Wilco › A Shot In The Arm Guitar Tab

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A Shot In The Arm Tab

Send "A Shot In The Arm" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

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                         Wilco - A Shot In The Arm
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Tabbed by: Tyler Estes
Email: ohdarn323@hotmail.com

Tuning: Standard

[D]The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you [G]went to bed
With your [Gm]darkest mind

[D]Your pillow wept
You covered your eyes
And you [G]finally slept
While the [Gm]sun caught fire

[D]You've changed

[D]We fell in love
In the key of C
We [G]walked along
[Gm]Down by the sea

[D]You followed me down
The neck to D
[G]We fell again
[Gm]Into the sea

[D]You've changed
[G]Oh, you've [D]changed

[D]Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
[D]Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
[D]Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
[G]Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
[G]Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm
[G]Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm

[D]Something in my veins, bloodier than blood
[D]Something in my veins, bloodier than blood
[D]Something in my veins, bloodier than blood
[D]Something in my veins, bloodier than blood

[D]The ashtray says
You were up all night
When you [G]went to bed
With your [Gm]darkest mind

[D]You've changed
[G]Oh, you've [D]changed

[D]What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore

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A Shot In The Arm Tab

Send "A Shot In The Arm" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture RoBsN Average	#1 by RoBsN Stalder at Oct 24, 1971 at 9:02 AM EST
	Regarding the debate as to whether or not this song is about heroin addiction... Jeff Tweedy, the lead singer, is an admitted opiate addict; he's said in interviews that he has long been addicted to opiate painkillers such as percocet and vicodin... heroin is in the same class of drugs. Given that he is a known addict and given the feel of the song I think its quite likely that it is, in fact, about drug addiction. Anyone who has experienced... this kind of life is likely to agree.

No Picture Joonas Wanna Be	#2 by Joonas Luukkainen at Jul 2, 1974 at 5:57 AM EST
	it' s not about drug addiction. that's crap. it's about having problems and those problems are not real, just in ones head. so you need a shot in the arm to get you to reality and to realize how happy you were before when you thaugth you had problems. problems with girl perhaps. maybe. most likely.

No Picture R.I.P Dimebag D Professional	#3 by R.I.P Dimebag Darrell at Jun 22, 1975 at 11:13 AM EST
	yeah, i think this is one of those songs where the repetition of "maybe all i need is a shot in the arm" gives me goosebumps. great song to scream at the top of your lungs to, while driving.

No Picture Shreder Dude Wanna Be	#4 by Shreder Dude at Jun 12, 1976 at 7:39 AM EST
	The “shot in the arm” and “something in the veins” references are to play with your mind, just see “The Pot” by Tool. A shot in the arm is a sudden event that has occurred, like a sudden realization of the change in somebody. The repetition of phrases is a mechanism used to convey a point that he just can’t come to grips on what has happened. As for the bloodier than blood line, this shot of life would be more real than what he is experiencing right now, so bloodier than blood (commonly the known as the life force of people). I also like the passion idea, but that’s all food for thought.

No Picture Chris Rhythm Player	#5 by Chris Pray at Jul 18, 1979 at 8:41 PM EST
	i just like the first two lines, such a way to say them

No Picture Turbo Grom Wanna Be	#6 by Turbo Grom at Feb 8, 1981 at 6:42 AM EST
	You should all download the live version from Kazaa. Search for Jeff Tweedy. He plays it with such passion, solo acoustic.

No Picture Trey Average	#7 by Trey Davis at Nov 11, 1985 at 5:21 AM EST
	Sarah, I see your point: what exactly is he shooting up? and why does it have to be "bloodier" than blood? To clarify this: someone's "blood" is oftentimes indicative of their "passion." To say someone's blood is "boiling" doesn't literaly mean the have hot blood cells it means they are angry or impassioned. Carrying over this common expression to "A Shot in the Arm" one can notice that the narrator is experiencing what I would describe as a "dissillusioned relationship" brought about by changed personality and demeanor of an ex-lover. So this narrator requires something to be injected into his veins that will be bloodier (read: more impassioned) than his own blood (which is devoid of passion for this woman). Now he doesn't actually mean he wants some passionate person's blood transfusion. All it means is that he is searching for a means to ressurect a relationship whose dynamic has changed. (P.S.) Sorry for all this verbage, I just love this song :)

No Picture Robyn Average	#8 by Robyn Paul at Jul 6, 1986 at 4:27 PM EST
	I think that this is about a heroin addiction. I heard somewhere that this whole album, Summerteeth, is about Tweedy trying to get over his drug addiction. Hence song titles like Nothingsevergonnastandinmyway (Again).

No Picture sebastian Wanna Be	#9 by sebastian Shamburg at Jun 19, 1988 at 11:12 AM EST
	A song about how easy it is to fall into the trap of thinking that quick fixes will solve everything. His relationship with the "you" has deep problems that will require a lot of work, but some devil on his shoulder keeps agitating for a short-term solution, either drugs or whatever drugs are a metaphor for.

No Picture Damien Wanna Be	#10 by Damien Pritchard at Aug 2, 1991 at 5:30 PM EST
	About a herion addiction. The repetition of the phrases really emphasizes the severity of the addiction. The song ends on the lines ' What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore ' Seems like he's trying his hardest to overcome the addiction and move on. Such a damn good song though!

No Picture adam Average	#11 by adam humphreys at Sep 19, 1993 at 5:18 AM EST
	Imajar is correct, this isn't about heroin addiction. Think a little deeper: What exactly does he want "shot in his arm." Yes it conjures images of drugs, but what he wants is some kind of substance injected into his system that will allow him to love this woman again. She has changed from her previous self. He cannot love this changed person without help from some fantasy injection. The first stanzas simply articulate how this woman feels terrible about what has happened.

No Picture Scott Average	#12 by Scott Muir at Nov 30, 1993 at 10:48 PM EST
	I think it's odd that someone thinks this is about addiction. The 'shot in the arm' stuff seems to be more metaphor than straight truth. I don't know, just my opinion. Great song though.

No Picture Lead Player	#13 by Michael Leathers at Dec 19, 1993 at 1:39 AM EST
	Um- if it's not about drugs explain the "something in my veins, bloodier than blood." Heroin would be something in your veins bloodier than blood, sort of. But actually maybe that works with couldBanyone's idea. Like she's so changed even her blood is different. Maybe?

No Picture Freddy Badass	#14 by Freddy Timmons at Oct 29, 1995 at 4:57 PM EST
	altho i'm sure there's more to this song than drug addiction, it's undeniably a part of it. jeff tweedy is a recovering heroin addict. i agree with some people's comments about "blood" representing more than just his blood, possibly "passion."

No Picture Renee Wanna Be	#15 by Renee Saenz at Jun 12, 1999 at 6:22 PM EST
	I agree with Kid. I love the line "We fell in love/to the key of C" The Key C is natural-- there aren't any sharps or flats. I guess the only other natural key is A minor, and... that's minor. It's sad sounding, so... I guess they wouldn't have fallen in love to A minor. Great images. "And you finally slept/While the sun caught fire."

No Picture Harry Average	#16 by Harry Johnson at Apr 14, 2000 at 8:52 PM EST
	yeah, i think this is one of those songs where the repetition of "maybe all i need is a shot in the arm" gives me goosebumps. great song to scream at the top of your lungs to, while driving.

No Picture Alex Lead Player	#17 by Alex at Dec 8, 2004 at 12:34 PM EST
	I agree with mali its not about drugs. Its about heart break and dealing with it. You know how it feels. Your just like give me anything to take the pain away. Not a literal shot of heroin. Although I could quite possibly be a dumbass.