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Alkaline Trio If You Had A Bad Time Chords Guitar Tab

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Alkaline Trio - "If You Had A Bad Time"
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CHORDS:
E: 022100
A: X02200
B: X23300
C#m: X46600
INTRO
E B C#m B A
1ST VERSE
E B
If you had a bad time at one of my parties
C#m B A
Well I wouldn't expect to be seeing you soon and that's fine
E
You have to know what and why
B
Those things make you happy
C#m B A
You have to know that a second guess ain't worth a try
CHORUS
E
Just some words of advice
A B
Maybe you've heard them before but here goes
E A B A
Just be true to yourself if it lands you in hell at least now you know
B E A
Loud and clear is your heart big and bright are the places you might
B
someday go
E A
With one million things holding you down, why you're one of those things
B A B E
I don't know, no big deal gotta go
2ND VERSE
If you're up to your ears
In blood, sweat and wasted years
I'm hoping you're going to open your throat
And just scream
You have to know when, why
Which ones miss you when you die
You have to know a second guess ain't worth the salt in your eye
BRIDGE
C#m A
It just sits on my shoulders, you're breaking my neck
E B
We get crazy with age, now you're under my bed
C#m A E B
And it's dark all the time, all the time
SONGFLOW
IVCIVCBC
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Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/a/alkaline_trio/345410.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
 
 
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can
Wanna Be
#1 by can sahin at Sep 26, 2007 at 8:55 AM EST
this kinda feels like the "Blue in the Face" for Dan. same basic feel except electric. i love the piano is this. is matt playing it?
 
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Ben
Average
#2 by Ben Asay at Sep 27, 2007 at 6:46 AM EST
Yeah... The lyrics are pretty screwed up here.
 
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The Major Rajor
Rhythm Player
#3 by The Major Rajor . at Sep 27, 2007 at 8:07 PM EST
this kinda feels like the "Blue in the Face" for Dan. same basic feel except electric. i love the piano is this. is matt playing it?
 
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da
Wanna Be
#4 by da nooberist at Sep 28, 2007 at 5:24 AM EST
this song is about watching someone you love fuck up constantly and everysingle time its because of a situation they put themself in, and just being tired of the pain of watching THEM hurt but not wanting to give up on them. 1
 
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Cody
Rhythm Player
#5 by Cody Stone at Sep 29, 2007 at 7:54 AM EST
I thought it was about drugs, with the whole 'If you had a bad time; At one of my parties; Well I wouldn't expect to be seeing you soon and that's fine' It's like (what I thought) someone talking to their little brother/sister about how the little one went to a club that the older one goes to, and got pulled into the whole drugs scene and went on a bad trip but is still being pulled into drugs by friends and other people. 'Just be true to yourself if it lands you in hell at least now you know' The older one is saying, its not worth getting into the mess drugs get you into just to please a group of people, and if it seems like they put you through hell, you'll know that it can never be anything compared to drugs and what they can do. Then 'If you're up to your ears; In blood, sweat and wasted years; I'm hoping you're going to open your throat; And just scream' is the older one saying if they try to do anything to you, just say something, and I hope you can trust me enough to do that. If anyone's read the book "Go ask Alice", I was thinking of it when I listened to this. If anyone ever made a film of it, this song would be great for a trailer. I love just listening to songs and imagining film trailers/videos to go with them.
 
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♥Chicken
Average
#6 by ♥Chicken On Heroine Shots♥ at Sep 30, 2007 at 2:50 AM EST
for my money this is one of the most complete A3 songs. So powerful and emotionally charged. This song really helps me out if im feeling down and out (most days)
 
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nikki
Average
#7 by nikki at Sep 30, 2007 at 5:34 AM EST
"Just be true to yourself, if it lands you in Hell, well at least now you know." Great line.
 
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Marco
Average
#8 by Marco at Sep 30, 2007 at 2:40 PM EST
very good song that i used to listen to when i was depressed... dans voice sounds so good in this song it is unreal... "just be true to yourself, if it lands you in hell, well at least now you know" that among other lines in this song is pretty much untouchable to what other bands come out with... I will always love this song.Edited by oofus on December 11 2005, at 12:51PM
 
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james
Average
#9 by james dempsey at Sep 30, 2007 at 3:21 PM EST
With one million things holding you down, now you're one of those things I don't know, no big deal here I go. who do you think he means might be holding him down but he doesn't mind it?
 
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silent
Rhythm Player
#10 by silent support at Sep 30, 2007 at 5:54 PM EST
This song is a perfect example of why I love Dan. I think he's always sort of putting himself out there and writing songs that are more soul-baring. I know quite a few people who could pass this song off as cheesy, but I don't know, I think Dan is very sincerely offering advice to anyone who will listen. As for the whole depression thing, I don't think it was meant to be specifically addressed to someone with depression. I think Dan's probably suffered with it back and forth throughout his life. You can sort of tell just by listening to his songs. And again, I think it's cool that he puts it out there. This one reminds me of "I'm Dying Tomorrow," except directed toward someone else. I always enjoy the heartfelt honesty with which Dan writes most of his songs.
 
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jeremy
Average
#11 by jeremy fenech at Oct 1, 2007 at 12:04 AM EST
what cd is this song on? is the split one with one man army?
 
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Joe
Average
#12 by Joe Montana at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:47 AM EST
to me this song is talking about someone who has a lot of problems "with one million things holding you down" and one of their problems is theirself "why you're one of those things i dont know" but its basically telling someone to look on the brighter side of things in my opinion...but i dont know what it is about the line where he says "no big deal gotta go" that line just hits my heart with such power
 
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Chris
Average
#13 by Chris Dunn at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:52 AM EST
lyrically this is one of the trio's best songs. It's so honest without the trio's usual cartoon gore. Dan is such a special writer and these words should be the rule of life. If it suits you then do it, dont let anybody hold you down and never let anybody into your mind and give you the impression that what you do or think is wrong.
 
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Chris
Wanna Be
#14 by Chris Simmons at Oct 1, 2007 at 8:49 PM EST
simply wow...
 
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Max
Average
#15 by Max Quint at Oct 2, 2007 at 8:42 PM EST
Dan's best so far
 
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krystal
Wanna Be
#16 by krystal martin-hart at Oct 3, 2007 at 8:54 AM EST
yap!
 
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JOHN PAUL
Lead Player
#17 by JOHN PAUL JONES at Oct 3, 2007 at 10:50 PM EST
Best song on the OMA split
 
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bob
Average
#18 by bob bob at Oct 3, 2007 at 11:04 PM EST
the end "here i go" is so powerful for some reason. i REALLY love this song. I think its one of the most emotional Alkaline Trio songs. Too good for words...
 
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[matt]
Average
#19 by [matt] Anderson at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:36 AM EST
I love this song. It's one of the best on the BYO split with OMA. The Trio has helped me through a lot...and helped me see theres a better side to life...expecially with this song. ~Meggles
 
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Badass
#20 by Nirvana at Oct 4, 2007 at 2:43 PM EST
this song is just...wow! 'You have to know a second guess ain't worth the salt in your eye' which basically means its not worth crying about... again...wow!
 
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sloso
Average
#21 by sloso at Oct 4, 2007 at 10:36 PM EST
ive got all A3's songs and ive listened to them all properly now and i love this one very much.
 
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Jason
Wanna Be
#22 by Jason Stender at Oct 5, 2007 at 12:24 AM EST
Definitely one of the best songs Dan has ever written.
 
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Phil
Wanna Be
#23 by Phil Cifone at Oct 5, 2007 at 3:40 AM EST
I don't know that it's specifically about drugs or depression because the song could fit either problem. IMO the song is just a general attempt to help push a good friend out of the funk they've been in and for them to live life their way, to be their own person. Great song, one of AK3 and Dan's best. This song alone makes the OMA split (and Remains for that matter) worth buying.
 
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Taylor
Lead Player
#24 by Taylor Dutton at Oct 5, 2007 at 2:33 PM EST
The lyrics are wrong. The chorus is as follows: "Just some words of advice, maybe you've heard them before but here goes: Just be true to yourself if it lands you in hell, well at least now you know. Loud and clear is your heart, big and bright are the places you might someday go. With one million things holding you down, why you're one of those things, I don't know. No big deal, gotta go." So actually it's not someone holding him down, it's someone holding themself down. Also the little bridge part was wrong too: "It just sits on my shoulders, you're breaking my neck. We get crazy with age, now you're under my bed and it's dark all the time." Okay.
 
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cody
Average
#25 by cody champion at Oct 5, 2007 at 3:04 PM EST
Seriously I always thought this song related to depression and it's from this line: "With one million things holding you down/ why you're one of those things, I don't know". See depressed people are seen as keeping themselves trapped in the cycle, even though life may appear well to outsiders. It's like Dan is trying to put it through a friend's head that they are depressed. He's trying to help them ("just some words of advice", "Big and bright are the places you might someday go")and hoping they won't die ("Hoping you are going to open your throat/and just scream") and telling his friend he's there for them ("won't expect to be seeing you soon"; "No big deal, gotta go.) Anyway this is probably my favorite Alkaline Trio song. It's also the one that hooked me on the Trio.