John Cougar Mellencamp - Authority Song Chords & Tabs

AUTHORITY SONG by: John Couger Mellencamp

Tab by: Aaron Meredith

Drop D tuning- (D-A-D-G-B-e)

B = bend
p = pull-off
h = hammer-on
~ = let ring
G1= guitar 1
G2= guitar 2
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
pm = palm mute

Intro: G2
e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------0---0---0-0--0--0--0--0---0-0---0-0--0--0--0--|
A|-0-4-0-4b--4b--4b----4b-4b-4b----4b----4b----4b-4b-4b---|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|

e -------------------------------------------------------|
B -------------------------------------------------------|
G -------------------------------------------------------|
D -0---0-0---0-0--0--0--0--0---0-0---0-0--0--0--0~~~-----|
A --4b----4b----4b-4b-4b----4b----4b----4b-4b-4b---------|
E -------------------------------------------------------|

Intro: G1
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------|
A|-0----0~~--0----0~~--0----0~~--0----0~~~~----|
E|-0-3b-0~~--0-3b-0~~--0-3b-0~~--0-3b-0~~~~----|


Verse: G1
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|x8
D|-------------------------5-----7-7-----|
A|-0-0--------0-0--2-0---5-5--7--7-7-----|
E|-0-0--3-4h--0-0--0-0---5-5--7--7-7-----|


Chorus:
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|x8
D|---------------------5-----7-7---|
A|-0--0-2-0-0-0-2-0--5-5--7--7-7---|
E|-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0--5-5--7--7-7---|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/john_cougar_mellencamp/authority_song_tab.html ]
Fill: G2
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|
D|----------0---0---0-0---0---------0---0--0--0--0----|
A|-0-4-0-4b--4b--4b----4b----4-0-4b--4b--4b-4b-4b-4b--|
E|----------------------------------------------------|

REPEAT VERSE:

REPEAT CHORUS:


Lead Guitar:
e|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------3-3--3-3--3---3-3--3-3--3---3-3--3-3--|
G|----------------------------2-4h-4-2p-2---2-4h-4-2p-2---2-4h-4-4--|
D|----------0---0---0-0---0---0-0--0-0--0---0-0--0-0--0---0-0--0-0--|
A|-0-4-0-4b--4b--4b----4b-------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|

e -3-3--3-3--/3-3-/3-3-3-3-3-3-/3-3-3-/3-3-/3-3-3-3-3---|
B ------------------------------------------------------|
G ------------------------------------------------------|
D ------------------------------------------------------|
A ------------------------------------------------------|
E ------------------------------------------------------|
                                                         Repeat til end
e ----10-10-10--------10-10-10-------10-10-----10-----------|----10-10|
B ----10-10-10--------10-10-10-------10-10-----10-----------|----10-10|
G -12-----------12-12----------12-12-------12b----12b-10----|-12b-----|
D --------------(^pm^)---------(^pm^)--------------------12-|---------|
A ----------------------------------------------------------|---------|
E ----------------------------------------------------------|---------|


PAUSE: ( oh no. no no)


REPEAT CHORUS:  with Fill G2 and fade


I have seen this song played in standard tuning in A which makes the lead a lot easier
to play but when compared to original song, drop D is the correct tuning. Another way
you can play it in standard tuning is open chords D, G, and A. Anyways, I hope this
helped.