I've never actually seen a completely correct tab for this song anywhere online, and I'm not
saying that mine is 100% correct, but it sounds right to me. Email me with any corrections.
Standard tuning (that is, capo on second fret if you've been playing a lot of Elliott Smith)
Intro:
(This is basically just the chords from the piano part. You can pretty much ignore the bass
notes of this intro if you want to. How do you play E9/G# on guitar anyway??)
am Abaug am D/A D7/A
E9/G# em/G D/F# F E
am Abaug
Something's happening, don't speak too soon.
G F
I told the boss off and made my move;
E
I got nowhere to go.
am am/B F C
Son of Sam, son of a shining path, a clouded mind.
B7 F am
(aah-aaaah aaaah aa-ah)
am/B F C
Couple killer, each and every time.
B7 F am
(aah-aaaah aaaah aa-ah)
Abaug
(little walk-down riff)
am Abaug
I'm not uncomfortable, feeling weird.
G F
Lonely leered, options disappeared,
E
but I know what to do.
am am/B F C
Son of Sam, son of a doctor's touch, a nurse's love.
B7 F am
(aah-aaaah aaaah aa-ah)
am/B F C
Acting under orders from above.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/e/elliott_smith/son_of_sam_crd.html ]
B7 F am
(aah-aaaah aaaah aa-ah) (I feel silly writing this out)
BRIDGE:
am F D7 F
am F D7 F E
Back to Verse progression for the solo:
am Abaug G F
G F E
am am/B
Son of Sam, son of a shining path, a clouded mind.
B7 F am
(aah-aaaah aaaah aa-ah)
am am/B F C
Couple killer, running out of time
B7 F am
(aah-aaaah aaaah aa-ah)
Return to intro progression:
Abaug am D/A D7/A
E9/Ab em/G D/Gb F E
am Abaug G D/F#
Shiva opens her arms now, to make sure I don't get too far.
E/G# em/G D/F#
I may talk in my sleep tonight, 'cause I don't know what I am.
F E am
I'm a little like you, more like Son of Sam.
F E am
You can figure out the riffs for yourself, they're not too hard.
CHORDS USED:
I wrote "Abaug" in the tab, but I just use am-maj7 on guitar because it's easier for me and
it still sounds right (to me at least). Basically, it's just the chord you get when you flat
the root of an am. Everything else should be pretty easy to figure out.
"Abaug [sic]"
e|------0--------|
B|------1--------|
G|------1--------|
D|------2--------|
A|------0--------|
E|------X--------|
