Nirvana Unplugged!
MTV Unplugged - NIRVANA
-----------------------
About A Girl
Come As You Are
Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam
Dumb
Man Who Sold The World
Pennyroyal Tea
Polly
On A Plain
All Apologies
Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Something In The Way (Nevermind)
Plateau
Oh, Me
Lake Of Fire
-----
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
About A Girl - Bleach
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
The verse is just struming open E5 & G
Voicings:
E5 - 022x00
G - 320022 or 320002
Chorus:
Repeat this a few times then the bridge once.
C# G#/C# F#
E ------------------2-2-2-2-2-2-----|-
B --6--6-6--6--6-6--2-2-2-2-2-2-----|-
G --6--6-6--6--6-6--3-3-3-3-3-3-----|-
D --6--6-6--6--6-6--4-4-4-4-4-4-----|-
A --4--4-4--4--4-4--4-4-4-4-4-4-----|-
E ----------4--4-4--2-2-2-2-2-2-----|-
Bridge:
E5 a G
E --0-----0-0-0-0--5-5-5-----------|-
B --0-----0-0-0-0--5-5-5--5-5-5-5--|-
G -----------------6-6-6--5-5-5-5--|-
D --2-2-2-2-2-2-2--7-7-7--5-5-5-5--|-
A --2-2-2-2-2-2-2--7-7-7--3-3-3-3--|-
E --0-0-0-0-0-0-0--5-5-5-----------|-
The last chord in that progression is strummed twice as long at the end
of the song.
Solo:
Repeat this 3x.
E ------------------------------------------|-
B ------------------------------------------|-
G ------------------------------------------|-
D --------5--7------------------------------|-
A --5--7--------5-5\7-7-7-7\10-10-10\12-12--|-
E ------------------------------------------|-
---
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
Come As You Are - Nevermind
TAB by jesse.scott@baroque.tvk.tsoft.net
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Main Riff:
This is repeated for most of the song
-|---------------------------------------------|-
-|---------------------------------------------|-
-|---------------------------------------------|-
-|---------------------------------------------|-
-|---------------0-----0--------------2--------|-
-|--0--0--1--2------2-----2--2--1--0-----0--0--|-
--
Nirvana Unplugged
Pre-Chorus:
Memorie-e-e-e-ah
-|--2--2--2--2--------------|-
-|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|-
-|--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2--|-
-|--4--4--4--4--2--2--2--2--|-
-|--4--4--4--4--0--0--0--0--|-
-|--2--2--2--2--------------|-
Chorus:
And I swear that I don't..
-|--------------------------------|-
-|--4--4--4--4--4--2--2--2--2--2--|-
-|--4--4--4--4--4--2--2--2--2--2--|-
-|--4--4--4--4--4--2--2--2--2--2--|-
-|--2--2--2--2--2--0--0--0--0--0--|-
-|--------------------------------|-
Solo:
Repeat the entire solo 2 times.
Repeat x3 Every 3rd time play this ending
-|----------------------|------------------------------|-
-|--5-5/7-7-7/10-10-10--|--10/12-12-12/14-14-12-12-10--|-
-|----------------------|------------------------------|-
-|----------------------|------------------------------|-
-|----------------------|------------------------------|-
-|----------------------|------------------------------|-
---
Nirvana:
Written by The Vaselines
Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam - As performed by Nirvana
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Voicings:
E5 - 022x00
D - xx0232
a - x02220
Asus4 - x02230
Intro:
Strum E5, D, and then A, Asus4, A quicky. I do this by sliding my 3rd
#finger down the the 3rd fret and back.
Verse:
This is picked randomly with lots of bass notes:
E5 D a Asus4 a
Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam...
E5 D a Asus4 a
Sunbeams are never made like these...
etc..
Chorus:
This is strumed normaly.
E5 D
Don't expect me to die...
E5 D
Don't expect me to die...
E5 D a Asus4 a
Don't expect me to die for you...
etc..
Outro:
Same as intro.
---
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
Dumb - In Utero
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Voicings:
E5 - 022x00
G(i) - 355433
G(ii) - 320033 or 320003
B - x2444x
C - x3555x
Verse:
This is picked in the Polly/Rape Me
fashion - Bassnote then high strings..
But this one isn't as random as the
others, there's rhythm to it, you'll
get it after you listen to the song and
play along. (Note: use G(i))
E5
G E5
I'm not like them...
G E5
But I can pretend...
etc..
Chorus:
Strum the open E5 and G(ii)..
E5
G E5
Think I'm just happy...
G E5
Think I'm just happy...
etc...
Bridge:
Strum the B & C
B
Skin is soft...
C
Fall asleep...
etc..
---
Nirvana:
Written By David Bowie
Man Who Sold The World - As performed by Nirvana
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Chord Voicings:
a - x0222x
D5 - xx023x
F - 133211
C - x3555x
G - 355433
Bb - x1333x
Intro:
The second guitar plays the chords above the tab.
a D F
-|-----------------------------------------------------------|-
-|-----------------------------------------------------------|-
-|--2-2-2-0-2h3p2-0-----2-2-2-0-2h3p2-0-----2-2-2-0-2h3p2-0--|-
-|-----------------------------------------------------------|-
-|-----------------------------------------------------------|-
-|-----------------------------------------------------------|-
Verse:
The chords are strumed in a choppy sort of way.
We passed upon the stairs...
a D5
We spoke of was and when...
D5 a
Although I wasn't there...
a F
He said I was his friend...
F C
Which came as a suprise...
C G a
I spoke into his eyes...
D5
I thought you died alone...
C
A long, long time ago...
etc..
Chorus:
When guitar 1 is playing the C & F chords guitar two plays
the C & F major scales over them.
C Major scale:
-|-------------------|-
-|-------------------|-
-|------------2-4-5--|-
-|------2-3-5--------|-
-|--3-5--------------|-
-|-------------------|-
F Major scale:
-|-------------------|-
-|-------------------|-
-|-------------------|-
-|------------0-2-3--|-
-|------0-1-3--------|-
-|--1-3--------------|-
C
Oh no...
F
Not me...
Bb F
I never lost control...
C
You're face...
F
To face...
Bb a
With the man who sold the world...
[Repeat intro]
Outro Solo:
This may not be exact but it's the right notes, play with it.
[R1 meaning the intro riff]
-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|--R1-9~9~9~9~\-R1-10~10~10~10~\9~9~9~\7~7~7~\-R1-10~10~\9~9~\7~7~7~7~7~/-
-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|-
-|--9~9~9~9~9\-R1-R1~--|-
-|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|-
-|---------------------|-
---
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
Pennyroyal Tea - In Utero
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Voicings:
Am - x02210
G - 320033 (or 320003)
C - x3555x
D - x5777x
Bb - 688766
Verse:
Random pick/struming Am & G
Am
I'm on...
Am
My time...
G G
With everyone...
etc..
Chorus:
Open struming of C, D & Bb.
C D Bb
Sit and drink pennyroyal tea...
C D Bb
I'm aneamic royalty...
etc..
---
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
Polly - Nevermind
TUNING: Standard (e a D G B e)
Nirvana Unplugged
During the chorus the tune is slightly palm muted,
pick the bass notes first then the high string in the
fashion as Rape Me. For the chorus strum openly. I
have no idea what the correct lyrics are, that's just
what they sound like to me.
Voicings:
E5 - 022x00
G - 320033 or 320003
D - x5777x
C - x3555x
A# - x1333x
e G D C
Polly wants a cracker
e G D C
Think I should get off her first
e G D C
Think she wants some water
e G D C
To put out the blow torch
D C
Is it me
G A#
Heaven see
D C
Lemme clip
G A#
Dirty wings...
etc..
---
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
On A Plain - Nevermind
TUNING: Dropped-D & Down a Half-Step (Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Main Riff:
Repeat this until the first chorus.
-|--------------------------------|-
-|--7-7-7--7-7-7--2-2-2-----------|-
-|--7-7-7--7-7-7--2-2-2-----------|-
-|--7-7-7--7-7-7--2-2-2-----------|-
-|--5-5-5--5-5-5--0-0-0-----------|-
-|---------5-5-5---------2-3-2-0--|-
Chorus:
-|-----------------------------------------|-
-|--7-7-7--7-7-7--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|-
-|--7-7-7--7-7-7--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|-
-|--7-7-7--7-7-7--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|-
-|--5-5-5--5-5-5---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|-
-|---------5-5-5---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|-
Bridge:
Play this after the second chorus
-|------------------------------------------|-
-|------------------------------------------|-
-|----------------------2--2-2-2------------|-
-|--3--3-3-3--2--2-2-2--2--2-2-2--5--5-5-5--|-
-|--3--3-3-3--2--2-2-2--0--0-0-0--5--5-5-5--|-
-|--3--3-3-3--2--2-2-2------------5--5-5-5--|-
---
Nirvana:
Copyright The End of Music(Kurt Cobain)
All Apologies - In Utero
TUNING: Dropped-D & Down a Half-Step (Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Eb ----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|-
Bb ----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|-
Gb ----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|-
Db ----------------------|----------12-12-9-10--|----------------------|-
Ab ---9-10-9-12-12-9-10--|---9-10-9-------------|---9-10-9-12-12-9-10--|-
Db -0--------------------|-0--------------------|-0--------------------|-
Eb ---------------------|-
Bb ---------------------|-
Gb ----------11-11-9----|-
Db ------------------12-|-
Ab ---9-10-9------------|-
Db -0-------------------|-
That's the main riff.. Then the Chorus:
--
Nirvana Unplugged
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/n/nirvana/unplugged_in_ny_tab.html ]
Eb ----------------------------------------|-
Bb ----------------------------------------|-
Gb ----------------------------------------|-
Db -5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0--7-|-
Ab -5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0--7-|-
Db -5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0-5-5-5--0--7-|-
---
TAB: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Written by Leadbelly
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? - As performed by Nirvana
TUNING: Down a Half-Step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)
Chord Voicings:
E5: 022x0x or 022x00 (Either is find but I think Kurt uses the first)
a: x0222x
G: 320022 or 320002
B: x2444x
B/F#: 22444x
Okay, the song starts off strumming the E5, then Kurt does the following
little run:
E-|-----------------|-
B-|-----------------|-
G-|-----------------|-
D-|--------------2--|-
A-|--------------0--|-
E-|--0--2--3--0-----|-
he then strums the A, G, B then B/F#.. That's the entire progression,
the little run is done only the first two times... Here's the
progression simplified:
E5 E5 E5 a G
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me...
G B B/F# E5
Tell me where did you sleep last night...
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
Her husband, was a hard working man
Just about a mile from here
His head was found in a driving wheel
But his body never was found
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I will shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I will shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will ya go
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, the pines
The sun, the shine
I'll shiver the whole night though
Something In The Way
drop d tuning down two whole steps
Verse:
4: 4 0
5: 4 0
6: 4 0
Chorus:
2: 3
3: 2
4: 4 0
5: 4 0
6: 4
"Plateau" - Nirvana with the Meat Puppets
From Nirvana's Unplugged
Tab transcription by Mark van 't Zet (tmvtzet@cs.vu.nl)
INTRO - Main riff
--3-------6-------3-------6-------3-------6-------1-----
------------------------------------------------------1-
----------------------------------------------------0---
------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0---------
----2-------5-------2-------5-------2-------5-----------
--3-------6-------3-------6-------3-------6-------1-----
This is played with the following (movable) shapes:
G 320x33
Bb 650x66
Fsus2 1xx011
Sometimes the riff is varied by playing the highest note
on string 2 (B) instead of string 1 (E). Takes a bit of
practising at first. Play it fingerstyle and use you thumb
to rake the E, A and D strings.
VERSE - w/ main riff
PRE-CHORUS - 2/4 time, chordshape is similar to main riff.
--4---------
---------4--
-------0----
------------
------------
--4---------
CHORUS
'Nothing on top but a bucket and a mop and an..
--1/3--------------------------------------------------
--1/3------------------------3---------3---------------
-----------------------------3---------3---------------
------------5---x------------3---------3---------------
------------5---x-----1--------------------------------
---------3-------------------------1-------------------
..illustrated book about birds'
---------------3---------------------------------------
---------------3-----------------6---------------------
---------------------------------7---------------------
---------------------------------8---------------------
---5---------------------------------------------------
---3----------------------/6---------------------------
etc.
PRE-OUTRO
--4----------------4---6-----------------6-------------
---------4-------4------------6--------6---------------
-------------------------------------------------------
------0-------0------------0-------0-------------------
----3-------3------------5-------5---------------------
--4--------------------6-------------------------------
OUTRO
* repeat from *
------------------------------0-----|------------------
--------------0-------2---------1p0-|-----2------------
------2-----2---2---2-------2-------|---2--------------
----2-----2-------0-------0---------|-2----------------
--0-----0---------------3-----------|------------------
------------------------------------|------------------
While the line above is played by a Meat Puppet, Krist plays:
--------0-------------2-------0-----
------------2-----------3-----1-----
--------------2---------------------
----------------2-------------------
------------------------------------
------------------------------------
OH ME
=====
As performed by Nirvana & the Meat Puppets
On 'Nirvana Unplugged in New York'
Written by the Meat Puppets
Tune down a *whole* step to play along with the CD.
NB : This song is actually played with 2 guitars, this transcription is just
for one guitar, however it's rather easy to transform it into the 2-guitar
version. Let one guitar play the chords on the higher strings (G/B/e)
throughout the song and the other should play the tab below. (omitting some
of the strokes on the higher strings, just listen to CD
PART A : INTRO + VERSES
e D D C e
e -------------0--|--------------|------------------|-----0-----|---0---
B -------------0--|------------3-|------------3-----|-----1-0-0-|---0---
G -------------1--|------------2-|------------2--0-0|-----0-0-0-|---1---
D ------2--2-2----|------2-0-0-0-|------2-0-0-0--0-0|-2-2-------|-2-----
A --0-2----2-2----|--0-2---0-0---|--0-2---0-0-------|-3-3-------|-2-----
E -4--------------|-4------------|-4----------------|-----------|-0-----
If I had to loose a mile, if I had to touch feelings
I would loose my soul, the way I do
....
PART (B) : CHORUS
G e G e
e -3--3-3-3-----0-|-3--3-3-3----0-|
B -0--0-0-0-----0-|-0--0-0-0----0-| Repeat this until :
G -0--0-0-0-----1-|-0--0-0-0----1-|
D -----------2-2--|----------2-2--|
A -----------2-2--|----------2-2--|
E -----------0-0--|----------0-0--|
PART (C) : END_OF_CHORUS
C D e
e -------------0-----|---------------0---
B -------------1-----|-----3---------0---
G ---------0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-----1---
D ------2--2-2---2-2-|-0-0-0-2-2-0-0-----
A --0-2----3-3---3-3-|-0-0---0-0-0-0-----
E -4-----------------|-------------------
PART (D) : SOLO
e ---------------------------3/2-----------2/5-5-5-3-2-----------------------
B -------------------3-3^5~------5--(3-5)-5------------5/3-----------3-5~----
G ------------2-4~-----------------------------------------4-2-2-2/4---------
D ------2-2^4----------------------------------------------------------------
A --0-2----------------------------------------------------------------------
E -4-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART (E) : OUTRO
Use the same chords as part (C) : C-D-E (but now as powerchords and slide
from C to D and from D to E.
~ = vibrato | Sequence : Intro
/ = slide | Verse 1 + Chorus
^ = push | Solo
( ) = play very softly | Verse 2 + Chorus
| Outro
Lyrics (taken from ftp.uwp.edu) :
if i had to lose a mile
if i had to touch feelings
i would lose my soul
the way i do
i don't have to think
i only have to do it
the results are always perfect
and that's old news
would you like to hear my voice
sweetened with emotion
invented at your birth?
i can't see the end of me
my whole expanse i cannot see
i formulate infinity
and store it deep inside of me
"Lake of Fire" - Nirvana w/ Meat Puppets
From Nirvana's Unplugged session
USED CHORDS
a x02220
Bb x13331
C5 x355xx
D5 x577xx
Dm xx0231
Dsus2 xx0230
F5 133xxx
Gm 3553xx
INTRO/MAIN - Chord names refer to parts of this tab so the
second 'GFC' is the same as the first 'GFC' etc.
GFC GDC
|-------------------------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------------------------
|-3--3------------3-----3--3--------5---5---5-3---------
|-5--5----5-3--3--3-----5--5--x-x-x-5---5---5-3---------
|-5--5----5-3--3--1-----5--5--x-x-x-3---3---3-1---------
|-3--3----3\1--1--------3--3----------------------------
|
|-------------------------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------5b6r5b6r5-3---------
|-----------------------------------5b6r5b6r5-3---------
|-------------------------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------------------------
GFC DFC
|--------------------------------
|--------------------------------
|-O/-------5--5-----5------------
|-/O-------5--5-----5--3--3--5---
|----------3--3-----3--3--3--5---
|----------------------1--1--3---
GFG
|--------------------------------
|--------------------------------
|-3---3--------------------------
|-5---5-------5---3---3---5------
|-5---5-------5---3---3---5------
|-3---3-------3---1---1---3------
|
|--------------------------------
|--------------------------------
|--------------------------------
|---------------------3----------
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3---1---5------
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-------3------
GFG
|-----
|-----
|-O/--
|-/O--
|-----
|-----
|
|-----------------------------------------
|----11~-11~-11~-11~-11~-11~\--6~--6~/8~--
|-/10--10~-10~-10~-10~-10~--\5~--5~--/7~--
|-----------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------
VERSE 1 - Play main part
CHORUS
Dm - Bb - Dm - a -
Dm - Bb - C - Dm Dsus2
VERSE 2 - Play main part
CHORUS
VERSE 3 - Play main part, but play both GFG parts twice!
SOLO - Transcribed for the sake of completeness
------3---------3---------------------------------------
--2-3---3--6b7------6-----------------------------------
----------------------5-3-------------------------------
--------------------------5-3----------------------3-5--
------------------------------5-4-3----------3-4-5------
------------------------------------6-3----6------------
--------------------------------------------------------
--3b4---------------6~----6~----------------------------
--3b4-------(0)-5/7----7~----7\5--3---------------------
-------5----------------------------5-------0-3---3-----
-----------------------------------------/5-----5---5---
--------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------3------------------------
--------------------6~------/3---3-7-3------------------
----------------5/7----7\--------------3-5--------------
-------------------------------------------3---5--------
--3-----------------------------------------------------
----6-3-3-3----------------------------------3----------
--------------------------------------------------------
--3b4------3b4-----3b4----------------------------------
--3b4------3b4-----3b4----------------------------------
------5-5------5-------5-3------------------------3-----
---------------------------5-4-3------------3-4-5-------
---------------------------------6-3----3-6-------------
----------------------
----------------------
------(3)-----(4)-----
--3h5-----(3)-----5---
----------------------
----------------------
