#----------------------------------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: rkh2@ukc.ac.uk
Artist: John Wesley Harding
Title: THE PEOPLE'S DRUG from "The Name Above The Title"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
G D Em
Got a stupid job, but it's pin money.
G D Em
I've got a brand new car but I can't drive.
G D Em
I've got a sweetheart, I call her Honey,
G D Em
And I've also got a wife.
F C D
People say that they're depressed
F C D
But they go out and they're so well dressed
G D Em
Now, what is it that makes them feel that way?
F C D
Can't get it in no drug store,
F C D
No man's an island, that's for sure
Am G
And it, looks like the world's just
C D
Run out of things to say, so now..
G D Em
Give me some of the people's drug. \
G D Em \
Give me some of the people's drug. \
F C D ]
Whatever makes you feel that good, ]
F C D > C H O R U S
I'll take it like I know I should, so ]
G D C Cmaj7 Am D ]
Give me some of the people, people's drug, wo-oah /
G D F C F C D /
Give me some of the people's drug, drug /
G D Em
Pick me up and take me to a movie.
G D Em
Give me an ending that I can understand.
G D Em
Sell me a rocking soundtrack, make it groovy.
G D Em
Give me backstage passes for the band.
F C D
People always whine, whine, whine,
F C D
Shut up and pay the fine, fine, fine.
G D Em
What's the difference anyway,
F C D
Between being safe and being rad
F C D
When the big joke is we've all been had?
Am G C D
You don't get to read the news in USA Today. You know that!
{ C H O R U S }
... People's Guitar!
{ G U I T A R S O L O }
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/john_wesley_harding/the_peoples_drug_tab.html ]
G D Em
God it's a wacky race we're running,
G D Em
I must atone for all my sins.
G D Em
God grant me some of what you're giving,
G D Em
I hope you don't need needles, don't need pins.
F C D
I'll pay prescription - where's the bill?
F C D
I thought it was a bitter pill! (Ha-Ha)
G D Em
What's it matter what I feel?
F C D
Take the dog and take the wife;
F C D
Show me how to lead a better life.
Am G C D
The price you people pay, well it's gotta be a steal. All right
G D Em
Give me some of the people's drug.
G D Em
Give me some of the people's drug.
F C D
Whatever makes you feel that good,
F C D
I'll take it like I know I should, so
G D C Cmaj7 Am D
Give me some of the people, people's drug, wo-oah
G D C Cmaj7 Am D
Give me some of the people, people's drug, wo-oah
G D F C F C F C F C D G
Give me some of the people's drug, drug, drug, drug. All right!
- - - T H E E N D - - -
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Notes:
~~~~~
1) The last line of every verse has the chord sequence Am G C D. You
may like to try adding a G to some of these (Am & C in particular)
using your little finger on the 3rd fret of the e-treble string.
2) Watch that rhythm. The strum rhythm changes a few times during the
verse. Learn it from the album.
3) If you're new to barre chords (like F) keep practicing. You need to
be fairly swift in changing from F to C in this song. Sometimes,
depending on the song, you can get away with replacing F with D minor,
but I don't think so here. If you have trouble try adjusting your
thumb and wrist positions. It's easier barring on higher frets and
much easier on a small-necked guitar than a wide-necked one.
4) The chorus sounds fantastic with judicious use of harmony singing in
the chorus. I've recorded this song, then re-recorded tape-to-tape,
adding harmony and it added so much depth to the recording. Take a
lead from Wes himself, who sings the harmony part in the penultimate
line of the song.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chords:
~~~~~~~
G chord D chord
e||---|---|-o-| G e||---|-o-|-----| F#
B||---|---|---| B B||---|---|-o---| D
G||---|---|---| G G||---|-o-|-----| A
D||---|---|---| D D||---|---|-----| D
A||---|-o-|---| B A||---|---|-----| A
E||---|---|-o-| G E||---|-x-|-----| either use thumb on 2nd fret
or don't play bass-E string
Em chord F chord
This is a barre-chord
e||---|---|---| E e||-+-|---|-----| F Use your index finger
B||---|---|---| B B||-+-|---|-----| C to hold down the first
G||---|---|---| G G||-+-|-o-|-----| A fret of all strings,
D||---|-o-|---| E D||-+-|---|-o---| F middle for G-string,
A||---|-o-|---| B A||-+-|---|-o---| C ring for A, little for
E||---|---|---| E E||-+-|---|-----| F D-string. (See note 3)
C chord Cmaj7 chord
e||---|---|---| E e||---|---|-----| E
B||-o-|---|---| C B||---|---|-----| B
G||---|---|---| G G||---|---|-----| G
D||---|-o-|---| E D||---|-o-|-----| E
A||---|---|-o-| C A||---|---|-o---| C
E||---|---|---| E E||---|---|-----| E
Am chord
e||---|---|-----| E
B||-o-|---|-----| C
G||---|-o-|-----| A
D||---|-o-|-----| E
A||---|---|-----| A
E||---|---|-----| E
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