• Song:

    Stories I Tell

  • Artist:

    Toad the Wet Sprocket

  • Album:

    Welcome Home: Live

Stories I Tell
      (words and music by Glen Phillips, Todd Nichols, and Toad)


The basic structure for the verse is:

   C#5     A5       C#5     A5       C#5     A5        C#5       A5

E --------------- | --------------- | ---------------- | -----------7--- |  | 
B ---4h5p4------- | ---4h5p4----5-- | ---4h5p4-------- | ---4h5p4---5--- |  | 
G ------------6-- | --------------- | -------------6-- | -----------6--- |  | 
D --------------- | --------------- | -----------7---- | -----------7--- |  | 
A -4------------- | -4------------- | -4-------------- | -4------------- |  | 
E ---------5----- | ---------5----- | ---------5------ | --------------- |  | 


I suggest that you fret the fourth fret with your pointer finger and let all
the other fingers do the stretching.  Also, make sure that you sustain that
A note on the low E string and play the rest with the other fingers.  For
example, when you play measure three, you should be barreing the fourth fret
with your pointer, hammer on and pull off that fifth fret on the B string
with your middle finger; then hit the fifth fret of the low E string (the A
note) with your middle finger; next hit the seventh fret of the D string with
your pinky and finally hit the sixth fret on the G string with your ring
finger.  I know it requires a lot of painful stretching, but you should get
used to it.  Anyway, here are the lyrics with everything else:


C#5           A5         C#5        A5     C#5    A5    C#5    A5
Don~t give me answers or I would refuse
C#5      A5             C#5        A5     C#5    A5    C#5    A5
Yes is a word for which I have no use
C#5          A5           C#5       A5     C#5    A5    C#5    A5
And I wasn~t looking for heaven or hell
     F#5 *       C#5 *      Ab5 *    A5 *
Just someone to listen to stories I tell

C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5

C#5       A5          C#5       A5
What is a blessing?  What is a dream?
C#5            A5             C#5            A5
Caught between portraits and none~s what it seems
    C#5       A5            C#5            A5
And why is it some would expect there~s a change
       C#5        A5           C#5           A5    F#5 *
When I feel I~m a part of something I can~t see
      C#5 * Ab5 *  A5 *
And I feel the same

C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5

C#5          A5           C#5       A5     C#5    A5    C#5    A5
Don~t ask me questions or I will retreat
C#5       A5          C#5  A5        C#5    A5    C#5    A5
Fame is a cancer and ego its seed
   C#5       A5           C#5      A5      C#5    A5    C#5    A5
Now I wasn~t looking for heaven or hell
     F#5 *       C#5 *      Ab5 *     A5 *
Just someone to listen to stories I tell


Instrumental:  C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5
               C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5    C#5    A5

B5              A5
Do you ever wonder?
F#5          Ab5               B5
Did you ever care to stories I tell
        A5       C#5
Stories I tell
C#5   A5   C#5 A5  C#5    A5    C#5    A5  STOP
Sto......ries  I...  tell.....


a bass interlude comes in which plays the standard C#m to A chord change,
for those interested, the bass is simply played:

   C#5   A5                          C#5   A5

G ------------- | ------------------ | ------------- |  | 
D ------------- | ------------------ | ------------- |  | 
A -4-4-4-----2- | -(repeat 7 times)- | -4-2--------- |  | 
E -------5-5--- | ------------------ | -----4-5-5-7- |  | 


C#5       A5         C#5       A5
Subtle salvation in poems and pros
C#5        A5          C#5       A5
Hiding our heads in a shadow of home
C#5       A5          C#5             A5
I wasn~t looking for wreaths or for bells
     C#5        A5         C#5       A5
Just someone to listen to stories I tell
     C#5  A5     C#5   A...
Stories I tell


Basically, the song plays the C#m to A chord progression until it ends.
The chords with the asteriks are played like this:

   F#5 *   C#5 *  Ab5 *   A5 *

E --(b9)- |  | -4-- |  | -11-- |  | -12-- |  | 
B -10-- |  | -5-- |  | -12-- |  | -14-- |  | 
G -11-- |  | -6-- |  | -13-- |  | -14-- |  | 
D ----- |  | ---- |  | ----- |  | ----- |  | 
A ----- |  | ---- |  | ----- |  | ----- |  | 
E ----- |  | ---- |  | ----- |  | ----- |  | 


And that is basically all you need to know for the song.  Bye-bye...
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