath)
|-3-| |-3--------|
Db|-0-0-0---------0-0-0------|
Db|-0-0-0---------0-0-0------|
Ab|-0-0-0---------0-0-0------|
Db|-7-7-7---------0-0-0------| 3x
Ab|-5-5-5---------5-5-5------|
Db|---------------5-5-5------|
Verse:
(Play harmonic riff underneath)
|-3-| |-3--------|
Db|-0-0-0---------0-0-0------|
Db|-0-0-0---------0-0-0------|
Ab|-0-0-0---------0-0-0------|
Db|-7-7-7---------0-0-0------| 3x
Ab|-5-5-5---------5-5-5------|
Db|---------------5-5-5------|
You know the lies they always told you?
Or the love you never knew?
What's the things they never showed you?
Pre-chorus:
|-3-| |-3-----------------------|
Db|-------0--------0---------0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Db|-----0--------0--------0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Ab|---0--------0--------0----0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Db|--------------------------0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
Ab|-2--------4--------5------5-5-5--5-5-5--7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5----|
Db|--------------------------5-5-5--5-5-5--7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5----|
That swallowed the light from the sun...Inside your room
Chorus:
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0| 3x
Ab|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--5-5-5-5|
Db|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--0-0-0-0|
Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Db|-0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-5-5-7-7-7|
Db|-5-5-7-7-7|
Always someone's there
Break:
(Figure out strumming yourself)
Db|-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0|
Db|-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0|
Ab|-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0|
Db|-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0|
Ab|-4--5--9--7--4--5--9--7--5|
Db|-4--5--9--7--4--5--9--7--5|
Db|-0--0--0--0--0|
Db|-0--0--0--0--0|
Ab|-0--0--0--0--0|
Db|-0--0--0--0--0| (Let ring)
Ab|-5--5--4--2//5|
Db|-5--5--4--2//5|
Db|-0--0--0|
Db|-0--0--0|
Ab|-0--0--0|
Db|-0--0--0|
Ab|-4--5--7|
Db|-4--5--7|
And there's no time left for losin'...When you stand they fall yeah
Chorus:
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0| 3x
Ab|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--5-5-5-5|
Db|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--0-0-0-0|
Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0|
Ab|-5-5--7-7-7-7|
Db|-5-5--7-7-7-7|
All because I'm
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0| 3x
Ab|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--5-5-5-5|
Db|-9-9--7-7-7-7--5-5--0-0-0-0|
Comin' down the years turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I'll go on and I'll bring you home and
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Db|-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
Ab|-5-5--7-7-7-7--4-4-4-4-4|
Db|-5-5--7-7-7-7--4-4-4-4-4|
All because I'm...All because I'm
Db|-0--0--0| Db|-0-|
Db|-0--0--0| Db|-0-|
Ab|-0--0--0| Ab|-0-|
Db|-0--0--0| Or end on Db|-0-|
Ab|-2--5--5| Ab|-0-|
Db|-2--5--0| Db|-0-|
And I'll become...What you became to me
Outro:
Repeat harmonic riff and fade
It also sounds good if you end with a little acoustic riff I've seen them
do on the
In Alaska DVD and heard on a live recording
Db|-------0-------0-------0---------------0-------0-----0---------0-|
Db|-----0---------------0---------------0-------------------------0-|
Ab|---0-----0---0---0-------0---0-----0-----0---0---0-----0---0---0-|
Db|-----------0-------0-------0---------------0-------0-----0---0-0-|
Ab|---------------------------------------------------------------5-|
Db|-0------------------------------5------------------------------0-|
Came to me... Came to me...
That's it. Great song. Any questions or comments e-mail me at shentronx7@yahoo.com
