Song: The Killing Lights
Artist: AFI
Album: Decemberunderground (2006)
Tabbed by: dont_fake_it
Tuning: Standard
I saw there were some tabs for this song in flat tuning, so I posted this in standard
because that’s how I figured it out, and it’s much easier. For me, at least. I tabbed it with
two guitars, but it’s fairly easy to play with one also. I’m about 95% sure most of this is right...
Intro
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
(1 2 3+ 4+)(1+ 2 3+ 4+)(1 2 3+ 4+ 1+ 2 3+ 4+)
D D DU DU DU D DU DU D D DU DU DU D DU DU
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Oh
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------6-4-2-1~-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse (same strumming pattern)
Guitar Two:
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Five AM on the bathroom floor from the night before, do you find me dreadful?
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Guitar One
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------6-4-2-1~-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
What a shame such a sad disgrace, such a pretty face, but she’s not regretful.
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Guitar One
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------9-9-9-7h9p7h9-9-9-----------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Pre-Chorus
Guitar Two:
e|--0------------0-----------0-------------------------------------|
B|--0------------0-----------0-------------------------------------|
G|--1------------1-----------1-------------------------------------|
D|--2------------2-----------2-------------------------------------|
A|--2------------2-----------2-------------------------------------|
E|--0------------0-----------0-------------------------------------|
Am I beautiful? Am I usable?
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------88----------888-----------------------|
D|------------------------------99------------9/11-----------------|
A|----------------------------------999-------------777------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus
Both Guitars (Basic strum: Down Down Up Up Down Up)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------4-4-----------------1-----------------|
D|--6--------------4---------4-4--4-4------------2-----------------|
A|--6--------------4---------2-2--4-4------------2-----------------|
E|--4--------------2--------------2-2------------0-----------------|
D D D D
It’s killing time again, Put on your face and let’s pretend
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------1~-------------------|
D|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
A|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
E|--2-------------------------4---------------0~-------------------|
These killing lights won’t kill us all again
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------88----------88-----|
D|-------------------------------------------99----99----99----99~-|
A|----------------------------------------77----------77-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
(Intro)
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------6-4-2-1~-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse
Guitar Two:
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Three AM on the city street where the air is sweet, I’ve had my mouth full.
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------6-4-2-1~-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
But it seems that outside the screen, such a pretty face often will look dreadful.
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-2-22-22--44-4-44-44------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------4-4-44-44-44-4-44-44--------------------|
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------9-9-9-7h9p7h9-9-9-----------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Pre-Chorus
Guitar Two:
e|--0------------0-----------0-------------------------------------|
B|--0------------0-----------0-------------------------------------|
G|--1------------1-----------1-------------------------------------|
D|--2------------2-----------2-------------------------------------|
A|--2------------2-----------2-------------------------------------|
E|--0------------0-----------0-------------------------------------|
Am I beautiful? Am I usable?
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------88----------888-----------------------|
D|------------------------------99------------9/11-----------------|
A|----------------------------------999-------------777------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus
Both Guitars (DDUUDU)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------4-4-----------------1-----------------|
D|--6--------------4---------4-4--4-4------------2-----------------|
A|--6--------------4---------2-2--4-4------------2-----------------|
E|--4--------------2--------------2-2------------0-----------------|
D D D D
It’s killing time again, Put on your face and let’s pretend
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------1~-------------------|
D|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
A|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
E|--2-------------------------4---------------0~-------------------|
These killing lights won’t kill us all again
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------88----------88-----|
D|-------------------------------------------99----99----99----99~-|
A|----------------------------------------77----------77-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Both Guitars:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------4-4-----------------1-----------------|
D|--6--------------4---------4-4--4-4------------2-----------------|
A|--6--------------4---------2-2--4-4------------2-----------------|
E|--4--------------2--------------2-2------------0-----------------|
D D D D
It’s killing time again, Cover your face and we’ll pretend
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------1~-------------------|
D|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
A|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
E|--2-------------------------4---------------0~-------------------|
These killing lights can’t kill us all again
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------88----------88-----|
D|-------------------------------------------99----99----99----99~-|
A|----------------------------------------77----------77-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----9~-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|----9~-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|----7~-----------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Bridge (Not sure what Guitar One is doing here)
Guitar Two (All down strokes)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--44444444-------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------55555555--2222222222222222---------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--44444444-------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------55555555--2222222222222222---------------------------|
(Guitar One comes in)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--44444444-------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------55555555--2222222222222222---------------------------|
You see they always remember
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--44444444-------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------55555555--2222222222222222---------------------------|
They never forget a face when they
(Play each chord once, hard and staccato)
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--6-6-6-6--------------------------------------------------------|
D|--6-6-6-6---7-7-7-7---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----------------------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----------------------------|
E|------------5-5-5-5---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----------------------------|
cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up, cut cut cut cut they remember
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--6-6-6-6---------------------------11111111---------------------|
D|--6-6-6-6---7-7-7-7-----------------22222222--44444444-----------|
A|--4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7-----------------22222222--44444444-----------|
E|------------5-5-5-5-----------------00000000--22222222-----------|
cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up, cut you up
Solo (I could not for the life of me figure out the solo, so I just play Guitar Two at
part, but feel free to figure it out for yourself)
Guitar Two (Down Down Up Up Down Up)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--9---------11-------------------9--------11---------------------|
D|--9---------11--------6----6-----9--------11-----6~--------------|
A|--7---------9---------6----6-----7--------9------6~--------------|
E|----------------------4----4---------------------4~--------------|
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---(after --)--------------88----------888-----------------------|
D|----------6~------------------99------------9/11-----------------|
A|----------6~----------------------999-------------777------------|
E|----------4~-----------------------------------------------------|
Chorus
Both Guitars (DDUUDU)
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------4-4-----------------1-----------------|
D|--6--------------4---------4-4--4-4------------2-----------------|
A|--6--------------4---------2-2--4-4------------2-----------------|
E|--4--------------2--------------2-2------------0-----------------|
D D D D
It’s killing time again, Put on your face and let’s pretend
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------1~-------------------|
D|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
A|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
E|--2-------------------------4---------------0~-------------------|
These killing lights won’t kill us all again
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------88----------88-----|
D|-------------------------------------------99----99----99----99~-|
A|----------------------------------------77----------77-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Both Guitars:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------4-4-----------------1-----------------|
D|--6--------------4---------4-4--4-4------------2-----------------|
A|--6--------------4---------2-2--4-4------------2-----------------|
E|--4--------------2--------------2-2------------0-----------------|
D D D D
It’s killing time again, Cover your face and we’ll pretend
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------1~-------------------|
D|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
A|--4-------------------------6---------------2~-------------------|
E|--2-------------------------4---------------0~-------------------|
These killing lights can’t kill us all again
Guitar One:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------88----------88-----|
D|-------------------------------------------99----99----99----99~-|
A|----------------------------------------77----------77-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
(Guitar One plays same Solo over this part)
Guitar Two:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------4-4-----------------1-----------------|
D|--6--------------4---------4-4--4-4------------2-----------------|
A|--6--------------4---------2-2--4-4------------2-----------------|
E|--4--------------2--------------2-2------------0-----------------|
D D D D
All Again All Again
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------1~------9~-----------|
D|--4-------------------------6---------------2~--or—-9~-----------|
A|--4-------------------------6---------------2~------7~-----------|
E|--2-------------------------4---------------0~-------------------|
It’s time again It’s killing time
-bkf
| / slide up
| slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
E_r_I_c Average |
#1 by E_r_I_c G_i_L_b_E_r_T at Sep 26, 2007 at 12:30 AM EST |
| Decemeberunderground is such a beautiful album. Anyone else been noticing how much Cure influence seems to be in the album? This song really reminds me of Kyoto Song. | |
|
No Picture
Wanna Be |
#2 by shade at Sep 29, 2007 at 4:23 AM EST |
| OHHHHHH Yeah it is vampire related ummm because lookm at the song tiltle killing LIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |
|
No Picture
Forrest Average |
#3 by Forrest at Sep 30, 2007 at 3:38 AM EST |
| I don't know ut part of it sounds like that one movie called like time Machine or something when the guy goes to the future and every onece in a while those things come out and take the people. | |
|
No Picture
nathan Average |
#4 by nathan skidmore at Oct 1, 2007 at 5:25 PM EST |
| Amazing song. | |
|
No Picture
Kyle Average |
#5 by Kyle Lester at Oct 1, 2007 at 5:36 PM EST |
| Wah? It cut off my post!? Meh.. Yeah 'But shes not regretful' that she got plastic surgery done.. And the chorus.. "Put on your face and let's pretend" Couldn't that be about the mask surgeons wear? I dunno.. It's a great song.. --Wallnutteh | |
|
No Picture
sammy Average |
#6 by sammy shaffer at Oct 1, 2007 at 6:28 PM EST |
| I don't know... it sounds kind of just like a person who doesn't value theirself, hence the "am I usable?" What also supports this is, the song is describing a person who seems out of control, finding they've passed out at five in the morning... I do see how this could be about plastic surgery as well. | |
|
No Picture
Hayden Average |
#7 by Hayden Martin at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:28 PM EST |
| It feels, with the use of words like "screen" and the idea of beauty being transitory, or even illusionary, that the song might be related to the life of a movie star, whose life is destroyed by the "killing lights" that expose her to the scrutiny of people the world over. She indulges in the party lifestyle and uses and abuses as is in her power to do, but the lifestyle is having her effect, and she can look "dreadful" as the lights kill her inner self and make her just a fragment, an image to be consumed by others | |
|
No Picture
Exizzle Average |
#8 by Exizzle at Oct 2, 2007 at 10:51 AM EST |
| this is my favorite off the new cd! i love the "when we cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up, cut cut cut cut cut they remember. cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up. cut you uppppppppp." part | |
|
No Picture
Nick Average |
#9 by Nick M at Oct 5, 2007 at 5:27 AM EST |
| ok so I'm not the only one who thought of the cure while listening to some stuff. This is a beautiful song. | |
Top 7 Afi Guitar Tabs
Popular Guitar Tabs