Fly Trapped In A Jar Guitar Tab

We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank Tabs:

Title: Fly Trapped in a Jar
Artist: Modest Mouse
Album: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
tabbed by Steve "SPiV" Perreira IV


note. I've spent too long trying to get Marr's funky chords in the
second-half of the song. If someone can contribute, I'll add it to
this tab and give you full credit for all the work contributed, such
as the Dashboard tab. Until then, enjoy what's here...



Guitar I - Isaac Brock
Guitar II - Johnny Marr


--

'fly' intro (could be Marr or Brock, or synth, I dunno.)
e-----------------------|-----------------------|
B-----------------------|-----------------------|
G----------5/7\5--------|-----------------------|
D-----7-----------5-/7--|--2h3--3---------------|
A--5--------------------|----------3p2-3--/5----|
E-----------------------|-----------------------|


--

Guitar I - Isaac Brock


[part.1]

main riff
e--------------------|-------------------|
B--------------------|-------------------|
G----7h9-/10---------|-------------------|
D--7----------10--8--|--5h7-----5h7------|
A--------------------|------5-5-----5----|
E--------------------|----------------5--|


[part.2]

variation 1
e--------------------|----------------------------|
B--------------------|----------------------------|
G--9-9-x-xx-9-9-x-xx-|--6--6--7--7--9--9--12--12--|
D--x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-xx-|--x--x--x--x--x--x--x---x---|
A--7-7-x-xx-7-7-x-xx-|--4--4--5--5--7--7--10--10--|
E--------------------|----------------------------|

variation 2
e--------------------|--------------------------|
B--------------------|--------------------------|
G--9-9-x-xx-9-9-x-xx-|--7--7--6--6--5--5--4--3--|
D--x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-xx-|--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|
A--7-7-x-xx-7-7-x-xx-|--5--5--4--4--3--3--2--1--|
E--------------------|--------------------------|


--

Guitar II - Johnny Marr


[part.1]
e-----------------------|-------------------|
B--------------------6b-|-------------------|
G-----------------------|--7--7--6--6--5----|
D--7--7--7--6--6--5-----|-------------------|
A-----------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|-------------------|

e-----------------------------|--------------------------|
B--/10--10--10----------8--8--|--8-----------------------|
G---------------10------------|-----5--5--5--4--4--3--3--|
D-----------------------------|--------------------------|
A-----------------------------|--------------------------|
E-----------------------------|--------------------------|

e--------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
B-----------------------6b-|-----------------------|--10--10--10----------8--8--|
G--------------------------|------7--7--6--6--5----|--------------10------------|
D--7--7--7--7--6--6--5-----|-----------------------|----------------------------|
A--------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
E--------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|

e--------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
B--8-----------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
G-----5--5--5--4--4--3--3--|--------------------------|--------------------6b---|
D--------------------------|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--0--|--7--7--7--7--7--0-------|
A--------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|
E--------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|

e-------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
B-------------------------|-----------------------|-------6----------6-----|
G--------------------6b---|--------6b---6b---6b---|----7-----7----7-----7--|
D--7--7--7--0--7--0-------|--7--7-----------------|------------------------|
A-------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
E-------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|

e-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
B-------6-----8-----6-----|-------6----------6-----|-------------------------|
G----7-----7-----7-----7--|----7-----7----7-----7--|----5--5--5--4--4--3--3--|
D-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
A-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
E-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|

e------------------------------|----------------17--------------|
B--------18------------18------|--------18--------------18------|
G----19------19----19------19--|----19------19------19------19--|
D------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E------------------------------|--------------------------------|

e--17--17--17--------------------|----------------------------------|
B--------------18----20--20--20--|--20------------------------------|
G--------------------------------|------17--17--17--16--16--15--15--|
D--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E--------------------------------|----------------------------------|

e--------------------------|------------------------|
B-----------------------6b-|------------------------|
G--------------------------|------7--7--6--6--5--5--|
D--7--7--7--7--6--6--5-----|------------------------|
A--------------------------|------------------------|
E--------------------------|------------------------|

e-----------------------------|--------------------------|
B--10--10--10--------8--8--8--|--8-----------------------|
G--------------10b------------|-----5--5--5--4--4--3--3--|
D-----------------------------|--------------------------|
A-----------------------------|--------------------------|
E-----------------------------|--------------------------|

e--------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------|
B-----------------------6b-|------------------------|--10--10--10--------------|
G--------------------------|------7--7--6--6--5--5--|--------------10b---------|
D--7--7--7--7--6--6--5-----|------------------------|--------------------------|
A--------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------|
E--------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------|


[part.2]

main chords/verse: n/a

interlude (after verse)
v1
e-----------------------------|------------------------|
B-----------------------------|------------------------|
G--/9----/11----/12----/19----|--12----7--6--5--4\3----|
D-----------------------------|------------------------|
A-----------------------------|------------------------|
E-----------------------------|------------------------|


pre-outro
e-----------------------|-------------------|
B--------------------6b-|-------------------|
G-----------------------|--7--7--6--6--5----|
D--7--7--7--6--6--5-----|-------------------|
A-----------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|-------------------|

e-----------------------------|--------------------------|
B--/10--10--10----------8--8--|--8-----------------------|
G---------------10------------|-----5--5--5--4--4--3--3--|
D-----------------------------|--------------------------|
A-----------------------------|--------------------------|
E-----------------------------|--------------------------|

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/m/modest_mouse/365135.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture nick Average	#1 by nick caldwell at Sep 28, 2007 at 12:09 PM EST
	No one really commented on the begining half of this song, the song it self would function wonderful if if started at "gary was on trial and drunk..." but the introduction defenetly is tied into the "story" or meaning of this song, and it all comes down to the fly in a jar, one wing wasnt even enough... if u were gonna tourchure a fly ud put it in a jar maybe maybe ud pull 1 wing off, well to me this implies that just pulling 1 wing off wasnt enough, or it could be the fact that 1 wing on a fly isnt enough to escape..

No Picture goofy Rhythm Player	#2 by goofy at Sep 30, 2007 at 6:12 AM EST
	Whenever I hear this song it makes me think that Isaac was trying so hard to recreate Mechanical Birds. Regretably he failed.

No Picture Crystal Average	#3 by Crystal at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:53 AM EST
	Yeah, I'm sure of it. I hadn't made the connection between the songs until you posted that. I guess because I heard Parting Of The Sensory after this song. The parcel is the carbon we pass on (part with) when we die.. Man, this album is up there with Moon & Antarctica. I LOVE concept albums..

No Picture Guitar Man Lead Player	#4 by Guitar Man at Oct 3, 2007 at 2:00 PM EST
	I keep getting frustrated with these lyrics because I can focus in one direction so well, and then I get an alternative idea, and it STILL fits too well... He talks about Gary being on trial and drunk BEFORE he left be, and how they were walking sideways and not using the front door. Ive thought that it meant they were on trial as in he is being judged by society for his ALL of his actions, and Drunk as in he is overcompensating for the things he realizes he is being judged by. "as it got better he had no idea" "I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed" to me means they stopped caring. Walk sideways through the town but not use the front door means he talks and beats around the bush. Then Issac says well I am capable of being upfront, i'd rather beat around the bush and piss you off. "So not a single one of us will never leave town" In the next verse, the fly trapped in a jar above their heads is their brains, and "hit the floor" means their ego's collapsed. Im just kidding, im wasted right now. Connect the dots for me. :D

No Picture eric was here Professional Badass	#5 by eric was here at Oct 4, 2007 at 10:59 AM EST
	All part and parcel, and we were already dead, well it's probably been said, that it's always been said, that, one wing isn't even enough, it isn't even enough, it isn't even enough, to leave, one wing isn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, to leave, yeah gonna let myself right out the door, I’m gonna thank myself when it's finally over, oh I’m a gonna let my old bad self take over, I’m gonna move my arm out with my shoulder, and one wing wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, to leave, one wing wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, to leave, one wing wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, it wasn't even enough, to leave, First off, Gary was on dry and drunk before we’d even left our bed, as things got bad it wasn’t hard to say that he had no idea, well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around, so we all just opened up our mouths and walked to this town, well I was walkin’ just a little bit sideways and you were walkin’ sideways too, well I hadn't learned when a front door can’t be used. Here we go Sir! We had docked in dark so we didn't read what the sign read Though simple enough it was demure and tough “the ground needs to be fed” well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they didn't really want us around, so not a single one of us would ever leave town. Here we go Sir! Our bodies were laid out, evenly for fifteen yards. Two feet above each of our heads was a fly trapped in a jar, well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around, so every single one of us would feed the ground. Here we go now! one wing wasn’t even, wasn't even enough. All part and parcel, well it's probably been said, that it's always been said, we were already dead.

No Picture Jon Lead Player	#6 by Jon Zell at Oct 4, 2007 at 11:20 AM EST
	Pretty good song, one of the best off the new album. well I was walking just a little bit sideways and you were walking sideways too, well I hadn't learned when a front door can be used, that parts pretty sweet.

No Picture austin Lead Player	#7 by austin at Oct 5, 2007 at 8:33 PM EST
	this song seems to have more in common w/fear and loathing in las vegas" than the iraq war. it conjures images of checking in late (and not seeing the signs) abusing substances (leading to notions of walking sideways) and basically making a nuisance of yourself (not being wanted around). sounds like isaac dealed with the unhappy service staff by throwing money at them (tips... maybe lawyers?) i do know that he had to fork out a lot of money in lawyer fees to get through the us /canada border recently

No Picture Mike Average	#8 by Mike at Oct 5, 2007 at 11:41 PM EST
	Great song. Does anyone else think that the one wing isnt even enough is a political metaphor. in a similair vein to "The One on the Right Is on the Left - Johnny cash" It makes sense, im not sure what exactly the right bias is keeping us in. Maybe Iraq, any ideas.

No Picture Kevin Average	#9 by Kevin turbyfill at Oct 6, 2007 at 5:14 AM EST
	the song is the best on the album until it goes to that cheesy ass funk part.

No Picture Patrick Wanna Be	#10 by Patrick Wade at Oct 7, 2007 at 7:33 PM EST
	I like the disco - as long as it's not every song, and it's not. I throw on my headphones at work and I'm doing a little dance in my chair to the disco beat.

No Picture Secondhand Smok Wanna Be	#11 by Secondhand Smoka at Oct 8, 2007 at 4:43 PM EST
	gary is not isaac's father. he is just a character in the story of we were dead. his name is mentioned in we've got everything as well.

No Picture Tommy Wanna Be	#12 by Tommy Tang at Oct 10, 2007 at 12:01 PM EST
	Haha, I think this is the new Alone Down There and Satin in a Coffin combined. I like the Disco-ish sound. That may be because I've listened to it growing up so I'm used to it.

No Picture Terence Average	#13 by Terence Taylor at Oct 10, 2007 at 6:12 PM EST
	its definately of part and parcel and that continues on with the theme first expressed in parting of the sensory. We are made with dead parts (we steal the carbon of dead things). Thus, we are literally already dead because we have stolen our organic material from dead things. The spoken word funk part has many typos too the first one that sticks out to me is the first line where Gary was tired and drunk and not on trial.

No Picture Oliver Average	#14 by Oliver Taylor at Oct 10, 2007 at 10:12 PM EST
	maybe this is a stretch, but i'm surprised no one has said anything about it. but i thought about this song a lot and got this vibe that it might be about the war, as with other songs on this album. "one wing wasn't even enough to leave" -- the entire left wing wants to leave iraq, but we're still there. "i hadn't noticed, but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around" -- self explanatory. just a thought

No Picture Oliver Average	#15 by Oliver Taylor at Oct 12, 2007 at 5:10 AM EST
	What I imagine is somewhat like the political message the guy at the top of the page. Whoever said that it's not a political song is wrong...and right at the same time. MM's songs are usually ambiguous so that the songs mean something different to everyone. I think that it is political, but at the same time that you should approach all your problems with a rational state of mind, and that doing things half-assed never works and will come back and get you. Whether its the townspeople not liking you or your boss firing you for your bad performance. This song, and all modest mouse songs are supposed to be ambiguous for the above reason. So people shouldnt say that "you are wrong" because that person is right in his mind and the other is also right.

No Picture jacob Average	#16 by jacob ap at Oct 12, 2007 at 6:11 AM EST
	its not political. isaac said that he was never gonna write political songs because they die so fast and they are pretty lame. its like they mean something one day but the next day they are just stupid and out dated,

No Picture Rich Average	#17 by Rich Frazer at Oct 13, 2007 at 7:08 PM EST
	The beauty of music. :D "The ground needs to be fed" I wonder if it has something to do with the Carbon/dying theme throughout the CD? For some reason, I cannot get the image of 2 guys in a bar being extremely roudy and arogant. One Wing wasn't even enough possibly being "Wing Man," and had they had one more, they wouldn't be lying on "the floor" because they were obnoxious. Then he says "oh well, we were already dead," as if this beating they just got didn't mean anything (a beautifly complex dense distraction, from the next song, Education)

No Picture Sally Average	#18 by Sally Gray at Oct 15, 2007 at 6:40 AM EST
	None of this is even close to true, it's pretty obvious what the song is about. the "walking Sideways and you were walking sideway too" is obviously just a metaphor for possibly not heading in the right direction, there's something different about the way they're walking. The whole song can be cut down to one line in the song and it's entire meaning "Well, two feet above each of our heads was a fly trapped in a jar" Which is also a metaphor for "them" being trapped, The bare bones of it.. just like a fly isn't wanted around either were they. It's pretty simple and straight forward, "So, we fed the ground" Obviously buried. As for the rest of the song was just elaborating on the story like many other songs

No Picture DUMBASS Average	#19 by DUMBASS Thomas at Oct 16, 2007 at 8:21 AM EST
	reminds me of Satin In a Coffin.

No Picture Jeff Average	#20 by Jeff Berg at Oct 17, 2007 at 11:26 PM EST
	The political comment just struck a chord with me... could this ENTIRE album be political? "We were already dead before the ship sank" with the Ship being America?

No Picture Fat Man Goz Lead Player	#21 by Fat Man Goz at Oct 18, 2007 at 3:33 AM EST
	I think the jar is a tombstone, and the fly is the epitaph. "Our bodies were laid out, evenly for fifteen yards. Two feet above each of our heads was a fly trapped in a jar, well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around, so every single one of us would feed the ground." Reminds me of a graveyard.

No Picture !Ace Rhythm Player	#22 by !Ace Youngs at Oct 18, 2007 at 7:37 PM EST
	Plus, if you thought of it as a political song, said town would be washington d.c. "Well I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that They didn't really want us around, So not a single one of us will ever leave town" yeah... thats all