The Trickster Guitar Tab

My Iron Lung E.P. Tabs:

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* RADIOHEAD - The Trickster
 * My Iron Lung EP
 * Guitar tab by Steven McGovern 
                 Stewart Peters 
                 Geordie McLellan 

Verse & Intro (Gtr.1)
 Riff 1 _________________________________________________________________________________]
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B------3-3-3--3-3-3-3-3----3-3-3--3-3-3-3-3----3-3-3--3-3-3-3-3------4--4-6---3---3-3-3-3---------------------
G------3-2-0--2-3-2-0-0----3-2-0--2-3-2-0-0----3-2-0--2-3-2-0-0--3-3-3--3-3---2-2-2-2-2-2---------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--3-3-----------------2-2-----------------1-1----------------------------------------------------------------

 Gtr.2  (Gtr.1 Riff 1)
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-7-7-8--8-8-8-8-7-7-7/--8--8-8-8-8-7-7-5-3--8-8--8-8-8-8-7-7-x--8-8-8--8-8-10-x-x-12-x-x-14-15---------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------x----------------x-x----x-x---------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Verse           Pre-Chorus
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-- Riff 1 x2 ----8--8--7--8--8--7--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-----------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chorus
 Riff 2_________________________________________________________________________]
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------8---------------------8---8--8---9--7-----7------------------------------------
G--7-5-3-5-7-5-3--5--7-5-3-5-7---7-5--7-5-3-5-7-5-3----8------8------7-7---7-7-7--Riff 2----------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--Verse, Pre-Chorus,-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2nd Chorus
Riff 3 ______________________________________________________________________]
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------3---3------------3---8------------3---3-0--8---8-8---9-7-----7---7------------------------------------
G-7-5-3-5-3-5-3-5--7-5-3-5-3---7-5--7-5-3-5-3--------8-----8-----7-7---7---7-------Rifff2---------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Interlude (2 gtrs for one)
  
e------0---------0-------0---------0---------0---------0--------0-----0----0----------0----------0------------
B--------3---------3-------3---------3---------3---------3--------3-----3----3----------3----------3----------
G------------0-0--------------0-0-----------------0--0--------------------------------------0-0---------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-1--1----------------2-2----------------3-3-----------------2-2-------------------1-1------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *=plucked with fretted finger
 Gtr 2.
            .5                 .5                    .5                 .5                   .5
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0----0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0--------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-1-------------------2-------------------3-------------------2--------------------1--------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
e-----0--------0----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------3--------3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------0--0-----------0-0-0-0-0---0--0---0-0-0--0----------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-2-2----------------3-3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            .5                   .5         .5        .5---------]
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0----0-0-0-0-2/-0-0-0--2/-0-0-0-2/------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-2--------------------3--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-3-3-----2-2-----1-1----0-0---1-2-5-2---3-3---2-2---1-1--0-0--1-3-2-1-0--------------------------------------

e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------20---------------------------------------------------------
G-PChorus-19-17-15-17-19-17-15--17--19-17-15-17-19-19-19-17--19-17-15-17-19-17-15--20--20-20-20-19-19-19-17-15
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-19-19-19-19-17--15--17-17-19-19-17-17-15-17--17-19-19-17-15--15-17--19-17-15-19--15-17-19-19-19-17-15-15-17-
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-15-15-17-15-17-20----20----20----20----20----20-------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------20----20----20----20----20----20----------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          ~             ~            ~            ~            ~            ~            ~            ~
e-------------3------------3------------3------------3------------3------------3------------3------------3----
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--7--5--3-3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5----
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         ~            ~        ~~                          ~            ~            ~            ~    
e-----------3------------3--------------------------------------3------------3------------3------------3------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---0-2--2-0--x-x-5-0-3-5--x--7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5------
D--------------------------------------x-x----------x---------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------x-x--------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          ~            ~            ~                                    ~
e------------3------------3-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---7--5--3--5---7--5--3--5---7--5--3---7-5-3-0--5-0-3-0------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------5-3-2-0----------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------5-3-2-0--------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------3------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Verse:	--------------------------------------------------------------------
	--------------------------------------------------------------------
	------3---2-0---2---3---2---0---------3---2-0---2---3---2---0-------
	------0---0-0---0---0---0---0---------0---0-0---0---0---0---0-------
	--------------------------------------------------------------------
	--3-3---3-----3---3---3---3---3-3-2-2---2-----2---2---2---2---2-2---

	
	--------------------------------------------------------------------
	--------------------------------------------6-----------------------
	------3---2-0---2---3---2---0-----8-8-8-8-8---8-7---7-7-7-----------
	------0---0-0---0---0---0---0-----------------------------8-8-7-7--- 
	----------------------------------6-6-6-6-6---6-5---5-5-5-----------
	--1-1---1-----1---1---1---1---1-1-------------------------6-6-5-5---


Chorus: --------------------------------------------------------------------
	--4--------------4----------------3---------------------------------
	--5--------------5----------------3---------------------------------
	--5--------------5----------------0--------------------------------- X2
	--3-----------------------------------------------------------------
	-----------------5----------------3---------------------------------

	  Cm           Am7b5              Gm



================================================================================


From : Geordie McLellan 

  I find this to be more accurate and easier than the two versions that have
been posted. 
  
  Note: up pick on the G and B strings


  Verse & intro (Gtr.1)
    Riff 1
 
  e:
  B:------3-3-3--3-3-3---3------3-3-3--3-3-3---3------3-3-3--3-3-3---3
  G:------3-2-0--2-3-2---0------3-2-0--2-3-2---0------3-2-0--2-3-2---0
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A:------------------------------------------------------------------------
  E:--3-3---------------3----2-2----------------2----1-1---------------1--


  e:--------------1 |
  B:-------4---4---4-3 |
  G:-------3---3---3-2 |
  D:--1-1---1---------|
  A:-------------------|
  E:--------------------|

 
  The chorus is more convienient played:

 
  e:-----------------------------3-----------------------------1 |
  B:--3-1--1-3-1--1--1-3-1-3-1-3-1--3-1-1-3-1--------4-4--4-3 |
  G:------3-------3-------3----------------3------3------3-3--3-2 |
  D:--------------------------------------------------1-1---------- |
  A:--------------------------------------------------------------- |
  E:--------------------------------------------------------------- |


=======================================
    Guitar Archive at Planet Telex
 http://www.underworld.net/radiohead/
Max Kolombos 
---------------------------------------

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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Jeremy Rhythm Player	#1 by Jeremy Dosser at Jun 17, 1981 at 2:28 PM EST
	amen.

No Picture Mikel Average	#2 by Mikel A. at Nov 24, 1982 at 8:24 PM EST
	i agree with the idea that the trickster could be some political/religious leader, not nececeraily a dictator, but anyway one who has been able to trick a lot of people into beliving his lies hence ' talking out the world'. i also think that the narrator is feeling tricked by the lies of the 'trickster', when he says : Lost in the mountains Rust in my brain The air is sacred here In spite of your claim it is like the narator has been promised to reach the top but got lost in the process somwhere 'half way true' because the 'claim' was a lie. It is only now that the narrator has realised that he is being a subject to the tickster's manipulation. The phrases; I wanted you so bad That I couldn't say All these things fall apart We wanted out so bad That we couldn't say These things fall apart Also suggest that this trickter was able to 'blind' the people into becoming his dedicated followers because he promised he could give them somthing which they have been wanting so much. I am not sure about the last two paragraphs but to me it seems that tom is descrbing who this trickster is, where he came from, what was the enviorment which he grew in? Hence; Truant kids A can of brick dust worms Who do not want to climb down from Their chestnut tree Seems to refair to ignorant spoiled kids who never chose to learn or grow and who do not hesitate into taking extreme measures (at the expense of the rest of us), just to satisfy their greed.The trikster seems to have been and still is one of these kids (even if he is a adult now). THe last paragraph is even more ambiguious to me, but it seems to support the one before it. When tom says 'The perfect child facsimile ' seems to allude to the fact that this trickster has been brought up into beliving that he is a supirior 'perfect' being and thus can rule over the rest and fool them into anything he wants. THe word facsimle in that phrase seems to alude that such a person lacks so much the human elements, like compassion and altruism that he is just a copy or a product that has been manipulated to fit his role. this is just my humble opinion about this stunning song which anyway i could be completley wrong :)

No Picture mat Wanna Be	#3 by mat bar at May 25, 1987 at 1:33 AM EST
	i think this song is about a dictator-like person. maybe God. i'm none too sure, but i love it anyways.

No Picture Anthony Average	#4 by Anthony Pardee at Oct 26, 1987 at 9:12 PM EST
	Why the fuck wasn't this song on an album??? It kicks ass!!

No Picture SLUT Badass	#5 by SLUT at Oct 28, 1987 at 11:35 AM EST
	I just discovered this song and the lyrics and guitar together make it quite addictive. I've been listening to it over and over.

No Picture Derek Lead Player	#6 by Derek O'Kanos at Jul 14, 1992 at 11:13 AM EST
	In answer to the question about who/what the trickster is, and expansion of gs's response. The trickster occurs both in literature and in folk mythologies. In literature it is largely as gs has said. in mythology the trickster has had many incarnations from Loki (who we all remember a mention of from 'The Mask') to that of a wandering indian brave in Native American tales. He is also referred to in some instances as a form of truly neutral nature god who toys with anything too far out of balence. Not that this is much relevant to the song besides the obvious connections that gs stated. The references made by gs to the feelings of isolation and separation expressed seem logical to me. The context I infer from this song is of wanting something,. perhaps the blithe childhood innocence where life was simpler and we all understood more clearly what we wanted and were oblivious to how closely we are watched in this city like world separated from the grass and trees we played round in youth. Hey it what I reckon this is about.

No Picture Joe Average	#7 by Joe Montana at Dec 1, 1992 at 8:53 AM EST
	cozimnot-what is the "chestnut tree" in 1984? Something to do with Winston and Julia?

No Picture Zack Wanna Be	#8 by Zack Volm at Mar 12, 1993 at 10:55 PM EST
	and in this context?