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Song Title: Paper Boats
Written by: Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca and Ira Elliot
Performed by: Nada Surf
From the Album: Let Go (2002)
Transcribed by: Fabien LORTAL
E-mail address: fabien2229@yahoo.fr
A nice and relaxing song, from an excellent album, performed by an awesome band.
If you have any comment, you know how to get in touch with me ...
This tab requires a CAPO ON 1st fret !
INTRO :
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------| x2
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
1st verse
"Sit on a train, reading a book ...
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------| x3
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
...must be gearing up for some kind of melt-down"
Pre-chorus :
Same pattern
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------|
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
CHORUS :
"All I am is a body floating downwind ...
e|-------------------0-----|
B|----1--1---1--1------1---|
G|---4--4---4--4----4---4--| x4
D|-------------------------|
A|-0-------3---------------|
E|----------------3--------|
Pre-verse
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------|
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
"What's wrong ? Nothing ...
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------| x4
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
... I can't tell you"
CHORUS :
"All I am is a body floating downwind ...
e|-------------------0-----|
B|----1--1---1--1------1---|
G|---4--4---4--4----4---4--| x4
D|-------------------------|
A|-0-------3---------------|
E|----------------3--------|
3rd verse
Same as the first one ...
"Sit on a train, reading a book ...
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------| x3
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
...must be gearing up for some kind of melt-down"
Pre-verse :
Same pattern
e|------5----2------------7--7------------0---------|
B|------7----3------------7--5------------5---------|
G|------0----2------------0--0------------6---------|
D|-----------0------------0--0------------0---------|
A|-5/7--7----0----------------------------0---------|
E|-0/0--0----2----------5/7--7--7-------7/5--5------|
4th verse (special)
Em A
As the express train passes the local
D Em
It moves by just like a paper boat
Em A
Although it weights a million pounds
D Em
I swear it almost seems to float
Em A
And as we pass by eachother
F#m Bm
Our heads are full of bother
Em A
We can't look, we can't stop
F#m Bm
We can't think, we can't stop
Em A
'Cause we're stuck in our paths
F#m Bm
And it's the way it always lasts
Em A
And I need something more
D
From you ...
OUTRO
"All I am is a body floating downwind ...
1st guitar :
e|-------------------0-----|
B|----1--1---1--1------1---|
G|---4--4---4--4----4---4--| ... till the end.
D|-------------------------|
A|-0-------3---------------|
E|----------------3--------|
2nd guitar :
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|----2-------0----0-------|
A|-0-------3---------------|
E|----------------3--------|
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|----2-------0----0-----0-|
A|-0-------3---------0h2---|
E|----------------3--------|
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|----2-------0------------|
A|-0-------3------------0h20
E|----------------3--0h3---|
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|----2-------0----------0-|
A|-0-----023----20---0h2--2|
E|----------------3--------|
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|
D|----2-------0-0--------0-|
A|-0-----023-----0---0h2--2|
E|----------------3--------|
This second guitar goes on playing the same pattern in the background, while a third
guitar starts playing :
e|v-0000000000000000--------|
B|-111111111111111100000000|
G|-222222220000000000000000|x7
D|-222222222222221122222222|
A|-000000003333333322222222|
E|-----------------00000000|
Note :
/ = slide
h = hammer on
Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
edwin Wanna Be |
#1 by edwin henrriquez at Aug 6, 1973 at 11:53 AM EST |
| The climax is utterly sublime! Everything fits together so well and their voices are so harmonious. I love how he sings a conversation between him and his girl. Plus, it's not that hard to play on the guitar. | |
|
No Picture
BeN-bEn Lead Player |
#2 by BeN-bEn Lesniewski at Nov 3, 1974 at 12:23 PM EST |
| You're right, this is the PERFECT way to end a great CD. | |
|
No Picture
Rhythm Player |
#3 by riotsk8team001 (jason) at Apr 21, 1979 at 12:58 PM EST |
| fantastic closing to a beautiful cd. the whole cd is searching and lost, but more confident than you'd think. this song is hollow, esp. at the end. and he leaves the listener knowing that. | |
|
No Picture
Nick Rhythm Player |
#4 by Nick Carrasco at Nov 6, 1992 at 2:18 PM EST |
| this song i agree is a great closing to the album. ive always thought its a beautiful representation of how depression affects people. | |
|
No Picture
Spymaster Lead Player |
#5 by Spymaster - Halo 2 at Nov 22, 1992 at 8:48 PM EST |
| i thought the song was pretty okay, till i heard the climax. now i keep listening to it just because of it! | |
|
No Picture
NIK Average |
#6 by NIK blaszczyszyn at Jan 28, 1997 at 5:48 AM EST |
| i didn't like this album when i bought it but looking at the lyrics and really listening to the music ... it is utterly amazing. i particularly enjoy this song as well, esp. the climax. | |
|
No Picture
albert Rhythm Player |
#7 by albert casualtie at Nov 12, 1997 at 3:29 AM EST |
| Him asking his girlfriend what is wrong, and her not telling him, but they both know she is upset...I can't even begin to tell you how I can relate to that. I heard that part and it literally left me breathless. This song reminds me of days taking the L to the Embarcardo in San Francisco and watching everything going on around me. This song is one of those songs that I really don't like telling people about because it means so much to me. I am all about sharing great music...but this song is to special to share. You have to stumble upon this song in order to fully appreciate it. | |
|
No Picture
paste your name Average |
#8 by paste your name here at Mar 30, 2000 at 2:21 AM EST |
| The whole 'Let Go' cd is awesome, and this song is the perfect closing song for it. My favorite part is As the express train passes the local It moves by just like a paper boat Although it weighs a million pounds I swear it almost seems to float And as we pass by each other Our heads are filled with bother Incredible :) | |
|
No Picture
David Average |
#9 by David Turner at Apr 13, 2002 at 1:33 PM EST |
| Beautiful song...but maybe it isn't about a girl, maybe it's adressed to the listener, who may have the same proplems as the singer (worries too much about life etc. -> "Our heads are filled with bother We can't look, we can't stop We can't think, we can't stop"). That's why he repeats "I can't tell you" so many times, because the only way to really be happy is to confrontate yourself with your problems and weaknesses, not to escape from them by listening to music... to me this isn't hollow, it's a bright look into the future...though his heart is heavy, he is willing to throw his "path" away to finally be happy ("Although it weighs a million pounds I swear it almost seems to float"). "And I need something more from you." | |
|
No Picture
Peter Wanna Be |
#10 by Peter Lambden at Apr 20, 2003 at 4:58 PM EST |
| This song is great. I love the bit where he is talking to the girl. When I saw them live they got Inara George to do the speech bit with Matthew. That was amazing. | |
|
No Picture
Justice Wanna Be |
#11 by Justice Fish at Jun 28, 2004 at 12:49 AM EST |
| i think this song is about someone who cannot tell his friends or generally his loved ones what is wrong with him. i'd say the narrator wants to get away (train=getting away) but realizes that he cannot escape his problems and reasons for his sadness. i think this song is about feeling alone because you cannot tell anyone about your problems..because they wouldn't understand. that's what i get out of the song. Cause we're stuck in our own paths And that's the way it always lasts And I need something more from you. everyone has his own problems and nothing is ever going to change that. a song about friendships not being strong enough i think. | |
|
No Picture
Andrea Average |
#12 by Andrea Lauria at Jun 3, 2007 at 1:56 AM EST |
| Like everyone said, this was a great way to end the album. And TATR, you said it best, the song is hollow. It's a song for someone who is searching. Searching for themselves, for love, for their place in life... The conversation really exemplifies this. | |
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