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MODEST MOUSE
The Lonesome Crowded West
"Teeth Like God's Shoeshine"
Tabbed By Garrett Gold (Yugugelizer)
E |---------------------|
B |------5b-------------|
G |---------------------|
D |4b-4b----4b----------|
A |------------5b-0----0|
E |-----------------3b--|
E |-------------------------|
B |----5-------5------------|
G |-------------------------|
D |4-4---4-4-4---4b---------|
A |-----------------5b-0---0|
E |----------------------3--|
E |-------------------------|
B |-------------------------|
G |----2-----0-----0-----0h2|
D |--0-----4-----0-----0----|
A |2-----0------------------|
E |------------3-----0------|
Harmonics
E |----------------|
B |----------------|
G |-----7-------7-7|
D |--7------7-5----|
A |-------7--------|
E |7---------------|
Keep Playing Louder And Faster
E |--------------|
B |--------------|
G |4-------------|
D |4-x6-7----5---|
A |2----7-x6-5-x6|
E |-----5----3---|
E |------------|
B |------------|
G |11-9-7-6-7--|
D |-----------7|
A |------------|
E |------------|
E |----------------------------|
B |----------------------------|
G |11-9-7-6-7-----6-7p6---7-6p6|
D |-----------7-7-------7------|
A |----------------------------|
E |----------------------------|
E |--------------------------------------------------|
B |--------------------------------------------------|
G |11----11/1211-11----11/1211-11/1211/1211/1211|
D |---x5-------------x4------------------------------|
A |9-----9/-109--9-----9-/109--9-/109-/109-/109-|
E |--------------------------------------------------|
E |---------|
B |---------|
G |11-9-7-12|
D |---------|
A |9--7-5-10|
E |---------|
Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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Quinn Rhythm Player |
#1 by Quinn I killed my last name at Jan 18, 1976 at 6:03 PM EST |
| I learned how to play this song on the guitar. It's kinda tough. Just rememeberin all the parts and switching between them. But it's really cool to play. | |
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Jake Average |
#2 by Jake m at Jan 23, 1981 at 9:43 AM EST |
| I found out what this song means on the way to my dad's friends house, it is all about money and how people think of it and use it. At the beginning its talking about how much money there is in the world (the top of the ocean bottom of the sky part) and when he is talking about "And he said, I am not allowed much danger" it is probably talking about gambling, because his wife and his mom or something doesn't want him putting his life down the drain. and also in that entire stanza he is talking about the downfall and how he loses all his money. The "Oh! if you could compact your conscience!" is about selling off anything just for a few extra bucks, cause think, if you didn't have any money and you were an excessive gambler, the first thing you'd need is some money. Then in the next line with the television's gone and the grocery store part it is talking about losing everything and only buying off friends, not really making them. When it starts up in the chorus: "Here's the man with teeth like god's shoeshine..." he is either talking in third person about the himself or about a salesman or the dealer at the card table. "Let's all have another orange julius" --- I don't know what an orange julius is but i am 99% sure its a drink ;-). "Thick syrup standing in lines" --- They are melting apart. Then when it gets faster it starts talking about going around town. He is talking about stealing money or asking people for money. And then Isaac starts talking about money as himself. "Or you can add it up and give a shit give a shit!" he is talking about adding up your money and caring about how much you have, I mean if it's enough to get by then it's worth something. (Also: "You should be ashamed to be so proud of what you done" --- About wasting all the money and being proud of it because you won some on the way down,) "I wouldn't call that the best of it! Best of it!" --- Meaning that you shouldn't think that money is the best life has to offer. "All along... and it's all gone!" --- Talking about thinking that all along money was what life's about and then realizing it's all gone, basically putting you in a fucked situation. "And the telephone goes off......" when this part kicks in i think it is either talking about a telemarketer or maybe a friend/girlfriend. "But not no one, Not now, Not ever Anyone..." ------ is definitely talking about how no one will ever help him, how he fucked his life up and how he must unfuck it. Hope that wasn't confusing, but basically this song is just about Money and it's use by certain people, (Gamblers, druggies, alcholics) | |
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chris the pirat Lead Player |
#3 by chris the pirate. arr at Apr 26, 1982 at 10:10 PM EST |
| Modest Mouse is in a league of their own. I guess you would classify them as indie rock. This song like so many songs by the band has several different parts. It's like this song could of been 2 or 3 songs, but we love the mouse for having 6 to 8 minute songs. What a brilliant song to open up with their amazing album Lonesome Crowded West. "so long, farewell, good-bye" | |
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bob Average |
#4 by bob bob at Mar 3, 1986 at 8:24 PM EST |
| my absolute favorite modest mouse song. :O | |
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Jake Wanna Be |
#5 by Jake Stewart at Mar 18, 1989 at 10:24 PM EST |
| I like the part where he starts with "take them on the long ride" then goes from there. I think its pretty much about how corperations manipulate their consumers into buying shit that is not good for them or they don't need. the man with teeth like gods shoeshine is the sales man, whose job is to manipulate. I also think that the song says that some of these people have a conscience, and when it wakes up, they will live in regret of what they have done. | |
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Kornowski - Wanna Be |
#6 by Kornowski - Im не русский, Бог Черт возьми! at Aug 10, 1990 at 1:30 PM EST |
| Bohemian Rhapsody of the 21st century bliss. | |
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Ben Rhythm Player |
#7 by Ben Jammin at Apr 16, 1991 at 8:25 PM EST |
| name a better band then modest mouse.... you cant its fuckin simple..... snohomish in the hizzy | |
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Rob Average |
#8 by Rob Jones at Dec 1, 2004 at 8:12 PM EST |
| I think this song like a lot of modest mouse songs is about religion and questioning its integrity or just peoples lives. It could be about getting along with someone or trying to at least. Thats just what i can think of, its so hard to put meaning behind their words, its incredible. | |
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Austin Wanna Be |
#9 by Austin Skitowski at Nov 6, 2005 at 5:24 PM EST |
| best song by the best band ever | |
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leester Professional |
#10 by leester at Sep 6, 2006 at 8:18 PM EST |
| I believe it's somewhat deprecating towards suburban life. A man with teeth like god's shoeshine would be the business man with pearly white, picket fence teeth. The orange Julius is just about the apathy and consumption of trendy suburbanites. The best part is how he fortells an end to it with "the malls are the soon to be ghost towns" There are several other examples I could give, but the chorus is definitely the most obvious. | |
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Kyle Rhythm Player |
#11 by Kyle Wait I Aint Telling You at Sep 27, 2007 at 9:25 PM EST |
| I don't know what it means, but damn I love it. | |
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Alex Average |
#12 by Alex P at Sep 30, 2007 at 6:32 AM EST |
| To says it's about money is oversimplifying it a bit. It's more about the shallow and unsatisfying feeling that consumerism eventually brings you. | |
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Snap! Crackle! Average |
#13 by Snap! Crackle! Josh!! waldenmaier at Oct 2, 2007 at 4:30 PM EST |
| heres the man with teeth like gods shoeshine he sparkles shimmers shines lets all have another orange julius possibly the best part, to me it means, look at that rich/cool/good person, lets kick back and relax and watch them shine | |
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Tyler Average |
#14 by Tyler Hutchison at Oct 4, 2007 at 7:25 AM EST |
| mmm...orange julius. mmm...isaac brock mmm...an infinitely fucked up planet after much deliberation, i've come to the ultimate conclusion that this is my favorite mouse song. and that bridge! dammit! i can't even begin to count the ways i've plagiarized this epic. oh wait...yes, i can: a) lyrically, b) musically. and not even on purpose, mind you. its just that brilliant in all capacities. thank you yet again, isaac. so long, farewell, goodbye. | |
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john Wanna Be |
#15 by john dolmayan at Oct 4, 2007 at 1:18 PM EST |
| same here. hearing it live is even better. wow. | |
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jake Average |
#16 by jake battkoo at Oct 4, 2007 at 3:41 PM EST |
| I think this song is about this song is about greedy power hungry american corporates. Don't get me wrong, I am american, but we are fucking GREEDY! From the bottom of the sky to the top of the ocean meaning the whole world, so they want to market the whole world. They are probably old friends who are corporate rivals, and they attack a man in Buffalo, Montana... or something to get more money. When people go to pay the rent they see that it costs to much, and prices are rising. BTW, burning people in effigy means embarassing them or a likeness or clone of them. When they get to the calming part where it slows down he says "The televisions gone," meaning they probably had to sell every single thing to pay the rent or to buy Necessitys. It is probably about the depression, cause the words match it and so does the meaning. When they say "Do you need a lot of what you got to survive?" meaning most people have money so do you need a lot of money to survive? Yes. The malls are the soon to be ghost towns meaning that prices are so high or many people lack money so they cant afford the shit they want and need, when it speeds up it means rebelling against the system and money and blah blah... My guess... Could be wrong... Prolly no one will ever get this song. Not no one, not now, not ever, anyone. so So-long, farewell, goodbye! lol, i love quoting the song | |
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Garland Rhythm Player |
#17 by Garland Cross at Oct 6, 2007 at 11:33 AM EST |
| As is Trifling Biyatch. Pretty much states the obvious, huh? | |
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Kenny Lead Player |
#18 by Kenny Berg at Oct 10, 2007 at 8:33 AM EST |
| This is a great song.... but what does it mean? | |
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josh Average |
#19 by josh meador at Oct 10, 2007 at 2:09 PM EST |
| "Go to the grocery store buy some new friends" That is my favorite line. It shows how one person can think of friends so expendable. They can always find new people who like them after they stab some people in the back. A wonderful line, a wonderful song, and a really kick-ass album. | |
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Ben Rhythm Player |
#20 by Ben Formica at Oct 10, 2007 at 5:50 PM EST |
| This song changes tempo and stylings so much it's amazing. Probably my second favorite Modest Mouse song, right under "Bankrupt on Selling" | |
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jordan Porreca Lead Player |
#21 by jordan Porreca porreca at Oct 11, 2007 at 12:01 AM EST |
| true i need to know what this song means aswell. its a physically addicting song for me :-D (i wish i was joking) but i cant believe there creativity and colorful sound i wouldnt know how to classify them :) please i hope some one will see this and help us out with the gift of knowledge!! we need to know what this song means! -JoN.G. AIM:iamthepooman | |
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Randy Lead Player |
#22 by Randy Lott at Oct 11, 2007 at 5:09 AM EST |
| I think this song is about the overall decay of society. The orange julius line is just showing how people are wasteful and are focusing their lives around consumerism rather than finding and doing thigs that really make them happy. the line: from the top of the ocean to the bottom of sky i get clausterphobic is just saying how this is everywhere and pretty much unavoidable because everyone is so caught up in this lifestyle even if they dont think or realize they are. think about all the shit you have you dont need. its kind of like that quote "the things you own end up owning you" (fight club) ... just that you can base your life on making money and buying things but that wont end up making you happy. also i think this song also adresses how eventually this corroding society that only cares about money and leisure will collapse eventually (the malls are the soon to be ghost towns)... well thats my take on this song, its probably my favorite song at the moment, what do u guys think? | |
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Justin Wanna Be |
#23 by Justin Neafsey at Oct 15, 2007 at 8:49 AM EST |
| I think this is about hating the growing greedy culture and everyone jumping on the band wagon and drinking their orange julius and then going and buying their friends at a market and then to top it all off selling your conscious off. top of the ocean bottom of the sky: same place(talked to a friend that never realized that). and I always felt that the person saying this"I am not allowed much danger...." is a mix of god and the greedy business man, meaning they are one of the same. only the effigy burning doesnt support the bussiness theory. burning effigyies reminds me of epitaphs... maybe a business man with god like appearence to the consumer? difficult to say, interested in what others think tho. | |
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Ben Wanna Be |
#24 by Ben Koss at Oct 15, 2007 at 9:00 AM EST |
| with any modest mouse song it takes time to decifer the songs but to me this song is about popular culture.. and the man with gods shoe shine are the corporate owners and how fake people are.. etc.. fill in the blanks where needed. | |
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John Wanna Be |
#25 by John Agopian at Oct 16, 2007 at 2:37 PM EST |
| This song is about Three different things, A claustrophobic Hypochaundriac, A man with teeth like god's shoeshine and Isaac Brock... Okay i don't know wtf this song is about but who could hate it??? | |
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