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GOING DOWN – Neutral Milk Hotel
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Tabbed by: nolanwalker93
E-mail: nolanwalker93@gmail.com
Tuning: Standard (EADGBe)
If I know Jeff Mangum like I think I do, this guy hardly ever changes tuning for any of
his songs. Going Down is no exception. I may be off with some of the strumming here, but
this sounds pretty damn accurate to me:
CHORDS USED:
Em G A E E D D
e|------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------|
B|------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------| |------|
G|------| |------| |------| |------| |--9---| |------| |--7---|
D|--2---| |--5---| |--7---| |--14--| OR |--9---| |--12--| OR |--7---|
A|--2---| |--5---| |--7---| |--14--| |--7---| |--12--| |--5---|
E|--0---| |--3---| |--5---| |--12--| |--X---| |--10--| |--X---|
Main Riff:
This is actually the trickiest part of this song. This is the closest I could come to
it, and while it isn't 100%, its still pretty spot on:
v
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-2--------0-0-2-2-2-2-2p0-------------------------------------------------|
A|-2---0h2------------------2p0---------------------------------------------|
E|-0------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Don't be afraid to hit the E string while playing any singular notes.
Main riff plays throughout verse:
I crush the world I was in
Will I destroy the world I will find?
I'll work the tools with my hands
I'll stick the needles in my eyes
CHORUS:
E
And in my celebration
D
You are by my side
A Em G Em
And now I'm going down
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/n/neutral_milk_hotel/going_down_crd.html ]
E
And through the complications
D
Something inside me died
A Em G Em
And now I'm going down
Back to MAIN RIFF for the next Verse:
Bring down the sky with my tears
Dig up the earth with my hands
Take a look inside of my head
Maybe then you could understand
Repeat CHORUS x1
Bridge:
Em, A, Em, A (To get that momentary bassy note on the A chord, lift your finger quick
off the E string while playing it at whatever time seems fit)
Em
So long again, my friend
A Em A
I guess it's time that I should let you know
Em
These things, they come around
A Em A
I guess they just get hard to let them go
Em
You wait around a while
A Em A
You'll never seem to find that faith in me
Em
You close your eyes and smile
A Em A
Forever I will be
Go back to MAIN RIFF
I know the way and I will go
I know the way and I will find
It's all around me and I told you so
I'll wait around and hear, "Goodbye"
Last CHORUS, slightly longer:
And in my celebration
You are by my side
And now I'm going down
And through the complications
Something inside me died
And now I'm going down
E
And all the big decisions
D
We never could decide
A Em G Em
And now I'm going down
And in my celebration
You are by my side
And now I'm going down
The last part is pretty hard to make out, since it does that weird audio clip out, but
I'm pretty sure its just slowing down on Em, maybe throwing G in there towards the end.
And hopefully that's about it. If you're wondering about the title, it is referred to by
fans by two diffrerent titles: "Now I'm Going Down" and "Going Down". I chose to title
it "Going Down" because that is how I have always referred to it. Very simple song, very
fun to play. Long live NMH! :)
Key:
| H hammer-on
| p pull-off
