matthewgruman.com

Photo Source: Secretly Canadian.

The Chords

The entire song is three chords (G#m Eb C#m) with occasional embellishments. You can either play it with barre chords, or slap a capo on the 4th fret and use more open chords.

The Tab

Songs: Ohia
Captain Badass

Chords (bracketed chords are embellishments to throw in occasionally):

G#m: 466444 (466454)
Eb: x68xxx (x69xxx)
C#m: x46654

The entire song is G#m Eb C#m G#m

Alternate chords (bracketed chords are embellishments):

CAPO IV

Em: 022000 (022010)
B: x24xxx (x25xxx)
Am: x02210

The entire song is Em B Am Em

Bass:

G|-----------------------
D|-----------------------
A|-----6---4-6-4---------
E|-4-6---7-------4-6-7-6-

Lyrics:

departure and worry
and worry, and worry
still shake me
resistance failed
resistance failed
and friendship failed
and friendship failed
as lovers we did not fail
as lovers we did not fail
brown eyes your pulse is getting hotter
brown eyes your pulse is getting quicker
quote Captain Badass,
"i am setting your heart on fire
so when you leave me
i will burn on in your soul"
you won't have to think twice
if it's love you will know
we get no second chance in this life
we get no second chance in this life
so a hot pulse is alright
so a quick pulse is alright
so a hot kiss is alright
so a long kiss is alright
so a long night is alright
and all night is alright
there ain't no contest
against the final day
we'll rise above us either way
we're either greeted
by life or it's reverse
then each day greeted
by fortune or it's reverse
will you stand up for your one chance
will you stand up for love
we get no second chance in this life
we get no second chance in this life
you won't have to think twice if it's love
you will know

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Lyrics from: http://www.lyricstime.com/songs-ohia-captain-badass-lyrics.html

The Anecdote

“Captain Badass” was the first song I heard from Songs: Ohia. I was writing for The Alt (a now defunct Perth-based music magazine that had one of the first mp3 blogs) and was introduced by the editor. Songs: Ohia (and Jason Molina’s solo work, and Magnolia Electric Co.) is still one of my all-time favourites.

Photo Credit: The Edge.

Guest Appearances

Kevin Drew (of Broken Social Scene and Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew) and Sam Roberts (allegedly, he’s the “king of pranks” and sometimes slips acid into the drinks of the bands he tours with; from an interview I saw, possibly with the Stills) sing the chorus vocals on this one.

Riff VS Chords

The record version is essentially the same riff repeated over and over again. When he plays it acoustically, the guitarist (one of the best I’ve had the pleasure see in concert; don’t worry if you can’t emulate his style) uses a lot of variants on G and C chords; mostly hanging on a G. You’ll be pretty safe sticking with G for the whole song and just switching up to C on “the world is a ghetto” and “feel your sorrow” in the chorus.

The Chords

Valhalla
k-os (ft. Kevin Drew and Sam Roberts)

Riff (play throughout):
     G                C
A|--------------------3--|
E|---3-(repeat a lot)----|

Chords:

G: 320033
C: x32010

(Chorus)
Ghetto Heaven
The world is a ghetto
Freedom, oh yeah
Feel your sorrow

(Verse 1)
5:35 and I'm living senseless
Just another homie picking on the defenceless
Don't request yet, nothing really to mention
Lookin through the mirror and I'm making a censure
Whoa, black people in the morning breeze
Came around the corner and she caused me to freeze up
Ease up, watch how the world could tease us, ease us
But only G.O.D can please us
Hey, got my ride and my Momma's too
Show me how to roll without breakin the rules
Payin my dues, MC's droppin out choose
Decides to get with lyrical facts, don't stop
Whoa, black people time to shine
Everything is fine when you're losing your mind
I'm like a black alley cat, freestyle batter-up
Doesn't get better than that, is that a gat in the back?

(Chorus)

(Verse 2)
And the Valkyrie's blood runs red through the halls of the dead
oh the warrior's blood runs red through the hearts of the dead
the Valkyrie's blood runs red through the halls of the dead
And the life you're been lookin for in the world that you live 2x
In the name, we were all born in the flame
Not the same, but under the moon on the desert plane
We roam, home, take the coast ghost
I saw with my naked eye, way to close now
I was the son of a man on a mission
Who worked with his hands and brought him the former land
In the inter-land, swingin the mic like an axe
With a fear in the atmosphere, layin down tracks

(Chorus)

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Lyrics: http://www.music-lyrics-chord.com/K-OS/288497-Valhalla.html

Music Video

Photo Credit: ChartAttack.

The Chords

Gordon Downie
Into The Night

*note* It sounds more like the record if you make the C chords as 8th fret barres (8 10 10 9 8 8), or add a high G (x 3 2 0 1 3).

F
I saw you running with your friends
G
I called your name too loud - 'come back'
F
so many times it might have been embarrassing
G
if you hadn't come walking back

C

F
Here's where I shook you by the shoulders
G
shoved you up against a truck - 'what's up'
F
it was a picture of someone getting older
G
and of someone growing up

C

A                  C
someone growing up
A                  C
someone growing up
A                  G
someone growing up

C

F
it was like you were in disguise
G
you were so nonchalant - 'come on'
F
as though your well half-lidded eyes said,
G
'what the hell do you want?'

C

F
Well I must've said something
G
for you to feel I was alright - 'alright'
F
We had a great conversation
G
that went on well into the night

C

A                           C
went on well into the night
A                           C
went on well into the night
A                           G
went on well into the night
                      C
went on well into the night

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Photo Credit: Pregnant Without Intercourse.

Jangle Jangle

The intro part of this is very jangly, so just bash at the strings with your heart’s desire.

The Chords

Gordon Downie
11th Fret

*note*  For the intro, play the E5 as x799xx and the Emaj7(no 3rd) as x798xx.
Don't worry about hitting the open strings, it sounds good if you just bang at it.

Intro:
E5 Emaj7(no 3rd) E5 E5

A          E
So this is fucking off by degrees and
A                   E
I suppose we turned out to be not-quite-Hawaii but
A                    B
I can float back to sleep cause at least you're lying to me like
A
music that dances from glowing apartments as
E
shadows entwine into a creamy darkness like
A
jewelry hung down from rich silhouettes
E                              B
portrays on the sidewalk where wetness reflects all the
A
colours of evening and the onset of lights
         B                                          E
like the promise of nothing, sweet nothing, tonight.
    B
Ahhhhh

C E C E C B

E

A          E
So this is enacting ecstasy and
A                   E
I suppose we turned out to be bathroom graffiti but
A                   B
I can float back to sleep cause at least you're lying to me like
A
shoveling hope into the infinite us til the
E
world surges in yelling, 'this is a drug bust'
A
might turn up the heat and make us into one person
E                                        B
but then the temperature plunges and the predicament worsens
            E
til we're a fleck of new snow on the eyelash of a cow
       B
and we melt away, melt away,
   E
now
    B
Ahhhhhh

C E
                    C        E
Melt away melt away now
                    C        B
Melt away melt away now

Melt away now

E

*During the bridge, you can play this as the lead:

g|-5-7-9-11-12-11-12-14-16-|

It is repeated 3x with a variation at the end

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Photo Credit: WikiMedia.

The Chords

Ron Sexsmith
These Days

Capo IV

Intro:  G C

G
Promises are made to be broken
C
Haven't you heard?
G
He said he'd never break your heart
C
Now haven't you learned?
    D
You believed in the words
                 C
In all that they meant
        D
Oh, but love is not some popular song
C                 D
Filled with empty sentiment

Am                     D
That's what passes for love
Am                     D
That's what passes for love these
G        C
Days
   G          C
Oh these days

G
It won't take a miracle, darlin'
C
Just keep it real
     G
This world can make us cynical, darlin'
C
I know how it feels
D
You took it to heart
                      C
What they said on the screen
        D
Oh, but love is not just playing a part
C            D
In some very scripted scene

Am                     D
That's what passes for love
Am                     D
That's what passes for love
Am                     D
That's what passes for love these
G     C
Days

           Am           D           C
No one can complete you or make you whole
        G
Well
                      Am             D
But love will come to greet you half way
           C                 G          C
Though the streets are never paved with gold

G
Promises are made to be broken
C
Haven't you heard?
G
He said he'd never break your heart
    C
Now haven't you learned?
    D
You believed in the words
                      C
In all that they meant
        D
Oh, but love is not some popular song
C               D
Filled with empty sentiment

Am                     D
That's what passes for love
Am                     D
That's what passes for love
Am                     D
That's what passes for love these
G    C
Days

G C

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Copyright

I’ve spent the past couple of days “reclaiming” the tabs I’ve put on the ‘net over the past few years. I could not find this one ANYWHERE. The only sites that had it indexed had removed it due to copyright restrictions. Luckily, I found it on the old Windows machine. This is a really great song.

Photo Credit: Hip Museum.

Playing Notes

For the intro part, I just play octaves (i.e. for E I play x7x9xx, D is x5x7xx, etc.)

The Chords

The Tragically Hip
Stay

E D C B A G \
F   F   C   / x2

F                               C
You did the best that you could do.
G
You were a great crew,
F
who tried to nurture and preserve your
G
faith in you.
F                         C
And with the bureau chiefs
G
and the shrugging spies
F                    G
You could stay, but why.

G

Am
You see a light and then another
F
and everything you fought for
         C
naught's uncovered.
You're not a fighter, you're a lover.
                    Am
You got no business in here, brother
      F      G
so... stay.
Stay.

E D C B A G C
E D C B A G \
F F C       / x2

F                              C
Is it the worst that you could do?
G
You were a great you,
F
who tried to nurture and preserve your
G
faith in you
F                         C
and with the bureau chiefs
G
and the shrugging spies
F                  G
you could stay and why.

Am
Cause you see a light and then another.
F
Everything you thought you
         C
sought's uncovered.
You're a fighter and a lover
                      Am
and there's no one up above her
      F      G
so ...stay.
Stay.

E D C B A G C

F C

F
All things being balanced,
                         C
it's balanced and called balancing
                            F
somewhere beyond everything it's being
balanced not for the
                    C
sake of balance but balancing between
the throes of learning
        Bb
and the entire thing
          C
entirely
Bb
balancing.

E D C B A G C

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Anecdote

About five years ago, Dany introduced me to this song. He was just learning to play guitar and asked if I could figure it out for him. “Sure” I said, “give me a few days”.

About a year later, I was listening to the song and, overcome with guilt, tabbed this out. Dany never learned how to play it, but it’s one of my favourites now.

Photo Credit: Pitchfork.

5-String

This is done on a 5-string banjo with some heavy droning on the G string (the small one at the bottom that’s pegged halfway up the neck). You’ll be safe if you just let it ring out the whole time.

The Tab

Buck 65
Indestructable Sam

Drone String:

Be sure to let the G drone string ring throughout the song to get the proper sound

Riff 1:

d|--------------------------------------------
B|---------1^3-----------3^1------------------
G|-0-0-0^3-----0-0--0^3-------3--0----0-0-0^3-
D|--------------------------------------------
g|--------------------------------------------

------3^5-3^5-3^5----------
-1^3--3---3---3---3\1------
------------------------3-0
---------------------------
---------------------------

Riff 2:

d|--3^5-----3^5-3^5---3^5-3^5-----3^5-3^5---------
B|--3---------3---3---3---3-------3---3----3\1----
G|---------------------------------------------3-0
D|------------------------------------------------
g|------------------------------------------------

Lyrics:

Well this here's the story of Samuel Donbay
A man like any other at the end of a long day
Guts and muscles and maybe a little more
He worked as a grave digger after the civil war
Miles around competition burned with the deepest rage
The work was hard and Sam did it for the cheapest wage
Seemed that the other Man's shoes didn't fit him
When he was out working the others were out to get him

They called him indestructible Sam,
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands
That's right, they called him indestructible Sam
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands

Diggin' all day Sam's pockets got richer
But the others were wishing he was out of the picture
So late one night some of the competition went to see Doctor Beauregard a local magician
They asked if he could help put things in reverse
They pooled all their money for a fifty dollar curse
Next morning at work was a commotion
Digging a grave Sam heard an explosion
Followed by a moaning, cursing and mumbling
From the nearby bushes a figure came stumbling
Sam shrugged his shoulders and surveyed the damages
Later Dr Beauregard was seen wearing bandages
Worse for wear he wasn't taking suggestion
Said he'd hex anyone that asked him any questions
The coast wasn't clear trouble kept lurking
The others kept scheming and Sam kept working

They called him indestructible Sam,
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands
That's right, they called him indestructible Sam
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands

The other gravediggers lamented their blown chance
Decided to take matters into their own hands
Thoughts full of poison and making a trap
They blew up the shed where Sam was taking a nap
The others were astonished and totally annoyed
Cause Sam walked away while the shed was destroyed
Next they tied him up and they were sure that they got him when they threw him in a lake and watched him sink to the bottom
Below and behold and to the others dismay
Sam was back at work again the very next day
They burned his house down to the ground they were possessed
And when that didn't work they finally shot him in the chest
So hold your head low and fly the flag half mast
But it was actually Samuel who had the last laugh
He recovered again, lord be praised
He lived to be a hundred and dug the others graves

They called him indestructible Sam,
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands
That's right, they called him indestructible Sam
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands

And he did
They called him indestructible Sam,
He promised he would die with a shovel in his hands
That's right, they called him indestructible Sam
And he died with a shovel in his hands

And this is an even true song
It was wrote on account of old Sam workin' so hard
And I reckon that's how it 'ought to be

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Lyrics from: http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3530822107858660636

Music Video

Photo Credit: Liepaper.

Barre Chords

The proper way to play this is with barre chords. I’ve tabbed it out for a capo on the fourth fret.

The Chords

Okkervil River
Unless It's Kicks

I've arranged this to be capo'd on the fourth fret because that's how I play it on
guitar. It sounds more like the record if it's done with barre chords.

This is the “riff” that's used throughout the song for the C and G chords:

1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &     x2
C                   C6  C

1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &     x2
G                   G6  G

C6: x3x210
G6: 3x2003

Capo IV

Intro:
C G x 2

     C
What gives this mess some grace unless it's
G
kicks, man - unless it's
Am
fiction, unless it's
G
sweat or it's songs? What

     C
hits against this chest unless it's a
G
sick man's hand, from some
Am
mid-level band? He's been
G
driving too long on a

C
dark windless night, with the
G
stereo on, with the
Am
towns flying by and the
F              G
ground getting soft. And a

C
sound in the sky, coming
G
down from above, it sur-
Am
rounds you and sighs and is
F          G
whispering of what

C
pulls your body down, and that is
G
quicksand. So climb out
Am
quick, hand over hand, before your
G
mouth's all filled up. What

C
picks you up from down unless it's
G
tricks, man? When I've been
Am
fixed I am convinced that I will
G
not get so broke up again. And on a

C
seven day high, that
G
heavenly song punches
Am
right through my mind and just
F               G
hums through my blood. And I

C
know it's a lie, but I'll
G
still give my love. Hey, my
Am
heart's on the line for your
F              G
hands to pluck off. Oh...

C G Am G

     C
What gives this mess some grace unless it's
G
fictions - unless it's
Am
licks, man, unless it's
G
lies or it's love? What

C
breaks this heart the most is the ghost of some
G
rock and roll fan, just floating
Am
up from the stands with her
F            G
heart opened up. And I want to tell her, "Your

C
love isn't lost," say "my
G
heart is still crossed!" Scream, "you're
Am
so wonderful! What a
F            G
dream in the dark - about

C
working so hard, about
G
growing so stoned, trying
Am
not to turn off, trying
F                      G
not to believe in that lie all on your

C
own."
G
         La la la
Am
la       Oh oh oh
F
Oh
G

C G Am F G x2

End on C/G ( x32013 )

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman
matthewgruman.com

Lyrics from: http://lyricwiki.org/Okkervil_River:Unless_It's_Kicks

Music Video

Photo Credit: CBC.

Capo or No Capo

I worked this one out with a capo on the second fret. After posting it on Ultimate Guitar, a commenter showed me a much more accurate version. I prefer playing it with a capo, but the non-capo’d version sounds much more like the record.

The Chords

Weighty Ghost (Radio Mix)
Wintersleep

The rhythm is a bit tricky on this one - you have to play the G before finishing every
line. You can use these patterns to count along:

Verse:
1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G
1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
C                       G

Chorus:
1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G               C/G     G
1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
C                       G

Capo II

C: x32013
G: 320003
G/C: 3x2013

***OR***

Use these chords without a capo (*Thank you Concentric for the comment). It sounds much
like the record with these:

e 0   0   0   0
B 5   5   7   5
G 6   7   7   6
D 7   7   0   0
A 0   0   0   0
E 0   0   0   0
  C   C/G C   G*

Intro (play chorus pattern):
G G/C G
C

Verse:
G
I got out of bed today,
C
Swear to God I couldn't see my face
G
I got out of bed today
C
staring at a ghost

Verse:
G
Who forgot to float away,
C
didn't have all that much to say
G
Wouldn't even tell me his own name
C
And where'd my body go?

Chorus:
G                   G/C  G
Where oh where'd my body go?
C
Africa or Mexico?
G             G/C  G
Oh where'd my body go?
C
And where did my body go?

Chorus:
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
Seen my ghost, seen my ghost?
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
Staring at the ground?

Chorus:
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
See my ghost, see my ghost
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
Sick of those goddamn clouds

Bridge (play chorus pattern):
G G/C G
C

Verse:
G
Are you some kind of medicine man?
C
Cut the demons out of my head
G
You can't kill something that's already dead
C
So leave my soul alone

Verse:
G
I don't need no surgery
C
Take those knives away from me
G
Just wanna die in my own body
C
A ghost just needs a home

Chorus:
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
See my ghost, see my ghost
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
Staring at the ground?

Chorus:
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
See my ghost, see my ghost
G                 G/C     G
Woah oh, have you seen my ghost?
C
Sick of those goddamn clouds

Repeat chorus with “nah nah”s, speed up, then fade

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Music Video

Photo credit: Chart.

Acoustic

This is a really great song by Montreal band, The Snitches. It’s an electric guitar song on record, but I tabbed it out a few years ago to play on my acoustic.

The Chords

The Snitches
Swallow

*NOTE* This is NOT the way they play it.  This is a version i made for acoustic guitar.  The chords are all correct, so if you want, just take off the capo, add a step per chord (eg. E=F#).

CAPO II

E
Oh baby listen
Don't you worry
A
I getting better
Clean up in a hurry

E
I learn to swallow
Oh swallow
A
All the things
Put off to tommorrow

E
I'll deal with Frankie
I'll go with Johnny
A
You stay here cause
I won't be gone long

E
Frankie's worth millions
Know it for sure yeah
A
Just get a little
By keep working hard babe

E
Singled out buckshot, waiting for the man
                                          A
He was cold he was still he was wide-open mouth
E
Everybody thought he was money in the making
                                                     A
He was gold, he was steel, heading west with his hands on the wheel

              E
Call him what you will
            A
He calls it plan
E
Same it's always
                A
Let's see if it stands

G              D           E
Don't rely on thinking it over
            G          D              E
We're gonna fly but we gotta leave now
G
What's your name?
      D
Think about
         A
What you want
         E
Write it down
       G
One by one
      D
I was old
        A
You were young
         E
So carry on
         A
So carry on

E
Things are a bit out there
Don't need nothing but
A
Babe you look angel
And I know I seem scary

E
Out on the South Shore
They got a house now
A
They're getting organized
Think we should head out

E
Oh baby listen
Don't you worry
A
I getting better
Clean up in a hurry

E
I learn to swallow
Oh swallow
A
All the things
Put off to tommorrow

E A

Tabbed by Matthew Gruman

http://matthewgruman.com

Lyrics

These are the correct lyrics. I posted this on the ‘net a few years ago and the lead singer/songwriter, Mike Webber, found it and sent me the correct lyrics.

Playing Notes

From Mike Webber:

The other thing is when you go from the E to the A throw in a quick D and same when going back from the A to the E. The D would be, for example, between “worry & I getting better…” in the first couple of lines, then again going back between Hurry & I learn. It fills out the melody.
I played it in F# but in fact it works better the way you do it!