THE WATERBOYS GUITAR TABS
A GIRL CALLED JOHNNY
Throughout: Am – Am7 – D7 – Dm7 – Am (with C bass)
A PAGAN PLACE
Tune the ‘b’ string up to D
Then play a ‘C’ shape, including 3rd fret of low ‘E’ string, and raise the whole chord two frets (= Dsus E).
That and a straight C are the two principal chords, with a passing Em (‘C’ shape raised 4 frets, but no finger on the ‘b’ string) between them, and a ‘G’ (‘C shape raised 7 frets) during 2nd half of instrumental between verses 2 & 3)
A SONG FOR THE LIFE
Intro & verse: D ? F sharp m – Bm – Bm – G – A – D – A
D – F sharp m – Bm – Bm – G – A ? D – D
Chorus: G – A – D – D – G – A – Bm – Bm ?
G – A – Bm – G – D ? F sharp m – Bm – Bm – G – A – D – D
End repeats: G – A – D – D – G – A – Bm – Bm – G – A .. D
ALL THE THINGS SHE GAVE ME
Intro, verses & outro: Am – D – C (G bass) – Bm
Chorus: C – F (C Bass) – D – G (D bass)
BE MY ENEMY
Am – Am – Am – Am – D – D – Am – Am – C – C – Em – Em – Am – Am – Am – Am
Fifth verse holds Am for 32 bars…
BIGGER PICTURE
Throughout: G – Am – Am7 – G
Add hesitation accent on last G at ends of verses and in outro
THE CHARLATAN’S LAMENT
In Eb minor… Capo on 6th fret, and the following shapes:
Intro: Am – G – F – Em (repeat whole line) with top melody of E – D – B – C/B
Verse: Am – G – F – Em (play four times) – Dm – E
(end of second & third verse have extra bar on E)
Chorus: G – G – D – D (E) – F – Em – Dsus – D
Outro vamp and fuzz vocal reel: Dsus – D
For actual chords or to play on keyboard etc raise them all up 6 semitones.
The Waterboys usually play this live in F.. (up 9 or down 3 semitones)
THE CHRIST IN YOU
Capo on 4th fret, then these shapes:
Am – C – Fmaj7.. (x 4)
Dm – C – G
Dm – C – E
Fmaj7 – C – G
Dm – C – E
THE CRASH OF ANGEL WINGS
key of B
Intro, verses and outro: B – Bsus – B ? F sharp m – A (repeated)
Chorusses and bridge: Gmaj7 – A – D – Esus – Gmaj7 – A
3rd chorus: Gmaj7 – A – D – Esus – Gmaj – A – D – Esus – Gmaj7 – A
DECEMBER
E – E – E – Esus with changes to Bm throughout
DON’T BANG THE DRUM
Intro: Em – Em – Bm7 – Bm7 – A – Asus – G – G
Verses 1&2: Em – Bm7- Em -Bm7 – C – Em – C – C – Em – D – Em – D – C ? C ?
A – Am7 ? Em
Inst. bridge: Em – D – C – Bm – Em – Bm7 – A – Asus – G – G
V3: Em – D – C – Bm – C – Bm – Em – D – C – Bm (repeat last 4 chords to fade)
EBOL
In E minor… Capo on 7th fret.
First sequence: Am plus B (= A minor with open 5th string) – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7
Second sequence: C – G7 – Am – Fmaj7
For actual chords or to play on keyboard etc, raise them all 7 semitones.
Sometimes played in D minor – same chord shapes, capo on 5th fret.
EDINBURGH CASTLE
The verse chords are: Em – Bm7 – A – Cmaj7
Chorus chords are: Em – D – A7 – C
EVERLASTING ARMS
Intro: C sharp m – A – E – B (x2)
V1: C sharp m – A – E – B (x 2)
C sharp m – A – E (B bass) – B (x2) – E
V2: as V1 but ends on E – Esus7
Bridge: A – E (G sharp. bass) – E – Esus7 – A – E (G sharp bass) – D – A – B
V3: Cm – A – E – B (x 2)
Cm – A – E (B bass) – B (x2)
C sharp m – A – E (B bass) – B – A – A – A
Outro: E – B – C sharp m – A (x 4, long ‘A’ on last line, with resolve to final ‘E’)
EVERYBODY TAKES A TUMBLE
G – Em – Am – D throughout… No capo.
EVERY BREATH IS YOURS
Stick the capo on the 4th fret, then play these shapes:
Chorus: A – D/Bm7 – A – Esus – E – Bm – Esus – E – A.. (last chorus go to F sharp m)
Verse:.. C sharp m ? F sharp m – Bm – Esus – E
FISHERMAN’S BLUES
Intro, verses & instrumentals: G – F – Am – C
Chorusses 1 & 2: G – F – Am – and straight into ‘G’ of instrumental
Chorus 3: G – F – Am – C
FURTHER UP, FURTHER IN
Intro and chorusses:.. G – Am – Am – G (B bass) – G – Am – Am/D/G/D
Verses: G – G – G – C – Em – Em7 – C – D – G – G – G – C – Em – Em7 – C – D
HOW LONG WILL I LOVE YOU?
Verses: G – D – C – G – Am – Am7 – D
Bridge: C – Am – D – G – C – Am D
IS SHE CONSCIOUS?
capo 4
Verses: Am – Em – G – D
Chorus: C – Em – D – C – Em – D – Am – Em – G – D
I KNOW SHE’S IN THE BUILDING
In AM. Capo on 5th fret, then the following shapes:
Main riff and first 2 lines of verse: Em – A – A/G
2nd half of verse: Am – C – Dsus – D – (back to riff)
Bridge: Am – G – G (F sharp passing note) – Em – E – G – Am – Em – C – Dsus- D
For actual chords or to play on keyboard/bass raise them all up 5 semitones.
Melody of main riff (real notes, not transposed):
(pause) A – A – C ? C.. – D – D – C – D – C
KILLING MY HEART
On record:
E – A – E – E
E – A – E – E
E – A – E – E
D – A – E – E
(same each verse and instrumental)
Live: In G – same shapes but capo on the 3rd fret.<
LOVE AND DEATH
In A
Theme: E (with added high C sharp) – D (with F sharp bass note)
4 times
Verse : D ? E (4 times)
D – A (C sharp bs) – Bm – E (2 times)
Dmaj7 – A (C sharp bs) – Bm (with added high C sharp) E (2 times)
A – Amaj7 (E bs) – A7 – D (F sharp bs) – Dm (F sharp bs) – A (E bs) – Bm (D bs) – Esus/E
– and back to the theme.
MEDICINE BOW
Verse is repeated riff: Em .. A
Chorus: C – A – G – (F sharp bass) – Em (and back to riff)
Bridge: C – Em – C – A
MY DARK SIDE
capo 2
Verses: Em – G – D – D/A/Em
Chorusses: Am – C – Em – Em
Bridge: Am – Am – Em – Em – Am – Am – G – D – Am – Em – D – D
End: (‘I’ve been hurt?’): Am – Am – G – D – Amajor
ON MY WAY TO HEAVEN
Intro vamp on A
All verses: A (2 bars) – D (1 and 1/2 bars) – A (1/2 bar) – A (1 and ½
bars) ? F sharp m (1/2 bar) – A (1/2 bar) – E (1/2 bar) – A (1 bar)
Last chorus repeats A – E twice and resolves on held A7, into outro vamp on A
THE PAN WITHIN
Verses: F – Em – Am – Am (3 times)
End of second and fourth verses add Em – G each time
Instrumentals: Am – G – Em – Em (4 times)
Bridge: Am – G – Em – Em (8 times)
PEACE OF IONA
Studio version: Am – C – G – Am.. throughout. On Universal Hall it is played with
Capo on 5th fret and these shapes: Em – G – D – Em
Live version: Bm – D – A – Bm throughout. On Karma To Burn it is played with capo on 7th fret, and these shapes: Em – G – D – Em.
RED ARMY BLUES
Am – F – G – Em throughout except:
Intro: 2 x Am – Em – Am – Em – F – Em – F – Gsus-G
Second half of Verse 4: rising bass line of A – C – D – E under the usual chords.
THE RETURN OF JIMI HENDRIX
Throughout: Am – C – G – Fmaj7
(‘Karma To Burn’ version: Bm – D – A – Gmaj7)
THE RETURN OF PAN
Verse is F – Em – Am – F – Em – Am – F – Em – Am7 – G – F – Em – Am
Bridge: C – G – F – Am – C – G – F – Am – C – G – E – E
SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL
Capo on 2nd fret, then these shapes:
Verses: C – Em7 – Am – Fmaj7
Bridge: Em – C – Fmaj7 – Am – Em – G – C – Fmaj7 – Am – G
SILENT FELLOWSHIP
In G
Intro and verse: G – C (G bass) – G – G (play line twice)
Em – Am – Dsus – D – Cmaj7 – Em7 – Dsus – D
Outro: Cmaj7 – C – G – G (twice)
Em – Em (plus C on top) – G .. G Cmaj 7 – C – G – G
SOMETHING THAT IS GONE
Each verse and instrumental:
Fmaj7- Cmaj7- Bb- Bbmaj7- Fmaj7- Em7- Dm7- Em7- Am7 – Bb- Bbmaj7 (with G bass)- Em (with A bass) – F
Last extra coda line = Em (with C bass) F
SPRING COMES TO SPIDDAL
Verse: D – G – D – Bm – D – D – A
D – D7 – G – D – D – Bm – Em – D
Bridge: A – D – A – D – G – D – D – A
STRANGE BOAT
Verses: A – A – D – A – E – E7 – A – A
Bridge: D ? F sharp m ? F sharp m7 – B – E – E7
THE STOLEN CHILD
Intro and all verses/chorusses:
G – D (F sharp bass) – Em – Em – G – D (F sharp bass) – Em – Em
C – G (B bass) – Am – Am – C – G (B bass) – Am – C
End of song, after repeated final chorus, hold on a Cmajor 7 and end with:
G (B bass) – D (A bass) – Em (G bass) – C (G bass)
SUFFER
Chorus: Em – Bm (repeated)
Verse: C – Bm – Em – D (3 times)
C – Bm – Em – Bm (once)
THIS IS THE SEA
Intro, verses, instrumentals: E – E – A – A
chorusses and last line: E (G sharp bs) – A (F sharp bs) – A
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
Throughout: C – G – D – G
TWA’ RECRUITIN’ SERGEANTS
Verses: E – F sharp m – A – E – E – B – A – E – F sharp m – C sharp m – C sharp m – E – E – F sharp m – E
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
Verse: E ? G sharp m ? C sharp m .. A
Bridge: G sharp m ? C sharp m ? C sharp m7 – A ? Gm – B
THE WHOLE OF THE MOON
In C
This song is based on two chord changes.
1) C – G (C bass)
2) F – C D (F bass)
The third verse has a straight descending bassline from C to low D
Version on ‘Karma To Burn’ ? in Bb
WONDERFUL DISGUISE
Capo on first fret then these shapes:
G – G (F sharp bass) ? Em (x 3)
C – C (B bass) ? Am (x 2)
YOU IN THE SKY
‘Fisherman’s Blues’ version throughout: G – C – G – C – G – D – Am – C
2006-7 version:.. E – A – E – A – E – B – F sharp m – A
Source: The Waterboys’ Myspace Blog
