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Son of Sam - Elliott Smith
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Tabbed by: Jason Paszek
Email: Jonah.Paszek@gmail.com
I noticed quite a few errors in the tabs on this site for this song so I decided to
clear up the explicit errors and provide tabs for a solo acoustic rendition that takes some
liberties by assimilating what would normally be multi-layered parts. Its 100% playable
and useful for anyone wanting to play the song that doesn't have a band or other players
to play some of the additional parts, which give this song its unique and beautiful
feel. Enjoy. Email for more if anyone wants. I know just about the whole Elliott
Smith catalogue.
Tuning: Standard
Chords Used
Verse Bridge
A D7III D7II F E A F D7 F+14 (F7 except octave is used)
e|-0----0----0----1----0--|--5----8----10----11------------------------------|
B|-2----3----1----1----0--|--5----10---10----10------------------------------|
G|-2----5----2----2----1--|--6----10---11----10------------------------------|
D|-2----4----0----3----2--|--7----10---10----10------------------------------|
A|-0----0----x----3----2--|--7----8----12----8-------------------------------|
E|-----------2----1----0--|--5----8----10----8*------------------------------|
Chorus Articulated
Am B/Am F C F#dim F f#/A F/A
Son of Sam son of that shi-ney .... Bah da Baaaaaah
e|--0-------------------0----------1-----------0-------------0----0-----5-5----|
B|--1-----------------------3------1-----------1-------------1----1-----x-x----|
G|--2-----------------------0------2-----------0-------------2----2--or-2-2----|
D|--2------------------------------3-----------2-------------4---(3)----4-3----|
A|--0-------------------2----------3-----------3-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------1-------------------------------------------|
Am B/Am F C F#dim F f#/A F/A
Couple kill-er... Bah da Baaaaaah
e|--0------------------------------1-----------0-------------0----0-----5-5----|
B|--1-------------------3---0------1-----------1-------------1----1-----x-x----|
G|--2-----------------------0------2-----------0-------------2----2--or-2-2----|
D|--2------------------------------3-----------2-------------4---(3)----4-3----|
A|--0-------------------2----------3-----------3-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------1-------------------------------------------|
Intro: (There are clearly at least two guitars and a piano during this part. I've
transcribed a playable intro for one guitar that assimilates the combined instrumentation.)
e|------------5----5--------------------------------------5----5----------------|
B|----5---8-----------8---5-------5----5---5-------5---8----------8--7----7-----|
G|----5----------------------5------5--------7p5---5-------------------5--------|
D|-7----7---7----7------7-6------------6--------7*---7---7----7------7---7------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------0-0--0--------------------------------|
B|--------7----7-----------7------------3-------3----3--3---0h1-----1--------|
G|-5--------5----5------4----4----4-----------4----4------2-------2---2------|
D|---7-------------7--6--------6-----6------5-------------------4-------4----|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/e/elliott_smith/son_of_sam_tab_ver_3.html ]
e|-----0---------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-1h3---3p1---1----------0--------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------2---2------1--------------------------------------------------|
D|-----4-----3-------3--2----------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse 1
A D7III
Something's happening, don't speak to soon
D7II F
I told the boss off and made my move
E
got no where to go
Chorus 1 (see tab above for accurracy)
Am B/Am F C f#/A F/A
Son of Sam, son of a shining path, the clouded mind bah da baaaaaaah
Am B/Am F C f#/A F/A
couple killer each and every time bah da baaaaaaah
[Repeat Intro up until * (first two measures)]
Verse 2
A D7III
I'm not uncomfortable, feeling weird
D7II F
long revered options disappear
E
but I know what to do
Chorus 2
Am B/Am F C f#/A F/A
Son of Sam, son of a doctor's touch, a nurse's love
Am B/Am F C f#/A F/A
acting under orders from above
Bridge (Chords tabbed above)
A F D7 F+14th
A F D7 F G
King for a day
Solo (some of the notes are trem picked)
A D7III D7II F E
e|-12-10--------12-10-----10----10-12-10--8------8---------------------------|
B|-------13-10--------13-----13--------------10-----10-10-10-9---9-----------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------9-------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Repeat Chorus 1
Repeat Intro in entirety
Outro
Shiva opens her arms now to make sure I don't get to far
e|--5----------------5-------------------------------------------------------|
B|--5----------------5-----------------0-----------------10------------------|
G|--5----------------5-----------------0-----------------11------------------|
D|--7----------------6-----------------9-----------------10------------------|
A|--7----------------7----------------10-----------------12------------------|
E|--5----------------5----------------10-----------------10------------------|
I may talk in my sleep tonight cause I don't know what I am I'm a little
e|--0----------------------------0------------------------0------------------|
B|--0----------------------------1------------------------1------------------|
G|--1----------------------------2------------------------2------------------|
D|--2----------------------------0------------------------4------------------|
A|--2------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--0----------------------------3-----------------------(2)-----------------|
like you more like son of Sam
e|--------1----------------0------0------------------------------------------|
B|--------1----------------0------1------------------------------------------|
G|--------2----------------1------2------------------0-2---1---2-------------|
D|--------3----------------2------2--------------0-2---3---2---2-------------|
A|--------3----------------2------0-----0--0-2-3-------3---2---0-------------|
E|--------1----------------0---------------------------1---0---0-------------|
Structure:
Intro 1x
Verse 1 1x
Chorus 1 1x
First two measures of Intro
Verse 2 1x
Chorus 2 1x
Bridge 1x
Solo
Chorus 1 1x
Intro 1x
Outro 1x
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| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| B Bend
| pb Pre-bend
| br Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend
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