Kodachrome Guitar Tab

		
		Ver 1 Ver 2 Ver 3 
	

There Goes Rhymin' Simon Tabs:

this song works on the down beat.  for those of you who don't know
waht that is if you were counting 1   and   2  and 3   and 4 you play
on the "and"  if you got any questions mail me at IZILUDE@HOTMAIL.COM
this is the right way to play it and the right key.
INTRO
E      A     F#m      B      E  A
VERSE
E                                A
when i think back on all the crap i learned in high school
F#m          B               E   A
its a wonder i can think at all
E                       A
but my lack of education never hurt me none.
F#m              B               E
i can read the writing on the wall
CHORUS
A  Fm  F#m              B            E
Kodachrome oh ohm give us the nice bright colors
A          F#m
give us the greens of summer
B         E           A  Fm F#m
and make all the world a sunny day oh ya
B       E
i got a nice contender
A       F#m
love to take the photographs
B     E            A    G#/E   F#m
so momma don't take my kodachrome away
VERSE 2
If I took all the girls i new when i was single
brought them all together for one night
I know they never match my sweet imagination
Everything looks worse in black in white
CHORUS
play this the rest of the song
A    G#/E   F#m
and after 4 measures make it faster.
and thats it

Source: GuitarMasta.net
http://www.guitarmasta.net/s/simon,_paul/.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Jordan Rhythm Player	#1 by Jordan at Sep 29, 2007 at 7:32 AM EST
	Kodachrome is a song about memories and how they don't match reality. Memories are represented by photographs, which are only snippets of what really happened, lacking context, due to time, lack of information or self delusion. His mind is the camera that colors his memories.

No Picture Brandon Average	#2 by Brandon Weathers at Sep 29, 2007 at 9:02 AM EST
	I have to say i always thought that Kodachrome was a euphemism for weed. I see now that it probably isn't but I'm pretty let down by that. Without thinking of it as a euphemism it sounds like a cheesy TV ad.

No Picture goofy Rhythm Player	#3 by goofy at Oct 1, 2007 at 10:56 PM EST
	Although Paul Simon does use gorgeous metaphors elsewhere, you don't need to look too hard here! Kodachrome is about his love of photography, of how it preserves memories better than he can, and about how it is a way to connect to the world around us. That's all!

No Picture Mike Average	#4 by Mike Fraguglia at Oct 2, 2007 at 8:21 AM EST
	It seems hasn't been brought up at all (im actually kinda surprised)-- I like to think of this song as how photographs (or even memories) tend to capture the only the high points or best moments in life, rather than the worst e.g. looking though any given person's photo album "Makes you think all the world's a sunny day" I tend to think of this song as a reflection on the more troubled times in a person's life vs. the good times. You can see this clearly with the lines "everything looks worse in black and white" i.e. "reality" A romanticized version memory is better than the truth 99% of the time

No Picture Dr. Jack Average	#5 by Dr. Jack at Oct 2, 2007 at 5:33 PM EST
	soapy was correct in saying that this song is about how nostalgia doesnt match reality but we prefer nostalgia and memory. this idea is written through the metaphor of how the Kodachrome company used to make pictures quite alot brighter than they were in reality to make thing look brighter and better hence the line:"Kodachrome, it gives us those nice bright colors Gives us the greens of summers Makes you think all the world's a sunny day" it may interest you to know that originally the line 'everything looks worse in black and white' was written as 'everything looks better in black and white' which is a metaphor about how memories often appear in black and white, but at the time the Kodochrome company were promoting bright colours and made him change the line but he still sings the original lyrics at some live performances such as concert in the park. and no benrice Kodachrome is not a metaphor for acid.

No Picture MetJustice Wanna Be	#6 by MetJustice at Oct 3, 2007 at 3:14 PM EST
	kodachrome isn't a metaphore. in case you haven't noticed, Paul Simon has an obession with photography. wow...all the crap i learned in high school, it's a wonder i can think at all- that's pure genious.

No Picture Joe Average	#7 by Joe Montana at Oct 5, 2007 at 5:25 AM EST
	The song has nothing to do with photography or film or even nostalgia. Here are the basics: Kodachrome film = your imagination Nikon camera = your mind "mama" = society "black & white" = the real world Simon is bemoaning the fact that it is a whole lot more fun and colorful to let your imagination run wild than to face the mundane world of everyday life. When Simon says "mama don't take my Kodachrome away", he is trying to resist society's pull away from daydreaming and imagining things and into the real world.

No Picture Green Day rocks Average	#8 by Green Day rocks!!!! at Oct 6, 2007 at 12:56 PM EST
	"And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall" Everyone always focuses on the black and white line (which I also enjoy. To me, color is representative of emotion and context in this song) but I really like this one. It's such a clever use of a double negative.

No Picture Dale :D Average	#9 by Dale :D O' Mondo Of DOOM!!! at Oct 6, 2007 at 4:15 PM EST
	After seeing the lyrics posted here, I can't stop singing, "I passed some gas down in Africa." LOL

No Picture Grunge Hamster Lead Player	#10 by Grunge Hamster at Oct 10, 2007 at 9:44 PM EST
	This is my favorite Paul Simon song about camera film.

No Picture ¿Josh Rhythm Player	#11 by ¿Josh Kirkpatrick? at Oct 11, 2007 at 5:45 PM EST
	He's saying he likes the different colors of the spectrum. The kodachrome was a camera. Don't take his camera away it gives him reminders.

No Picture jamie Lead Player	#12 by jamie mordue at Oct 12, 2007 at 7:16 AM EST
	Kodachrome is just a metaphor for memory. You can color your past however you want it, in any light, in any shade--but the present is what it is, in black and white. Funny sidenote--this had a hard time getting radio airplay because of the word "crap." Also, Eastman-Kodak was pissed about their trademark being used. They wanted a (TM) next to it in the liner notes, charts, etc...

No Picture Trey Average	#13 by Trey smith at Oct 12, 2007 at 8:13 AM EST
	this song makes me feel all fuzzy inside.

No Picture Chris Average	#14 by Chris H... at Oct 12, 2007 at 9:02 PM EST
	'heavycola' have you not read a single post on this song??? you are an idiot. please shut up

No Picture Basstard Professional	#15 by Basstard at Oct 13, 2007 at 12:33 AM EST
	After seeing the lyrics posted here, I can't stop singing, "I passed some gas down in Africa." LOL

No Picture The Mexican Who Average	#16 by The Mexican Who's Living Under Satan's Wing at Oct 13, 2007 at 9:20 AM EST
	I always took mamma as being his girl. He's telling her not to take his kodachrome, metaphorically his good thoughts of her. As he states in the 2nd verse, he knows once things go sour, he'll never look back at her as fondly as he looks at her now. The first verse seems to me to be saying something more like, "hey i might not be a genius, but i think i can see when things are going to shit". IMO he basically equates kodachrome to love or the though of being in love. When you're in love, it makes you think all the world is a sunny day. He wants to take a picture to try to capture that moment and those good feelings.

No Picture Rockstar Professional	#17 by Rockstar at Oct 13, 2007 at 8:18 PM EST
	Kodachrome is a brand of film that is used to produce slides (through the K-14 process). At one point (a couple decades ago), it was THE medium to use for people wanting the best color and archival capacities. Not necessarily anymore, though, since the E6 process has matured. Anyway, so many great thoughts in this song... I love this line, "And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none." How brilliant --- the emphasis on his lack of education is exaggerated by his incorporation of bad grammar. I agree with firenexus - he's begging his "mother" (who, in herself, is probably symbolic for the nuturing elements of the universe) not to take away the memories that he's exaggerated in his mind. The real events would probably never match the importance and details that his imagination has given them. Like when you think about a great lovemaking experience with a girl from your past. It always seems to have been more magical than it probably was at the time. One other thing I like about this metaphor -- "bring them together for one night," can almost be seen as the way you view slides in a slide projector. "Bring them together," like you would have a box of slides, with all the pretty pictures neatly stacked, one-after-the-next.

No Picture hamadi Wanna Be	#18 by hamadi alameddine at Oct 13, 2007 at 9:14 PM EST
	"Kodachrome" is a metaphor for acid.

No Picture tim Average	#19 by tim martin at Oct 15, 2007 at 11:39 AM EST
	When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school It's a wonder I can think at all Best lyrics ever. This song is about how nostalgia doesn't match reality but we still prefer nostalgia and memory.

No Picture Josh Professional	#20 by Josh Wilson at Oct 15, 2007 at 8:35 PM EST
	second, -.-'

No Picture Jaime Average	#21 by Jaime at Oct 18, 2007 at 6:45 AM EST
	catherineks is right on the money. it's a light song that brings to mind a warm summer sunset. but paul also gives it substance. the "crap in high school" part is genius (as most of us can likely attest). the second verse takes the cake, in my humble opinion. the reflection on all the girls he's ever known and the idea of bringing them all together...sweet nostalgia. it's also ingenius to incorporate photography terms in the midst of it. "everything looks worse in black and white" classic song, paul simon.