6th Avenue heartache
THE WALLFLOWERS
Capo: 1st fret
Tabbed by Derrick
derrickbell@sympatico.ca
Intro: E, B, F#m, A, (X2)
Verse I:
Sirens [E] ring, shots rang [B] out,
A stranger [F#m] cries,... screams out [A] loud,
I had my [E] world,... strapped against my [B] back,
I held my [F#m] hands,... never knew [A] how to act,
chorus:
Well the [E] same black line that was drawn on you
was [B] drawn on me, and now its drawn me [F#m] in,
6th avenue [A] heartache
Solo: E, B, F#m, A,
Verse II:
Below [E] me, was a homeless [B] man,
I'm singing [F#m] songs,... I knew com-[A] plete,
On the steps [E] alone,.... his guitar in [B] hand,
his 50 [F#m] years,.... he stood where he [A] stands,
Repeat Chorus Twice:
Solo: E, B, F#m, A,
verse III:
Now I'm walking [E] home,... on those [B] streets,
the river [F#m] winds,.... move my [A] feet
The subway [E] steam,.... like silhouettes in [B] dreams,
Stood by [F#m] me,...... [stood by me] just like moon-[A] beams,
Repeat Chorus Twice
Solo: E, B, F#m, A (X2)
Verse IV:
Look out the [E] window, down upon that [B] street,
Gone like at [F#m] midnight, was, that [A] man,
but I see his [E] six strings,.. layed against that [B] wall,
and all his [F#m] things,.... they all look so [A] small,
I got my fingers [E] crossed,... on a shooting [B] star
just like [F#m] me,..... just moved, [A] just moved on
Chorus: E, B, F#m, A, (repeat)
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
Joan Average |
#1 by Joan Rius at Oct 2, 2007 at 9:00 PM EST |
| I think that this song is a communication with his father. Probably, he'd always told himself that he would never be an artist, a poet. In the first verse, he clearly feels the call to comment on society, which is how his father got his start. I suppose the early Dylan could be seen as a minstrel - someone who has the world and his art, quite literally, strapped across his back. Something that always struck me about Bob Dylan is how he seemed so alone when he performed - see the movie Don't Look Back to see what I an talking about. His father would have been about 50 when he wrote this song. And, surely, he was singing songs that Jacob knew complete. So, I think he's telling his father that the same artistic curse that was laid on him is now being visited upon the son. Any other interpreation of the song leaves unexplained the enigmatic line---- "The same black line that was drawn on you Was drawn on me " | |
|
No Picture
Chad Wanna Be |
#2 by Chad Barri at Oct 5, 2007 at 12:22 AM EST |
| i definatly agree with montresor. when i first heard this song i definatly thought it had soemthing to do with his father. it makes sense when you really listen to it. | |
|
No Picture
JUSTIN Lead Player |
#3 by JUSTIN LOCKHART at Oct 5, 2007 at 4:29 PM EST |
| I would just like to say that what has already been written about this song is great. I have learned a great deal about the song and I am more curious then I was when I first searched for it to find out what it really means. I just want to thank the people who have already posted for writting something intelligent instead of "the wallflowers kick ass!!!!!" like I see in a lot of other posts. You guys kick ass and I thank you for helping me understand the song a little more. | |
|
No Picture
Tim Professional |
#4 by Tim Marchant at Oct 7, 2007 at 9:33 AM EST |
| after a ;ittle reasearch i found that he actually was inspired by a homless man he saw from his window in the mornings. | |
|
No Picture
Austin Rhythm Player |
#5 by Austin at Oct 9, 2007 at 10:15 PM EST |
| I was always struck with the sense that "that same black line..." lyrics was always about his father; the same gift of music was put on him, and maybe they both hated their talent and lifestyle, except that maybe Jakob's started to like it and come to terms with everything in his life. And yes, I'm aware it's inspired by a homeless man. But 'inspired' doesn't always mean 'solely about'. ((I also apologize fore all grammatical and spelling mistakes. My first language isn't English.)) | |
|
No Picture
Josh Average |
#6 by Josh Duncan at Oct 13, 2007 at 7:46 AM EST |
| at first I interpreted the song as a love song-it seemed to fit me personally that way. The last line "i've got my fingers crossed behind a shooting star" reminds me that sometimes we need all the lcuk we can get in terms of finding or meeting that special someone...this is what feels right to me. | |
|
No Picture
Devin Average |
#7 by Devin Moreno at Oct 16, 2007 at 5:25 PM EST |
| It's not about Jakob's father, he really stayed away from writing about his father and his heritage until the later albums. 6th Avenue Heartache is about a homeless guy that used to sit outside across the street from him and play music and how even though they were so differnet from each other, Jakob felt connected to him becuase they both liked to do the same thing-play music. But then one day the guy was just gone. All of his stuff was just left their. "Below me was a homeless man I'm singin' songs I knew complete On the steps alone, his guitar in hand It's fifty years, stood where he stands" "Look out the window, down upon that street And gone like a midnight was that man But I see his six strings laid against that wall And all his things, they all look so small I got my fingers crossed on a shooting star Just like me-just moved on" | |
|
No Picture
Ryan Rhythm Player |
#8 by Ryan Ruegemer at Oct 19, 2007 at 7:38 AM EST |
| I went to the website where Jacob made a comment on this song. He says the song was inspired by a homeless guy that played guitar on the doorsteps of a building accross the street from where he lived. He says that he related to that homeless guy in the sense that even with the obvious social class differences, they both lived through their music. "Below me was a homeless man I'm singin' songs I knew complete On the steps alone, his guitar in hand It's fifty years, stood where he stands " It's actually a very literal part of the song. The homeless man later dissapeared from the doorsteps but left all his stuff: "Look out the window, down upon that street And gone like a midnight was that man But I see his six strings laid against that wall And all his things, they all look so small" Just like Jacob, the homeless man moved on with his life, but he hopes that the stranger is doing well wherever he is. Anyway, here's the web addy if you want to see for yourself: http://www.wallflowers.com/index_main.html | |
|
No Picture
Pablo Rhythm Player |
#9 by Pablo Muņiz at Oct 19, 2007 at 5:16 PM EST |
| I'm so glad some other people find it to have something to do with his father! I thought that but I wasn't quite sure. For some reason the black line comment always struck me as being marked to be like him, or being veiwed as following his footsteps. I'm not sure, but that's how I took it. | |
Top 7 The Wallflowers Guitar Tabs
Popular Guitar Tabs