Try Not To Breathe Guitar Tab

Automatic For The People Tabs:

Try Not To Breath »

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Song: Try Not To Breathe
Artist: R.E.M.
Album: Automatic for the People
Tabbed by: CH1L1

Tuning: Standard (eBGDAE)


Great song, I think this is pretty much right.  Please comment.

Thanks a lot,

Liz.


/ = slide


Chords Used:

       D                     Am              C                  G

E | --2----              --------         ----------         --3----
B | --3----              --1----          --1------          --0----
G | --2----              --2----          --0------          --0----
D | -------              --2-----         --2------          --0----
A | --------             ---------        --3------          --2----
E | -------              --------         --0------          --3----

GUITAR 1:
        D           Am
I will try not to breathe
       C             G
I can hold my head still
          D           Am
With my hands on my knees
        C           G           D     Am     C
These eyes are the eyes of the old
       G           D       Am    C    G
The shivering and cold

(continue the same way through whole song)



GUITAR 2:

E   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B   ------------------------------------------8--7-----------------------------
G  --7-/--2---------------4--2-----7 -/-2---------9--7-----------------------
D  -------------5--4--0---------0---------------------------------------------
A  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(continue through song)

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Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/r/r.e.m./297133.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Rob Average	#1 by Rob Jones at Mar 1, 1972 at 9:50 AM EST
	I think this song sounds like suicide too. I want it at my funeral..

No Picture Mark Wanna Be	#2 by Mark masta at Dec 28, 1972 at 8:21 AM EST
	I'm not sure I understand your meaning. This is my favourite R.E.M song, and it sounds like it's about suicide. "Baby don't shiver now, why do you shiver now?" I'm not sure I'm completley to grips with the message of this song just yet. But like I said, it's so blatently about suicide.

No Picture Max Average	#3 by Max Benton at Aug 12, 1974 at 11:55 PM EST
	The song could be about suicide... But I think it's more about someone's willingness to die in general. That they've lived a full life, so don't be sad when they die, they're ready anyway.

No Picture danielle Lead Player	#4 by danielle woodley at Feb 3, 1975 at 2:27 AM EST
	It can be taken in so many ways - its completley different meanings for me, i mean its so blatently about suicide, but maybe not neccessarily about elderly people. I dunno, it reminds me of someone close 2 me (the shivers bit) for some reason, of romantic love. God knows why.

No Picture Sam Average	#5 by Sam at Jan 23, 1976 at 1:19 PM EST
	this song is from the point of view of an aging woman, who wants to die while she is still functioning and her family remembers her in a happy way. she laments that people think she's insane to want to end her life, but she believes it's her choice to make, and feels strongly about ending it at the right time for her.

No Picture sebastian Professional	#6 by sebastian at Jan 24, 1976 at 7:41 PM EST
	This song, to me, is about suicidal feelings in general, and happens to be from the POV of an elderly person... it reminds me of assisted suicide...

No Picture Eric Wanna Be	#7 by Eric Canfield at Jan 19, 1977 at 10:22 AM EST
	I don’t think this song is necessarily about an elder person, I think it could be anyone really. I can relate to this song because the whole song he is wanting something to breathe and to remember him. (he has lived his life young or not and he wants it to continue that in someone else) Sure it could be about suicide, but I think it’s more than that. We are all waiting to die in the end. “I will try not to worry you. I have seen things that you will never see. Leave it to memory me. I shudder to breathe.” I think that would have to be my favorite part of the song, the whole thing is brilliant.

No Picture brian Average	#8 by brian haun at Nov 10, 1977 at 12:12 PM EST
	It's about a dying old woman

No Picture brian Average	#9 by brian haun at May 23, 1980 at 5:34 AM EST
	It reminds me of having a hangover - but it seems to be about euthenasia (however you spell it). "these are the eyes that I want you to remember" seems to be someone wanting to die before age ravages their bodies and minds...

No Picture Brad Lead Player	#10 by Brad Vincent at Jan 4, 1981 at 7:52 PM EST
	I don't think this song is about suicide at all. I think it's just about someone with a terminal illness coming to grips with the fact that they are going to die. They don't want other people to see them suffering, but they don't have the will to do themselves in either, hence the promise to simply 'try not to breathe'.

No Picture Justin - MrBlit Rhythm Player	#11 by Justin - MrBlitz - Maletta at Apr 10, 1983 at 7:33 AM EST
	Can't actually recall the last time I posted on here, but, regardless, this compelled me to do it again. It seems everyone is overanalyzing the song. It's a mixture of many different answers, but not one specifically. Artists never want their songs about a rock-hard subject or plot, unless it's a rock opera, and that's even debatable. It is about growing old and getting close to death. Best line is, to me, "This decision is mine, I have lived a full life.." That is it right there. They are done, checked out, they don't care what they're family members/friends say to them they have lived long enough and seen enough. It's time to die.

No Picture Zack Wanna Be	#12 by Zack Volm at Sep 16, 1983 at 7:17 PM EST
	i never really listened to the lyrics or thought about the meaning but this is definately one of my fave REM songs

No Picture Chris Badass	#13 by Chris Phillips at Mar 26, 1985 at 10:35 AM EST
	I think the person is trying to rationalize killing themselves by saying that they have lived a full life and have seen terrible things, but they still are uneasy about actually doing something so drastic (why do you shiver).

No Picture Chris Average	#14 by Chris Essery at Nov 18, 1987 at 1:09 PM EST
	I also think this song is about euthanasia, the desire or decision to die. Written from the POV of an elderly person, they are trying to persuade the family that a dignified death is the last hope, and not to mourn death but to embrace life. It works in nice contrast to Everybody Hurts, which is about the decision to live. Lovely song BTW. Who am I kidding... its a lovely band.

No Picture Ryan Rhythm Player	#15 by Ryan Ruegemer at Jul 11, 1988 at 4:56 PM EST
	about suicide? ok, there are elements of that yes. he's SCREAMING, telling everyone that he's seen something others will not. we're too afraid to look/question. sigh. if he/she chooses to die now, then REMEMBER what you see now in my eyes. i 'know'. btw, if you are considering suicide, please read the lyrics to 'everybody hurts' first, ok? put that damn bottle/gun/knive down now. :)

No Picture Lucas Average	#16 by Lucas Lawrey at Mar 5, 1991 at 7:30 AM EST
	There is a Southern saying that says every time you shiver, an angel has flown over your grave. So the death theme, connected with angels, is plausible. This album is REM at their finest.

No Picture Zach Wanna Be	#17 by Zach Honeycutt at Sep 12, 1995 at 1:05 AM EST
	This is my favourite R.E.M. song, i've always thought that it was written from the POV of someone, perhaps an old person or maybe not, who feels they have acomplished everything they can in this life and is ready to embrace death, whether it is by suicide or terminal illness. The best line in my opinion is "these are the eyes that I want you to remember", it implies that this person wants to be remembered for who they were at the happiest time of their life. I agree that it could be about an elderly person who wants to die before their body is ravaged by old age but the line "these eyes are the eyes of the old" could apply to a younger person who just feels old maybe because they've had a very harsh life... Anyway bottom line R.E.M. are still going strong, i went to one of their live rehearsals in Dublin the other week and it was totally mindblowing :D

No Picture Squirrels Lead Player	#18 by Squirrels Dyrant at May 7, 1998 at 4:57 AM EST
	Kurt Cobain lisend to this album when he killed himself... i bet he was listening to this song when he blew his head off :( that makes sense. he should have lisend to ''everybody hurts'' in stead.. (sorry to talk about something that has nothing to do with this songs meaning)

No Picture michiel Wanna Be	#19 by michiel adams at Aug 30, 1998 at 6:33 AM EST
	Angel, sorry to burst your bubble, but you are aware that Kurt killed himself BEFORE this album came out, that Everybody Hurts was written FOR Kurt, and that he and Michael were close friends? Anyway, to say what this is specifically about, I don't know, but it's a great song from one of the greatest albums ever made.

No Picture Cohen Wanna Be	#20 by Cohen B at Jan 21, 2000 at 3:54 AM EST
	I think this song is from the POV of someone who is already dead, and speaking back to their survivors not to worry about them.

No Picture Scott Average	#21 by Scott Anderson at Jan 14, 2001 at 12:18 AM EST
	ncc, small correction if I may, Cobain actually did killed himself 2 years after the release of 'Automatic' 10.92. michael did write a song about him; it was on the follow up 'monster' one that's called 'let me in' if I can remember well. and not that it matters so much to relate those 2 events together I beleive but Kurt killed himself on April 5th 94. and adding to that regarding the humanity and beauty that vehiculates rem's music I don't think any song by this band could ever get a reasonably sone person to commit suicide.... so anyway this is a beautiful track, the melodies, and the words but as far as the things I've read here they seem pretty restricted in their analysis, just wanting to to see a song being about this r that. what''s the point? to me even if it could be just as plain and simple ( pointless) versions like those are just a lil too litteral making straight depictions and simplifying the all thing to some chosen subject couldn't be the best way to look at a piece of 'poetical' lyrics. even more so when it comes to lyrics like those. espacially when you know Stipe usual tricky type of lyrics and used to play with many emotional images through words. it's always easier then it seems, many lines taken apart and isolated from the rest may give this or that hint, but plain deduction to decide this is about suicide instead of trying to get the emotion behind, just a human thought, the desire to leave before the decay. to not make suffer anyne you love. (everybody hurts) to reach for something beyond, and leave all pain and disapointements behind.

No Picture Randy Wanna Be	#22 by Randy Burden at May 31, 2003 at 10:24 PM EST
	I am NOT considering suicide lmfao!