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What is and What Should Never Be (solo)- Led Zeppelin
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This is done with a slide. i didnt bother with the timing
so you will have to listen to the song
Tuning:eadgbe
e|--------------------------------------------------------12-10-12-10--------
B|--------------------------------------7/9--7/9--72--12-----------12-1210-
G|-----11--11/13--11/13--116~--64-4-6-7/9--7/9--72------------------------
D|9-11-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
e|---------------14/16-12/14-12----------------------------------------------
B|10-10/1412-12----------------12-10-------12/1412-12------------14~----14-
G|------------------------------------12/14---------------------------14~----
D|---------------------------------------------------------7/14-14-----------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------14~----14~--------14~---14~-14-14----------------------------------
G|-----------14~--------------14~--------------------------------------------
D|7/14-14-----------7/14-14---------------8--6-------------------------------
A|----------------------------------------9--7-------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|--------14~----14~-------14~----14~-14-14--------------------16~----16~----
G|-----------14~--------------14~---------------------------------16~--------
D|7/14-14-----------7/14------------------8--6-----7/16-16-------------------
A|----------------------------------------9--7-------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
e|--------------------------------------------------12-10-9------------------
B|--------16~----16~---------16----16-16-16-------------------14-12-1412/14-
G|-----------16~---------------16--------------------------------------------
D|7/16-16----------7/16-16------------------8--6-----------------------------
A|------------------------------------------9--7-----------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|141214-14-14-12/0--------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
| / slide up
| slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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No Picture
Josh Average |
#1 by Josh at Feb 27, 1970 at 5:12 AM EST |
| Wow, some much better than the stairway post, they're all a bunch of idiots. Everyone here I think is preety much getting it down. It's definatly about a girl because that's what most songs back then were about. Most ignorant fools today who don't really apreciate music like this would probly laugh and mention Michael Jackson. But I'm glad we're all sane. It's definatly him talking to a girl and telling here they can forget evrything bad that's going on and just go to this little happy place or castle. But a song can be interpreted in many ways so It's all subjectie in the end. | |
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Jon Badass |
#2 by Jon Coath at Jul 12, 1973 at 1:12 PM EST |
| great version of this by the black crowes | |
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Joe Average |
#3 by Joe Miller at Feb 22, 1979 at 6:05 PM EST |
| Again, one of my favorite Zeppelin songs. I see it as a song about a man taking away a child or a young woman to a place to escape from reality. The castle is a dream, or a fantasy world in the girl's imagination. "Then what's to stop us, pretty baby. But What Is And What Should Never Be" Basically, the things in reality the girl see happening and does not want to see happening. This could range to a lot of different things. "So if you wake up with the sunrise, and all your dreams are still as new," She has woken from her dream, and finds the dreams still fresh in her mind. The next line tells the girl, that if she wants what is in her dream or imagination, than she can find it in herself. The chorus and the last stanza I haven't really given much thought to yet. But when I do, you can be sure that I will tell you all what I think it means. | |
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btotherizzad Average |
#4 by btotherizzad moriznad at Sep 22, 1984 at 3:35 AM EST |
| Black Magician Aleister Crowley. | |
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devon Average |
#5 by devon at Feb 6, 1991 at 8:39 AM EST |
| The lines "Then what's to stop us pretty baby, but what is and what should never be" and "But the wind won't blow, you really shouldn't go, it only goes to show" had lead me to believe that the song was about the guy liking the girl and what not, or them liking eachother, but him saying that despite their liking for one another, that if signs indicate they shouldn't be together then maybe they shouldn't. Or possibly a slightly altered scenario of him trying to convinve her to be with him, saying that there's absoloutly no reason why she shouldn't be, unless it just simply isn't in the cards, and that's none of his control, so let's just be togther, and then if it happensa at least we tried. Actually, after reviewing my own interpretations, I like the second one better. | |
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No Picture
Armin Average |
#6 by Armin at May 29, 1991 at 3:01 PM EST |
| I think it's just about a perfect place that exists in all of us (what is) but we shouldn't ever be allowed to get there since it would make everything else seem mundane compared to it. Don't ask me where I got that but hey, it works. | |
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No Picture
DUMBASS Average |
#7 by DUMBASS Thomas at Dec 4, 1995 at 2:09 AM EST |
| I have heard that this song is about Maureen's younger sister (Maureen was/ not sure if still is his wife), who Bob had a thing for but, of course, could not really show it, or do anything about it and felt was somewhat wrong. | |
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chris Average |
#8 by chris at Oct 25, 2001 at 5:43 PM EST |
| I think this is one of their saddest songs on #2. | |
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The Four String Lead Player |
#9 by The Four String Mother Fucker at Jan 31, 2002 at 7:41 PM EST |
| I agree with Atemporal somewhat on the meaning. But i believe the song is less about finding a chemistry, but instead a choice for a woman who has a man that wants her and needs to move. He promises her that the future with him will be bright. "And if you say to me tomorrow, oh what fun it all would be. Then what's to stop us, pretty baby. But What Is And What Should Never Be. " That Is and What should Never Be is dependant on whether she wants to go with him. And from the last line of the song it is clear that he is going whether she goes with him or not. | |
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JJ Average |
#10 by JJ at Mar 10, 2003 at 1:15 PM EST |
| this is a beautiful song about love(OBVIOUSLY). well perhapsly not love, perhapsly it is whatever it is. even so the song still reamins to be absolultly wonderful. | |
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