TRACY CHAPMAN
TELL IT LIKE IT IS
NEW BEGINNING
This is another great Tracy Chapman song. The following chords are for the acoustic
Unfortunately I havn't got the suitable tabs for the e-guitar but I would be very glad to
them... so please, if someone out there has them: Don't hesitate to write them down here...
Chords used:
Em Asus C(add9) G
Cmaj7
e|-0-| e|-0-| e|-0-| e|-3-| e|-0-| e|-0-|
B|-0-| B|-3-| B|-3-| B|-0-|
B|-0-|
G|-0-| G|-2-| G|-0-| G|-0-|
G|-0-|
D|-2-| D|-2-| D|-2-| D|-0-|
D|-2-|
A|-2-| A|-0-| A|-3-| A|-2-|
A|-3-|
e|-0-| e|-x-| e|-X-| e|-3-|
e|-0-|
. = "Stacato"
: = "Repeat"
OK, so far so good, here are the chords:
INTRO:
| Guitar harmonics|: Em Asus (x4):|
e|----12-12-12-12--|:--0.-0-0-0-0-0--0--0--0--:|
B|----12-12-12-12--|:--0.-0-0-0-0-3--3--3--3--:|
G|----12-12-12-12--|:--0.-0-0-0-0-2--2--2--2--:|
D|----12-12-12-12--|:--2.-2-2-2-2-2--2--2--2--:|
A|----12-12-12-12--|:--2.-2-2-2-2-0--0--0--0--:|
E|----12-12-12-12--|:--0.-0-0-0-0-x--x--x--x--:|
(The rythm for the "Em Asus" part keeps the same the whole song, however, if the chords
the rythm changes too. e.G. the C G A
part)
VERSE 1:
Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus
Tell it like it is!
Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
Tell it like it is___!
Em Asus Em Asus
What brakes your heart.
Em Asus C(add9)
What keeps you a- wake,
G A5(add9) G
awake at night.
Em Asus
Em Asus C(add9)
What makes you want to break___
G A5(add9) G
down and cry___.
Em Asus Em Asus
But say you'll never
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
turn you back. Say you'll never harden to the world. Say you'll never
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
try to still the rythms in your breast. Say you'll never
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
look at the evil among us and try to forget. Say you'll tell it like it
Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus
is!
Verse 2:
Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
So everyone can hear__!
Em Asus
Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
Tell it like it is___!
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/t/tracy_chapman/tell_it_like_it_is_crd.html ]
Em Asus Em Asus
What brakes your heart______.
Em Asus C(add9)
What keeps you a- wake,
G A5(add9) G
awake at night.
Em Asus
Em Asus C(add9) G A5
How you anger and grief___ make you want to cry out___
G
and tell it like it
Em Asus Em Asus
is___! But say you'll never
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
close your eyes or pretend that it's a rosy world. Say you'll never try to
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
paint what it's rotten with a sugar coat. Say you talk about the
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
horrors you've seen and the torments you know. And tell it like it
Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus
is!
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO: (The acoustic guitar plays:)
|:Em Asus|Em Asus|Em
Asus|C(add9) G|A5(add9) G|Em
Asus:|
VERSE 3:
Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
So noone can for-get__!
Em Asus
Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
Tell it like it is___!
Em Asus Em Asus
What brakes your heart.
Em Asus C(add9)
What keeps you a- wake,
G A5(add9) G
awake at night.
Em Asus
Em Asus C(add9)
What makes you want to break___
G A5
the ties that silence and bind,
G
and tell it like it
Em Asus Em Asus
is___! Say you'll never
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
cover your ears and close your mouth and live in a silent world. Say
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
you'll only run as far or as fast as you need to be secure. Say that then
Cmaj7 A5(add9)
you'll tell the truth when a lie cross your lips. And tell it like it
A5(add9)(let ring)
is, yeah yeah yeah...
Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus Em Asus
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 2:
|:Em Asus|Em Asus|Em
Asus:|
OUTRO:
Em Asus Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em Asus Em Asus
Say it, say it, say it!
Em (let ring)
Say it, say it, say it!
That's it. Beautiful, isn't it? If you have any quastions or if you have the e-guitar
please contact me: peter_waltl@hotmail.com
