-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             LOVE IS A DESERTER - The Kills
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tabbed by: Filip Mesko
Email: filip DOT mesko AT gmail DOT com

      === UPDATED! JULY 29, 2008 ===

Tuning: B F# B E G# C# (Tune to drop D and then tune everything three half-steps lower. 
This is to get a low, bassy tone.)

It it hard to tell how Jamie's playing since he uses such an odd tuning and such odd 
but this is basically it.

Remember that one can make many variations on this song!

It starts off with some sort of short mega distorted intro riff, and then the standard 
riff kicks in like this:

C# |-----------------------------|
G# |-----------------------------|
E  |-----------------------------|
B  |-------7---7-7-7-7-----------|
F# |-----------------------------|
B  |---7-7---7-------------------|

... with slight variations in the higher B-string (still fret 7 though, and the 
variations are syncronized with VV's vocals) for about 14 seconds then this variation
comes in a couple of times throughout the verse:

C# |------------------------------------------|
G# |------------------------------------------|
E  |------------------------------------------|
B  |-------7---7------7---7-7---9-9-----------|
F# |----------------------------------10-10---|
B  |---7-7---7---7-7----7-----7-----7---------|

It keeps going with slight variations until 00:39 when the "Say it again" part starts:

C# |---------------------------------------------|
G# |---------------------------------------------|
E  |---------------------------------------------|
B  |---------------10--10-------------10-9-8-7---|
F# |---------10-13-----------10-13---------------|
B  |---10-10---------10---10-------10------------|

(The 10-9-8-7 sequence is syncronized with the "Say it again" vocals.)

Then it goes back to the standard verse riff at 00:43.

Now comes the "Get the guns out" part at 00:46:

C# |------------------------------------------|
G# |------------------------------------------|
E  |------------------------------------------|
B  |-------------7---7--------7---7-(7)-7-7---|
F# |--------7-10---------7-10-----------------|
B  |---7--7--------7---7--------7-------------|

This is played two times and then:

C# |--------------------------------------------|
G# |--------------------------------------------|
E  |--------------------------------------------|
B  |-------------7---7--------7---7-------------|
F# |--------7-10---------7-10-------------------|
B  |---7--7--------7---7--------7---7-7-12-12---|

Now it is 00:57 and this is played (The lyrics goes "Your love is a deserter"):

C# |--------------------------------------|
G# |--------------------------------------|
E  |--------------------------------------|
B  |---12----12----12----10-10-10-10-10---|
F# |--(12)--(12)--(12)--(10-10-10-10-10)--|
B  |------12----12----10------------------|

Repeat the last two steps one more time, then this one last time:

C# |----------------------------------------|
G# |----------------------------------------|
E  |----------------------------------------|
B  |-------------7---7--------7---7-7-7-7---|
F# |--------7-10---------7-10-------7-7-7---|
B  |---7--7--------7---7--------7---7-7-7---|

Now it is 01:11 and the second verse begins, about the same way as the first one.

At 01:25 the second "Say it again" part begins but this time it is played twice.

At 01:40 the "Get the guns out" part (chorus, that is) comes once more but with whole 
instead of just the notes on the higher B string.

Then at 02:01 the whole song stops abruptly and kicks back in at 02:05 with 
this:

C# |-----------------------|
G# |---5-5-5-5-------------|
E  |---5-5-5-5-------------|
B  |---5-5-5-5-7-7-(12\)---| *3 (three times)
F# |---3-3-3-3-7-7-(12\)---|
B  |-----------7-7-(12\)---|

Then:

C# |----------------------|
G# |----------------------|
E  |----------------------|
B  |------------9-9-5-7---| *1
F# |---(2)(2)(2)----------|
B  |----2--2--2-----------|

Repeat the last two steps one more time.

Here comes the chorus ("Get the guns out..." but without "Your love is a deserter") 
at 02:19.

After that one, this starts at 02:33 ("Yeah, one eye..."):

C# |---------------------|
G# |---------------------|
E  |-----4-4-0-----------|
B  |-----5-5-5-----------| *3
F# |---------------------|
B  |---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|

C# |-----------------------|
G# |-----------------------|
E  |-----4-0-0-4-0-0-4-0---|
B  |-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---| *1
F# |-----------------------|
B  |---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|

Then sort of this synced with the "Uh, uh, uh-uh uh-uh, uh..."

C# |----------------------------------------|
G# |----------------------------------------|
E  |----------------------------------------|
B  |---------7---7---7-7----7---7---7-7-7---| *2
F# |---------------------10---------7-7-7---|
B  |---7-7-7---7---7----------7-----7-7-7---|

Repeat the last two steps once and then, at 03:02, the chorus comes again.

Now it is time for the final twist at 03:23:

C# |---------------------|
G# |---------------------|
E  |---------------------|
B  |---------------------| *2
F# |---------------------|
B  |---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---|

C# |----------------------------------|
G# |----------------------------------|
E  |----------------------------------|
B  |---7-7--5-------7-7-7-7-----------| *2
F# |-----------5^6--7-7-7-7-----------|
B  |----------------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---|

C# |-----------------------|
G# |-----------------------|
E  |-----------------------|
B  |---7-7-7-5-------------| *2
F# |-----------5-5-5-5-5---|
B  |-------------0-0-0-0---|

C# |-----------------------------------------|
G# |-----------------------------------------|
E  |-----------------------------------------|
B  |---7--7--5-------7-7-7-7-----------------|
F# |------------5^---7-7-7-7-----------------|
B  |-----------------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-12-12---|

Thereafter this is played once (along with "You love is a deserter"):

C# |-----------------------------------------|
G# |-----------------------------------------|
E  |-----------------------------------------|
B  |---12----12----12-------10-10-10-10-10---|
F# |---12----12----12-------10-10-10-10-10---|
B  |---12----12----12--10---10-10-10-10-10---|


...and then it ends abruptly with some sort of short air pressure noise and this:

C# |---x---|
G# |---x---|
E  |---x---|
B  |---7---|
F# |---7---|
B  |---7---|


That's basically it! Remember one can make very many variations on this song. Please 
e-mail me with improvements and/or suggestions etc... Hope it's correct and good luck!


| ^  bend
| /  slide up
| \  slide down
| h  hammer-on
| p  pull-off
| ~  let ring
| +  harmonic
| x  Mute note
===============================================================================
Show more