• Song:

    Still Alive Acoustic

  • Artist:

    Jonathan Coulton

Important!
This is not the version found in the credits to Valve's game Portal, that is in the key 
D. This is Jonathan Coulton's version in the key of A, when you see him play it live, or 
all for that matter, it is in A.
I will go over both ways to play this version.

First is the capoed version with any standard capo on the seventh fret.  This is the 
pattern for the verse, rinse and repeat as many times as necessary. With capo the chords 
D and Bm.
e|----------9--------------9----------|
B|------10-----10------10-----10------|
G|---9-------------11-------------9---|
D|------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|

 Bm (x24432@1)       D (xx0232@1)       Bm (x24432@1)       DThis (xx0232@1)was a triumph
Bm (x24432@1)         D (xx0232@1)        Bm (x24432@1)     D (xx0232@1)      BmI'm (x24432@1)making a note here: huge success
Em (022000@1)             A (x02220@1)           D (xx0232@1)  Bm (x24432@1)  DIt's (xx0232@1)hard to overstate my satisfaction
Bm (x24432@1)     D (xx0232@1)     Bm (x24432@1)     DAperture (xx0232@1)Science
Bm (x24432@1)          D (xx0232@1)    Bm (x24432@1)     D (xx0232@1)     BmWe (x24432@1)do what we must because we can
Em (022000@1)            AFor (x02220@1)the good of all of us
BbM7
Except the ones who are dead
F (133211@1)                  C (x32010@1)         Bb (x1333x@1)     FBut (133211@1)there's no sense crying over every mistake
F (133211@1)              C (x32010@1)             Bb (x1333x@1)       FYou (133211@1)just keep on trying till you run out of cake
Gm (355333@1)                 C (x32010@1)          F (133211@1)         Dm*
And the science gets done and you make a neat gun
B (x2444x@1)                    A (x02220@1)    D (xx0232@1)  Bm (x24432@1) DFor (xx0232@1)the people who are still alive

Bm (x24432@1)         D (xx0232@1)       Bm (x24432@1)       DI'm (xx0232@1)not even angry
Bm (x24432@1)      D (xx0232@1)   Bm (x24432@1)       D (xx0232@1)      BmI'm (x24432@1)being so sincere right now
Em (022000@1)            A (x02220@1)                D (xx0232@1)      Bm (x24432@1)  DEven (xx0232@1)though you broke my heart and killed me
Bm (x24432@1)           D (xx0232@1)     Bm (x24432@1)     DAnd (xx0232@1)tore me to pieces
Bm (x24432@1)            D (xx0232@1)    Bm (x24432@1)  D (xx0232@1)     BmAnd (x24432@1)threw every piece into a fire
Em (022000@1)              AAs (x02220@1)they burned it hurt because
BbM7
I was so happy for you
F (133211@1)                 C (x32010@1)         Bb (x1333x@1)      FNow (133211@1)these points of data make a beautiful line
F (133211@1)              C (x32010@1)           Bb (x1333x@1)       FAnd (133211@1)we're out of beta, we're releasing on time
Gm (355333@1)              C (x32010@1)              F (133211@1)               Dm*
So I'm glad I got burned, think of all the things we learned
B (x2444x@1)                    A (x02220@1)    D (xx0232@1)  Bm (x24432@1) DFor (xx0232@1)the people who are still alive

Bm (x24432@1)         D (xx0232@1)       Bm (x24432@1)       DGo (xx0232@1)ahead and leave me
Bm (x24432@1)           D (xx0232@1)    Bm (x24432@1)   D (xx0232@1)      BmI (x24432@1)think I'd prefer to stay inside
Em (022000@1)              A (x02220@1)             D (xx0232@1)      Bm (x24432@1)  DMaybe (xx0232@1)you'll find someone else to help you
Bm (x24432@1)        D (xx0232@1)     Bm (x24432@1)     DMaybe (xx0232@1)Black Mesa
Bm (x24432@1)       D (xx0232@1)      Bm (x24432@1)    D (xx0232@1)     BmThat (x24432@1)was a joke, ha ha, fat chance
Em (022000@1)        AAnyway (x02220@1)this cake is great
BbM7
It's so delicious and moist
F (133211@1)              C (x32010@1)                  Bb (x1333x@1)       FLook (133211@1)at me still talking when there's science to do
F (133211@1)             C (x32010@1)               Bb (x1333x@1)         FWhen (133211@1)I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you
Gm (355333@1)                C (x32010@1)           F (133211@1)            Dm*
I've experiments to run, there is research to be done
B (x2444x@1)                   A (x02220@1)    D (xx0232@1)  Bm (x24432@1) DOn (xx0232@1)the people who are still alive

       Bm (x24432@1)      D (xx0232@1)       Bm (x24432@1)   DAnd (xx0232@1)believe me I am still alive
          Bm (x24432@1)        D (xx0232@1)        Bm (x24432@1)   DI'm (xx0232@1)doing science and I'm still alive
       Bm (x24432@1)          D (xx0232@1)        Bm (x24432@1)   DI (xx0232@1)feel fantastic and I'm still alive
                 Bm (x24432@1)       D (xx0232@1)       Bm (x24432@1)   DAnd (xx0232@1)while you're dying I'll be still alive
                Bm (x24432@1)        D (xx0232@1)       Bm (x24432@1)   DAnd (xx0232@1)when you're dead I will be still alive
D (xx0232@1)    BmStill (x24432@1)alive
D (xx0232@1)    BmStill (x24432@1)alive

The second version can be played sans capo using open chords, but is slightly harder.  
capo the verse is played using A and F#.

e|--------------------------------|
B|---------2------------2---------|
G|------2-----2------2-----2------|
D|---2-----------4------------2---|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|

            A (x02220@1)       F#m (244222@1)      AThis (x02220@1)was a triumph
F#m (244222@1)        A (x02220@1)        F#m (244222@1)    A (x02220@1)      F#mI'm (244222@1)making a note here: huge success
Bm (x24432@1)             E (022100@1)           A (x02220@1)  F#m (244222@1) AIt's (x02220@1)hard to overstate my satisfaction
F#m (244222@1)    A (x02220@1)     F#m (244222@1)    AAperture (x02220@1)Science
F#m (244222@1)         A (x02220@1)    F#m (244222@1)    A (x02220@1)     F#mWe (244222@1)do what we must because we can
Bm (x24432@1)            EFor (022100@1)the good of all of us
FM7
Except the ones who are dead
C (x32010@1)                  G (320003@1)         F (133211@1)      CBut (x32010@1)there's no sense crying over every mistake
C (x32010@1)              G (320003@1)             F (133211@1)        CYou (x32010@1)just keep on trying till you run out of cake
Dm (xx0231@1)                 G (320003@1)          C (x32010@1)         Am*
And the science gets done and you make a neat gun
F (133211@1)                    E (022100@1)    A (x02220@1)  F#m (244222@1)AFor (x02220@1)the people who are still alive

F#m (244222@1)        A (x02220@1)       F#m (244222@1)      AI'm (x02220@1)not even angry
F#m (244222@1)     A (x02220@1)   F#m (244222@1)      A (x02220@1)      F#mI'm (244222@1)being so sincere right now
Bm (x24432@1)            E (022100@1)                A (x02220@1)      F#m (244222@1)  AEven (x02220@1)though you broke my heart and killed me
F#m (244222@1)          A (x02220@1)     F#m (244222@1)     AAnd (x02220@1)tore me to pieces
F#m (244222@1)           A (x02220@1)    F#m (244222@1) A (x02220@1)     F#mAnd (244222@1)threw every piece into a fire
Bm (x24432@1)              EAs (022100@1)they burned it hurt because
FM7
I was so happy for you

C (x32010@1)                 G (320003@1)         F (133211@1)       CNow (x32010@1)these points of data make a beautiful line
C (x32010@1)              G (320003@1)           F (133211@1)        CAnd (x32010@1)we're out of beta, we're releasing on time
Dm (xx0231@1)              G (320003@1)              C (x32010@1)               Am*
So I'm glad I got burned, think of all the things we learned
F (133211@1)                    E (022100@1)    A (x02220@1)  F#m (244222@1)AFor (x02220@1)the people who are still alive

F#m (244222@1)        A (x02220@1)       F#m (244222@1)      AGo (x02220@1)ahead and leave me
F#m (244222@1)          A (x02220@1)    F#m (244222@1)  A (x02220@1)      F#mI (244222@1)think I'd prefer to stay inside
Bm (x24432@1)              E (022100@1)             A (x02220@1)      F#m (244222@1) AMaybe (x02220@1)you'll find someone else to help you
F#m (244222@1)       A (x02220@1)     F#m (244222@1)    AMaybe (x02220@1)Black Mesa
F#m (244222@1)      A (x02220@1)      F#m (244222@1)   A (x02220@1)     F#mThat (244222@1)was a joke, ha ha, fat chance
Bm (x24432@1)        EAnyway (022100@1)this cake is great
FM7
It's so delicious and moist
C (x32010@1)              G (320003@1)                  F (133211@1)        CLook (x32010@1)at me still talking when there's science to do
C (x32010@1)             G (320003@1)               F (133211@1)         CWhen (x32010@1)I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you
Dm (xx0231@1)                G (320003@1)           C (x32010@1)            Am*
I've experiments to run, there is research to be done
F (133211@1)                   E (022100@1)    A (x02220@1)  F#m (244222@1)AOn (x02220@1)the people who are still alive

       F#m (244222@1)     A (x02220@1)       F#m (244222@1)  AAnd (x02220@1)believe me I am still alive
          F#m (244222@1)       A (x02220@1)        F#m (244222@1)  AI'm (x02220@1)doing science and I'm still alive
       F#m (244222@1)         A (x02220@1)        F#m (244222@1)  AI (x02220@1)feel fantastic and I'm still alive
                 F#m (244222@1)      A (x02220@1)       F#m (244222@1)  AAnd (x02220@1)while you're dying I'll be still alive
                F#m (244222@1)       A (x02220@1)       F#m (244222@1)  AAnd (x02220@1)when you're dead I will be still alive
A (x02220@1)    F#mStill (244222@1)alive
A (x02220@1)    F#mStill (244222@1)alive


Before each chord with an asterisk [*], it adds a good effect if you strum open once 
the chord before the asterisk chord, which will be either a Dm or an Am depending on the version.

Show more