The Pretender Chords & Tabs
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#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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>From: ejn521@aol.com (Ejn521)
>Subject: TAB:The Pretender-Jackson Browne
>Date: 1 Nov 1996 00:50:25 -0500
The Pretender
by Jackson Browne
Chords Used:
G C/G C D G/B Am7 Em B7 A9 A9/G
E -3----0-----0----2----3-------0------0-----2-----3------3-----------|
B -0----1-----1----3----3-------1------0-----4-----2------2-----------|
G -0----0-----0----2----0-------0------0-----2-----4------4-----------|
D -0----2-----2----0----0-------2------2-----4-----2------2-----------|
A -x----3-----3---------2-------0------2------2-----0------0----------|
E -3----3-------------------------------------------------------3-----|
D/F# G/D D/C D#o7
E ---x---------3-------2--------2--------------------------|
B ---3---------3-------3--------1--------------------------|
G ---2---------0-------2--------2--------------------------|
D ---x---------x-------x--------1--------------------------|
A ---x---------5-------3-----------------------------------|
E ----2----------------------------------------------------|
Intro Part 1:
E -7---------7--------7h8---------------8-----------8----------8-------|
B -8--8--------8------------7s8--10----8---8----------8----------------|
G -7------7--------7----------------------9------9----------9----------|
D -0---------0--------0------------------10---------10--------10-------|
A ---------------------------------------------------------------------|
E ---------------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------8----------|-------------------------------|
B -8---------8------|--------------------------------|
G ----9----------9--|---REPEAT-----------------------|
D -------10---------|--------------------------------|
A -------------------|-------------------------------|
E --------------------|------------------------------|
Intro Part 2:
E -3--------------------------|---------------------|
B -3--0--1--0------0-------|------------------------|
G -0--0--0--0---2--0--0--|-REPEAT-------------------|
D -----0--2--0---2--0--2--|-------------------------|
A -----------------3------3--|----------------------|
E -3----------------------3--|----------------------|
Verse 1:
G C/G
I'm gonna rent myself a house in the shade of the freeway,
G D
C
Gonna pack my lunch in the morning, and go to work each day
G C
And when the evening rolls around,
G C
I'll go on home and lay my body down
G D
And when the morning light comes streaming in
C G/B Am7 G
I'll get up and do it again Amen
C G/B Am7 G
Say it again Amen
D -----------0-------------------------|
A --2---3------------------------------|
Verse 2
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/jackson_browne/the_pretender_crd.html ]
G
I want to know what became of the changes,
C/G
We waited for love to bring
G
Were they only the fitful dreams
D C
Of some greater awakening
G C
I've been aware of the time going by
G C
They say in the end it's the blink of an eye
G D
And when the morning light comes streaming in
C G/B Am7 G
You'll get up and do it again Amen
D
Caught between the longing for love
C Em B7
And the struggle for the legal tender
C/G
Where the sirens sing and the churchbells ring
Em
And the junkman pounds his fender
C G
Where the veterans dream of the fight,
B7 Em
Fast asleep at the traffic light
A9 A9/G D/F#
And the children solemnly wait for the ice cream vendor
Em D C D
Em
Out into the cool of the evening, strolls the pretender
C D
He knows that all his hopes an dreams
G
Begin and end there
E -----------------------------------3---------------|
B --------3--5----------------------0----------------|
G --2s4---------4--2-0-2-0-----0---------------------|
D -------------------------------2-------------------|
A ---------------------------------------------------|
E -----------------------------------3---------------|
C G
Ah the lovers as they run through the night
C Em
Leaving nothing but to choose off and fight
D#O7 G/D C
And tear at the world with all their might
G/D Em
While the ships bearing their dreams
G/D D
Sail out of sight
Verse 3
G
I'm gonna find myself a girl,
C/G
Who can show me what laughter means
G D
Then we'll fill in the missing colors in each others
C
Paint by number dreams
G C
And then we'll put our dark glasses on
G C
And we'll make love until our strength is gone
G D
And when the morning light comes streaming in
C G/B Am7 G
We'll get up and do it again
C G/B Am7 G
Get it up again
G D D/C
Em
I'm gonna be a happy idiot, and struggle for the legal tender
B7 C/G
Where the ads take aim, and lay their claim
Em
To the heart and the soul of the spender
C G
And believe in whatever may lie
B7 Em
In those things that money can buy
A9 A9/G D/F#
Though true love could have been a contender
Em D C D Em
Are you there, say a prayer for the pretender
C D G
Who started out so young and strong only to surrender
Over Intro Part 2:
G C
Say a prayer for the pretender
G C
Are you there for the pretender
G C
Are you prepared for the pretender etc.
