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TRAFFIC IN THE SKY - Jack Johnson
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Tabbed by: trism18
Email: trism18@hotmail.com
Tuning: Standard
D F#m C
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------7-------------------10--------------------5-------|
G|---7---7---7--7-----11----11----11----11-----5---5---5---5-|
D|-----7------7----------11----------11----------5-------5---|
A|-5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------|
Em
e|---------------------|
B|-----------8---------|
G|-----9---9---9---9---|
D|-------9-------9-----|
A|~~\7-----------------|
E|---------------------|
This continues throughout the verses.
Thanks to ZososoZ for the chords.
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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Mr. Always Mezm Average |
#1 by Mr. Always Mezmerized (o)(o) at Sep 27, 2007 at 11:03 AM EST |
| My take is: There's traffic in the sky and it doesn't seem to be getting much better there's kids playing games on the pavement drawing waves on the pavement shadows of the planes on the pavement it's enough to make me cry but that don't seem like it would make it feel better maybe it's a dream and if I scream it will burst at the seams this whole place will fall into pieces and then they'd say... Well how could we have known? I'll tell them it's not so hard to tell if you keep adding stones soon the water will be lost in the well Okay so everythings going along as normal. Something happens. So then the government makes up some idiotic excuse saying oh well, how could we have known? So then the american people say well, if you keep giving us all this information we really dont need to know, were never going to get what we need to know. Puzzle pieces in the ground But no one ever seems to be digging instead they're looking up towards the heavens with their eyes on the heavens the shadows on the way to the heavens it's enough to make me cry but that don't seem like it would make it feel better the answers could be found we could learn from digging down but no one ever seems to be digging instead they'll say Puzzle pieces in the ground But no one ever seems to be digging instead they're looking up towards the heavens with their eyes on the heavens the shadows on the way to the heavens it's enough to make me cry but that don't seem like it would make it feel better the answers could be found we could learn from digging down but no one ever seems to be digging instead they'll say Okay so no ones really getting to the bottom of this. Everyones just relying on religion to tell them right and wrong, when really while theyre looking to the skies for help, the answers right in front of them, but theyre too caught up in praying for help to help themselves. Words of wisdom all around but no one ever seems to listen they're talking about their plans on the paper building up from the pavement there are shadows from the skyscrapers on the pavement it's enough to make me sigh but that don't seem like it would make it feel better the words are all around but the words are only sounds and no one ever seems to listen So then, the people start doing the same things over that went wrong before, when people try to tell them they should do it differently so the bad things doesnt happen again. And even though people give advice that would help, its just lost because no one pays attention. Im sorry if i offend anyone in my translation of the song, because I do realize that some of the remarks I made regarding the more religious section(in my mind) may come off as rude, but i dont mean to be offensive. | |
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Squirrels Lead Player |
#2 by Squirrels Dyrant at Sep 27, 2007 at 11:25 PM EST |
| definetely his best song | |
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xKGx Average |
#3 by xKGx at Sep 28, 2007 at 12:57 AM EST |
| beautiful song. and yeah, everyone else commented on what the meaning was. | |
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Alberto Average |
#4 by Alberto Guglielmino at Sep 28, 2007 at 1:42 AM EST |
| this is gonna sound like im some douche trying to plug some dude, but anyone who thinks Jack Johnson is good....buy an elliott smith album and prepare to be blown away. dont expect it to sound hawaiian 1 2 Next | |
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Damien Wanna Be |
#5 by Damien Clark at Sep 28, 2007 at 4:11 AM EST |
| This is a definitely beautiful song. Jack explains in an iTunes session record that he was in NYC on that fateful day, with his bass player who comes from brooklyn. His buddies were playing b-ball while he was drawing waves on the pavement (the only thing he can draw from when he lived in hawaii) with some kids around. He saw shadows on his drawings and that's when he saw all the planes that were circling in the sky waiting for being able to land... and then everything knows what happens. He also said that he only recorded the song a year or so later out of respect for everything that happened. Definitely a beautifully crafted song lyrically and musically. Bravo again to mr Jack Johnson. | |
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Lucas Average |
#6 by Lucas Gracia at Sep 28, 2007 at 9:48 AM EST |
| I agree with what everyone else has said: i see the 9/11 and historical angle, but I read the song a different way - this just shows how interesting jack johnson's songs are with their many interpretations.. i thought that throughout the verses he was alluding to how simply dreaming and imagining is not enough, we need to "dig into the ground" and actually do something - kind of like a call to action. eh | |
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Punk rocks man! Average |
#7 by Punk rocks man! at Sep 28, 2007 at 12:04 PM EST |
| this is my favorite jack johnson song. ::Puzzle pieces in the ground But no one ever seems to be digging instead they're looking up towards the heavens with their eyes on the heavens :: people look to god instead of within. | |
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jake Average |
#8 by jake gonzales at Sep 29, 2007 at 9:00 PM EST |
| LONG LIVE JACK JOHNSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |
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Mark Average |
#9 by Mark Bianchi at Sep 30, 2007 at 2:13 PM EST |
| to me it sounded like jack was singing about the environment, maybe thats just cause i'm a treehugging, ocean loving, vegetarian. it's a great song and i think its awesome that it speaks so powerfully to everyone, even if what you get out of it is different. | |
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Marta Average |
#10 by Marta at Sep 30, 2007 at 10:02 PM EST |
| I kinda thought that this may have something to do with our roots. maybe instead of looking to the heavens to find life in outer space, we should solve our own mystery first digging down and finding more out about ourselves | |
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Adam Average |
#11 by Adam Favro at Oct 1, 2007 at 2:11 AM EST |
| This is just an awesome song. Every 9/11 song that came out was talking about how bad it was, when there was really a bigger issue beneath everything. Jack so beautifully describes the tragedy in the first verse and then finally addresses the issue "how could we have known? we'll i'll tell you its not so hard to tell. if you keep adding stones soon the water will be lost in the well." Jack Johnson at his best. Instead of sitting back and saying "poor us", let's change and make sure this doesn't happen again. | |
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jack and lee Wanna Be |
#12 by jack and lee at Oct 1, 2007 at 3:58 AM EST |
| I think you may have misunderstood the itunes session. He saw planes flying pre-911 and then after it he realized that all this "traffic in the sky" was contributing to the lack of interest in the here and now | |
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Renee Wanna Be |
#13 by Renee Saenz at Oct 1, 2007 at 6:46 AM EST |
| this is just a truly beautiful and amazing song. the lyrics are so clever and illistrutive. | |
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Dylan Wanna Be |
#14 by Dylan Johnson at Oct 1, 2007 at 6:56 AM EST |
| this song is so real. its truly beautiful and it really speaks out. it is my all time favorite jack song. | |
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ben Average |
#15 by ben doherty at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:35 AM EST |
| people need to join together | |
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David Rhythm Player |
#16 by David Bradley at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:38 AM EST |
| I always took this track to be saying, "look, were putting so much crap in our atmosphere, plane emissions etc, its killing our world. If we dug down and looked at the evidence of our former climates then we would know where were heading" I'm no tree hugger and i can understand everyone mentioning september 11th, but i think there's a deeper vein in this song. Oh and nina - the meaning is, not was, whatever you take from listening to it as an individual :-) | |
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Jonoz Average |
#17 by Jonoz Moe at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:44 AM EST |
| amazing. | |
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Sari Average |
#18 by Sari W at Oct 2, 2007 at 7:39 PM EST |
| I agree with zoogey, maybe we could make an unnoficial Jack Johnson Day. perhaps his birthday (May 18). maybe if enough people did it it would be come national. that would be cool. or anyway a day where we congradulated singers, artists, writers, filmamkers, etc. who have made a difference in our society. I like how this song when it was recorded in all he didn't do a whole 9/11 thing it just went out. you know, I always feel like those movie people who make 9/11 movies are somewhat trying to make money from a massive tragedy. this sort of came in as a "secret" memoir not commercials everywhere. I don't know if anyone knows this, but the new death count (by johns hopkins) for Iraqis is 600,000. you think george bush could go to the international courts? he broke their war laws by even starting the war. that's the problem , the u.n. has no authority. if anyone has the time/ means there's a "get out of Iraq" rally this weekend in dc. check it out http://www.unitedforpeace.org/ | |
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Average |
#19 by T at Oct 3, 2007 at 5:11 AM EST |
| I didn't make the connection to 9/11. I thought this was a nice tree-huggin jam. We're building buildings and cement whilst furthering ourselves away from Mother Earth. The "how could we have known", I thought was about somethign becoming extinct. The whole first verse I interpreted as there's so much airplane traffic in the sky, and below that kids are playing in the concrete jungle they're stuck in, beyond their control, and are drawing waves on eth pavement, longing to be near nature. | |
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Corey Average |
#20 by Corey La Plante at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:00 AM EST |
| I think sanscosm is right but it also has a broader meaning. This song doesn't only question the U.S. government for its inhumane policies but also the world in general for basically forgetting what it means to be human. Commercialism and quick pleasures are more important than real human bonds and communities now. If people weren't all out for themselves, the world could be a better place; it's this charge forward with blinders on that creates the sorts of problems that manifest in events like 9/11. Bananapancakes is also right, that line demonstrates forgetting community as well. We no longer grow in nurturing communities but live for ourselves and try to rely on a book describing an abstract god to fit in all of our spirituality. The soul can be satisfied in more ways than one. | |
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jake Professional |
#21 by jake burns at Oct 5, 2007 at 7:53 AM EST |
| any comment on what the song is talking about??? uhmm im really not sure, but i can take a stab at it. "shadows of the planes on the pavement " uhmmm, im not actually sure when this song was recorded.. however! planes and stuff? maybe it's about el 9/11 stuff. and like people saying "well how could we have known", but really the government was doing all this badass stuff that led to it so it could have been avoided.. and if you "keep adding stones"..err if the US keeps fucking shit up then the "water will be lost in the well".. meaning something along the lines of the US is burying themselves... thats my interpretation at first glance. common,more feedback! | |
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Vezy Professional |
#22 by Vezy at Oct 5, 2007 at 9:27 AM EST |
| To me, this song means like.. it's about how people are always just looking and worrying about what's happening after death, about when they're dying and how. "Puzzle pieces in the ground, but no one ever seems to be digging" meaning people just aren't digging for whats HERE now, for what's in life. "instead they're looking up towards the heavens, with their eyes on the heavens, the shadows on the way to the heavens" -- meaning they're just thinking about.. like.. heaven. whats after life here on earth. "Words of wisdom all around, but no one ever seems to listen.. they're talking about their plans on the paper, building up from the pavement.." i think this means people are just planning for whats after. again. | |
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Matty Average |
#23 by Matty G at Oct 5, 2007 at 9:34 AM EST |
| Do you think that apart from the standard 9/11 thing this could just be a generalisation on the way mankind is going? The traffic in the sky not getting much better could just be a generalisation on all the things that are "up in the air" so to speak at the moment. And one other thing "How could we have known...its really not so hard to tell...if you keep adding stones soon the water will be lost in the well" Picture it...little bit of water in the well, drop in a truck load of stones and although the well is still there and so is the water you lose the water (Can't see it) Its a bit like life isn't it...the important things get overthrown by all the little things that build up and build up. | |
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Daniel Average |
#24 by Daniel at Oct 5, 2007 at 12:24 PM EST |
| lets get a "HELL YES" for Jack and his down to earth style. I think there is so much to be learned from people like this. Live in the moment RIGHT NOW! remember what it is to be priveliged with human life. Get in touch with the goods | |
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Julian Average |
#25 by Julian . at Oct 5, 2007 at 5:55 PM EST |
| i link this song has more than one meaning in this song hes saying some of the poblems of the world like: 9/11 oil rigs ( how oil will run out but we need all thats there, thins song HIS MIND TRYING TO FIGURE OT WHAT TO DO but THEN WHN HE THINKS HE KNOWS WHAT TO DO BUT THE its saying that it wont work because money is the fuel of the world | |
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