x************************* P L E A S E N O T E *************************
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************************* P L E A S E N O T E *************************
--Title: Son of Sam
--Artist: Elliott Smith
--Release: Figure 8
--last updated: 1/5/2008
--transcription by: Oteriman
--tuning: The studio version is standard (E A D G B E), but live he’s usually a half-step down
(Eb G# C# F# Bb Eb) or a whole step down (D G C F A D)
NOTE: There are about 5 or 6 different variations of this song between album & live, full band & acoustic.
This tab represents the most common way Elliott would play it, the version with the intricate fingerpicked
intro sections (seen here: http://youtu.be/E1PRlTCVBxQ). On occasion Elliott would substitute chords for
these parts (like this: http://youtu.be/jOmA--5_q6o). See the end for this simplified way.
[Intro]
First of all, here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
Am1 G#1 A/G A/F# G#/F# G1 F#/D7 F E
e|--0-----0-----0-----x------4-----0-----0-----1-----0--|
B|--5-----5-----5-----7------7-----0-----1-----1-----0--|
G|--5-----5-----0-----4------4-----0-----2-----2-----1--|
D|--0-----0-----0-----4------4-----0-----0-----3-----2--|
A|--x-----x-----x-----x------x-----x-----x-----3-----2--|
E|--5-----4-----5-----5------4-----3-----2-----1-----0--|
Here's the actual tab. This looks really complex (and it is), but if you're fingering reflects the positions
from the chords above, it'll be a lot more straightforward:
Am1 G#1 A/G
e|-----0----3---5---5---3------0------0----------------0----3---5--5/9---8----|
B|------------5-----------5---------5-----5---4p3-------------5---------------|
G|-----5-----5----5------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----0-----0----0-----------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------0------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----------5-----5-----5-------------|
A/F# G#/F# G1
e|--------------------------------------------------0--------------------|
B|----------7-----------7-----------7-------5---0-------3-------3--------|
G|------4-----4-----4-----4-----4-----4------h7-0-------------------2h4--|
D|----4------4----4------4----4------4----4-------0-------0---0-------0--|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-------3-----3-----3-----3------|
F#/D7 F E
e|-----0----0-0------0---------1----1-1----0----0--0--|
B|-----1----1-1---1h3---3-1----1----1-1----0----0--0--|
G|-----2------2----------------2------2----1-------1--|
D|-----0------0-----0----0-----3------3----2-------2--|
A|-----------------------------3------3----2-------2--|
E|--2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----0-----0-------|
[Verse 1]
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
A A1 D9 F E
e|--0-----2-----0-----1-----0--|
B|--2-----3-----3-----1-----0--|
G|--2-----5-----5-----2-----1--|
D|--2-----2-----4-----3-----2--|
A|--0-----0-----5-----3-----2--|
E|--x-----x-----x-----1-----0--|
And here's the actual tab:
A A1 D9
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----2----2-2----2----2-2----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----2----2-2----2----2-2----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----2------2----4------4----4------4--|
A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
F E
e|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----1------1----1------1--|
D|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
A|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
E|--1-----1-----1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
[Chorus 1]
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
Am B7 F C F#/B7 F
e|--0-----0-----1-----0-----0-----1--|
B|--1-----0-----1-----1-----0-----1--|
G|--2-----2-----2-----0-----2-----2--|
D|--2-----1-----3-----2-----1-----3--|
A|--0-----2-----3-----3-----x-----3--|
E|--x-----x-----1-----3-----2-----1--|
And here's the actual tab:
Am B7 F C F#/B7 F X 2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
B|-----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----0------0----2------2----2------2--|
D|-----2------2----1------1----3------3----2------2----1------1----3------3--|
A|--0-----0-----2-----2--------3------3----3------3----------------3------3--|
E|--------------------------1-----1-----3-----3-----2-----2-----1-----1------|
[VERSE 2] INTRO
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
Am1 G#1 E
e|--0-----0-----0--|
B|--5-----5-----0--|
G|--5-----5-----1--|
D|--0-----0-----2--|
A|--x-----x-----2--|
E|--5-----4-----0--|
And here's the actual tab:
Am1 G#1 E
e|-----0----3---5---5---3------0------0---0-0--------|
B|------------5-----------5---------5-----0-0-4/3-1--|
G|----/5-----5----5------5-----5-----5------1--------|
D|------------------------------------------2--------|
A|------------------------------------------2--------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----0------------|
[Verse 2]
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
A A1 D9 F E
e|--0-----2-----0-----1-----0--|
B|--2-----3-----3-----1-----0--|
G|--2-----5-----5-----2-----1--|
D|--2-----2-----4-----3-----2--|
A|--0-----0-----5-----3-----2--|
E|--x-----x-----x-----1-----0--|
And here's the actual tab:
A A1 D9
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----2----2-2----2----2-2----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----2----2-2----2----2-2----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----2------2----4------4----4------4--|
A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
F E
e|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----1------1----1------1--|
D|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
A|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
E|--1-----1-----1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
[Chorus 2]
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
Am B7 F C F#/B7 F
e|--0-----0-----1-----0-----0-----1--|
B|--1-----0-----1-----1-----0-----1--|
G|--2-----2-----2-----0-----2-----2--|
D|--2-----1-----3-----2-----1-----3--|
A|--0-----2-----3-----3-----x-----3--|
E|--x-----x-----1-----3-----2-----1--|
And here's the actual tab:
Am B7 F C F#/B7 F X 2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
B|-----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----0------0----2------2----2------2--|
D|-----2------2----1------1----3------3----2------2----1------1----3------3--|
A|--0-----0-----2-----2--------3------3----3------3----------------3------3--|
E|--------------------------1-----1-----3-----3-----2-----2-----1-----1------|
[Bridge]
(Chords basically are the tab for this section, so here's both)
A F1
e|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x----------------------------------------------|
B|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
G|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
D|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
A|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x--/8--8--8--8--x-x-8--8--8--8--x-x-8--8--x-x--|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D7V F6
|-/8-8-8-8-x-x-8-8-8-8-x-x-8-8-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-11-11-11-11-x-x-11-11-x-x--|
|-/7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
|-/7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A G/A F
e|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x---1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x--|
B|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x---1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x--|
G|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x---2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--|
D|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x---3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-x-x--|
A|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-x-x-x-x---3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-x-x--|
E|--------------------------3-3-------1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x--|
D7 F G G#/G
e|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-----1-1----------------|
B|--1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x-----1-1-----0-0---0-0--|
G|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-----2-2-----0-0---0-0--|
D|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x-----3-3-----0-0---0-0--|
A|--------------------------------------3-3----------------|
E|------------------------------------1-----1-3-----4------|
[Verse 3]
(Same chords from Verse 1)
A A1 D9
e|------0----------------------2----2-2----2----2-2----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|----------3---2--------------3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3--|
G|----2-------2-2---2---2-2----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|----2-------2-2-2------2-----2------2----2------2----4------4----4------4--|
A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
F E
e|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----1------1----1------1--|
D|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
A|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
E|--1-----1-----1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
[Chorus 3]
(Same chords from Chorus 1)
Am B7 F C F#/B7 F X 2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
B|-----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----0------0----2------2----2------2--|
D|-----2------2----1------1----3------3----2------2----1------1----3------3--|
A|--0-----0-----2-----2--------3------3----3------3----------------3------3--|
E|--------------------------1-----1-----3-----3-----2-----2-----1-----1------|
--OUTRO PART 1
(Same chords from Intro section)
Am1 G#1 A/G
e|-----0----3---5---5---3------0------0----------------0----3---5--5/9---8----|
B|------------5-----------5---------5-----5---4p3-------------5---------------|
G|-----5-----5----5------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----0-----0----0-----------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------0------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----------5-----5-----5-------------|
A/F# G#/F# G1
e|--------------------------------------------------0--------------------|
B|----------7-----------7-----------7-------5---0-------3-------3--------|
G|------4-----4-----4-----4-----4-----4------h7-0-------------------2h4--|
D|----4------4----4------4----4------4----4-------0-------0---0-------0--|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-------3-----3-----3-----3------|
F#/D7 F E
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0--0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0--0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----1-------1--|
D|-----0------0----0------0----3------3----2-------2--|
A|-----------------------------3------3----2-------2--|
E|--2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----0-----0-------|
--OUTRO PART 2
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
Am1 G#1 Am/C A/B G#/B G2 F#/A F1 E7
e|--0-----0-----0-----0------0-----0-----0-----0-----0--|
B|--5-----5-----0-----0------0-----0-----0-----0-----0--|
G|--5-----5-----5-----4------4-----4-----2-----2-----1--|
D|--0-----0-----5-----4------4-----0-----2-----0-----0--|
A|--x-----x-----x-----x------x-----x-----x-----x-----2--|
E|--5-----4-----5-----5------4-----3-----2-----1-----0--|
And here's the actual tab.
Am1 G#1 Am/C
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----5----5-5----5----5-5----5----5-5----5----5-5----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|-----0------0----0------0----0------0----0------0----5------5----5------5--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----4-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
A/B G#/B G2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4--|
D|-----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4----0------0----0------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----4-----3-----3-----3-----3------|
F#/A F1 E7
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0---0-0---0-0--|
B|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0---0-0---0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2-----2-----1--|
D|-----2------2----2------2----0------0-----0-----0--|
A|------------------------------------------------2--|
E|--2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----1-----0------|
Am F E A
e|----------------------------------------|
B|------1-----------------1------0-----2--|
G|----2-2-----------0----2------1-----2---|
D|----2---------0-2-----3------2-----2----|
A|--0-----0-2-3--------3------2-----0-----|
E|--------------------1------0------------|
THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOW FOR THE SIMPLIFIED WAY:
Substitute OUTRO PART 2 for the difficult tablature in INTRO, VERSE 2 INTRO, & OUTRO PART 1. Elliott does it
sometimes himself, so you shouldn't feel too guilty about it. :p
************************************************
b - bend
r - release
gb - gradual bend
gr - gradual release
h - hammer on
p - pull off
T - trill
W - whammy bar dive
\ - slide down
/ - slide up
x - mute
X\ - pick slide
~~~ - vibrato
*7 - artificial harmonic
*7* - natural harmonic
... - palm mute
(0) - optional note
XXX - tremolo pick
alt - variation of riff
************************************************
