Song: Missed the Boat
Artist: Modest Mouse
Album: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
tabbed by Steve "SPiV" Perreira IV
[updated 05.21.2007] Used Nemaki and OnlyModestMouse's corrections to acoustic guitar intro.
notation:
[#] - Harmonic
b - bend
/ - Slide up
\ - slide down
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
Guitars:
Guitar I - Isaac Brock
Guitar II - Johnny Marr
Guitar III - (acoustic) Clay Jones
--
:Guitar I: ISAAC BROCK
[intro]
e-------------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
B-------------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
G--9---7---6--6--7--7--9--|--9---7---9--11----|--9---7---6--6--7--6--7--|--4--4-4-4-4-4-4-7----|
D-------------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
A--7---5---4--4--5--5--7--|--7---5---7--9-----|--7---5---4--4--5--4--5--|--2--2-2-2-2-2-2-5----|
E-------------------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
e-------------------|------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------|
B--------10--8/7----|-------10--8/7----|------------------------------|--------------------------|
G--/7------------7--|--7------------7--|--4--4-4-4-4-4--4--4-4-4-4-4--|--4--4-4-4-4-4--7----2----|
D-------------------|------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------|
A-------------------|------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------|
E-------------------|------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------|x2
[chorus/pre-verse chords]
e----------------------|----------------------|
B----------------------|----------------------|
G--4--4--4--6--6--7----|--4--4--4--6--6--7----|
D----------------------|----------------------|
A--2--2--2--4--4--5----|--2--2--2--4--4--5----|
E----------------------|----------------------|
[guitar solo I]
-----------------------------|--------------------------|
-----------------------------|--------------------------|
---------------6/7/9--9--7/6-|--------------------------|
-----4/5-7--7----------------|--7--7--7/---4--4h5p4-----|
--5--------------------------|-----------------------5--|
-----------------------------|--------------------------|
-------------|-----------------------|
-------------|-----------------------|
-------------|-----------------------|
-------------|-----------------------|
-------------|-----------------------|
--7/----5----|--2------2--2h-3--0----|x2
[guitar solo II/outro]
e---------------------|------------------|---------------|
B---------------------|------------------|---------------|
G----------7b---------|------------------|---------------|
D--9p7--7--------7/---|--5----4----------|---------------|
A---------------------|------------7--5--|--7----9--5----|
E---------------------|------------------|---------------|
e----------------------------|---------------------|------------------|
B----------------------------|---------------------|------------------|
G---------------6/7/9--7--6--|----------7b---------|------------------|
D-----4/5-7--7---------------|--9p7---7-------7/---|--5----4----------|
A--5-------------------------|---------------------|------------7--5--|
E----------------------------|---------------------|------------------|
---------------|-------------------------|---------------------|
---------------|-------------------------|--[9]----------------|
---------------|---------------7---------|---------------------|
---------------|-----4/5-7--7-------7----|---------------------|
--7----9--5----|--5----------------------|---------------------|
---------------|-------------------------|---------------------|
--
:Guitar II: JOHNNY MARR
[intro]
*upstroke these chords*
e--0--------|--3--------|
B--3--------|--3--------|
G--2--------|--0--------|
D--0--------|--0--------|
A--0--------|--2--------|
E-----------|--3--------|
e--3--3-3-3-3-5--5-5-5-5-------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
B--3--3-3-3-3-5--5-5-5-5-------|---------------|---------------|-----------3----|
G--4--4-4-4-4-7--7-7-7-7-7-----|--7----7--7----|--7----7--7----|--4-----4-------|
D---------------------------7--|-------------7-|-------------7-|-----5----------|
A------------------------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
E------------------------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|x2
[interlude]
e------------------------|-------------------------|--3--3-3-3-3-5--5-5-5-5-------|
B------------------------|--------------------3----|--3--3-3-3-3-5--5-5-5-5-------|
G--7--7-----7----7--7----|--7--7-----4-----4-------|--4--4-4-4-4-7--7-7-7-7-7-----|
D--------7-------------7-|--------7-----5----------|---------------------------7--|
A------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------|
E------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------------|
[chorus]
/ending 1
e--5--5-5-5--5--5-5-5--5--5--|--12--12-12-12--12--12--12--12--s--|--3----3-------|
B----------------------------|-----------------------------------|--3------------|
G----------------------------|-----------------------------------|--4-------4----|
D----------------------------|-----------------------------------|--5------------|
A----------------------------|-----------------------------------|---------------|
E----------------------------|-----------------------------------|---------------|
e--5--5-5-5--5--5-5-5--5--5--|--12--12-12-12--12--12--12--12--s--|
B----------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G----------------------------|-----------------------------------|
D----------------------------|-----------------------------------|
A----------------------------|-----------------------------------|
E----------------------------|-----------------------------------|
/ending 2
e----------------------|-------------------------|
B--0--0--0--2--2--3----|--0--0--0--2--0--2--0----|
G----------------------|-------------------------|
D----------------------|-------------------------|
A----------------------|-------------------------|
E----------------------|-------------------------|
--
:Guitar III: Clay Jones
[intro/verse]
e|-2h3p2---------2h3p2---------2h3p2--------2-|
B|-------3----3--------3----3--------3----3---|
G|--------------------------------------------|
D|-0-------------0-------------0--------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|-2h3p2---------2h3p2---------2h3p2--------3-|
G|-------4----4--------4----4--------4----4---|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|-3-------------3-------------3--------------|
[chorus]
*strum these chords*
e--0--------|-----------|--3--------|
B--3--------|--2--------|--3--------|
G--2--------|--2--------|--4--------|
D--0--------|--2--------|--5--------|
A-----------|--0--------|--5--------|
E-----------|-----------|--3--------|
[solo chords]
e--2--------3--------|--5--------3--------2-----|------------|------------------|
B--3--------3--------|--3--------3-----------3--|--3----3----|--3----2--0-------|
G--------------------|--------------------------|--2----2----|-------------2----|
D--------------------|--------------------------|------------|------------------|
A--------------------|--------------------------|------------|------------------|
E--------------------|--------------------------|------------|------------------|
note: in the studio recording, you can't hear these solo chords. When Missed the Boat is played live,
Eric plays the chords for nice filler.
tabbed by the Spiv: degaspiv@gmail.com
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
Nileppezdel Lead Player |
#1 by Nileppezdel at Sep 26, 2007 at 11:15 PM EST |
| Alright. Well what this song means to me..hmm. In all honesty, I don't think Isaac is trying to say he missed the boat on his career or his fans or anything like that by changing his style of music. It does make sense with the lyrics, but there is too much emotion here in this song for something so materialistic or almost shallow as a career. At least I would like to think he is deeper than that here. It starts out with him missing his past. Possibly the past where he didn't care about society's views on him and everything. Because next is "Everyone's unhappy Everyone's ashamed Well we all just got caught looking At somebody else's page Well nothing ever went Quite exactly as we planned Our ideas held no water But we used them like a dam" It seems that now he and everyone else are just secretly trying to act like everyone else to fit into this place. And nothing ever went as planned because their ideas aren't getting them anywhere such as all these other people they may be trying to be like. And even though these ideas aren't getting people anywhere, they are using them like a dam because they can't change their thoughts and views on things. Alright well that was a really long response and I didn't even make it near halfway through the song. I look pretty far into the lyrics apparently. If anyone is interested in hearing any more of my responses to different parts of this song, let me know. But if people think I'm just completely off, I won't waste anymore space on this page! Either way, I just love this song and can listen to it over and over. The music speaks more to me than the words themselves. | |
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No Picture
Derek Lead Player |
#2 by Derek O'Kanos at Sep 27, 2007 at 1:02 AM EST |
| ....... My life is finally complete! Modest Mouse + James Mercer = (complete) | |
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No Picture
Colleen Average |
#3 by Colleen Shmeltin at Sep 27, 2007 at 9:38 AM EST |
| i love this song, even though its not out yet. MARCH 20!!! can't wait. | |
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Colin Wanna Be |
#4 by Colin Gauld at Sep 28, 2007 at 4:50 PM EST |
| First off, I'm not trying to bash my second favorite band of all time. I love this album although i feel it has an extremely poppy sound, I see the need for modest mouse to grow, and you can never blame a band for wanting to make money. I FEEL... This song is Isaac looking back at his carrer in retrospect. Facing the fact that they sold their soul for some pop fame. The line : "I was knocking on your ear's door Don't worry, you were always out" means where were all these so called fans ten years ago. it was only recently the masses started listening to our music. And now that they are looking at their future (post epic) they've realized all they really want is their past (pre epic) Now he is embarrassed at himself, and he feels that his original fans are ashamed. Then the next verse talks about how it seemed so easy to make that step up, and where he would have been laughing all the way to the bank, he realizes that all the fame and money is actually hell. A play on selling your soul to the devil. The line well we didn't need the water, is a reference to actually not needing the pop success. The main idea of this song, and i think the whole album is that there is no turning back, modest mouse has missed their boat, and their chance to be true to their roots. But hey it was a nice promotion. | |
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No Picture
Mike Wanna Be |
#5 by Mike Jeffries at Sep 28, 2007 at 9:02 PM EST |
| "Tiny curtains open and we heard the tiny clap of little hands A tiny man would tell a little joke and get a tiny laugh from all the folks Sitting drifting around in bubbles and thinking it was us that carried them When we finally got it figured out that we had truly missed the boat" that part reminds me of gulliver's travels | |
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No Picture
Razor Wanna Be |
#6 by Razor Edge at Oct 1, 2007 at 1:28 AM EST |
| Incredible song. New ideas with an old MM style. Love It. I was skeptical about the new album at first... turns out Mouse Mouse never ceases to amazed... great... "and i'll laugh all the way to hell" | |
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No Picture
Sam Wanna Be |
#7 by Sam Payne at Oct 1, 2007 at 2:55 AM EST |
| i think this song is about people bein all dumb bout how they are nothing like the OLD MM. "looking towards the future, we were beggin for the past..." and they are sayin that they just used what they had in front of them, to make a good sound, and everyone was like "Sell Out" "Of course everyone goes crazy Over such and such and such We made ourselves a pillar Though we just used it as a crutch" that is explaining that people get pissed cause they changed, but they just used what they had and made what ever they wanted... "Was it ever worth it? Was there all that much to gain? Well we knew we missed the boat And we'd already missed the plane We didn't read the invite We just dance at our wake All our favorites were playing So we could shake, shake, shake, shake, shake" its explaining that they just did what they wanted. This song reminds me of this. it makes sense!!! | |
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Armin Average |
#8 by Armin at Oct 1, 2007 at 5:01 AM EST |
| this songs amazing. wasnt so keen when i heard it live but recorded it kicks ass. i lvoe the 'oh please just last' his vocals jsut sound exactly how we all feel about that line. but on to what the songs about, it seems to me its about how people arnt living there life, not taking chances and just goin with the flow. Missing the boat i think relates to stayin safe as opposed to doin it, then u relise you shouldve but...u missed the boat. and then in relation to dancing at a wake it sounds as though its too late when you relise you didnt live life. my thoughts anyway, preety simple. | |
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No Picture
alex Lead Player |
#9 by alex beaulieu at Oct 3, 2007 at 12:34 PM EST |
| I agree with midwest, old Modest Mouse shines through at 3.20. And even though I like this albulm and I like Good News, nothing really beats old Modest Mouse. | |
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No Picture
Ziggy Professional |
#10 by Ziggy at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:20 AM EST |
| I think this is about mistakes hes made. Hes laughing all the way to hell and doesn't realize it. Then at the end of his life he knows he missed the boat, or the chance to do something with his life...... | |
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The MADMAN Average |
#11 by The MADMAN All the way at Oct 5, 2007 at 12:05 PM EST |
| Beautiful album, I definitely enjoyed it more than good news Anyways, I think this song is about being denied from heaven | |
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No Picture
h4c|< Average |
#12 by h4c|< ☺ at Oct 5, 2007 at 7:23 PM EST |
| my favorite so far on this one, but i miss their old style, still great song and promising album.... | |
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No Picture
James Average |
#13 by James Davison at Oct 7, 2007 at 2:29 PM EST |
| you guys get the idea of the song. its a metaphor like heaven. yes isaac does have a lot of deep seated emotions. growing up in a trailer environment you really have to learn from other cultures. i can relate perfectly. | |
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No Picture
kyle Professional |
#14 by kyle mcdonough at Oct 9, 2007 at 6:16 AM EST |
| Was it ever worth it? Was there all that much to gain? Well we knew we missed the boat And we'd already missed the plane We didn't read the invite We just dance at our wake All our favorites were playing So we could shake, shake, shake, shake, shake That parts my favorite, great song from this album. What a slammin MM album! | |
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No Picture
Eric Average |
#15 by Eric at Oct 11, 2007 at 9:17 AM EST |
| I greatly agree with gravityridesit on the meaning. 'Missing the boat' to me is that the boat is life, and to miss it is when you realize that you've wasted it being what society tells you to be. The opening verse to me seems like looking back on an old relationship. The talk of the subject and wanting to change it sounds like he keeps reliving the break-up. 'I was knocking on your ears | Don't worry your were always out' - Whenever he tried to work things out with her she didn't want to listen to him and try to work it out. 'Looking towards the future | We were begging for the past' - She kept looking towards the future as separate entities but he wanted to look back to the past when they were going through their good times. 'Well we knew we had the good things | But those never seem to last | Oh please just last' - To me this is his final realization that they are done, but no matter how hard he is trying to accept it, he just can't let her go. The wake verse I completely agree with gravity, 'We didn't read the invite' - We didn't check with ourselves to make sure that we were doing the right things and going in the right direction, 'We just dance at our own wake' - We are finally living our lives, even though its too late. 'All our favorites were playing' - We finally settled on what we want out of life. 'So we could shake, shake, shake, shake, shake' - Since we know what we want out of life, even though its time has past, we are trying to fulfill it. I think Issac has a lot of deep seeded emotion in this song, but they used the upbeat sound to mask the lyrics though. The lyrics just seem to scream, 'Let me get out of/over this!' Whatever 'this' is, is completely your interpretation, but I assume girlfriend because of 'Little Motel.' | |
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No Picture
Jon Wanna Be |
#16 by Jon Leff at Oct 11, 2007 at 1:03 PM EST |
| thank god modest mouse had come out with a great cd after all the worrying over dashboard..i love this song, love the new cd | |
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No Picture
Eric Rhythm Player |
#17 by Eric at Oct 12, 2007 at 2:13 PM EST |
| I was so happy to hear James Mercer doing backup on this song. but this is a great song. I don't know what it's about, but i could listen to it over and over again. | |
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No Picture
black Rhythm Player |
#18 by black rose at Oct 12, 2007 at 3:27 PM EST |
| I love this song, it just makes me feel happy and want to dance for no particular reason. | |
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austin Average |
#19 by austin pancner at Oct 12, 2007 at 7:44 PM EST |
| James Mercer! You gotta love him on this album. His harmonies throughout are just brilliant. | |
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Avinash Average |
#20 by Avinash Dutta at Oct 13, 2007 at 4:14 AM EST |
| Looking back at what one's life has been whilst seeing all of the choices you probably could have and really should have made. | |
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No Picture
jacob Average |
#21 by jacob ap at Oct 13, 2007 at 7:04 PM EST |
| Does Mercer from the Shins sing backup in this too? | |
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No Picture
Tommy Wanna Be |
#22 by Tommy Tang at Oct 13, 2007 at 7:08 PM EST |
| Oh, and "suddenly" uncertain, I thought it said "Certainly uncertain." Modest Mouse likes to twist words up a bit. | |
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No Picture
Jamie Wanna Be |
#23 by Jamie Smith at Oct 15, 2007 at 3:22 PM EST |
| To me it sounds like this is about a relationship where something happened in the beginning that has constantly plagued them. Every time it is brought up, he wishes the subject could be changed. They just longed for the time before whatever happened when they could just be happy and not have something holding them back. What he means by [Sitting drifting around in bubbles and thinking it was us that carried them When we finally got it figured out that we had truly missed the boat] is that every time something good has happened since, they thought it was because of them getting over it. Eventually, they realize they've lost their chance to be happy. | |
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The other James Wanna Be |
#24 by The other James Molina at Oct 18, 2007 at 3:49 PM EST |
| yea favorite song on the album. 3:20 into the song is amazing. reminds me of a total throwback to their old stuff. i really enjoy this album! it sounds like a career that someone got promoted in and he truely deserved it but missed the "boat" on the rest of his life. but i think it runs deeper then that, maybe someone else can elaborate on it! :) | |
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jordan Average |
#25 by jordan mcm at Oct 18, 2007 at 8:48 PM EST |
| gonna have to say i agree with midwestproduct on this one ! great fucking song, with great ! beats | |
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