Down On The Border Chords & Tabs
Down On The Border Chords
#----------------------------------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.#
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Down On The Border by (The) Little River Band
Tabbed by David Guy davidguy333@gmail.com
A5 A7n3=A7(no3rd)* Am(elec) Am(acou) Am7 D5 E A B
|e----x---------x------------x--------x---------x--------x-------0-------0------2|
|B----x---------x------------x--------1---------1--------2-------0-------0------2|
|G----2---------0------------5--------2---------0--------3-------1-------2------4|
|D----2---------2------------2--------2---------2--------0-------1-------2------4|
|A----0---------0------------0--------x---------x--------x-------2-------2------4|
|E----x---------x------------x--------x---------x--------x-------0-------0------2|
This took me some while to work out, because I think they use shortened chords which
give a very different sound to their equivalent full ones. This is the closest I could get,
though I’m happy to have input from anyone who suggests better fits!
If playing an acoustic guitar, which I’d recommend plucking just the 3 notes mentioned
by playing the bottom string with thumb and the two above it with 1st and 2nd finger,
except in the chorus where the straight E,A,B should be strummed.
If playing on electric guitar, you can do a type of power chord ‘boogie-woogie’ going
from A5 to A7n3 to Am using just the G and D strings – which I think is what the lead
guitarist does in live version.
If you just want to strum as a full chord, you could try substituting A for A5, A7 or
Am7 for A7n3 and D or better still DSus2 (open top e string) for D5, but you’ll hear it
really doesn’t sound quite the same.
*A7(no3rd) is not a text-book chord, it’s one I’ve made up. For those interested in the
technicality it has no name as it only features a Root, 5 and 7th, assuming the bass
note is the root). It could equally be an Am7th (no 3rd), since it’s impossible to tell
whether it’s minor or major without knowing if the 3rd is flatted (minor) or not. End of
music theory lesson ;-). On with the music....
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/l/little_river_band/down_on_the_border_crd.html ]
Intro Plucked on acoustic, arpeggios (with slightly different bass etc) on electric
A5/A7n3/A5/Am/Am/A5
A5/A7n3/A5/Am/Am/A5
A5 A7n3 A5
I just got back from the border
Am7 A5 D5 A5
And what I saw made me know for sure
A7n3 A5
We're out of order
A5 A7n3 A5
I had a dream about New Orleans
Am7 A5 D5 A5
At Jackson Square I heard their prayer
A7n3 A5
Down in New Orleans
E
On the run, there's a life for livin'
A B
But the people there, they just don't care
A5 A7n3 A5
Livin' their life like a millionaire
A7n3 A5
Down on the border
A5 A7n3 A5
You never see me in old Iran
Am7 A5 D5 A5
The women there don't know who I am
A7n3 A5
In old Iran
A5 A7n3 A5
And I never will go to Singapore
Am7 A5 D5 A5
The people there will cut your hair
A7n3 A5
In Singapore
E
On their streets there's a life of plenty
A B
Oh but they'll never know about the freedom show
A5 A7n3 A5
They’re livin' in darkness years ago
A7n3 A5
Down on the border
Solo
A5 A7n3 A5
They built a wall at the border
Am7 A5 D5 A5
Not to keep us out, but to leave no doubt
A7n3 A5
They're out of order, hey
E
And all the people who are trapped within
A B
Serve to show just how far we'll go
A7n3 A5
And how dumb we've been
A5 A7n3 A5
At the top life looks so easy
Am7 A5 D5 A5
But they'll never know what they'll never know
Am7 A5 D5 A5
They're much too busy countin' all their dough
Am7n3 A5
From the border
