Ashes Of American Flags Guitar Tab

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Tabs:

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			     Wilco - Ashes Of American Flags
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Tabbed by: Tyler Estes
Email: ohdarn323@hotmail.com

Tuning: Standard

Intro 1:

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

Intro 2:

e|----5---------|
B|-------7^-----|
G|--------------|
D|-7------------|
A|--------------|
E|--------------|


[D]The cash machine [G]is blue and green
[D]For a hundred in twenties [G]and a small service fee
[Em]I could spend three dollars [A]and sixty-three cents
[D]On Diet Coca-Cola [G]and unlit cigarettes

[D G D G]

[Em]I wonder why we listen to poets
[A]When nobody gives a fuck
[D]How hot and sorrowful
[G]This machine begs for luck

[F#m]All my [G]lies are always [Bm]wishes
[Em]I know I would [A]die if I could come back new

[D G D G]

[D]I want a good life
[G]With a nose for things
[D]A fresh wind and bright sky
[G]To enjoy my suffering

[Em]A hole without a key
[A]If I break my tongue
[D]Speaking of tomorrow
[G]How will it ever come?

[F#m]All my [G]lies are always [Bm]wishes
[Em]I know I would [A]die if I could come back new

[Em]I'm down on my hands and knees
[A]Every time the doorbell rings
[D]I shake like a toothache
[G]When I hear myself sing

[F#m]All my [G]lies are only [Bm]wishes
[Em]I know I would [A]die if I could come back new

[D]I would like to salute
[G]The ashes of American flags
[D]And all the fallen leaves
[G]Filling up shopping bags

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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture jacob Average	#1 by jacob ap at Mar 31, 1975 at 1:37 PM EST
	Orpheoorpheo yes, good insight.

No Picture sebastian Wanna Be	#2 by sebastian Shamburg at Oct 20, 1979 at 3:09 PM EST
	Jeff Tweedy reminds me so much of Bob Dylan on this song. This seems to me to just be about how empty life can become, hece ashes of american flags. He just wants something new and different. The part where he signs "I know I would die if I could come back new" just says it all. Great song.

No Picture Erin Rhythm Player	#3 by Erin at Apr 10, 1983 at 7:44 AM EST
	I think the key to this entire song lies in the line: "This Machine Begs For Luck". Given Wilco's previous involvement with Woody Guthrie, it appears that this line is a takeoff on the famous Guthrie slogan that was spelled out on his guitar: "This Machine Kills Facists". The lines that bookend the song are classic Guthrie -- Finding the beauty and emotion in everyday items of Americana. The interesting part of the song is in the middle. In stark contrast to Guthrie's pointed political statement, Tweedy is telling us that he wishes that his music and lyrics were up to the standards of his poetic heroes like Guthrie. The whole song reads to me like an artist who isn't entirely comfortable with the validity of his work. "All my lies are always wishes", "I shake like a toothache when I hear myself sing", "A hole without a key if I break my tongue". It's about self-doubt as a creative person, in my opinion.

No Picture Mike Average	#4 by Mike Fraguglia at Nov 26, 1986 at 9:38 PM EST
	I gotta agree with Fypast on this one. I don't think the song really has any political meaning. He's just wants to feel passionate enough about something to fight for a change. He wants to feel excited about things again. Also, ashes of American flags and falling leaves both (to me) represent a kind of circularity. Something that does die only to come back new. Flags burn because we live in a country where they can. And leaves fall but return anew every year.

No Picture wrath Average	#5 by wrath child at Jun 4, 1987 at 2:55 AM EST
	in an interview, he said that ashes of american flags had nothing to do with anti-patriotism. he said that it was about him admiring people who have the balls to burn american flags.

No Picture Mauricio Wanna Be	#6 by Mauricio Tonon at Apr 27, 1988 at 9:37 AM EST
	first how have only two people commented on this song. second this song is awesome, lyrically its amasing the lines : All my lies are only wishes I know I would die if I could come back new are just... i dunno universal i would think. beautiful, just so good

No Picture TOm Wanna Be	#7 by TOm HIrsch at Jul 11, 1991 at 1:39 AM EST
	or body bags. . . also, down on my hand & knees every time the doorbell rings, could be PTSD. The last minute of the song sounds like war sounds to me, especially at the begining, like a radio, or a pilot going down. I think it is definitely an anti-war song.

No Picture Mikel Average	#8 by Mikel A. at May 6, 1995 at 4:36 AM EST
	Mooch has a very good point, but I believe couldBanyone has an excellent point too; that's the thing about good poetry: the layers. This song, as do many of Tweedy's other brilliant creations (try I Am Trying to Break Your Heart), is filled with myriad layers. The trick is finding the common thread that connects them. CHECK OUT Nels Cline's solo on the live version of this song from Kicking Television. I think it is my favorite guitar solo of all time (I've listened to it about 8 times today). He takes Tweedy's lyrics and melts them into guitar notes. What a great addition to the band he is. I will miss Wilco's current lineup once it changes.

No Picture Jimmy "Hoffa" Average	#9 by Jimmy "Hoffa" at Apr 24, 1999 at 2:38 PM EST
	From what sugarxspice08 said it makes sense to me what this song is about for the most part. Hes realizing the bravery that people had for burning the american flag not that he agrees with it. Just the fact that he stands back and realizes what epic courage and character it takes to do something crazy like that. In return it makes him question his life and where its going. And hes wishing he had that courage. So when he says he says "I would like to salute the ashes of American flags" Hes really saluting staying true to yourself and following your own path even if he himself cant do that.

No Picture cody Average	#10 by cody jay at Oct 17, 2007 at 4:30 PM EST
	I think that this song has to do with how life is so simple and boring, no one cares. Almost like his life and the people around him are meaningless. He's dreading everyday so he would die to come back a new person... to start over. I think that he is being unpatriotic even if what SUGARXSPICE08 says is true (he might not want to admit that he was being unloyal to his own country). Not to say that he's dissing the country, but almost like he would like to see all the fake and meaningless shit of our country burn away.