Freaks Guitar Tab

Secret Samadhi Tabs:

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From ada108@psu.edu Wed Apr  9 12:44:35 1997
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 14:39:10 -0500
From: Andy Adelewitz 
To: guitar@olga.net
Subject: TAB: Freaks by Live

"Freaks" by +Live+
from the album Scret Samadhi
tab by Andy Adelewitz (ada108@psu.edu)

I tabbed this in standard tuning instead of down a half step, as they play
it. It's just as easy either way. If you tune down a half step, just move
all the tab up a fret to play along with the album.

Verse riff:

    G#5     E5    D#m            G#5     E5    D#m            E5
E-|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B-|-----9-------------7--------------9----------------------------|
G-|---8---8-----9-------6----------8---8-----9----------------9---|
D-|-6---------9------------------6---------9--------x3-then---9---|
A-|---------7-----6----------------------7-----6--------------7---|
E-|---------------------------------------------------------------|


Will you  call them Freaks?

    D#5
E-|-----|
B-|-----|
G-|--8--|
D-|--8--|
A-|--6--|
E-|-----|

Just repeat this chord over and over the first time, then go back into verse.
The second time and all after it, follow it with:

   Or will you call them gods?

    G#5     Bb5   D#5
E-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G-|---------------8-----------------------------------------------------------|
D-|-6---6-6-8-8---8-----------------------------------------------------------|
A-|-6---6-6-8-8---6-----------------------------------------------------------|
E-|-4---4-4-6-6---------------------------------------------------------------|


The last riff has three chords:

    G5  G#5  C#5
E-|---------------|
B-|---------------|
G-|-----------6---|
D-|--5---6----6---|
A-|--5---6----4---|
E-|--3---4--------|

Play like so:

G5             G#5  C#5
   You never looked so high

G5           G#5    C#5
   To ever find her so low

G5                     G#5   C#5
   You did not have to go    that far

G5                      G#5
   To show her you were holy


The little guitar lick behind what comea after that part:

         1/2 step bend and release
D-|------/---------|
A-|---10----8--10---|
E-|-----------------|
From 160253@student.fbk.eur.nl Sun Apr 27 11:06:58 1997
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 1997 18:14:40 -0700
From: "H.J.W. ter Avest" 
To: guitar@olga.net
Subject: TAB: freaks by live

    [The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set]
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Tab of ^?freaks^? by live
from the album Secret Shamadi
transcribed by JWTA (JAN76@HOTMAIL.COM)

main RIFF A: If the mother  B:would you call them freaks...

E---------------------------|-------------------------------|
A------10--------------8----|-------------------------------|
D----9----9-----9----7---7--|(7)------------------1---------|
G--7----------7-------------|---------------------2---------|
B-----------8------7--------|---------------------2---------|
E---------------------------|-------------------------------|

and then C:
     would you call them freeeaaaks...
------------------------------------|
------------------------------------|
--5------------5--------------------|
--5------------7---------5----------|
--3------------7---------5----------|
-------------------------3----------|

That^?s it. It^?s eazy man, I heard it twice and I pulled it.
for lyrics check out the live webpage. C-ya.
From: spider@olemiss.edu


"Freaks" by Live
On the new album, Secret Samadhi

Transcribed by spider@olemiss.edu

Tune a 1/2 step down, as per usual for about 99% of Live's songs.


Intro:
(Using a slight tremolo effect)
(This is kind of an arpeggio with Am F and Em7)

     Am	 F	    Em7		    Am	F	   Em7
eb:------5---------|-----------3-----|------5---------|-----------3-----|
Bb:--------5-------|-------------3---|--------5-------|-------------3---|
Gb:----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
Db:--------------3-|-----------------|--------------3-|-----------------|
Ab:----7-------3---|-----------------|----7-------3---|-----------------|
Eb:--5-------1-----|--0--------------|--5-------1-----|--0--------------|

     Am	 F	    Em7		    Am	F	   Em7
eb:------5---------|-----------3-----|------5---------|-----------3-----|
Bb:--------5-------|-------------3---|--------5-------|-------------3---|
Gb:----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
Db:--------------3-|-----------------|--------------3-|-----------------|
Ab:----7-------3---|-----------------|----7-------3---|-----------------|
Eb:--5-------1-----|--0--------------|--5-------1-----|--0--------------|

Verse:
(This is pretty much the same, except for one chord at the end of the verse.)


If a mother goes to sleep...
     Am	 F	    Em7		    Am	F	   Em7
eb:------5---------|-----------3-----|------5---------|-----------3-----|
Bb:--------5-------|-------------3---|--------5-------|-------------3---|
Gb:----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
Db:--------------3-|-----------------|--------------3-|-----------------|
Ab:----7-------3---|-----------------|----7-------3---|-----------------|
Eb:--5-------1-----|--0--------------|--5-------1-----|--0--------------|

     Am	 F	    Em7		    Am sus 4
eb:------5---------|-----------3-----|---5------------|-----------------|
Bb:--------5-------|-------------3---|---5------------|-----------------|
Gb:----------------|-----------------|---5------------|-----------------|
Db:--------------3-|-----------------|---0------------|-----------------|
Ab:----7-------3---|-----------------|---0------------|-----------------|
Eb:--5-------1-----|--0--------------|----------------|-----------------|


1st Chorus:
(Using heavy distortion)

			  E
Will you call her a freak...
			  E
Will you call them freaks...


2nd Chorus (and the rest):
(Using heavy distortion)

Here's the riff that's played with the E chord on "gods" and the asterisk:

eb:------------------|
Bb:------------------|
Gb:------------------|
Db:---6--7--6-----6--|
Ab:------------9-----|
Eb:------------------|


			  E
Will you call her a freak...
			  E
Will you call them freaks...
   A	 	  B	    E*(riff)
or will you call them gods...
   A	 	  B	    E*(riff)
...will you call them freaks...
   A	 	  B	     G#
you know your sperm is weak...


Refrain:

G# 	    A		D
You never looked, so high
G#	    A		D
To ever find her, so low
G#	    A			D
You did not have to go, that far...

Am  F  Em7
Am  F  Em7

That's pretty much all the pieces to this "freaky" song;
just listen to the CD and put it together; it shouldn't be too hard.

Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/l/live/272414.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Simon (Si) Lead Player	#1 by Simon (Si) Brown at Nov 13, 1970 at 11:03 PM EST
	This song is not about incest....It is about not conforming to what everyone else thinks and does if you havent seen the video watch it

No Picture amy Average	#2 by amy at May 5, 1971 at 11:25 PM EST
	Allow me to quote Ed Kowalczyk himself: "...the song "Freaks" from "Secret Samadhi," which was completely a song about random, abstract notions from the subconscious, not a message of any sort of weight." I think that settles the question of meaning nicely.

No Picture Phillip Wanna Be	#3 by Phillip Doucette at May 27, 1972 at 2:11 AM EST
	Something evil in here; I love it.

No Picture Curtis Rhythm Player	#4 by Curtis Lee at Nov 10, 1973 at 5:48 AM EST
	i really like this song

No Picture Keith Average	#5 by Keith Amaral at May 6, 1979 at 12:25 AM EST
	Personally, I think this song despite it's weird lyrics is pretty good, but what in the the name of God could it be about? I do have to agree with the deal about incest, that seems like the only logical choice. Does anybody know what the video was about? Because that's got to be one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen.

No Picture josh Average	#6 by josh stagel at May 21, 1983 at 12:20 PM EST
	This song is very complex. It seems as though Ed takes a look at the other side of the issue of incest. He looks into the mind of the person who father/mother is acting incestuous and shows some sympathy for them. He then takes the view of an on-looker of the situation. Some people will call him/her a freak, while anothers might actually look up to him/her. This is a great song, but really messed up.

No Picture foster Average	#7 by foster meng at May 27, 1987 at 6:57 AM EST
	this song makes me feel weird. pretty disturbing lyrics...

No Picture More Cowbell Lead Player	#8 by More Cowbell at Aug 19, 1988 at 8:40 PM EST
	I think Ballzofsno is definitely on to something. This is about the fears and inhibitions that men can have when faced with a woman who loves them and a possibility of a relationship. Kowalczyk's comments that these lyrics are purely from subconscious agree with that view, in my opinion. "The mother", I think, is not the addressed person's mother. The text is not "your mother" after all. More likely "the mother" is a woman held in high regard (the Virgin Mary comes to mind), perhaps an older woman than the usual fling, who has expectations of a relationship. If this is the case, then the very fact that she is interested in him, the "little fucker" as the addressed person no doubt sees himself, brings her down from her pedestal and makes him want to call her a freak in panic.

No Picture ♥brian Lead Player	#9 by ♥brian♥ ******** at Apr 29, 1989 at 11:00 PM EST
	this song makes me feel weird. pretty disturbing lyrics...

No Picture jo_silverhawk Average	#10 by jo_silverhawk at Jan 6, 1990 at 11:44 PM EST
	I gotta say, this song is Live at its best: spiritual without being preachy; doesn't take itself too seriously but still gets a point across. This song was on Secret Samahdi, so it was before Ed went all bornagain. It seems like its about trust in relationships in the face of sex. Either the other person can stand by his woman ("Will you render her asunder with what she really needs"), or he can ruin her ("Will you call her a freak?"). What its saying is, hey, if I'm gonna get into this with you, are you going to strike out at the first sign of trouble ("Like Peter on the hill at dawn")? It really gets gritty too, all those selfish fears you feel as a man letting yourself get into a relationship ("You know your sperm is weak","You know they're gonna come for you and drag your silly name into the mud"), and also all the nasty stuff you can throw back - ("How she picked you out of a lineup", "Will you run and tell the papers?"). Sometimes I also think there's a birth of Jesus angle to it. Like, if Jesus were born today, out of supposed immaculate conception ("Without the usual cost of labor"), would you call him a God or a freak?

No Picture Garland Rhythm Player	#11 by Garland Cross at Sep 15, 2004 at 12:56 PM EST
	The song that seemed to alienate millions of Live fans is one of my favorites. Strange that it didn't make the audio version of the Greatest Hits.

No Picture Euroynmous Average	#12 by Euroynmous at Dec 9, 2006 at 9:58 PM EST
	The song focuses on a mother and young ("You know your sperm is weak") son in an incestuous relationship. The verses has Ed question the couple, wondering how they will react to the situation. Will they try to become celebrities ("run and tell Geraldo)? Will they hide their lifestile ("hide that get up that you wear")? Will the mother abort any pregnancies ("bear your children without tears/without the usual costs of labor")? Etc. The chorus turns Ed's attention from the mother/son to the audience. Will we, the observers, call these people freaks, or will we sensationalize their acts ("call them gods")?