Geek USA by the Pumpkins
- Tuning: (low to high) Eb A# D# G# B# E# ..., or , you could just drop your
------ low E to D and play with a capo, but that's pretty un-Corgan like.
Whichever you do, bear in mind I transcribed this having changed
all 6 of my strings.
INTRO - Heavy Distortion :)
=====
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----5-/-7----7-7-7---7-7--10-----5-/-7----7-7-7---7-7---5-----|
|-----5-/-7----7-7-7---7-7--10-----5-/-7----7-7-7---7-7---5-----| repeat
|-----5-/-7----7-7-7---7-7--10-----5-/-7----7-7-7---7-7---5-----| twice
|-----3-/-5----5-5-5---5-5---8-----3-/-5----5-5-5---5-5---3-----|
|-----0---0----0-0-0---0-0---------0---0----0-0-0---0-0---------|
- The strumming pattern isn't right, so play it any way you think sounds good.
- Over the above, lay these licks...
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|--/14-vib.------------14-vib.\---------------------------------|
|------------/15-vib.-------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------14/15b(15.5)-------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
VERSE - hammer on the lower 3 strings with your index and 3rd finger:
=====
"love, love let's pretend ...etc"
|----------------------------------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------------------------
|---0------10-----0--0-0----5h7-3---0--0-0--10--0--0-0----5h7-3--
|---0------10-----0--0-0----5h7-3---0--0-0--10--0--0-0----5h7-3--
|---0------10-----0--0-0----5h7-3---0--0-0--10--0--0-0----5h7-3--
"...cast into the world with apple eyes... ......to wish, wish...
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
-0--7--6--0--5-----0----10----
-0--7--6--0--5-----0----10----
-0--7--6--0--5-----0----10----
- This is the basic fast-tempo metal format of the song; various bridges
and things include bars on the 10th, 3rd, 5th and zeroth frets. It would
take up less space if I ommitted those.
CHORUS:
====== "shot full of diamonds and a million years
|--------------------------------------------------------------------
|--------------------------------------------------------------------
|--------------------------------------------------------------------
|-3-3-3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5-5------------------------3-3-3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5-
|-3-3-3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5-5--5-p-3-p-0-------------3-3-3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5-
|-3-3-3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5-5------------6-p-5-3--0--3-3-3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5-
...the disappointed dis a pear (etc.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|
-0-0-0---10---0-0-0--(10)-----3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5--3---5---12--3---5---0-|
-0-0-0---10---0-0-0--(10)-----3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5--3---5---12--3---5---0-|
-0-0-0---10---0-0-0--(10)-----3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5--3---5---12--3---5---0-|
James only (many strums.....)
-Again, the strumming pattern isn't perfect. Repeat the intro part and the
next verse. For that 2nd "shot full of diamonds", Billy slaps on a positive
Octaver. Also, add these licks over the 2nd intro (confused yet?)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/smashing_pumpkins/geek_usa_tab.html ]
|----------------/17b17.5----------------------------------------------|
|---15\13-vib.--------------15\13--------------------13b13.5-----------|
|---------------------------------14-12-----------12-------------------|
|---------------------------------------15--12h15----------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
"if by chance or circumstance we should fail
SLAP |-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ON |-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OCT- |-----------------------------------------------------------------------
AVER |------(12)b11b12b11b12-hold--12-11-10-9--------------------------------
HERE |---------------------------------------13-12-10--10----10---10\9-------
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
don't be too sad... ...and a million years
------------------------------ ---------------------------------------
------------------------------ ---------------------------------------
------------------------------ -----17\16-vib.-----10b12--------------
---------------------10-/-12-- ---------------------------------------
--10---9---10---12------------ ---------------------------------------
------------------------------ ---------------------------------------
the disappointed dis a pear
----------------------------13-----13-----13-----13------16b17---------|
------------------------------15p13--15p13--15p13--15p13---------------|
-------------------10--12---------------------------------------10--12-|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
THE LOUNGE ACT - unless your guitar plays backwards, play the following :)
==============
"In a dream...wrist, t I knew w had forsaken...
|-------------------- -------------------------|
|-------------------- -------------------------|
|-------------------- -------------------------|
|----7b8b7---4------- -----0------2-----5------|
|---------------4--5- -----0------2-----5------|
|-------------------- -----0------2-----5------|
t I Knew w h forsaken expelled f paradise
COR- |----------------------------------------------------------?------I------
GAN |-------------------------------------------------------------------N----
WITH |---11----------------------------11-------------------?---?-------S--T--
OCT- |------11-12-14-12----------/12------11-12-14------------------------O--O
AVER |---------------------12-10-------------------10----?-?-?-?-?----------L-
|--------------------------------------------------------?---------------O
? ? ? ? ?
- Those notes at the question marks still piss me off...
SOLO - the only thing I attempted here was the following:
====
...to my disease, of my needs...
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|-11-11-11-11\10-10-10-10\9-9-9-9/12-12-12-12------|
|----------------------------------------------etc.|
|--9--9--9--9\-8--8--8--8\7-7-7-7/10-10-10-10------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
OUTRO - wait for bass to do 4 bars, then do a heavy pick scrape and play this:
=====
"she really loves to break...
|--------------------------------------------------|r
|--------------------------------------------------|e
|--------------------------------------------------|p
|--0--0--0--7--0--0--0--0--10-10--0--9--9--9--2h3--|e
|--0--0--0--7--0--0--0--0--10-10--0--9--9--9--2h3--|a
|--0--0--0--7--0--0--0--0--10-10--0--9--9--9--2h3--|t
then toss your guitar in a corner of your room and relax to Mayonnaise...
