R.E.M. – What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?
INTRO
D A G D A G
VERSE 1
A D Bm G A D A G
“What’s the frequency, Kenneth?” Is your Benzedrine, uh-huh.
A D Bm G A D Bm E
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed.
G A
I thought I pegged you an idiot’s dream.
G A
Tunnel vision from the insider’s screen.
D A D G A G A
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh.
D A D G A G A D
You wore our expectations like an armoured suit, uh-huh.
VERSE 2
A D Bm G A D A G
I’d studied you’re cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines.
A D Bm G A D Bm E
Richard said, “withdraw in disgust is not the same as apathy.”
G A
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth.
G A
You said that irony was the shackles of youth.
D A D G A G A
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh.
D A D G A G A D
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh.
INSTRUMENTAL [BUCK'S NEW VERSION, NOT FROM THE ORIGINAL RECORD]
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/r/rem/whats_the_frequency_kenneth_tab_ver_3.html ]
D A D G A G A D A D G A
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B|-----2-23-2-33--2---23-2-3-23------232--232--232--232--232-23-|
G|-2-4--------------24---------2---24---24---24---24---24-------|
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G A D
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B|-2---------------3--------------------------------------------|
G|----0-2-4-2--2-4---2------------------------------------------|
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A|--------------------------------------------------------------|
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VERSE 3
A D Bm G A D A G
“What’s the frequency, Kenneth?” Is your Benzedrine, uh-huh.
A D Bm G A D Bm E
Butterfly decal, rear-view mirror, dogging the scene.
G A
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth.
G A
You said that irony was the shackles of youth.
D A D G A G A
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh.
D A D G A G A
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh.
D A D G A
You wore our expectations like an armoured suit, uh-huh.
VERSE 4
G A
I couldn’t understand.
D A D G A
You said that irony was the shackled of youth, uh-huh.
G A
I couldn’t understand.
D A D G A
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh.
G A
I couldn’t understand.
D A D G A G A D
I never understood, don’t fuck with me, uh-huh.
