xGrey Street - Dave Matthews Band
This is one of Dave's easier songs, in terms of chords (stretching), but the rhythm is tough to
get down for the verses. These chords are from DMBTabs.com, which is awesome. Check it for their
videos of how to play this song. But, it was still a pain to figure out how to use tab info over
the lyrics. And I was shocked/pissed that there isn't a decent chord post for great song anywhere
- just tabs. Well, this should do it, enjoy!
Note: This is the extended version I've heard on the radio before, but not the shorter one like
I have in mp3. I fit chords I hear in my version over the extra lyrics.
Chords: (Std Tuning)
Bm - 7xx7xx (or 7xx77x)
G - 3xx4xx (or 3xx43x)
A - 5xx6xx (or 5xx65x) Alternative chords are more acoustic/full sounding,
D/F# - 2xx2xx (or 2x032x) but a lot harder to play
Bmadd9-x24432
A/C# - x4222x
G2 - 320003
D2 - xx0232 (or 2x0232)
A2 - xx222x (or x4222x)
========================
[Intro/Verse]
|1 . . 2 . . 3 . . 4 . . |1 . . 2 . . 3 . . 4 . . |
Bm G A |D/F# G A D/F# G |
/ / / / / / / / / / /
[Chorus]
|1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . |1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . |
:Bmadd9 |A/C# |
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / /
D2 |G2 |: (repeat as needed)
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / /
then (on last line)...
|1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . |1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . |
Bmadd9 |A2 |* then right into verse progression
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
Okay, that's the info, let's get to the song...
Grey Street (Chords)
[Intro]
Bm G A |D/F# G A D/F# G | (x4)
Oh...
[Verse 1]
Bm G A |D/F# G A D/F# G | (x8)
Look at how she listens. She says
nothing of what she thinks. She just goes
stumbling through her memories, Star-ing
out on to Grey Street. But she thinks,
"Hey, How did I
come to this? I dream myself a
thousand times around the world, but I can't get
out of this place." (yeah) Oh there's an...
[Chorus 1]
Bmadd9 |A/C# |
Empt-i-ness in-side her. And, she'll do
D2 |G2 |
an-y-thing to fill it in. But all the
Bmadd9 |A2 | * back to verse chords
colors mix to-gether.......... to (Grey!)
Bm G A |D/F# G A D/F# G | (x2)
Grey! And it
breaks her heart! (How she...)
[Verse 2]
Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
How she wishes it was different
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
She prays to God most every night
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
And though she swears He doesn't listen
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
There's still a hope in her He might
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
She says, "I pray
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
But they fall on deaf ears,
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
Am I supposed to take it on myself?
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
To get out of this place" (yeah) (Oh there's...)
[Chorus 2]
Bmadd9 A/C#
There's loneliness inside her
D2 G2
And she'd do anything to fill it in
Bmadd9 A/C#
And though it's red blood bleeding from her now
D2 G2
It feels like cold blue ice in her heart
Bmadd9 A2 *Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
When all the colors mix together - to Grey!
G Bm G A D/F# GA D/F# G
And it breaks her heart. (There's a...)
[Verse 3]
Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
There's a stranger speaking outside her door
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
Says take what you can from your dreams
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
Make them as real as anything
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
It'd take the work out of the courage
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
But she says, "Please
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
There's a crazy man that's creeping outside my door,
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
I live on the corner of Grey Street
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
and the end of the world!" (Oh there's an...)
[Chorus 3]
Bmadd9 A/C#
There's an emptiness inside her
D2 G2
And she'd do anything to fill it in
Bmadd9 A/C#
And though it's red blood bleeding from her now
D2 G2
It's more like cold blue ice in her heart
Bmadd9 A/C#
She feels like kicking out all the windows
D2 G2
And setting fire to this life
Bmadd9 A/C#
She could change everything about her,
D2 G2
using colors bold and bright
Bmadd9 A2 *Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
But all the colors mix together - to Grey!
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
And it breaks her heart.
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
And it breaks her heart.
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F#
It breaks her heart.
G Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
To Grrrr-eeeeee-yyyyyyyyyy--yyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
Yeaaahhhhhhh-hhhhhhhhhh-hhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
Yeah, yeah, yeah-ah!
Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
Bm G A D/F# G A D/F# G
Bm G A D/F#
END
Comments:
I've updated the intro/verse ("main") progression to show the correct timing. In doing so, I've
simplified it only to a rhythm overview. There are slides, palms/mutes and double strums mixed
in there, but you should be able to figure out the interpretable details more easily without me
complicating the picture. The sliding between G, A, D/F# and D/F#, G, and back up to Bm should
be intuitive if you look at the formations. To get this down, I recommend using 2 figured chords
with the Bm and D/F# using middle (on 6th string) and ring (on 3rd string) and G and A using
index (on 6th) and ring (locked on 3rd). The correct way (Dave's way) is to use E-form bar.
Since I am not Dave, nor trying to be, I use only 2 fingers out at a time and it is still a
really fun and quick moving pattern. Additionally, my sloppy, fat fingers are really good about
accidentally muting strings. Well, here you WANT to mute out the 5th and 2nd strings (so, job
accomplished). For the muted 4th string, I have found that it doesn't sound bad left open. I
think I'm starting to prefer it this way actually.
Going back to my 2-finger suggestion, if you start out by picking, simultaniusly, the 6th and 3rd
strings with your thumb and middle finger (respectfully) then you will hear the song unfold. When
the light goes off, grab a pick and start strumming.
