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One Week Recorded by Barenaked Ladies From the Album STUNT Words and Music by Ed Robertson Transcribed by John Argentiero ------
Here's the deal. This is a two guitar song, no two ways about it. You can do it with one, and its sounds ok, but you'll be missing out on a lot of the cool licks, including one I didn't even hear until I started trying to tab it out. (Well, mostly you'll be missing that one lick, which I didn't even notice...maybe it is a one guitar song... oh well...) So first I'll do the easy, one guitar method, which has about four chords. (Damn fine chords though!)
BNL plays this song with a capo on the second fret, which is why the voicings of the chords sound as they do. If you want to play it without a capo, feel free, I'd been doing so until I saw them on Letterman. Just move it to A instead of G.
So the tab below is written relative to the second fret. Here's all the chords for guitar one for the whole song. I'll just call them by name, so refer here if you get lost...
G Cadd9 Em7 Dsus4 G/B e----3----3-------3------3------3----| B----3----3-------3------3------3----| G----0----0-------0------2------0----| D----0----2-------2------0------0----| A----2----3-------2-------------2----| E----3------------0------------------|
Also, there a LOT of words in this song. I'll include them here for reference, but it'll be a tad on the annoying side to write chords for the whole song, since the verses only have one chord/riff (on the CD anyway).
CHORUS ------ After the first G in each phrase, mute the guitar until you hit the next G. That'll make a lot more sense when you listen to it. Leave some dead space, or fill it with a little percussion on the strings. Better yet, get some other schmoe to play with you and add the riff at the end!
G G Cadd9 Its been one week since you looked at me
G G Cadd9 Cocked your head to the side and said Im angry
G G Cadd9 Five days since you laughed at me saying
G G Cadd9 Get that together come back and see me
(Same as above) Three days since the living room, I realized its all my fault, but couldnt tell you Yesterday youd forgiven me But itll still be two days till I say Im sorry
VERSES ------ The main guitar here is (I think) Ed. Playing a good ol' G chord. Not the whole chord, just the top three strings. Very percussively. On the CD, it's a very clean electric being played. If you're doing it alone, you may go for the whole G chord, since Ed has a bass, keyboard and drums backing him and you don't. Very straight forward though, a few listens and you'll have the rhythm down cold. And if you can sing it and play it at the same time, you get a ribbon or something. For those that care, when BNL does this live, both Ed and Steve go between a G and a Cadd9 for the verses, which the bass at times hints at. (They may do this on the CD too, it's hard to pick it up in spots...Just play around...) ---
Hold it now and watch the hoodwink As I make you stop, think Youll think youre looking at Aquaman I summon fish to the dish, Although I like the Chalet Swiss I like the sushi Cause its never touched a frying pan
Hot like wasabe when I bust rhymes Big like Leann Rimes Because Im all about value Bert Kaempferts got the mad hits You try to match wits You try to hold me but I bust through
Gonna make a break and take a fake Id like a stinkin, achin shake I like vanilla, Its the finest of the flavors Gotta see the show, Cause then youll know The Vertigo is gonna grow Cause its so dangerous, Youll have to sign a waiver
PRE-CHORUS ---------- This has a real laid back feel. Don't bang out the strings, and I think it sounds better if you only hint at playing the high E string. Emphasize the bass notes. Or do whatever, it's your guitar. ---
Em7 Dsus4 How can I help it if I think youre funny when youre mad
G/B Cadd9 Trying hard not to smile though I feel bad
Em7 Dsus4 Im the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral
G/B Cadd9 Cant understand what I mean? Well, you soon will
Em7 Dsus4 I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve
G/B Cadd9 I have a history of taking off my shirt
CHORUS AGAIN ------------ Same chords, different words. How uncouth.
Its been one week since you looked at me Threw your arms in the air and said youre crazy Five days since you tackled me Ive still got the rug burns on both my knees Its been three days since the afternoon You realized its not my fault not a moment too soon Yesterday youd forgiven me And now I sit back and wait till you say youre sorry
BRIDGE ------
Here's the main bridge riff This is done very staccato and percussive. I think this riff is Kevin's, he does some other stuff like it on Stunt, and on his solo album. (Remember, this relative to the 2nd fret)
e---------7------------7--| B-------8-----8------8----| G---7h9---------7--7------| D-------------------------| A-------------------------| E-------------------------|
If you don't want to play that riff, just play a G for the bridge, or do as they do live and play G and Cadd9. Whatever sounds right. The mini-solo is tabbed out at the end. ---
VERSE 2 ------- Much the same as verse one, but with some golfing thrown in. ----
Chickity China the Chinese chicken You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin Watchin X-Files with no lights on, Were dans la maison I hope the Smoking Mans in this one Like Harrison Ford Im getting Frantic Like Sting Im Tantric Like Snickers, guaranteed to satisfy
Like Kurosawa I make mad films Okay I dont make films But if I did theyd have a samurai Gonna get a set of better clubs Gonna find the kind with tiny nubs Just so my irons arent always flying off the backswing Gotta get in tune with Sailor Moon Cause that cartoon has got the boom anime babes That make me think the wrong thing
PRECHORUS --------- Making life a bit easier, this is again the same as the prior Prechorus.
How can I help it if I think youre funny when youre mad Trying hard not to smile though I feel bad Im the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral Cant understand what I mean? You soon will I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve I have a history of losing my shirt
FINAL CHORUS ------------ Again, you've seen it before, go to it! -----
Its been one week since you looked at me Dropped your arms to your sides and said Im sorry Five days since I laughed at you and said You just did just what I thought you were gonna do Three days since the living room We realized were both to blame, but what could we do? Yesterday you just smiled at me Cause itll still be two days till we say were sorry
Outro ----- The guitar here is just like for the verses, the percussive G chord.
Itll still be two days till we say were sorry Itll still be two days till we say were sorry Birchmount Stadium, home of the Robbie
End on G.
---- Now the fun parts, the lead guitar! These are all done on electric, with a bit o' distortion, still cleaner sounding than the main riff. Ed does them live, not sure about the record.
CHORUS RIFF ----------- This adds a nice dissonance to the chorus I didn't pick up on for a while. Play that first note right after the G in the main riff is muted. The chord above correspond to guitar one's chords, the ~ is vibrato and the b(7) is a bend to the tone of the 7th fret.
G G C G(7) e---------3--------0---1~------------------| B---------3-----3--3---3~------------------| G---------0-----0--0---0-----5b(7)b5-4~----| D------------------------------------------| A------------------------------------------| E------------------------------------------|
BRIDGE SOLO ----------- While one guitar does the fast, staccato riff, another does a semi-solo The bend in the third bar is a ghost bend, start with the bend from the 2nd fret and release it when you hit the string.
e--------------|----------|--------------------------------------| B--------------|----------|------------------------1--3~---------| G--------------|-------0--|(4)b2-0---------------0--------2--0---| D---0-/5--/9~--|-0--2-----|--------2--0--2---0-2-----------------| A--------------|----------|--------------------------------------| E--------------|----------|--------------------------------------|
e---------2----3---| B------3-----------| And straight into the 2nd verse G---2--------------| D------------------| A------------------| E------------------|
There are also tons of little fills in the verses, but they're all based on the G chord (well, almost all) and tabbing them out won't be of much help. Plus, I'm tired, so figure them out yourself. You slacker.
Anyway, hope this helps you play BNL's happy new radio-friendly single, currently at #1 on the alternative singles chart!
Comments, questions, home-brewing inquiries or news of an ABBA reunion, me at jargent@wam.umd.edu
-John
John Argentiero jargent@wam.umd.edu
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