About a Girl Nirvana
Bleach (SP34a)
Copyright 1989 Sub Pop
Transcribed by Chris Mosher
-------------------------------------------------
This is a close approximation of the way I play Nirvana's
"About a Girl", which is a close approximation of how
Nirvana plays it on their Bleach album.
The chords are generally 5's (i.e., no 3rd),
not minor or major, except for the open G in the verse
(but even that omits the 3rd usually played on the
5th string and has only the 3rd on the 2nd string).
The chords played during the chorus are "power chords"
in the true sense on the phrase. In the second measure
(during "...vantage while."), note that the F#5 is
strummed twice and then the strings are muffled with the
palm of the picking hand on the second count, during
which time there is feedback. This is cool.
There are two different forms of the E5 chord played one
after the other in the chorus (during "I can't see you").
First is the "open" E5 (022xxx). He then slides up to the
alternate E5' at the 7th fret (x799xx). This is really cool.
I play the A5 at the 5th fret (577xxx). This is what it
sounds like to me on the album, although I know Kurt seems
to play an open A (x022xx) often, so it may be that way
instead. Also, I think it's easier to play (577xxx).
This stuff can all be heard clearly after the lead, when
there's no singing over top of it.
The first note in the lead is an open E (6th string) held
for a full count. There are two slides-up. The first slide,
from 7 to 9, is "slow"; play the 7, but don't slide up to
9 until the next beat. The second slide, from 9 up to 12,
is "fast"; play the 9 and slide up to the 12 right away
during that beat. On the next beat, play the 12 on the
3rd string (letting both notes ring). Play 12 on 4th string
and 12 on 3rd string again, letting them ring, and then
slide both notes down on the last up-beat in the measure.
Just before the lead starts, he turns up the distortion, and
seemingly leaves it up during the remainder of the song.
I lifted the lyrics from some other messages posted
to A.G.T. They're the best I can do; I never could
understand what Kurt was saying!
ANY CORRECTIONS OR COMMENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
Thank you and have fun.
TAB
[---]
part A (verse):
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd E5 G E5 G
E -----------0-----3--3--3- -----0--0--0-----3--3--3- B -----------0-----0--0--0- -----0--0--0-----0--0--0- G -----------x--0--0--0--0- --x--x--x--x--0--0--0--0- D --2--h--2--2--0--0--0--0- --2--2--2--2--0--0--0--0- A --2--h--2--h--x-----x---- --2--h--2--h--x-----x---- E --0--h--0--h--3--h--3---- --0--h--0--h--3--h--3----
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd E5 G E5 G
E -----0--0--0-----3--3--3- -----0--0--0-----3--3--3- B -----0--0--0-----0--0--0- -----0--0--0-----0--0--0- G --x--x--x--x--0--0--0--0- --x--x--x--x--0--0--0--0- D --2--2--2--2--0--0--0--0- --2--2--2--2--0--0--0--0- A --2--h--2--h--x-----x---- --2--h--2--h--x-----x---- E --0--h--0--h--3--h--3---- --0--h--0--h--3--h--3----
part B (chorus):
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd C#5 G#5 F#5
E ------------------------- ------------------------- B ------------------------- ------------------------- G --6--h--6--6------------- ------------------------- D --6--h--6--6--6--h--6--6- --4--4-----4--h--4--4--x- A --4--h--4--4--6--h--6--6- --4--4-----4--h--4--4--x- E --------------4--h--4--4- --2--2-----2--h--2--2--x-
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd C#5 G#5 F#5
E ------------------------- ------------------------- B ------------------------- ------------------------- G --6--h--6--6------------- ------------------------- D --6--h--6--6--6--h--6--6- --4--4-----4--h--4--4--x- A --4--h--4--4--6--h--6--6- --4--4-----4--h--4--4--x- E --------------4--h--4--4- --2--2-----2--h--2--2--x-
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd E5 E5' A5 C5
E ------------------------- ------------------------- B ------------------------- ------------------------- G -----------x/-9--9--9--x- -----------5--h--5--5--x- D --2--h--2--x/-9--9--9--x- --7--7--7--5--h--5--5--x- A --2--h--2--x/-7--7--7--x- --7--7--7--3--h--3--3--x- E --0--h--0---------------- --5--5--5----------------
part C (lead):
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd E5 G E5 G
E ------------------------- ------------------------------ B ------------------------- ------------------------------ G ------------------------- -----------------12--h-12--h\- D --------------5--7--7--7- /(9)-9--9--9/(12)-h-12--h--h\- A --------5--7------------- ------------------------------ E --0--h------------------- ------------------------------
(turn up distortion just before lead)
part D (coda):
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd E5 E5' A5 C5
E ------------------------- ------------------------- B ------------------------- ------------------------- G -----------x/-9--9--9--x- -----------5--h--5--5--5- D --2--h--2--x/-9--9--9--x- --7--7--7--5--h--5--5--5- A --2--h--2--x/-7--7--7--x- --7--7--7--3--h--3--3--3- E --0--h--0---------------- --5--5--5----------------
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 +
crd C5
E ------------------------- ------------- B ------------------------- ------------- G --5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5- --5--5--5--x- D --5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5- --5--5--5--x- A --3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3- --3--3--3--x- E ------------------------- -------------
(slows down a bit here)
part E (coda):
beat 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
crd E5
E ------------------------- B ------------------------- G ------------------------- D --2--h--h--h--h--h--h--h- (hold for about four measures total) A --2--h--h--h--h--h--h--h- E --0--h--h--h--h--h--h--h-
TAB Legend:
h = hold fretted note (or let open note ring), do not pick
m/(n)= pick note at fret m, slide up to fret n (do not pick twice)
n\ = pick note at fret n, slide down (to wherever)
x = pick string, but muffle with finger so note doesn't sound
CRD chart
---------
E5: [E]0 [A]2 [D]2 [G]x [B]0 [E]0
G: 3 x 0 0 0 3
C#5: x 4 6 6 x x
G#5: 4 6 6 x x x
F#5: 2 4 4 x x x
E5': x 7 9 9 x x
A5: 5 7 7 x x x
C5: x 3 5 5 x x
LYR
[---]verse 1:
[1]I [+] [2] [+] [3]need [+]an [4] [+] [1]ea---[+]sy [2] [+]friend[3] [+] [4]I [+]
do with a hand to lend I
do think you fit this shoe I
do what you have a clue
verse 2:
[1]I'[+]m [2] [+] [3]stand-[+]ing [4] [+] [1]in [+]your[2] [+]light [3] [+] [4]I [+]
do hope you have the time I
do pick up num--ber two I
do keep a date with you
chorus:
[1] [+] [2] [+] [3] [+] [4] [+] [1] [+] [2] [+] [3] [+] [4] [+]
I'll take a---ad-- -van--tage while
You hang me out to dry But
I can't see you ev'--ry night
Free (I
do)
coda:
[1] [+] [2] [+] [3] [+] [4] [+] [1] [+] [2] [+] [3] [+] [4] [+]
I'll take a---ad-- -van--tage while
You hang me out to dry But
I can't see you ev'--ry night No
I can't see you ev'--ry nigh------------
[1] [+] [2] [+] [3] [+] [4] [+] [1] [+] [2] [+]
----------(t)
[1]Fr[+]ee [2] [+] [3] [+] [4] [+] [1] [+] [2] [+] [3] [+] [4]I [+]
do I
do I
do I
do
ARRANGEMENT
-----------
LYR TAB part
--- --------
intro - A A
verse verse 1 A A
chorus chorus B A
verse verse 2 A A
chorus chorus B A
lead - C C C C
chorus - B A
verse verse 1 A A
chorus/coda coda B D A A E
From: psalzman@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu (Peter Salzman)
Subject: CRD: About A Girl
If someone emails me the lyrics, I'll turn this into a really nice TAB
(instead of a spartan CRD). I don't want to offend anyone, but I can't
imagine this taking someone more than 2 min to strumm out, unless they
don't have the album I guess. Oh well. Have no clue to the lyrics,
sorry. There doesn't seem to be any chorus.
Song: About A Girl
Artist: Nirvana written by Kurt Cobain
CRD'er: Peter Jay Salzman psalzman@stars.sfsu.edu
cut time From Nirvana's Bleach
(also featured on Nirvana's 1993 MTV Unplugged performance)
Intro: Em G Em G Em G Em G
[Em]I n[G]eed an [Em]easy [G]friend
[Em]I do [G]with a [Em]hand to [G]lend
[Em]I do [G]think you [Em]fit this [G]shoe
[Em]I do [G]what you [Em]have a [G]clue
[C#]I'll take [G#]advantage [F#]while
[C#]You hang me [G#]out to [F#]dry
[Em]But I can't see you [A]every [C]night [Em]free[G] [Em] [G]
[Em]I do[G] [Em] [G]
[Em]I'm [G]standing [Em]in your [G]light
[Em]I do [G]hope you [Em]have the [G]time
[Em]I do [G]pick up [Em]number [G]two
[Em]I do [G]keep a [Em]date with [G]you
[C#]I'll take [G#]advantage [F#]while
[C#]You hang me [G#]out to [F#]dry
[Em]But I can't see you [A]every [C]night [Em]free[G] [Em] [G]
[Em]I do[G] [Em] [G]
Solo: Repeat 3x (s=slide up)
E ------------------------ - B ------------------------ - G ----------------7--7s9-- - D -----5-7-7s9--9--------- - A -7-7-------------------- - E ------------------------ -
(Repeat verse 1)
[C#]I'll take [G#]advantage [F#]while
[C#]You hang me [G#]out to [F#]dry
[Em]But I can't see you [A]every [C]night
[Em]I can't see you [A]every [C]night
[Em]Free[G] [Em] [G]
[Em]I do[G] [Em] [G]
[Em]I do[G] [Em] [G]
[Em]I do[G] [Em] [G] [Em]
Notes:
All apologies for incorrect lyrics -- this is just how I hear
them. No one knows for sure what they are, anyway.
On Bleach, they play this song in standard tuning (EADGBE),
but on Unplugged they played it a half-step down (Eb Ab Db Gb
Bb Eb).
Some say the Em is actually an E or an E5. Try 'em all and see what
sounds best to you.
Robert Wolsey
wolser@rpi.edu
About A Girl (Unplugged) - Nirvana
Tabbed by Leper Messiah
This is my version, this is how i play it, feel free to send me any corrections.
I dident take time to write in the correct timing and shit in this tab so you have to
listen to the record while you play. This tab supports 2 guitars. Enjoy!
Tune down 1/2 step: Eb Bb Gb Db Ab Eb
This is the main riff in the song. Played 1 time as intro and during the verses.
Guitar 1 plays this while guitar 2 just plays the chords wich I have written with the lyrics.
1:----0----0----0-----------3----3------- --------0------------3----3------------- 2:----0----0----0-----------0----0----0-- --------0--0---------0----0-----0------- 3:*---X----X----0----------------0----0-- -----------0----0---------0-----0------* 4:*---2----2----0----------------0----0-- -----------0----0---------0-----0------* 5:----2----2----0------------------------ --2--------0--------------------0------- 6:----0----0----0----3-----------3------- --0--------0----3---------3------------- 1:--------0----------0----------3-----3--------- 2:--------0----------0----------0-----0---0----- 3:--------X----------0-----0----0-----0---0----- 4:--------2----2-----0-----0----------0---0----- 5:--2----------2-----0--------------------0----- 6:--0----------0-----------3----------3---------
Verse 1&3 Lyrics (they are the same):
[E5]I [Em11] [G]need an [Em11] [E5]eas - y [Em11] [G]friend,__ I [Em11] [E5]do,[Em11]
[G]with an [Em11] [E5]ear to_[Em11]___ [G]lend.__ [Em11]I [E5]do[Em11]
[G]think you [Em11] [E5]fit this [Em11] [G]shoe,__ I [Em11] [E5]do,[Em11]
[G]but you [Em11] [E5]have a____[Em11] [G]clue.__[Em11]
Verse 2:
I'm stand-ing in your line.__ I do hope you have the___ time.__
I do pick a number to,___ I do, keep a date with__ you.__
Chorus riff (guitar 2 plays the chords):
[C#] [F#7sus4]
1:-------------------------------(0)--- ---------0---0---------0---0---(0)-- 2:-----6-----6---6-------6--6----(0)--- ---------0---0---------0---0---(0)-- 3:*----6-----6---6-------6--6---------- ---------3---3---------3---3-------* 4:*----6-----6---6-------6--6---------- --4------4---4---------4---4-------* 5:-----4-----4---4--------------------- --4---------------4----------------- 6:--------------------4---------------- --2---------------2-----------------
I'll take ad - van - tage while __
you hang me _______ out to dry,____ but
[E] [E5] [E] [E5] [A] [C]
1:---0------0----0--------0----0---0--- --0---0---0------------------------- 2:---0------0----0--------0----0---0--- --2---2---2----5--------5---5--(0)-- 3:---4------4----4--------4----4---4--- --2---2---2----5--------5---5--(0)-- 4:---2------2----2--------------------- --2-------2----5--------5---5--(0)-- 5:---2------2----2----2---------------- --0-------0----3--------3---3------- 6:---0------0----0----0---------------- ------------------------------------
I can't see you ev - 'ry night__
(back to verse riff)
[E5]free. [Em11] [G] [Em11] [E5] [Em11] [G] I [Em11] [E5]do.[Em11] [G] [Em11] [E5] [Em11] [G] [Em11]
next verse begins here.
Ok thats the song, here is the solo, I dont know exactly between wich verses he plays it but I think
it's between 2 and 3, listen to the record to find, guitar 2 plays the verse riff.
1:-------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- 2:------------------------------9/12--12--12-- -------------------------------9----12----12----- 3:-----------------7--7/9-------9/12--12--12-- -----------------7--7--7/9-----9----12----12----- 4:--------------5--7--7/9---9---9/12--12--12-- --------------5--7--7--7/9-----9----12----12----- 5:--------5h7--------------------------------- --------5h7-----------------0-----0-----0----0--- 6:----0--------------------------------------- ----0-------------------------------------------- 1:-------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- 2:------------------------7/9---9----12----12- ----------------------7/9--9--9--9/12--12--12---- 3:---------------------7--7/9-9-9----12-12-12- ----------------------7/9--9--9--9/12--12--12---- 4:---------------5--7--7--7/9-9-9----12-12-12- -------------5--7--7--7/9--9--9--9/12--12--12---- 5:---------5h7-------------------------------- -------5h7--------------------------------------- 6:----0--------------------------------------- ---0---------------------------------------------
Well thats the solo, it's pretty easy, listen to the record for timing.
After the solo they play something play this before they go back to the song (both guitars):
[C#] [F#7sus4] [C#] [F#7sus4] [E5] [A] [C] [Em11]
You have to listen to the record, i'm not quite sure about this chords but the sound quite right
atleast.
The end of the third chorus is like this:
but I can't see you every night, for I can't see you every night.... free... i do.. i do.. i do.. i do.
You play it something like this:
[E] [E5] [E] [E5] [A] [C]
1:---0------0----0--------0----0---0--- --0---0---0------------------------- 2:---0------0----0--------0----0---0--- --2---2---2----5--------5---5--(0)-- 3:---4------4----4--------4----4---4--- --2---2---2----5--------5---5--(0)-- 4:---2------2----2--------------------- --2-------2----5--------5---5--(0)-- 5:---2------2----2----2---------------- --0-------0----3--------3---3------- 6:---0------0----0----0---------------- ------------------------------------
I can't see you ev - 'ry night__ for
[E] [E5] [E] [E5] [A] [C]
1:---0------0----0--------0----0---0--- --0---0---0------------------------- 2:---0------0----0--------0----0---0--- --2---2---2----5--------5---5---5--- 3:---4------4----4--------4----4---4--- --2---2---2----5--------5---5---5--- 4:---2------2----2--------------------- --2-------2----5--------5---5---5--- 5:---2------2----2----2---------------- --0-------0----3--------3---3---3--- 6:---0------0----0----0---------------- ------------------------------------
I can't see you ev - 'ry night_
[C] [Em11]
1:------------------------------------0-- 2:--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---0-- 3:--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---0-- 4:--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---0-- 5:--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3---0-- 6:------------------------------------0--
(back to verse riff)
[E5]free.[Em11]_____[G]_________[Em11]_____ [E5] [Em11] [G] I [Em11] [E5] do.[Em11] [G] [Em11] [E5] [Em11]
[G] I [Em11] [E5]do._[Em11]_____[G]_____[Em11]__ [E5] [Em11] [G] I [Em11] [E5] do[Em11].____[G]__[Em11]_____[E5]___[Em11]
[G] I[Em11] [E5]do.
(end of song)
This might seem a bit weird but listen to the song and you'll understand.
Well that's it, the complete songs.
I've included the chords too for those who dont know 'em.
[EADGBE]
E5 022x00
Em11 000000
G 3x0003
C# xx3331
F#7sus4 244300
A x02220
C x3555x
I hope you enjoyed this one, look out for other tab's by me.
/ Leper Messiah
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