Tracy Chapman Tab by Tracy Chapman
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
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GUITAR CHORDS
TRACY CHAPMAN
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[Image]Across The Lines
[Image]Baby Can I Hold You
[Image]Fast Car
[Image]For My Lover
[Image]For You
[Image]If Not Now
[Image]Mountains O' Things
[Image]She's Got Her ticket
[Image]Talkin 'Bout A Revolution
[Image]Why ?
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ACROSS THE LINES
Pretty much just four chords, F#m (244222), E (022100), Bm (x244322) and D
(xx0232). If I recall correctly there's a break that goes between an A and
A(add9) (x02420) and back to A, but am not sure. Also not sure, but in the
outro I think she's playing G and A.
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{title:Across The Lines}
{st:by Tracy Chapman}
Across the[F#m] lines
Who could [E]dare to go
[Bm]Under the bridge
[D]Over the tracks
[G]That separates whites from blacks[A] [A(add9)] [A]
Choose sides
Or run for your life
Tonight the riots behin
On back streets of America
They kill the dream of America
Little black girl gets assaulted
Ain't no reason why
Newspaper prints the story
And racist tempers fly
Next day it start a riot
Knives and guns are drawn
Two black boys get killed
One white boy goes blind
Little black girl gets assaulted
Don't no one know her name
Lots of people hurt and angry
She's the one to blame
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BABY CAN I HOLD YOU
{title:Baby Can I Hold You}
{st:by Tracy Chapman}
D A7sus A7
e=====2===2==2=0===2===|0===0===0========
B==T==3===3==3=3===3=0=|3===3=0=2========
G==A==2===2==2=2===2===|0===0===0========
D==B==0===0==0=0===0===|2===2===2========
A======================|0===0===0========
E======================|=================
Sorry[D]
[A7sus]Is all that [A7]you can't s[Em]ay
Y[A7sus]ears gone by[A7] and st[D]ill
[A7sus]Words don't c[A7]ome easil[Em]y
[G]Like so[A]rry [G]like so[A]rry
Forgive me
Is all that you can't say
Years gone by and still
Words don't come easily
Like forgive me forgive me
{c:chorus}
But you can say baby
[Em]baby, can I [G]hold you [D]tonight.
[Em]Baby, if I [G]told you the [Bm]right words,
ooh, at the righ[A]t time, you'd be mine.
[D] === [Em] === [F#m] === [G] === [A] repeat
I love you
Is all that you can't say
Years gone by and still
Words don't come easily
Like I love you I love you
{c: to chorus}
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D A7sus A7
e-----2---2--2-0---2---|0---0---0--------|
B--T--3---3--3-3---3-0-|3---3-0-2--------|
G--A--2---2--2-2---2---|0---0---0--------|
D--B--0---0--0-0---0---|2---2---2--------|
A----------------------|0---0---0--------|
E----------------------|-----------------|
This is played and repeated twice, the second time it's repeated the vocals
come in: "Sorry- is all that you can't say." However on "say" an Em chord is
played. Repeat the chord changes, but go to a D on "still" in "years go by
and still." Repeat once more landing on an Em, then change to a G, then A
each time "sorry" is repeated. Watch for the time signature changes around
the G. This entire sequence is repeated, with the exception of the opening
strums before the singing begins. Of course, substitute the next verses,
i.e. "Forgive me..."
The remaining part of the song goes:
Em G D
Baby, can I hold you tonight.
Em G Bm
Baby, if I told you the right words,
A
oo- at the right time,
D Em F#m G A repeat.
you'd be mine.
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FAST CAR
e-----------0----0----------|5------4----4--------|
B--T------------------------|---------------------|
G--A--6-7-6-----------------|---------------------|
D--B--7-----7----------7----|7------7--------7----|
A---------------------------|---------------------|
E---------------------------|---------------------|
Repeat this over and over, until the bridge "I remember we were driving...".
D for one measure, A for one measure, F#m(244222) for a measure, Esus
(022200) for a measure, then a measure in which a D and F#m are given equal
time, followed by a measure of E. Repeat the last two measures, then play
one with a D and E. Back to the repeating riff.
------------------------------------------------------
This is what I've got for Fast Car by Tracy Chapman:
I'm not going to post the words, b/c I don't know them. But this is a decent
compromise on the continual riff throughout the song, considering I can't
play bass and acoustic guitars at the same time. Oh, and yes, I did this by
listening to the CD.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 repeat...
e---|-------0---0----|-5-----4---4----|
B-T-|-2-3-2----------|----------------|
G-A-|-2-----------2--|-----2-------2--|
D-B-|-0--------------|----------------|
A---|-------0--------|----------------|
E---|----------------|-2-----0--------|
I apologize if my notation is unconventional, but this is my first TAB post
attempt. It's a little tricky to play this version, but I can manage it by
keeping my index finger on the G, and by cheating with my thumb for the E
bass notes.
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FOR MY LOVER
I use "^" for hammer-on, and the "d" and "u" to indicate downward and upward
strums. Here's the intro:
Em G D Cmaj7
d u d u d u d u
e-----0---0-----------3---3-----------|2---2---2---0---------|
B--T--0---0-----------0---0-----------|3---3---3---0---------|
G--A--0---0-----------0---0-----------|2---2---2---0---------|
D--B--2---2-------0---0---0-------0---|0---0---0---2---------|
A-----2---2---0^2-----2---2---0^2-----|------------3---------|
E-----0---0-----------3---3-----------|----------------------|
The intro is repeated, and then:
Em G
Two weeks in a Virginia jail
D A
For my lover, for my lover.
Em G
Twenty thousand dollar bail
D A
For my lover, for my lover.---
C
And everybody thinks
A(add9) (x02420)
I'm the fool.
D
They don't get---any
C
love from you.
Em
Things we won't do for love---
A(add9)
Em
I'd climb a mountain if I had to,
G
risk my life so I could have you---
D
you- you- you- you...
Cmaj7 (x32000)
you- you -you -you -you.
Repeat this progression with these lyrics:
Everyday I'm psychoanalyzed
for my lover, for my lover.
Dope me up and I tell them lies
for my lover, for my lover.---
And everybody thinks... etc.
Stay on the Cmaj7 the second time through an extra measure, for:
Cmaj7
I follow my heart
Em
and leave my head to ponder
D
deep in this love--- no
Cmaj7
man can shake.
Keep with these chord changes for the remaining lyrics:
I follow my heart
and leave my mind to wonder,
is this love worth- the sacri-
fices I make?
Now repeat the from the "Two weeks in a Virginia jail" verse.
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{title:For My Lover}
{st:by Tracy CHAPMAN}
{c:intro}
v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^
D=2==2======0= ==0==0======0=
Em A=2==2==0_2== G ==2==2==0_2== D Cmaj7
{c:chorus}
[Em]Two weeks in a Vir[G]ginia jail
[D]For my lover, f[A]or my lover.
[Em]Twenty thousand [G]dollar bail
[D]For my lover, [A]for my lover...
[C]And everybody thinks
[Aadd9]I'm the fool. (x02420)
[D]They don't get
any [C]love from you.
[Em]Things we won't do for love...[Aadd9]
[Em]I'd climb a mountain if I had to,
[G]risk my life so I could have you
[D]you, you, you, you...
[Cmaj7]yo, you, you, you, you. (x32000)
Everyday I'm psychoanalyzed
for my lover, for my lover.
Dope me up and I tell them lies
for my lover, for my lover....
And everybody thinks... etc.
[Cmaj7]I follow my heart
[Em]and leave my head to ponder
[D]deep in this love
no [Cmaj7]man can shake.
I follow my heart
and leave my mind to wonder,
is this love worth,
the sacrifices I make?
{c:(chorus)}
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FOR YOU
e----------------------|--0-------------|----------------|--------------|
B--T--3---0-0------0---|3---0-2-----2---|3---0-1-----1---|1---0-3---3---|
G--A----0--------2---0-|----------2---2-|--2-------0---0-|--0-----2---0-|
D--B-------------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|
A-----2-----0----------|2-----0---------|0-----3---------|3-----0-------|
E----------------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|
This is what is played in the intro, but watch for changes in the pattern
once she begins singing, as the order of the bars varies. Perhaps despite
first appearances, not very complex left hand fingering.
Basically, finger-picking between G, D, and C chords. Pattern changes to
strumming right before "Look at me losing control,".
Use Em (022000), C (x32010), Am7 (x02010) and another C. Upon "emotions" the
finger picking pattern is resumed.
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IF NOT NOW
Use a capo barred at the second fret to match the pitch of this one. Follow
the transcription as you would any TAB, disregarding the fact that you're
two frets up. A pitch of "2" is played by plucking the notated string two
frets above the capo, not the nut.
Gmaj7 D
F-----0------0--0------0--|0--0----0----2-----|0------0--0------0--|0--0----0---0-----|
C#-T--1------1--1------1--|0--1----1------3---|1------1--1------1--|0--1----1-----1---|
A--A--2------2--2------2--|2--2----2--------2-|0------0--0------0--|0--0----0-------0-|
E--B--3------3--3------3--|3--3----3----------|2------2--2------2--|2--2----2---------|
B-------------------------|-------------------|3------3--3------3--|3--3----3---------|
F-------------------------|-------------------|--------------------|------------------|
This is repeated a few times; when Tracy sings "then- why make your
promises" the chords change between D, Bm, A, Fm, and G. Again remember that
the song is capoed at the second fret, so the shape of the D will be a C,
the Bm and Am, etc. In case it's still unclear, here are the actual chord
forms to shape:
D (x32010), Bm (x02210), A (320003), F#m (022000, and G (133211).
Change to an F#m7 (010000) when the sequence is repeated immediately
thereafter. Change between G and A on the bridge to the repeat.
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MOUNTAINS O' THINGS
Use the following chords and repeat them over and over:
Am, Dm, F and G.
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She's Got Her Ticket
{title:She's Got Her Ticket}
{st:by Tracy Chapman}
[C]She's got her ticket
[G]I think she gonna use it
[Am]I think she going [C]to fly away[Am]
No one should try and stop her
Persuade her with their power
She says that her mind is made
Up
This scheme is repeated until the end of the song.
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Talkin 'Bout A Revolution
G(320003), Cadd9(x32030), Em (022000) and D(xx0232).
To be repeated until the end of the song.
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{title:Talkin' Bout A Revolution}
{st:Tracy Chapman}
{define: Cadd9 0032030}
{define: Dsus4 0X00233}
{c:chorus}
{soc}
D[G]on't you [Cadd9]know
[D]They're talkin' about [Dsus4]a revolu[G]tion
It[Cadd9]sounds [D]like [Dsus4]a whisper
Don't you know
They're talkin' about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
{eoc}
While they're standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the enemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion
{c:chorus}
Poor people gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people gonna rise up
And take what's theirs
Don't you know
You better run, run, run...
Oh I said you better
Run, run, run...
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin' bout a revolution
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Meaning of the symbols: ^ strike the strings down, v strike the strings up.
G G Cadd9 Em D
_______ _______
| |\ | | | | | |\ | | | |
e|-------------------0---------|--------------2----3--2---------|
b|--0-----0-----3----3--3--0---|--------------3-------3--0------|
g|--0-----0-----0-------0--0---|---0----0-----2-------2--0------|
d|--0-----0-----2----------0---|---2----2-----0----------0------|
a|--2-----2-----3--------------|---2----2-----------------------|
E|--3-----3--------------------|---0----0-----------------------|
^ ^ v v ^ v ^ ^ v v ^ v
These 2 measures are repeated all along the song.
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Why ?
The chords used in this are Bm (x24432), G (320003), A (x02220),
D(add9)(xx0230), and A(add9)(x02420).
The intro is merely alternating between Bm and G, and adding hammers-on. In
the case of the Bm hammer-on the three fingers other than the one barring at
the second fret. With the G hammer on the pointer finger.
After that:
Bm
Why do the babies starve, there's enough food to feed the world?
G A
Why, when there's so many of us are there people still alone?
Bm
Why are the missiles called peacekeepers, when they're aimed to kill?
G A
Why is a woman still not safe when she's in her home?
D(add9)
Love is hate
A(add9)
war is peace,
Bm
no is yes,-
G
we're all free.---- But, some-
Bm
body's gonna have to answer, the time is coming soon. Amidst
G
all these questions and contradictions there're
A
some who seek the truth. Tell me...
Then repeat.
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{title:Why?}
{st:by Tracy CHAPMAN}
[Bm]Why do the babies starve
when there's enough food to feed the world?
[G]Why when there's so many of us are [A]there people still alone?
[Bm]Why are the missiles called peacekeepers when they're aimed to kill?
[G]Why is a woman still not safe [A]when she's in her home?
[Dadd9]Love is hate
[Aadd9] war is peace,
[Bm] no is yes,-
[G]we're all free...
But, some[Bm]body's gonna have to answer, the time is coming soon.
Amidst [G]all these questions and contradictions
there're [A]some who seek the truth. Tell me...
Why do the babies starve, When there's enough food to feed the world
Why when there're so many of us, Are there people still alone
Why are the missiles called peace keepers, When they're aimed to kill
Why is a woman still not safe, When she's in her home?
Love is hate
War is peace
No is yes
And we're all free
But somebody's gonna have to answer
The time is coming soon
When the blind remove their blinders
And the speechless speak the truth
