The Black Crowes
Song Title: Wiser Time
TBC Original? Yes
Written By: Chris and Rich Robinson
Recording Session: Tall, Amorica
Record: Tall (released as "Lost Crowes"), Amorica, Live
Live Debut: 07/31/1994
Shows: 706 times played live
Notes: This song first appears in rehearsals in late November, 1993 at Alley Studios in
Hollywood. In the original versions from November and December, the vocal phrasing is
By the time of the formal sessions at Conway Studios in January 1994 the final
track was finished (January 16, 1994). Off of that instrumental track the phrasing of
lyrics (with the familiar harmonies) was arranged, overdubs and backing vocals were also
The backing vocals included a "good day, bad day" refrain that would be dropped when it
re-recorded for Amorica. This version would appear on Tall.
Wiser Time was rearranged and re-recorded at Ocean Way Studios in May/June and ended up
song number 9 on Amorica. On the album and most of the time in concert, "Ballad In
segues into Wiser Time with a deeply textured jam introduced with a piano coda (this is
as "Ballad In Urgency Jam"), which defines the sound of The Black Crowes. Thus, "Ballad
Urgency" -> "Wiser Time" - the jam in the middle being ingrained and understood by fans,
word 'jam' is simply not necessary. This piano coda and jam that follows was originally
onto the end of an Ocean Way take of A Conspiracy.
--------------------------------
The above information was taken from www.crowesbase.com
Tuning: Rich- DGDGBD (Open G), Marc- EADGBE (Standard).
The intro chords and slide solo are both played by Rich. Marc Ford's solos are not
here because I haven't taken the time to tab them out.
Intro (segue from Ballad in Urgency):
D--0----0----0----0--|
B--3----2----1----0--|
G--0----0----0----0--|
D--0----0----1----0--|
G--3----2----0----0--|
D--------------------|
The first two chords are arpeggiated up, the third down, and the last up.
Verse:
Rich
D-------------------------------------------------------|
B------1-----------1------------0-------------0---------|
G--------0---0-------0---0---0-----0------0------0---0--|
D----0-----0-----0-----0-------0------0-----0------0----|
G--3-----------2-----------0------------0---------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/b/black_crowes/wiser_time_tab.html ]
Marc
E-----------------------------------3--------------3--------|
B------3--------------1-----------0----0---0-----0---0---0--|
G--------0---0------0---0---0---0--------0-----0-------0----|
D----0-----0----0h2-------2------------------0--------------|
A--1--------------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------3-----------------------------|
Chorus:
Rich
D--0--0-0----0--0-0-----0--0---0--0--0--0--0--|
B--5--7-7----7--8-8----12--8--10--7--8--5--3--|
G--0--0-0----0--0-0-----0--0---0--0--0--0--0--|
D--5--7-7----7--9-9----12--9--10--7--9--5--5--|
G--0--0-0----0--0-0-----0--0---0--0--0--0--0--|
D---------------------------------------------|
Marc
E---------------------------------------------|
B---------------------------------------------|
G---------------------------------------------|
D--5--7-7----7--9-9----12--9--10--7--9--5--5--|
A--x--x-x----x--x-x-----x--x---x--x--x--x--x--|
E--3--5-5----5--7-7----10--7---8--5--7--3--3--|
Slide Solo:
D--/12--5\3---3\2p0--/2p0---------------------------------------------|
B--/12------0-------------5p0-------0--/8--8--8--8--8/10-10/12-12-12--|
G--/12--------------------5p0---3p0-----------------------------------|
D-----------------------------0-3p0-----------------------------------|
G---------------------------------------------------------------------|
D---------------------------------------------------------------------|
D--12-10------------------------------12-------|
B-----10--12-10-----12-12----12----12----12\---|
G---------------/12-------12----12-------------|
D----------------------------------------------|
G----------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------|
B--/3\2p0-----------------------3p0-5p0--|
G--/3\2p0----0---0-3p0--3p0-5p0-3p0-5p0--|
D---------/3---3--------3p0-5p0----------|
G----------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------|
D--/15-15-15-----/15-15-15-15-----------------------------------------------|
B--/15-15-15-----/15-15-15-15-/12--12--12\10-12\10-10/12---10/12\10/12\--0--|
G------------15\--------------/12--12--12\10-12\10-------0-10/12\10/12\--0--|
D------------------------------------------------------------------------0--|
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
