XO Tabs:
- Sweet Adeline
- Tomorrow Tomorrow
- Waltz #2 (XO) »
- Baby Britain
- Bled White
- Bottle Up And Explode!
Waltz #2 (XO)
Elliott Smith
Tune down one step
Chords used:
Am: x02210
C: x32010
F: xx3211
D7/F#: 2x0212
G: 320003
Bm: x24432
Dm: xx0231
F9: 1x3213
G/B x20003
E7: 020100
Bsus: x24400
Intro:
Am (4 bars)
Play this two times:
Am C F C F C G C
---------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
--2--4-5-0-0--------------0-2----------------------|
--------------3-3-2--2-3------2-2-0--2-0-----------|
-----------------------------------------3--3-2----|
---------------------------------------------------|
When you get to the last C the second time through, this is played:
-----0-------0---------|
-----1-------1---------|
-----0-------2---------|
-----2-------2---------|
-0-2-3-------0---------|
---------0-3-----------|
Verse 1:
Am C
First the mic then a half cigarette
F D7/F# G
Singing cathy's clown
Dm Am
That's the man she's married to now
Bsus E7
That's the girl that he takes around town
Am C
She appears composed so she is i suppose
F D7/F# G
Who can really tell
Dm Am
She shows no emotion at all
Bsus E7
Stares into space like a dead china doll
Chorus:
Am C F C F C G Am
I'm never gonna know you now, but i'm gonna love you anyhow
Repeat intro (as it's played the second time through)
Verse 2:
Am C
Now she's done and they're calling someone
F D7/F# G
Such a familiar name
Dm Am
I'm so glad that my memory's remote
Bsus E7
Cos i'm doing just fine hour to hour note to note
Am C
Here it is the revenge to the tune
F D7/F# G
You're no good
Dm Am
You're no good, you're no good, you're no good
Bsus E7
Can't you tell that it's well understood
Repeat chorus
Dm F9 C G/B Am
I'm here today and expected to stay on and on and on
Dm
I'm tired
F
I'm tired
Verse 3:
Am C
Looking out on the substitute scene
F D7/F# G
Still going strong
Dm Am
XO mom
Bsus E7
It's okay its alright nothing's wrong
Am C
Tell mr. Man with impossible plans
F D7/F# G
To just leave me alone
Dm Am
In the place where i make no mistakes
Bsus E7
In the place where i have what it takes
Repeat chorus 3 times and play chorus chords once, ending on C
Transcribed by chadwick and scott
Waltz #2 (XO)
Elliott Smith
First of all let it be said that this tab is probably more
representative
of some of Elliott's live versions than the album version...said!
Also a big thanks to Scott and Chadwick for getting me started.
Alternate tuning: tune b-string to c and down half a step
Intro:
Am (x02200) (4 bars)
Play this two times:
----0-0-----0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-----0-0--------0-0------|
----0-0-----0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-----0-0--------0-0------|
--2----4S5-0-------------------------0--------------0-0------|
------------------3------2------3------2-----0-2-0-----------|
---------------------------------------------------3----2----|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
then
---0-0-0---0-0-----0-0-0-0-0----|
---0-0-0---0-0-----0-0-0-0-0----|
---0-0-0---0-0-----0-0-0-0-0----|
--------------------------------|
-3-------------2-3--------------|
---------3----------------------|
Verse 1: I play the Am and C chords by plucking Am with root a then e,
and
C with root C then G...kinda country style!
Am (002200) C (332000)
First the mic then a half cigarette
F (133201) D7/F# (2x0202) G (3x0023) Fret the root w/thumb on
these 3
Singing cathy's clown
Dm (xx0221) Am
That's the man she's married to now
B? (x2x200) E7 (022120)
That's the girl that he takes around town
Am C
She appears composed so she is i suppose
F D7/F# G
Who can really tell
Dm Am
She shows no emotion at all
B? E7
Stares into space like a dead china doll
Chorus: Either play the intro twice or the chords once and then the
intro
once...i actually favour playing the intro twice! If you care! :)
Am C F C F C G Am
I'm never gonna know you now, but i'm gonna love you anyhow
Verse 2:
Am C
Now she's done and they're calling someone
F D7/F# G
Such a familiar name
Dm Am
I'm so glad that my memory's remote
B? E7
Cos i'm doing just fine hour to hour note to note
Am C
Here it is the revenge to the tune
F D7/F# G
You're no good
Dm Am
You're no good, you're no good, you're no good
Bsus E7
Can't you tell that it's well understood
Repeat chorus
Dm F C G/B Am
I'm here today and expected to stay on and on and on
Dm
I'm tired
F
I'm tired
Verse 3:
Am C
Looking out on the substitute scene
F D7/F# G
Still going strong
Dm Am
XO mom
B? E7
It's okay its alright nothing's wrong
Am C
Tell mr. Man with impossible plans
F D7/F# G
To just leave me alone
Dm Am
In the place where i make no mistakes
B? E7
In the place where i have what it takes
Repeat chorus 3 times and play chorus chords once, ending on C
Have fun with it!
Waltz #2 (XO)
Elliott Smith
Tune down one tone (chords shown as played)
Unusual chords used:
C/G 332010
D/F# 200232
E7/B (no 3rd)* x22430
Fmaj9 133010
F6 1x3231
G/B x20003
Intro:
|| Am | Am | Am | Am ||
||: Am | C | F | C | F | C | G |
| C | C/G | C | C :||
Verse:
||: Am | Am | C | C/G | F | D7/F# | G | G |
| Dm | Dm | Am | Am | E7/B* | E7/B* | E7 |E7 :||
Chorus:
||: Am | C | F | C | F | C | G |
| C | C/G | C | C :||
Middle 8:
||Dm | Dm | Fmaj9 | F6 | C | G/B | Am | Am |
| Dm | Dm | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 | rest | Fmaj7 ||
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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No Picture
Robin Average |
#1 by Robin brister at Sep 26, 2007 at 3:49 AM EST |
| its established that its about his mom, but here's more into it, i read this interview and when his mom got remarried to his stepdad he recieved his first beating on her wedding day. he was only 3. when he left to live with his dad, he had a recurrent guilt because he felt like he abandoned her. he was really worried about her. He put his stepdad a single pronoun away from open character assasination in his song Southern Belle: "killing a southern belle is all you know how to do / That aand give other people hell.. / how come you're not ashamed of what you are? and then in this song he says: "i'm so glad that my memory's remote 'cos i'm doing just fine hour to hour, note to note here it is, the revenge to the tune, " normally when someone drinks alcohol or does drugs like he did you try to kill or suppress those memories, and i think that's what he's saying in that line. but a month before he died he went clean with everything, he stopped drinking, caffeine, smoking, red meat, and even sugar. and when someone goes clean and you had memories like he had, it's too much. | |
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Adam Wanna Be |
#2 by Adam Spinelli at Sep 26, 2007 at 1:28 PM EST |
| I've also read that it was about his mom in an interview. Man on TV- the entire coroner's report can be found on the smoking gun http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/esmithaut1.html | |
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Jesse Wanna Be |
#3 by Jesse ritchie at Sep 26, 2007 at 3:48 PM EST |
| yeah animal chin, he was an addict but long before he wrote this. elliott is the true eccentic artist, god knows what he was thinking when he wrote this | |
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pierce Average |
#4 by pierce carter at Sep 26, 2007 at 4:19 PM EST |
| This song really hits me. Especially the part when he sings "XO,Mom, it's okay it's alright nothing's wrong." You can hear the sadness in his voice, its just so painful to hear sometimes. | |
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Aaron Average |
#5 by Aaron Smith at Sep 26, 2007 at 10:35 PM EST |
| I read a bio on Elliott Smith that seemed to imply that this song was about his mother and her new husband. Apparently this guy wasn't too nice (he's the one saying, "you're no good, you're no good," I think). Anyway, Elliott moved away from Texas (where his mom lived) and went to Portland (where his dad lived). When he says "I'm never gonna know you now" I take it to mean "I'll never get to see you". | |
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systray` Average |
#6 by systray` at Sep 28, 2007 at 10:10 PM EST |
| I've never been able to figure out this song. My boyfriend something about it being about a labotamy or something. Kinda far fetched but i guess it makes a little sense. | |
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Alexxx <3 Lead Player |
#7 by Alexxx <3 at Sep 30, 2007 at 3:28 AM EST |
| He stabbed himself in the heart. | |
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Voddimir Wanna Be |
#8 by Voddimir Ulyanov at Sep 30, 2007 at 7:44 AM EST |
| this was the first song i ever heard from elliott smith years ago and it is still one of my favorite songs all time | |
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sebastian Professional |
#9 by sebastian at Sep 30, 2007 at 3:49 PM EST |
| I think Yarbles hit it on the head, i beleive its an accurate depiction of his relationship with his mother.... These lyrics here are the most moving for me, they tell how her moms new husband/boyfriend doesnt respond to him, and he leaves home and comes back one day and nothing has changed, its the same, he still doesnt respond to him and he finally leaves home for good and doesnt return.... i'm here today and expected to stay on and on and on i'm tired i'm tired looking out on the substitute scene still going strong XO, mom it's ok, it's alright, nothing's wrong tell mr. man with impossible plans to just leave me alone | |
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Eric Wanna Be |
#10 by Eric Nowariak at Oct 1, 2007 at 12:02 AM EST |
| I absolutely love this song. No matter how many times I listen to it, it never gets old. So beautiful. | |
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Mark Wanna Be |
#11 by Mark at Oct 1, 2007 at 9:34 AM EST |
| Also feel this one is about his mom. The chorus is so great... I can't figure how he could create such great melodies... | |
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Anni Average |
#12 by Anni Mcgann at Oct 1, 2007 at 1:04 PM EST |
| What everyone said so far about it being about his mother and his stepfather is true. I read about it in an interview somewhere. The first verse (first the mic then a half cigarette /singing cathy's clown) is referring to elliott watching his mother sing karaoke, after deciding to split with his father I guess (or something to that effect). | |
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Damien Wanna Be |
#13 by Damien Clark at Oct 1, 2007 at 7:17 PM EST |
| i Like this song. although, I also like the mippets, preferably kermit, and the gang, HI! | |
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Rylan Wanna Be |
#14 by Rylan Patel at Oct 1, 2007 at 8:48 PM EST |
| I can relate to this song almost more than anyother song ever. I couldn't have said it better myself, because elliott smith can say things better than i can... i'm so glad that my memory's remote 'cos i'm doing just fine hour to hour, note to note here it is, the revenge to the tune, "you're no good, you're no good you're no good you're no good" can't you tell that it's well understood? | |
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Sinan90 Average |
#15 by Sinan90 at Oct 2, 2007 at 7:45 PM EST |
| i'm never gonna know you now, but i'm gonna love you anyhow.. my thoughts exactly elliott. anyway, this might be my alltime fave song of his, and the family references are pretty clear, but in light of what we all know happened to this brilliant man, when i hear this song i cant help but cry, i'm here today and expected to stay on and on and on i'm tired... it just seems like a forshadowing.. many of his songs have more obvious references but this one to me sticks out cause its not what the song is about really.. | |
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Chris Wanna Be |
#16 by Chris H at Oct 3, 2007 at 3:52 PM EST |
| I heard about Elliot Smith from a new friend of mine as we were suggesting music to each other. At the time he had called at 3 in the morning and demanded that I go download this while he was on the phone. Anyways, he said that this Elliot Smith guy sat around and did a bunch of herion for like a year straight and wrote a whole bunch of words. He then cleaned up and started writing music and organized all of his heroin inspired words and started recording songs, this being the result. Anyone know if this is a true story? Regardless, this is a great song. I love how he describes the lady as "staring into space like a dead china doll." Dolls were never alive in the first place ;) Peace, - AnimalChin | |
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Scott Average |
#17 by Scott Anderson at Oct 4, 2007 at 6:42 PM EST |
| it seems simple enough to assume he's talking about his mother, right? his mother gets some trophy boyfriend and starts ignoring him like she probably did his entire life, and he hardly knows her but he's forced to love her anyway because she's his mother. | |
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Pleather Wanna Be |
#18 by Pleather Face at Oct 4, 2007 at 8:57 PM EST |
| I always thought this song was about a girl who left the narrator and married someone else. When he says "mother, it's alright" etc I interpreted that as him brushing off his mother's concerns about his state. But thinking about it, the other theory makes sense. | |
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owain Wanna Be |
#19 by owain pole at Oct 4, 2007 at 9:22 PM EST |
| I read what yarbles said and went back and listened to the song again. I really agree. | |
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austin Average |
#20 by austin pancner at Oct 5, 2007 at 12:42 AM EST |
| yeah most of you guys are speaking the truth- this must be about his mom. "that's the man that she's married to now that's the girl that he takes around town" that seems right to the max. good job guys. | |
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Sam Rhythm Player |
#21 by Sam at Oct 5, 2007 at 3:31 AM EST |
| This is the second Elliott Smith song that I had ever heard, right after "Bottle Up and Explode." This song is about his mother and supposedly he originaly added "I Love You Mom" at the end of the song. Thinking this might be too sentimental, however, it was changed to "XO, Mom." Really a great song. | |
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choop Rhythm Player |
#22 by choop at Oct 5, 2007 at 12:47 PM EST |
| good song, in case you didn't already know | |
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Bryan Average |
#23 by Bryan at Oct 5, 2007 at 5:35 PM EST |
| I think "you're no good, you're no good you're no good you're no good" refers to the song "You're No Good." I don't know who the first artist to perform this was, by I'm guessing the oldest version might be Linda Ronstadt's (see at http://www.lyricsxp.com/lyrics/y/you_re_no_good_linda_ronstadt.html). This ties in well with "singing cathy's clown", so either the narrator or the person he's addressing is singing these two songs. | |
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Darren Wanna Be |
#24 by Darren Pilton at Oct 6, 2007 at 7:17 AM EST |
| does anyone know WHERE the stab on his body was, i can only find it was a self inflicted stab R.I.P. ELLIOT SMITH thank you for all the musical insperation, we'll miss you | |
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brian Average |
#25 by brian haun at Oct 6, 2007 at 8:32 AM EST |
| Rockin-Robin, I don't know if you'll read this again, but are you the same RockinRobin from the Goo Goo Dolls message board? I'm DizzySamboGirl (Cassie) from over there, but I haven't been in a while. 1 2 3 Next | |
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