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Independence Day - Elliott Smith
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Tabbed by: F# 11th w3
Tuning: Open C --> C-G-C-E-G-C
All chord names are what you’re actually playing, so no 'relative to tuning'
chord names or whatever.
Chord shapes used:
Cm9th Dm13th C Bb6th
|--10-| |--11-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---8-| |--10-| |--0--| |--12-|
|--10-| |--10-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---0-| |---0-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---x-| |---x-| |--0--| |--10-|
|---x-| |---x-| |--0--| |---x-|
G# Fadd9 G G7th
|--8--| |--7--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |--10-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--7--| |---7-|
|--8--| |--5--| |--x--| |---7-|
C* Am G#aug5 D
|--7--| |--0--| |--0--| |--2--|
|--9--| |--2--| |--1--| |--2--|
|--8--| |--0--| |--0--| |--2--|
|--7--| |--0--| |--0--| |--2--|
|--x--| |--2--| |--1--| |--2--|
|--x--| |--x--| |--x--| |--2--|
F Fadd9* Cmaj7 G#flat5/aug5
|--5--| |--5--| |--4--| |--2--|
|--5--| |--5--| |--4--| |--1--|
|--5--| |--5--| |--3--| |--0--|
|--5--| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--5--| |--5--| |--4--| |--1--|
|--5--| |--7--| |--x--| |--x--|
Bb Gsus4/6th Cflat5 Csus4/no5
|--10-| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--10-| |--9--| |--11-| |--10-|
|--10-| |--8--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--10-| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
|--10-| |--9--| |--11-| |--10-|
|--10-| |--7--| |--0--| |--0--|
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The structure of this song is as follows:
Intro
Riff 1
Riff 2 | Verse 1:
| Future butterfly, gonna spend the day, higher than high.
| You'll be, beautiful confusion.
| Ooh oh oh oh oh, once i was you.
Riff 1 (2x)
Riff 2 | Verse 2:
| I saw you caught between, all the people out, making the scene.
| And a bright, ideal tomorrow.
| Ooh don't go too far, stay who you are.
Riff 3 | Bridge:
| Everybody knows, everybody knows, everybody knows.
| You only live a day.
| But it's brilliant anyway.
Riff 4 | Verse 3:
| I saw you at, a perfect place.
| It's gonna happen soon, but not today.
Riff 5 | Verse 4:
| So go to sleep, and make the change.
| I'll meet you here tomorrow, independence day,
| independence day, independence day.
Outro
Except for the intro and outro, don't take every stroke that I tabbed too
literally. Elliott plays this song fingerpicked, but it's very playable with a
plectrum as well.
For this tab I used some video material from live performances by Elliott
himself to find the sometimes weird chords. And of course listening to the song
over and over again helped as well.
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Intro:
Cm9th
e|----10----------10----------10----------10----------10----------10------|
B|----10----8-----------8-----------8-----------8-----------8-----------8-|
G|-------10----------10----------10----------10----------10----------10---|
D|-0------------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0---------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Dm13th C Bb6th G#
e|---------11---------|------12-11---|--------------10-|-------8-------------8-|
B|---10-------10------|--------------|-12--12----12----|-----8-----12--8---8---|
G|------10---------10-|----0-------0-|-10--------------|---8-------------------|
D|-0-------------0----|-0------------|--------10-------|-8-------8-------8-----|
A|--------------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
C* Fadd9 G G# C
e|-------|-------7---5-------7-|------------|-------10----|------0--0-0-|
B|---9---|-----5---------7h8---|-/7---------|-----8-----8-|------0--0-0-|
G|-----8-|---5-----------------|-/7--8-8--7-|-/8--8-----8-|------0--0-0-|
D|-7-----|-5-------5---5-------|-/7--7-7--7-|-/8----------|-0----0------|
A|-------|---------------------|------------|-------------|-0----0------|
E|-------|---------------------|------------|-------------|---0--0------|
Drums, bass guitar, and some kind of organ kick in from here.
Riff 1:
C Bb6th G# C*
e|-------10b12--10---|-----------------|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|
B|-----0-------------|-12---12-12-12-9-|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|
G|---0-------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|
D|-0-----------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|
A|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
E|-------------------|-----------------|---------------------|--------|
Fadd9 G G# C ****************
e|----7-5------5-|-----------|-----10-------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
B|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|------8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
G|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|-/8---8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
D|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-----|
A|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8---------0-|----0-------------0------------|
E|---------------|-----------|--------------|-0--0----------0--0----------0-|
***** = skip the 1st time when you play this riff twice between verse 1 and 2!
Riff 2:
Am G#aug5
e|-0--0--0----|---0--0-0-0----0--0-0-0-|----0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
B|-5--4--2--0-|---2--2-2-2----2--2-2-2-|----1--1-1-1-----1--1-1-1-|
G|-0--0--0--0-|---0--0-0-0----0--0-0-0-|----0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
D|-0--0--0--0-|---0--0-0-0----0--0-0-0-|----0--0-0-0-----0--0-0-0-|
A|-5--4--2--0-|-2-----------2----------|-1------------1-----------|
E|-0--0-------|------------------------|--------------------------|
1. Future butterfly, gonna spend the
2. I saw you caught between, all the people
D F Fadd9*
e|----2--2-2-2-2-----2----|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|
B|----2--2-2-2-2-----2----|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|
G|----2--2-2-2-2-----2--2-|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|
D|----2--2-2-2-2-----2--4-|----5--5-5-5-|----7--7-7-7-|
A|----2--2-2-2-2-----2--2-|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-7-|
E|-2--------------2-----4-|-5-----------|-7-----------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/e/elliott_smith/independence_day_tab.html ]
1. day, higher than high. You'll
2. out, making the scene. And a
G# G7th
e|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
B|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|----10--10-10-10------10--10-10-10-|
G|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
D|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
A|----8--8-8-8------8--8-8-8-|-----7---7--7--7-------7---7--7--7-|
E|-8-------------8-----------|-7-----------------7---------------|
1. be, beautiful confusion.
2. bright, ideal tomorrow.
Cmaj7 Am
e|----4--4-4-4------4-4------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
B|----4--4-4-4------4-4------|----2--2-2-2------2--2-2-2-|
G|----3--3-3-3------3-3------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
D|----0--0-0-0------0-0--0-0-|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
A|-4-------------4-------2-0-|-2-------------2-----------|
E|---------------------------|---------------------------|
1. Ooh oh oh oh oh, once i was
2. Ooh don't go too far, stay who you
G#flat5/aug5
e|----2--2-2-2------2------|
B|----1--1-1-1------1--1-0-|
G|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-|
D|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-|
A|-1-------------1-----1---|
E|-------------------------|
1. you.
2. are.
Riff 3:
C Bb6th G# C*
e|-------10b12--10---|------10-10-10-9-9-|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|
B|-----0-------------|-12---12-12-12-9-9-|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|
G|---0-------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|
D|-0-----------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|
A|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
E|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
F G#
e|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
B|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
G|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
D|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8----|
A|----5--5-5-5------5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8------8--8--8-|
E|-5-------------5-----------|-8-------------8-------10-|
Everybody knows, everybody
C Bb
e|----0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
B|---12-12-12-12-----12-12-12-12-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
G|----0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
D|---12-12-12-12-----12-12-12-12-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
A|----0--0--0--0------0--0--0--0-|-----10--10-10-10-------10--10-10-10-|
E|-0---------------0-------------|-10-----------------10---------------|
knows, everybody knows. You only live a
F Fadd9* G# Gsus4/6th
e|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----7--7-7-7-|
B|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----9--9-9-9-|
G|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----8--8-8-8-|
D|----5--5-5-5-|----7--7-7-7-|----8--8-8-8-|----7--7-7-7-|
A|----5--5-5-5-|----5--5-5-5-|----8--8-8-8-|----9--9-9-9-|
E|-5-----------|-7-----------|-8-----------|-7-----------|
day. But it's brilliant anyway.
Fadd9 G G# C
e|----7-5------5-|-----------|-----10-------|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
B|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|------8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
G|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|-/8---8--8----|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
D|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|----0--0-0-0------0--0-0-0-|
A|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8---------0-|----0-------------0--------|
E|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8-----------|-0--0----------0--0--------|
Riff 4:
Cflat5 Csus4/no5 Cno5 Bb6th
e|-----0---0--0--0-|-----0---0--0--0-|-0--10b12--10---|-----------------|
B|----11--11-11-11-|----10--10-10-10-|-9--------------|-12--------------|
G|-----0---0--0--0-|-----0---0--0--0-|-0------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-|
D|-----0---0--0--0-|-----0---0--0--0-|-0--------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|
A|----11--11-11-11-|----10--10-10-10-|-9--------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|
E|-0---------------|-0---------------|-0--------------|-10---10-10-10-9-|
I saw you at,
G# C* Fadd9 G
e|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|----7-5------5-|-----------|
B|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|
G|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|
D|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|
A|-8------------8------|--------|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|
E|-8------------8------|--------|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|
a perfect place. It's gonna happen soon,
G# C
e|-----10-------|----0--0-0-0-|
B|------8--8----|----0--0-0-0-|
G|-/8---8--8----|----0--0-0-0-|
D|-/8------8--0-|----0--0-0-0-|
A|-/8---------0-|----0--------|
E|-/8-----------|-0--0--------|
but not today.
Riff 5:
C Bb6th G# C*
e|-------10b12--10---|-------------------|-8---10p8--------8-8-|-7--7-7-|
B|-----0-------------|-12----------------|-8------8-12--8--8-8-|-9--9-9-|
G|---0-------------0-|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------8--8--8--8-8-|-8--8-8-|
D|-0-----------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8--8-8-|-7--7-7-|
A|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
E|-------------------|-10---10-10-10-9-9-|-8------------8------|--------|
So go to sleep, and make the change.
Fadd9 G G#
e|----7-5------5-|-----------|-----10-------|
B|-5--5-5--7h8-5-|-/7--7-7-7-|------8--8----|
G|-5--5-5--5---5-|-/7--8-8-7-|-/8---8--8----|
D|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|
A|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8---------0-|
E|-5-------5-----|-/7--7-7-7-|-/8-----------|
I'll meet you here tomorrow, independence
F G#
e|------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5-|-----10-------|
B|------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5--------5--5-5-5-|------8--8----|
G|----5-5--5-5-5------5-5--5-5-5------5-5--5-5-5-|-/8---8--8----|
D|----5-5--5-5-5------5-5--5-5-5------7-7--7-7-7-|-/8------8--0-|
A|----5---------------5---------------5----------|-/8---------0-|
E|-5---------------5---------------7-------------|-/8-----------|
day, independence day, independence day.
Outro:
C Bb6th G#
e|------10b12--10---|-----------------|-------8-------------8-|
B|------------------|-12--12-12-12-12-|-----8-----12--8---8---|
G|----0-----------0-|-10--10-10-10-10-|---8-------------------|
D|-0----------------|-10--10-10-10-10-|-8-------8-------8-----|
A|------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
E|------------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
C* Fadd9 G G# C
e|-------|-------7---5-------7-|------------|-------10-----|------0-|
B|---9---|-----5---------7h8---|-/7---------|---8--------8-|------0-|
G|-----8-|---5-----------------|-/7--8-8--7-|------------8-|------0-|
D|-7-----|-5-------5---5-------|-/7--7-7--7-|-8---8----8---|-0----0-|
A|-------|---------------------|------------|--------------|-0----0-|
E|-------|---------------------|------------|--------------|---0--0-|
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Hope you will enjoy this! Let me know if you find any mistakes.
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