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Song: Plateau
Artist: Meat Puppets
Tabber:partizan
this is a unplugged version
Tune Down 1/2 a step
intro
e--3------6------3------6------3------6------1-------------------------------
b-----------------------------------------------------1----------------------
g-----------------------------------------------0---------0------------------
d------0------0------0------0------0------0----------------------------------
a----2------5------2------5------2------5------------------------------------
e--3------6------3------6------3------6------1-----1-------------------------
play that 3 times, then
e--3------6--------------------3--------------------1------------------------
b-----------------------6-------------6------1-------------------------------
g------------------------------------------------0------0--------------------
d------0------0------0------0------0------0----------------------------------
a----2------5------2------5------2------5------------------------------------
e--3------6------3------6------3------6------1-------------------------------
before chorus
e--4-------------------------------------------------------------------------
b----------4-----------------------------------------------------------------
g----0-----------------------------------------------------------------------
d----------------------------------------------------------------------------
a-------3--------------------------------------------------------------------
e--4-------------------------------------------------------------------------
chorus
e--1/3----------3------------------------------------------------------------
b--1/3--------3-------------3------3----------------------3------------------
g-------0-------------------3------3----------------------3------------------
d------------------3--3-----3------3---------/3--------3-----3---------------
a-----------------------1--------------------------1------------1------------
e---------3--------------------1-------3--3----------------------------------
e------------3----------------------------------3----------------------------
b---------------3-----------3------3---3------------3----------3-------------
g--------0------------------3------3--------0------------------3-------------
d-----0-------------3-------3------3------0------------3-------3-------------
a-----------------------1----------------------------------1-----------------
e--3----------------------------1------3--------------------------1----------
pre outro
e--4------------------------4------------6-----------------------------6----
b---------4-----------4----------------------------6---------------6---------
g---------------0------------------0----------------------0------------------
d------------0-----------------------------------------0---------------------
a------3-----------3------------3--------------5---------------5-------------
e--4---------------------4---------------6-----------------------------------
outro guitar 1
e------------------------------------------------------------------------0--- b------2-------0----------3--------0--1------2-------0--------0--------1-----
g----2-------2---2------2--------2---------2-------2---2----2--------2-------
d--2-------2----------0--------0---------2-------2--------3--------0---------
a--------0-------------------3-----------------0-----------------3-----------
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------
guitar 2
e--------0--------------2----------0-----------0-----------------------0-----
b------2-----2------------2--------1---------2----2---------1-0--------1-----
g----2---------2-------------------0-------2--------2-------2-2--------0-----
d--2-------------2----0--------0-2-------2------------2---3--------0-2-------
a----------------------------3-----------------------------------3-----------
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------
play that 4 times and then the end
e--0-------------------------------------------------------------------------
b--0-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g--2-------------------------------------------------------------------------
d--2-------------------------------------------------------------------------
a--0-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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No Picture
ian Average |
#1 by ian mckinly at Feb 3, 1970 at 2:09 PM EST |
| illustrated book about birds can mean: fictitious concept of freedom (or the American dream) holy ghosts = christianity talk show hosts= Hollywood Plateau= America you see a lot up there(upper-class) but don't be scared who needs action when you got words (freedom of speech) shake the many hands (western greeting, business or trade) I understand all the interpretations of it, but it can't be whatever you want. It should make sense with the lyrics. it's about America unless you find something that works better with it. | |
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jamie Lead Player |
#2 by jamie mordue at Mar 21, 1973 at 9:07 PM EST |
| I think this song is about futility..we get past the foothills which are populated with the things that get in our way, simple distractions like the media and organized religion so we are trying to get to the plateau (a higher consciousness? fame? or just something different?, thinking there actually might be something to gain from our hard work. but after scaling the face we see that there is just more work so we try to better the surroundings, trying to cleanse our "environment" some people are happy where they are in life and the work they have done, so they stay where they are. Some are never satisfied with what they have achieved, they need another challenge so they look for something else to attain to. | |
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The Real Slim S Average |
#3 by The Real Slim Shady at Apr 11, 1975 at 3:56 PM EST |
| i love this song mostly cuz Kurdt Cobain did a awesome cover i love the nirvana unplugged cd u should get it | |
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No Picture
Trevor Average |
#4 by Trevor fun with drugs at Jul 15, 1978 at 5:16 AM EST |
| anarexorcist - why does it mean exactly nature? such a vague thought, it could mean anything you wanted it to. you could change birds and dirt to symbolize anything you damn well please. the meaning could change with the plateau. which is exactly what makes them such amazing writers. the ability to write a song that means everything, and still make it beautiful and genuine. unique. | |
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No Picture
Brennan Wanna Be |
#5 by Brennan unknown at Oct 25, 1979 at 3:05 PM EST |
| ^ i agree with .nevermind. teenager(s) is also wonderful. a nice, frantic beginning, then a soothing, distant instrumental. go meat puppets. | |
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No Picture
Speed Demon Professional |
#6 by Speed Demon at Apr 29, 1980 at 3:56 AM EST |
| and anorexosist, i don't think it's particularly about nature, but more about capitalism and industrialisation. the birds at least represent freedom, not an actual book about real birds. | |
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No Picture
brad Average |
#7 by brad everett at May 13, 1981 at 5:38 AM EST |
| This is an amazing song. The ending guitar solo thing is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. It's like you can just feel the music echoing off the desert plateaus of the bands hometown of Pheonix. | |
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No Picture
Tyler Wanna Be |
#8 by Tyler Swagar at Dec 23, 1981 at 5:29 PM EST |
| Yeah my folks !!! Fuck Kurt and Fuck Curt. Fuck Nirvana and Fuck Meat puppets. Only one version of the song can be good. You are so smart asses I mean Nirvana or Meat puppets (whoever you support) would be very proud when they look at their fans fighting over their song. YOu guys are the perfect fans. Keep doing this . Rape the relationship and respect the two bands have for each other and seprate instead of joining together. That is what the 2 bands want you to do right ? | |
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No Picture
Guitar Man Lead Player |
#9 by Guitar Man at Apr 28, 1983 at 5:42 AM EST |
| for the people who like these songs just because *nirvana* did a cover of it, at least borrow meat puppets - II from a friend or something. the cd has many great songs that never reached mainstream (which is a good thing.) this song is amazing, the poetic lines are beyond great. | |
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chris Average |
#10 by chris jenko at Sep 11, 1983 at 11:43 AM EST |
| ^ I agree with brycec3. I love the chorus on this song, and I think it's one of their best (along with aurora borealis, such a beautiful piece of music right there). | |
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No Picture
chris Average |
#11 by chris ovari at Feb 7, 1988 at 12:10 PM EST |
| fuck cobain. i'm pretty sure this song is about an LSD trip from the pup's earlier days. During recording of MPII they started experimenting with more drugs and psychadelics. | |
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Jake Average |
#12 by Jake m at Oct 5, 1989 at 2:36 AM EST |
| this song is about cheese | |
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No Picture
R.I.P Dimebag D Professional |
#13 by R.I.P Dimebag Darrell at Jun 24, 1990 at 10:37 AM EST |
| i love this song mostly cuz Kurdt Cobain did a awesome cover i love the nirvana unplugged cd u should get it | |
|
No Picture
♥brian Lead Player |
#14 by ♥brian♥ ******** at Mar 7, 1991 at 7:44 PM EST |
| yep stole the words from my keyboard. that ending is absolutely awesome. i especially had to comment on this song though just for the line "who needs action when youve got words". i dont know what he was talking about when he wrote that, but i love any lyric that puts a spin on, or contradicts a social or religious cliche. i think its a very clever line. kurt cobain singing a cover of this is heaven on a cd player. | |
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No Picture
foster Average |
#15 by foster meng at Feb 7, 1993 at 7:57 PM EST |
| by DubC4Life on 05-31-2004 @ 05:56:47 PM This is an amazing song. The ending guitar solo thing is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard. It's like you can just feel the music echoing off the desert plateaus of the bands hometown of Pheonix. ^^yeah i agree w/ u | |
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No Picture
[ßĩη& Average |
#16 by [ßĩηŁ@Ðэń] at Mar 28, 1996 at 6:20 AM EST |
| The ending always gives me the image of a sunrise or sunset over a plateau. Amazing musicians, buy all their albums right now. | |
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Sally Average |
#17 by Sally Gray at Mar 29, 1997 at 5:16 AM EST |
| For me this has a similar meaning to Neil Young's Thrasher. About how creating art is an end in itself and you have to keep moving on to produce something that's any good. But i think there's a lot of other things hinted at such as environmental damage, selfishness, and the religion-like structure of the entertainment industry. guitar at the end is amazing. | |
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No Picture
Lenny Judd (Pap Wanna Be |
#18 by Lenny Judd (Papa Smurf) at Sep 20, 1999 at 10:29 PM EST |
| Are you all high? Shut the fuck up about nirvana, this song is great because its great, not because cobain did it. Point is, the song is about destroying nature. Its about man raping the land and how we all dont do anything about it. "An illustrated book about birds" means not only have we killed all the birds, (Or any animal) we only have vaugue drawings of them left. The bucket and mop are there to clean up all the mess we made destroying everything. The dirt is now gone because we have poured CONCRETE over everything, we are slowly kill the earth. The next platuea is just the next place to destroy. Hope that gets you all thinking. | |
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No Picture
cody Average |
#19 by cody champion at Aug 15, 2000 at 7:07 PM EST |
| That ending is pretty damn special. Anyone who has only heard the Nirvana version should buy the Meat Puppets II cd just for this song. And Aurora Borealis | |
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No Picture
Average |
#20 by vix at Feb 12, 2005 at 1:51 PM EST |
| i had a feeling that they were talking about Hollywood and how famous people put their hands in the concrete among the hollywood foothills. Something about the idea that fame does not bring happiness and that it's not a "clean" business. That, and they were probably really high when they wrote this. | |
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Goat Average |
#21 by Goat Screwer at Feb 27, 2005 at 7:04 AM EST |
| This song has amazing lyrics. I can't quite tell what they mean, but they paint a great picture. Here is what it means to me. The plateau is something that seems hard to reach, but people try any way. Once people reach the peak, there isn't anything left, except to find something else to climb to. | |
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John Wanna Be |
#22 by John Merritt at Aug 1, 2006 at 6:52 PM EST |
| Great song. DubC those were hardly your words man, nice try, I have all the Rykodiscs as well! I think this song means about as much as Kirkwood playing MTV with a penny. | |
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