#-----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE------------------------------#
# This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation #
# of the song. The owner of this website has not reviewed the contents of #
# this file. If you feel that the content of this file may be violating #
# copyright law, you may not use the information displayed here in any way. #
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
I've noticed several tabs for the rhythm guitar of this song which aren't totally accurate.
This tab does not contain any lead parts. All rhythm guitar stuff in this song is comprised
entirely of these three riffs. Listen to the song for the order.
Rhythm Guitar Part One
e------------------------
B------------------------
G------------------------
D------2-------0-0h2----- repeat 4x
A--------2---2-----------
E--0-0-----3-------------
Rhythm Guitar Part Two
e------------------------
B------------------------
D------2-------0-0h2-----
D--------2---2----------- repeat 2x
A--0-0-----3-------------
E------------------------
Rhythm Guitar Part Three
e------------------------
B------------------------
G------------------------
D--9--9--9-9---7---------
A--9--9--9-9---7---------
E--7--7--7-7---5---------
Email me if you have anything to say. Constructive/destructive comments all appreciated.
Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
Zach Wanna Be |
#1 by Zach Pain at Nov 14, 1971 at 5:19 PM EST |
| I fucking hate when people like OpinionHead try to warp songs that were around for years before something happened to suit some disaster that is the current way for yuppies to make themselves feel better about raking in millions from the masses. It's almost but not quite as bad as the jackass who posted that Silver Jet is about 9/11. It should be abundantly clear that God hates America by now but they still don't change. Fires, earthquakes, and mudslides along the west coast. Hurricanes in the south. Tornadoes all through the flat lands. Shitty rap music and terrorist bombings in the northeast. And worst of all, non stop rain in SEATTLE (Sweet Zombie Jesus) | |
|
No Picture
Dan Wanna Be |
#2 by Dan Z at Jan 2, 1973 at 12:14 AM EST |
| My dad and I are both Tragically Hip lovers and this has been my favorite song since i was about 7. He always told me that this song was about remembering Vietnam. specifically: "Colonel Tom, what's wrong? what's going on? you can't tie yourself up for a deal he said "hey north you're south shut your big mouth, you gotta do what you feel is real" ain't got no picture postcards, ain't got no souvenirs my baby, she don't know me when I'm thinking 'bout those years" and also that "New Orleans is sinking" is maybe a kind of flashback to the rivers in vietnam and even though he is back he feels anxious because he doesnt "want to swim". I always interpreted the rest as that he was drowning out the memories of being there and how it makes him feel. | |
|
No Picture
eric was here Professional Badass |
#3 by eric was here at Jan 14, 1979 at 11:00 AM EST |
| Just re-iterating what wonderdog said at the start of his excellent post - you really can't put any faith in how Gord introduces the song. The live version kicking around online that segues into Nautical Disaster (well worth checking out, by the way) begins with the line "This is a song about our very favourite nuclear submarine..." And then there's my all-time favourite Downie song "explanation", from the version of The Luxury on Live Between Us - "This is about a man down on his luck, so he takes to the streets shaking a banana at people and tries to convince them it's making a sound..." | |
|
No Picture
Tim Professional |
#4 by Tim Marchant at Nov 7, 1981 at 1:56 PM EST |
| there are so many quotable lines that you can use in almost any context - brilliant!! 'I had my hands in the river my feet back up on the banks looked up to the Lord above and said "hey man thanks"' -- best prayer ever | |
|
No Picture
Mat Average |
#5 by Mat Hancock at Dec 4, 1986 at 10:51 PM EST |
| hmm. well I actually started a lil bit of reasearch. I think almost exactly what wonderdog thinks it mean. the line that doesn't make sense to me is " I can't forsake the dixie dead shake, so we danced the sidewalk clean "( maybe I'm just narrow minded) ne way it means that they were all partying so loud that they were going to wake the dead -right? so this has gotta be a party song. on the other hand if you look up the name "colonel thomas" there is a one from vermont that took over new orleans in1862.( just something to think about I was also confused about "pale as a light bulb hanging on a wire sucking up to someone just to stoke the fire" well if your pale-ur usually sick. I took hanging on a wire to be either suicide, or talking on a phone line. BUT personally I think people are looking to deep, the song starts out talking about bourbon street ( famous for blues bars and all kinds of stuff) dancing the sidewalk clean-mardi gras. actually apparently bourbon street is like an all night block party all the time. so he's just describing it really I always thought that he meant some kind of illegal activity by talkigng about a deal. because then he says " my baby she don' know me when I'm thinking bout those years" saying he was a completely different person back then. if you have your hands in the river and your feet back up on the bank-could mean he just woke up there with no idea where he was (my memory was muddy). the no souvenirs prolly means that he wanted to get out of there quickly cause he felt that it wasn't the life for him ( that could go back to the the "don't tye yourself up for a deal" part) maybe he had to run from new orleans. I think we all need to track down the songwriter and ask him..... | |
|
No Picture
Renee Wanna Be |
#6 by Renee Saenz at Sep 30, 1989 at 10:19 PM EST |
| Isn't it creepy now that New Orleans has sunk? | |
|
No Picture
Will Average |
#7 by Will Yost at Apr 17, 2001 at 5:56 AM EST |
| I was also confused about "pale as a light bulb hanging on a wire sucking up to someone just to stoke the fire" - This is how I translate this line if you combine the two metaphors. " I'm kinda bored or lonely and I am just shooting the breeze with people just to make things more exciting." I can't forsake the dixie dead shake, so we danced the sidewalk clean - This means... Well... It's Mardi Gras and I might aswell be cordial and have a good time and dance in the same lame ass dance that people do here... What the hell? | |
|
No Picture
brent Rhythm Player |
#8 by brent west at Apr 22, 2002 at 8:14 AM EST |
| i believe no mater what hapens to New Orleans he will go back and party | |
Top 7 The Tragically Hip Guitar Tabs
Popular Guitar Tabs