#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: BROCKMAN@udavxb.oca.udayton.edu
MY GOD
Jethro Tull
from: Aqualung, 1971
Transcribed by:
brockman@udavxb.oca.udayton.edu (Bob Brockman)
Corrections welcome (please email) - Thanks.
Notes:
1. On the Aqualung album, a lot of the guitar is covered over
by the strong piano parts. I gleaned most of the guitar
background from a bootleg recording on which this cut
consists pretty much of Ian Anderson and acoustic guitar.
Might be a little different from what's played on the
album.
2. My naming of a couple of the more bizarre chords might be
off; if my ignorance is showing, someone let me know
(gently) where I'm all wet.
3. The lyrics below are different in 2-3 places from the ones
printed in the album liner notes; this happens in spots
where I'm pretty sure the liner notes are off.
Intro:
e|----------------|--------------------||
B|----------------|--------------------||
G|----------------|--------------------||
D|---7-----------7|----7---7---7--5-h7-||
A|-0--------------|--0---0---0---------||
E|----------------|--------------------||
let ring | repeat several times,
at increasing tempo
Am B7/A
e|----------------|----------------|
B|-5--------------|-4--------------|
G|-5--------------|-4--------------|
D|-7--------------|-7--------------|
A|-0--------------|-0--------------|
E|----------------|----------------| Repeat to this point 2x
finger pick in let ring
this position
for a while...
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------2--------2-s4--------|
D|------------------------0-2-3--------3---s5----5---|
A|-0---0------------0-2-3----------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|
let ring
Verse 1:
Part 1: This part can either be strummed (muting both E and e)
or finger-picked. The Aqualung album version seems to
be mostly strumming, but it's almost overpowered by the
piano part once that starts. On the bootleg, Anderson
finger-picks it, and it sounds really nice. If you do
finger-pick it, throwing in a little of the high 'e'
string sounds good -- play with it and see.
Am B7addE/A DmaddE/A E7/A Am
e|--0-------------------------4-----0-----| Repeated twice as intro,
B|-10--0------------6---------5----10-----| before piano line begins.
G|--9--8------------7---------4-----9-----| Then repeated throughout
D|-10--7------------7---------0----10-----| first part of each verse.
A|--0--0--------0---0---------0-----0-----| See below for timing.
E|----------------------------------------|
Here's how it lines up with the lyrics:
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/jethro_tull/my_god_tab_ver_2.html ]
Am B7 Dm E7 Am Am B7
People, what have you done
Dm E7 Am Am B7 Dm E7 Am
Locked Him in His golden cage
Am B7 Dm E7 Am Am B7
Made Him bend to your religion
Dm E7 Am Am B7 Dm E7 Am B7 Dm E7
Him resurrected from the grave
Part 2: Chords, all strummed:
D G
He is the God of nothing,
C G Am B7 Dm E7 Am Am B7 Dm E7
If that's all that you can see
D G
You are the God of everything,
C G D CaddD D ( CaddD = XX0030 )
He's inside you and me.
Verse 2:
Am B7 Dm E7 Am Am B7
So lean upon Him gently
Dm E7 Am
And don't call on him to save
Riff #1
e|--------------------------| This riff replaces the Am - B7addE/A etc.
B|--------------------------| chord progression for the remainder of
G|--------------------------| the verse. There are a couple of minor
D|--------------------------| variations here and there, very simple.
A|--7--6------5-3-----------|
E|---------------5-0-3-5----|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ <-- rough idea of timing: 6/8, ^ = 1/8
(keep playing Riff #1 here ...) D C
you from your social graces, and the sins you used to waive.
D G
The bloody Church of England,
C G (Riff #1 again)
in chains of history,
D G
requests your earthly presence
C G D C D
at the vicarage for tea.
Solo section: (sorry for the lack of detail here, but I'm pretty lame at
picking out solos note for note)
Lead-in to flute solo:
Chord progression is: Am E D C G (2x)
Solo riff here is blues scale rooted at fret 5 through Am-E-D,
then up to fret 8 at the change to C, etc.
Flute solo:
Background chord progression is: A E D/F# G
Gregorian chant section:
(No instrumental part here.)
Next, repeat same chord pattern used during flute solo: A E D/F# G
Then return to: Am B7 Dm E to lead in to verse 3
Verse 3
(Same as Verse 2; start quietly, then switch to Riff #1 on "crucifix"):
And the graven image you-know-who,
with His plastic crucifix,
Confuses me as to who and where and why,
and to how He gets His kicks.
Confessing to the endless sin,
the endless whining sounds.
You'll be praying 'til next Thursday,
to all the Gods that you can count.
Repeat lead-in section to flute solo (same chord pattern, different solo)
End with:
Am B7 Dm E7 Am B7 Dm E7 Am B7 Dm E7 Am B7
