The ground work for this comes from the previous tab, but I've fixed some bits and
added little touches here and there that were left out. It should be noted that
James Mercer plays this song high up on the neck, so he uses a 5th root E barre
chord and the B on the same fret. It also sounds much better this way.
[Intro]
E------------|
B------------|
G-8-6-4-2-1--|
D------------|
A------------|
E-7-5-4-2-0--|
then
E B X4
E B E B
Shut out, pimpled and angry
E B A B
I quietly tied all my guts into knots
E B E B
Gave up on trying to make them
E B A B
I Figured it'd take them too long to look up
C#m Ab A E
And besides, it was undeniably clear to me, I don't know why
A E D A
When every other part of life seemed locked behind shutters
B
I knew the worthless dregs we've always been
E B E B
Lucked out, found my favourite record
E B A B
Lying in wait at the Birmingham Mall
E B E B E
The songs that I heard, the occasional book
B A B Ab
Were the only fun I ever took
A B E
And I got on with making myself
(Instrumental, listen for timing to change from E to A, easy to see when Mercer plays it live)
E A B
E A B
Ab A B C
Now the trick is just making yourself
C G
But when they're parking their cars on your chest
G C
You've still got a view of the summer sky
C G C
To make it hurt twice when your restless body caves to it's whim
C B
And suddenly struggles to take flight
Riff
E-------------------|
B-------------------|
G-----0-------------|
D-------------------|
A---2---------------|
E-3-----7-----------|
Alternating pluck
E---------------------------------|
B---------------------------------|
G---------------------------------|
D---------------------------------|
A---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|
E-7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---|
Rundown:
E------------|
B------------|
G-8-6-4-2-1--|
D------------|
A------------|
E-7-5-4-2-0--|
(Instead of rundown riff, Chords B A Abm F#m can be played here)
E B E
Three thousand miles north-east
B E B A B E
I left all my friends at the morning bus stop shaking their heads
E B E B E
"What kind of life you dream of? You're allergic to love"
B A B C#m
Yes I know but I must say in my own defense
Ab A E
It's been undeniably dear to me, I don't know why
A E D A
When every other part of life seemed locked behind shutters
B
I knew the worthless dregs we are
The selfless, loving saints we are
E
The melting, sliding dice we've always been
I hope this helps. It took me a while to find out which chord the A was in the
"when every other part" section, but I watched a few live performances to get it.
It sounded odd at first, but most definitely right.
NOTE: During the break (C and G, when they're parking their cars on your chest),
during live performances James uses open chords for the C and G and plays the
bottom strings for the B. It gives a different tone and sounds much better.
Alternatively, for the Intro and Rundown, you can simply play B A Abm F#m E.
