xTitle: Alone (Acoustic)
Artist: Ben Harper
Okay, here is the correct way to play this song. Lots of version, with parts close
but, no one got the chorus right. And what the heck, while at it, I threw in the
chords too. On acoustic, if playing solo, you can play these chords instead of just
hitting 1 note at a time. It sounds great. When playing Alone alone, I use just notes
for Intro, Pre-Chorus, and Post Chorus riffs. In the Verse and Chorus I use the
chords. For those, follow the tabs and hit the bassnote on the E string then strum
down-up-down-up's as indicated on strings A, D, and G - following the A string lead
below. It should be easy enough to figure out. Enjoy/comment/rate!
Tuning: Recommend D Tuning (one whole step down)
* However, I'm displaying/listing in std tuning for simplification
Chords:
A/E = 0-12--x-14--x-x
G/E = 0-10--x-12--x-x
F#/E = 0--9--x-11--x-x
E/E = 0--7--x--9--x-x
C = 8-10-10-(9)-x-x
B = 7--9--9-(8)-x-x
A = 5--7--7-(6)-x-x
Gmmaj7 = 3--x--4-(3)-x-x *
G = 3--5--5-(4)-x-x *
* On chorus Gmmaj7, if strumming chords, it is actually a G (355xxx) on the bass
note beat (4th) and then a Gmmaj7 on the quick up-downs. If picking notes, it is
easier to just fret the Gmmaj7. I will list over lyrics as Gmmaj7 only because that
original song is not strummed.
**************************
Section Breakdowns:
INTRO:
A/E G/E F#/E G/E
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---12-12-12-12-10-10-10-10---9-9-9-9---10-10-10-10-|
E|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
C B
e|---------------------------------------------------||
B|---------------------------------------------------||
G|--------------------------------------------------:|| (repeat x4)
D|---------------------------------------------------||
A|---10-10-10-10----10--10-----9-9-9-9------9---9----||
E|--8-----------8-----------7-----------7------------||
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
4) This...
VERSE: (w/ verse 1 lyrics)
A/E G/E F#/E G/E
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---12-12-12-12-10-10-10-10---9-9-9-9---10-10-10-10-|
E|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1a) emp- -ty room it
2a) Free- -dom it leaves
3a) Eve- -ry sin- -gle
4a) But in this life you
C B
e|--------------------------------------------------||
B|--------------------------------------------------||
G|-------------------------------------------------:|| (x4)
D|--------------------------------------------------||
A|---10-10-10-10----10--10-----9-9-9-9------9---9---||
E|--8-----------8-----------7-----------7----(7)----||
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1b) fills my mind.
2b) me con- -fi- -i- -ned.
3b) wall has cracked.
4b) can't turn ba- -a- -ack.
PRE-CHORUS: (w/ 2nd lyrics)
C B
e|--------------------------------------------------||
B|--------------------------------------------------||
G|-------------------------------------------------:|| (x2)
D|--------------------------------------------------||
A|---10-10-10-10----10--10-----9-9-9-9------9---9---||
E|--8-----------8-----------7-----------7----(7)----||
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1) I don't want to be, I
2) don't wanna be here (A-)
CHORUS:
E/E C A G* Gmmaj7
e|--------------------------------------------------||
B|--------------------------------------------------||
G|-------------------------------------------------:|| (x3)
D|-----------------------------------------4-(4)-4--||
A|-----7-7-7-7-----10(10)10----7-7-7-7--------------||
E|--0-----------8-----------5-----------3-----------||
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1)A-lone... (Aah, ahh, ah) (Aaa-)
2)A-lone... (Aah, ahh, ah) (A-a-)
3)A-lone... (Aah, ahh, ah) (Ayy-)
then...
E/E C A
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------| (x1)
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|-----7-7-7-7-----10(10)10----7-7-7-7------7---7---|
E|--0-----------8-----------5-----------5-----------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
4)A-lone... (Aah, ahh)
A
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------| (x1)
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|-----7-7-7-7------7---7------7-7-7-7------7---7---|
E|--5-----------5-----------5-----------5-----------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
OUTRO: (last line on final Chorus)
E/E C A
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------(6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)| (End)
D|--------------------------7-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-|
A|-----7-7-7-7-----10---10--7-~~~~~~(ring)~~~~~~~~~-|
E|--0-----------8-----------5-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
A-lone (Aah, ahhhhhhhhhhhh!)
***********************
Okay, now for the lyrics and chords....
ALONE - Ben Harper
Intro: (x4)
A/E G/E F#/E G/E |
C B |
This...
Verse 1:
A/E G/E F#/E G/E |C B |
Emp--ty room it fills my mind
A/E G/E F#/E G/E |C B |
Free-dom it leaves me con-fined
A/E G/E F#/E G/E |C B |
Eve--ry sin---gle wall has cracked
A/E G/E F#/E G/E |C B |
But in this life you can't turn back
Pre-chorus:
C B |
I don't want to live,
C B |
I don't wan-na li-i-ive...
Chorus:
E/E C A Gmmaj7* | (*G then Gmmaj7, if strumming chords)
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7* |
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7* |
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A |A |
Alone (ah, ah)
Verse 2:
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B
As these words are with my tongue
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B
I ques-tion why they're even su-ng
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B
I have pro---mised but I lied
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B
I don't even know myself inside
Pre-chorus:
C B
I don't want to be,
C B
I don't wanna be here
Chorus:
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A A
Alone (ah, ah)
Interlude/Solo: (played over 2 verse passes than a full chorus w/o "Alone"s)
A/E G/E F#/E G/E
C B
A/E G/E F#/E G/E
C B
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
(ah, ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
(ah, ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
(aah, ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A A
(ah, ah, ah)
Verse 3: (**first two passes don't get played on CD)
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B **
Today and tomor--row have be-come one.
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B **
Every single thing has become no-ne
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B
Hu---man na----ture is a beast
A/E G/E F#/E G/E C B
What I've done the most to show I have the least
Pre-chorus: (w/ extra pass)
C B
Please don't leave me here
C B
Please don't leave me here
C B
Don't you leave me
Chorus: (w/ Outro ending)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A Gmmaj7*
Alone (ah, ah, ah)
E/E C A~~~~~~~
Alone (ah, ahhhh!)
*END*
Great song. Beginners, you should be able to play this if you know the song pretty
well. I would recommend just playing the notes, no chords, as in the tabs. Where
4 notes are shown on the 5th (A) string it, you can use 2 to get the rhythm down.
Then, move to 3 notes and graduate to 4. Very fun song and it is great for both
fretting and picking accuracy while trying to keep a clean rhythm going.
Example of the Intro/Verse riff using chords:
(Yes, I know this isn't how the song is played, but give it a try. I think you'll
like it.)
V = hard down
v = quick down
u = quick up
A/E G/E F#/E G/E
V v--u--v--u V v--u--v--u V v--u--v--u V v--u--v--u
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|----14-14-14-14---12-12-12-12---11-11-11-11---12-12-12-12--|
D|----x--x--x--x----x--x--x--x----x--x--x--x----x--x--x--x---|
A|----12-12-12-12---10-10-10-10---9--9--9--9----10-10-10-10--|
E|--0-------------0-------------0-------------0--------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
C B
V v--u--v--u V V V V v--u--v--u V V V
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|------(9)---(9)----(9)--(9)-------(8)---(8)----(8)---(8)---|
D|----10-10-10-10-----10---10-----9--9--9--9------9-----9----|
A|----10-10-10-10-----10---10-----9--9--9--9------9-----9----|
E|--8-------------8-------------7-------------7-----(7)------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Then the same idea for the chorus chords.
