Our Lady Peace
"Birdman"
>From the Album "Naveed" (Sony Music Entertainment)
(Music by Mike Turner, Raine Maida, Chris Eacrett, Arnold Lanni)
(Words by Raine Maida)
(c 1994 Sony Music Publishing/Under Zenith Publishing/Seacret Publishing/Catchit Songs/
Lanni Songs)
Transcribed by: Bob Morgano (morgano@ici.net)
Time:4/4
Tuning: 6-Eb 5-Ab 4-Db 3-Gb 2-Bb 1-Eb
Riff: #1 (Let Ring)
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|---14__(14)---|---|---14----|----|---|---|---14__(14)---|----|---14----|----|---|
|--14-------------14_(14)-------14__(14)--|--17-------------16__(16)-------16__(16)--|
|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|---14----|----|---|---14----|---14---|---|---14----|----|----|---14----|----|---|
|--12--------12---14_(14)-------14--------|--12--------12---14__(14)-------14__(14)--|
|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 2 Riff: 3 (Let Ring)
____ _______ ____
| | | | |__| | | |
|----|-------------------| |----|----|----|----|--|----|----|-----|----|
|----|-------------------| |----|----|----|---15p14----|----|----17~v--|
|----|-------------------| |----|----|----|-----------14----|----------|
|----2-------------------| |----|----|----|----------------14----------|
|----2-------------------| |----|----|----|----------------------------|
|----0-------------------| |----0___(0)__(0)---------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 4A (Let All Notes Ring Except:*) *
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|
|---|----9___(9)---|---|----9___(9)---9---|---|----9___(9)---|---|----9----|----|---|
|---9--------------9__(9)-----------------|--12-------------11_(11)-------11----|---|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|---|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------0---|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 4B (Let All Notes Ring Except:*) *
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|---|----|----|----|---|
|---|----9----|----|---|----9----|----|---|---|----9----|----|---|----9----|----|---|
|---7---------7----9__(9)--------9----7___|__(7)--------7----9__(9)--------9----|---|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|---|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------0---|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 5A
____ ____ ____ ____ _______
| | | | | | | | | | | | |__|
|---|----|----|----|----|---------|----|---|----|----|----|----|--------|----|--|---|
|---|----|----|----|----|---------|----|---|----|----|----|----|--------|----|--|---|
|--16__(16)_(16)__16--(16)______(16)---|--19__(19)_(19)--18__(18)_____(18)--14-14---|
|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
|--14__(14)_(14)__14--(14)______(14)---|--17__(17)_(19)--16__(16)_____(16)--12-12---|
|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 5B
____ _____ ____ _____
| | | | | | | | | __|
|---|----|----|-----|----|--------|---|---|----|----|-----|----|--------|---|
|---|----|----|-----|----|--------|---|---|----|----|-----|----|--------|---|
|--14__(14)_(14)/s/16__(16)_____(16)--|--14__(14)_(14)/s/16__(16)_____(16)--|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|--12__(12)_(12)/s/14__(16)_____(14)--|--12__(12)_(14)/s/14__(14)_____(14)--|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 6
|------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|------------------------|
|---5________(5)---------|---4___(4)----3___(3)---|
|---5________(5)---------|---4___(4)----3___(3)---|
|---3________(3)---------|---2___(2)----1___(1)---|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 7A
________ _______ _____
|__|__|__| | |__| | |\ |\ | __| |\ |\ |\ |\
|---|--|--|--|----|----|--|----|----|\---|---|---|-----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|--|--|--|----|----|--|----|----|----|---|---|-----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---9--9--9--9----9----X--X----|----|----|---|---7-----7----7----|----|----|---|
|---9--9--9--9----9----X--X----9----8----7---|---7-----7----7----5----6----7---|
|---7--7--7--7----7----X--X----9----8----7---|---5-----5----5----5----6----7---|
|------------------------------7----6----5---|-------------------3----4----5---|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 7B
_____ _____
| __| |\ |\ |\ |\ | __| |\ |\ |\ |\
|---|-----|----|----|----|----|---|---|-----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|-----|----|----|----|----|---|---|-----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---9-----9----9----|----|----|---|---7-----7----7----|----|----|---|
|---9-----9----9----9----8----7---|---7-----7----7----5----6----7---|
|---7-----7----7----9----8----7---|---5-----5----5----5----6----7---|
|-------------------7----6----5---|-------------------3----4----5---|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Riff: 8 (Note: The time signature on this one riff is 6/4)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/o/our_lady_peace/birdman_tab_ver_2.html ]
|--------------------Slightly Muted--------------------|
______________ ______________ ______________
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|---9----9----9----7----7----7---10---10---10---12---12---12---|
|---7----7----7----5----5----5----8----8----8---10---10---10---|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 5 6
Riff: 9 (Guitar Solo)
___________ __________________ ____________ ____________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|----|----|---|---------|---|---|----|---|---|----|----|---|---|---|
|--12--12--12--12__(12)--12--12--------12___|_(12)--12--12--12__(12)--12--12--12---|
|--12--12--12--11__(11)--11--11-(11)/h\12___|_(12)--12--12--11__(11)--11--11--11---|
|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|---|
|--12---12---12---12__(12)--12---12---12---|--12__(12)--12----|----|---14---14__(14)--|
|--12---12---12---11__(11)--11---11---11---|--12__(12)--12/s/14__(14)--14---14__(14)--|
|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
_________ _____________ _______ ____ ______________
| | | | | | | | |__| | | | | | |
|-------|----|----|-----|---|----|----|---|---|----|--|----|----|-----|----|----|----|---|
|------12---12----|-----|---|----|----|---|---|---12-12---12----|-----|----|----|----|---|
|------12---12---11~v_(11)-11~v-11~v-11~v-|--12---12-12---12---11~v_(11)--11~v-11~v-11~v-|
|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
______ ____ ______________ _______ ____
| |__| | | | | | | | |__| | | | |
|---|---|--|----|----|-----|----|----|----|---|---|----|--|----|----|----|-------|---|
|---|--12-12---12----|-----|----|----|----|---|--12---12-12---12---12---14------10---|
|--12--12-12---12---11~v_(11)--11~v-11~v-11~v-|--12---12-12---12---12---14------10---|
|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Arrangement:
Intro/First Verse:
| Riff 1 |
Hopelessly, a man starts to feed your day
| Riff 1 |
Once was there, you never looked back
| Riff 1 |
How do you think those words might just fade away?
| Riff 1 |
He's harmless enough so you let him in and now you'll pay
?
| Riff 2 | (slight feedback)|
I can't see him but he's stuck in my thoughts
?
| Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 |
Ooh Yeaheeee!
Second Verse:
| Riff 4A | Riff 4B |
How does it feel when you can't concentrate? I just stare
| Riff 4A | Riff 3 | Riff 3 |
All of your daydreams are a seesaw for him to play on
| Riff 5A | Riff 5B |
Now do you feel when he calls your name? You plug your ears but, it's not the same
| Riff 5A | Riff 3 | Riff 3 |
Yeah, do you know when he pulls you back? Oh, he pulls you back, back, back
Pre Chorus:
| Riff 6 |
Get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on...
Chorus:
| Riff 7A | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, Nobody's right, the BIRDMAN wouldn't lie...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, Nobody's right, but I just can't trust him tonight...
Main Riff:
| Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 | Riff 3 |
Third Verse:
| Riff 4A | Riff 4B |
How do you forget a stranger that plagues your days...
| Riff 4A | Riff 3 | Riff 3 |
We arm ourselves when there's nothing to fear right? Wrong...
| Riff 5A | Riff 5B |
Now do you feel when it comes to pass? There's something there but, It's not quite right...
| Riff 5A | Riff 3 | Riff 3 |
Yeah, do you know? Does it make you mad? Oh, it makes you mad, mad, mad...
Pre Chorus:
| Riff 6 |
Get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on...
Chorus:
| Riff 7A | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, Nobody's right, the BIRDMAN wouldn't lie...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, Nobody's right, but I can't trust him tonight...
Bridge:
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
I feel him, I feel him close...
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
I feel him, I feel him hide...
Solo:
| Riff 9 |
How do we find out...
Chorus:
| Riff 7A | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, nobody's right, the BIRDMAN wouldn't lie...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, nobody's right, but I can't trust him tonight...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, nobody's right, the BIRDMAN wouldn't lie...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Nobody's wrong, nobody's right, people I know you people...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on, and on and on...
| Riff 7B | Riff 7B |
Get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on...
Outro:
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
I feel him...
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
I feel him close, I feel him...
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
I feel him close, I feel him hide...
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 |
I feel him hide, yeah, yeah, yeah...
| Riff 8 | Riff 8 | Riff 8 | (ends very loosely)
Our Lady Peace "Birdman" Performance Notes:
After seeing many messy transcriptions out on the Internet, I decided to go
beyond the call of duty and transcribe this as neatly and straightforward as
possible. You'll notice stems on every note, as well as, bar lines between each
staff. Due to the limitations of actual tablature, in terms of being
rhythmically accurate, I've done the best of my ability to keep everything in as
close to the real timing as possible. Also, for your convenience, numbers have
been provided underneath each staff to assist in keeping the timing accurate.
This song has been arranged for one guitar. By listening to the studio version
closely, you will hear several extra guitar parts throughout the song. Many of
these parts are very low in the mix and are inconsequential to the outcome of the
song. For example, the octave riffs in Riff 5A and 5B are doubled by a riff
that's an octave lower. Riff 8 (the riff in 6/4 time) also has a very clean
arpeggiated riff that fades in and out of the mix at various points. It is
recommended that you listen to the actual recording while your learn the
following song. Please feel free to E-mail me with all comments and criticisms
at: morgano@ici.net
