Breakaway Guitar Tab

Breakaway (John Mayer)
transcribed by Catherine Gagné (www3.sympatico.ca/g403z)
* This tab is not accurate at all..
Intro
e---------------------------------------------------------------------
b---------------------------------------------------------------------
g--------------------------------------------7------7-----------------
d--9----9-------9-----------------(x2)---7------------------------(x2)
a--9h11----9h11-----9--11--9-------------7h9----7h9----7--9--7--------
e--0--------------------------12---------0----------------------10----
e-------------------------
b-------------------------
g-------8------8h9----9---
d---------9----9------7---
a--------------------/5---
e---/9-------9------------
The pattern changes a lot.. I only wrote the guidelines.
Part 1
Verse
e------------------------------------------------------(0)(0)-(0)--
b------------------------------------------------------(0)(0)-(0)--
g---------9-------9---9------------7-------7----7-------8--9---9---
d----9----9--9----9---9--(x2)--7---7---7---7----7--(x2)-9--9---7---
a----9h11----9h11----11--------7h9-----7h9------9-------x--x--/5---
e----0-------0--------0--------0-------0--------0-------9--9-------
* (9x9800)/(9x9900) might be (x4x440)/(x4x450)
Part 2
"Can I have my cake?"
e---0---0---0----0--0---
b---0---0---0----0--0---
g---4---6---4----8--9---
d---4---7---4----9--9---
a---x---x---x----x--x---
e---4---5---4----9--9---
Part 3
"Would the world between us.."
e---0---0---x---0---0-
b---0---0---2---0---0-
g---2---4---3---6---6-
d---2---4---2---7---7-
a---x---x---x---0---x-
e---2---4---2-------7-
I think that John doesn't play (x07600)/(7x7600).. he seems to be using
(x0220x) and (x2x220).
Part 4
"Would the world between us.."
e---0---0-------0---x---------
b---0---0-------0---2---------
g---2---4--(5)--4---3---6---6-
d---2---4--(4)--4---2---7---7-
a---x---x--(x)--x---x---0---x-
e---2---4--(4)--4---2-------7-
I only have one version of the song and I hear (4x45xx) at 3:15 min. I
think it might be a mistake but I'm not sure.
Part 5
"Could I ever beak away?..."
e------------3---5---0---
b------------3---5---0---
g----9---7---5---7---1---
d----9---7---5---7---4---
a---11---9---3---5---2---
e----0---0---x---x---0---
(1) If melody is my destiny
Then what's left of me
I'll give to you
(1) If next to me
Is all that you need to be
Would you settle for fantasy
If its the best you could do
(2) Can I have my cake?
Can I have you too?
Would you follow me?
Could I ask you to?
(3) Would the world between us
break these ties
We've work so hard to realize
Can a postcard say
What I see in your eyes?
Could I ever break away?
Intro
(1) Would I be satisfied
and find peace inside
Rolling half my life
over broken white lines
(2) Can I have my cake?
Can I have you too?
Would you follow me?
Could I ask you to?
(3) Will I wake up one morning
and see your face
and streaks on the window
that the rainstorm makes
Could you bear all the weight
and the strength that it takes
could I ever break away
(2) Can I have my cake?
Can I have you too?
Would you follow me?
Could I ask you to?
(4) Would the world between us
break these ties
We've work so hard to realize
Can a postcard say
What I see in your eyes?
Could I ever break away? (5)

Source: GuitarMasta.net
http://www.guitarmasta.net/m/mayer,_john/.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Bryant Wanna Be	#1 by Bryant Matthews at Sep 27, 2007 at 3:58 AM EST
	Can I have my cake? Can I have you too? That's all anybody every wants, huh?

No Picture Token Rhythm Player	#2 by Token at Sep 27, 2007 at 5:29 AM EST
	I would just like to understand what the "break away" phrase is saying. I think that this song is about reassurance. He loves her and wants her but is still not sure exactly how she feels or what she wants. I can see the points about him wanting two things or what not. That is a good interpretation of this song, I just feel like there is a little more depth. It seems to me that John Mayer is always standing back, and is being put on the back burner by these girls... "Can I have my cake, can I have you too?" Maybe she is jealous or selfish. I feel like it's in close relation to "Man on the Side".. Maybe it was written for the same person....

No Picture Dave Average	#3 by Dave at Sep 27, 2007 at 10:45 AM EST
	i think this song is about how he has to go .. somewhere?.. and hes torn between being with her.. or having his "cake" it might have something to do with going on tour ... maybe. but im not sure. he wants what hes been working so hard for, but he wants her too. "can a postcard say what i see in your eyes" is like whatever they could write back and forth wouldnt do justice to the love he sees in her eyes. "would I be satisfied and find peace inside rolling half my life over broken white lines" hes not sure if he will be satisfied with going (im guessing) on tour and the "broken white lines" are those on the road. its a great song about being torn between love and success. johns amazing and always will be :)

No Picture VINCENT Wanna Be	#4 by VINCENT NELSON at Sep 27, 2007 at 10:41 PM EST
	This is definitely John Mayer...but I think this song is about being on tour, and desiring, yet at the same time, questioning a relationship with someone. Wondering if it's too much to ask of her to stay with him and if a long distance relationship can truly work. It also describes him finding his place in life (with music) and offering the rest of his devotion to "her."

No Picture Snap! Crackle! Average	#5 by Snap! Crackle! Josh!! waldenmaier at Sep 28, 2007 at 7:41 AM EST
	On Kazaa this song comes up as John Mayer and Matt Mangano. Matt is also a guitarist, but maybe he took the singing reins on this one. Just a guess, though.

No Picture Tavo Wanna Be	#6 by Tavo at Sep 29, 2007 at 12:31 AM EST
	He seems to want the best of both worlds and in this case he might get it because he loves her so much. It kind of reminds me of my boyfriend when he wanted to go back hom to Chicago, he wanted to go but he wanted me too.

No Picture Cody Average	#7 by Cody Kempton at Sep 29, 2007 at 12:47 AM EST
	umm, joyful and bogartfan - i have a version and it says its a duet with matt managano. hope that helps ease your thoughts of it not being john. yea i didnt think it was either then i looked at the title. so uh, there ya go. that might answer some confusion if you two have the same version i do. well, later!

No Picture mike Average	#8 by mike gannon at Sep 29, 2007 at 2:04 AM EST
	Joyful, I have a version on this song and during the last few minutes John talks about making up a song. It's definitely John at the end. That is what makes me believe that he is actually singing the song. I could be wrong though. I see your point on the voice being too airy.

No Picture Atticus Average	#9 by Atticus Crowley at Sep 29, 2007 at 11:07 AM EST
	oh i love this song!"can i have my cake..can i have you too?" sniff lovely. :) "would you follow me if i asked you to?" im just wondering... could i ever breakaway FROM WHAT? from the significant other?

No Picture fred Rhythm Player	#10 by fred ozanne at Sep 30, 2007 at 6:32 AM EST
	I don't know what is up with this song, it is just an amazing song. The lyrics are awesome, and the acoustic guitar on this song is ever better!

No Picture Jimmy Average	#11 by Jimmy at Sep 30, 2007 at 9:30 PM EST
	"I'm sorry, Kids, but I honestly do not think that John mayer sang this... I could be wrong, maybe its him playing guitar and singing.... or maybe just playing. It's pretty... but I don't think it's him... too airy " Ok, let's clear this right on up. Matt wrote the song and the studio version could be his, can't say i have heard it, but John does sing it. So it is Matt's song but John's vocals :)

No Picture phoen Average	#12 by phoen bay at Sep 30, 2007 at 9:30 PM EST
	I have the same version of the song that you all are talking about, where he talks at the end about making up a song, and its definately John Mayer...it may have been written and performed previously by someone else, but the version i have is amazing. I saw him in concert last November and I think he played this song...I can't remember. Regardless of whether or not he wrote it, its a great song!

No Picture Galen Wanna Be	#13 by Galen at Oct 1, 2007 at 5:08 PM EST
	This is about a girlfriend that he met online.

No Picture TOM Lead Player	#14 by TOM at Oct 2, 2007 at 12:46 PM EST
	I am an aspiring artist. I write and perform songs and I know that in order to make it big, there's a chance my girlfriend and I may have to go our separate ways. I'm at school in Nashville and she's going to school in New York to be an actress. This song sums up all of the things that we may encounter if we reach our goals. I would love it if she would just follow me and be there the whole time I am trying to make it, but at the same time, I can't ask her to do that. This song says it all perfectly.

No Picture Pat Lead Player	#15 by Pat O'Shea at Oct 2, 2007 at 1:59 PM EST
	I'm pretty sure it's john. It was listed as one of his unreleased songs on a fansite (not that it is 100 per cent, then, tho. but i can trust it!)

No Picture Megan Average	#16 by Megan at Oct 3, 2007 at 12:42 AM EST
	this is such a beautiful song. i love it, i cant wait to see john in july.

No Picture Kyle Average	#17 by Kyle Bowlby at Oct 3, 2007 at 5:12 AM EST
	upon hearing just the opening notes to this song i knew it was going to be great!! the guitar is a little paul simon inspired i think and besides making me a little hungry, the lines about cake are just amazing

No Picture Steve Lead Player	#18 by Steve Baker at Oct 3, 2007 at 1:27 PM EST
	It is a beautiful song, and about that Matt Mangano thing, cuz I got that too from Kazaa, i think that Matt may have done some of the harmony, but that's my guess, either way theyre both pimps at what they do. peace.

No Picture Harley Wanna Be	#19 by Harley Mckenzie at Oct 3, 2007 at 9:41 PM EST
	With reference to having the world between then, to me, it seems like this song is about a guy who is always on the go, but there is a girl at home that he really likes. So when he talks about having his cake and having the girl too... kinda seems like he wants to be on the road (maybe on tour?) but having a girl at home waiting for him. I dunno. maybe I'm just trying to apply that to my own life. sigh. to be in love with the muscian...

No Picture GaRy Average	#20 by GaRy Boggs at Oct 4, 2007 at 12:10 AM EST
	I love this song! Especially, when he sings about having his cake and wanting to have her too. I think every girl would melt to hear a guy say that. At least I would.. :)

No Picture Rivers Average	#21 by Rivers Light at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:38 AM EST
	I also have the dl where at the end he wants to make up a song. The dl that i have is definately him. I am a music major and so I have to be able to easily distinguish between singers and all of those kind of things. To me, the song is how he wants to juggle between being able to do what he loves (playing music on tour) and also being able to love a girl. Thats what i get from, "if melody is my destiny then what's left of me I'll give to you". - pretty much how playing music is what he was meant to do and even though he has so much love and passion for music, he has love also to give to the girl. "if next to me is all that you need to be would you settle for fantasy if its the best you could do"- this is when he is on tour and he cannot see her, he is asking her if he is not able to be there, can she settle for using her imagination that he was if its the only thing possible at the time. "can postcard say what I see in your eyes"- again he is on tour or away from her and its pretty much saying can a postcard say how much he feels for her and that being enough for her. "will I wake up one morning and see your face and streaks on the window that the rainstorm makes could you bear all the weight and the strength that it takes could I ever break away"- I think this means that when he is able to actually be with her in person will he have enough strength to leave her to go back on tour or will she have strength' "Can i have my cake, can i have you too" - this is pretty self- explanatory, can he play music and have love also. I know in some quotes that he makes i find this similarity that he wants to be able to be in love but its so hard for him since he is always away. 1 2 Next

No Picture albrecht Wanna Be	#22 by albrecht cherlet at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:54 AM EST
	I'm almost positive this is not John Mayer. The moment you hear the voice, it's obviously someone else. Matt Mangano was one of John's old guitarists, and he's the one who wrote and recorded this song. I don't know if John played back up or sang back up or what, but he's not singing lead and he didn't write it. Credit should be going to Matt Mangano. Not to say that I don't love John Mayer, but give credit where credit is due... Anyway, I think it's about maintaining a long distance relationship, specifically between a musician and his girlfriend. Is the girl willing to wait for him while he's away on tour for months on end? And is he even able to "break away" from her to go on the road, and still be with her? Or would it just be easier to end it all, choosing music over relationship? A song that ultimately has no resolution... "Can I have my cake/Can I have you too?" is a brilliant line. Props to Matt.

No Picture Danny Average	#23 by Danny at Oct 5, 2007 at 9:59 AM EST
	I think I've been confused. I just found the alternate version that everyone's been talking about - live and with John's commentary at the end. The studio version I've been listening to is definitely someone else. Now I'm confused as to who it is, but I'm still inclined to think it was written by Matt Mangano since he is credited at most sites and at mp3.com. Plus it's more likely for John to cover someone else's song than for someone to cover John's. Oh the confusion...

No Picture Casey Average	#24 by Casey at Oct 6, 2007 at 9:56 AM EST
	I'm sorry, Kids, but I honestly do not think that John mayer sang this... I could be wrong, maybe its him playing guitar and singing.... or maybe just playing. It's pretty... but I don't think it's him... too airy

No Picture The Guitar Guy Lead Player	#25 by The Guitar Guy at Oct 6, 2007 at 10:31 PM EST
	Man.... I just freaking love this song. It's amazing. I love the part that says: "Will I wake up one morning and see your face and the streaks on the window that the rainstorm makes, could you bear all the weight and the strength that it takes??" That part is just excellent. John knows how to describe things perfectly. He is definitely a master of words and plays on words..