Tracy Chapman Album

Under the bridge

Over the tracks

That separates whites from blacks[A] [A(add9)] [A]

Choose sides

Or run for your life

Tonight the riots behin

On back streets of America

They kill the dream of America

Little black girl gets assaulted

Ain't no reason why

Newspaper prints the story

And racist tempers fly

Next day it start a riot

Knives and guns are drawn

Two black boys get killed

One white boy goes blind

Little black girl gets assaulted

Don't no one know her name

Lots of people hurt and angry

She's the one to blame

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BABY CAN I HOLD YOU

{title:Baby Can I Hold You}

{st:by Tracy Chapman}

D A7sus A7

e=====2===2==2=0===2===|0===0===0========

B==T==3===3==3=3===3=0=|3===3=0=2========

G==A==2===2==2=2===2===|0===0===0========

D==B==0===0==0=0===0===|2===2===2========

A======================|0===0===0========

E======================|=================

Sorry[D]

Is all that [A7]you can't s[Em]ay

Y[A7sus]ears gone by[A7] and st[D]ill

Words don't c[A7]ome easil[Em]y

Like so[A]rry [G]like so[A]rry

Forgive me

Is all that you can't say

Years gone by and still

Words don't come easily

Like forgive me forgive me

{c:chorus}

But you can say baby

baby, can I [G]hold you [D]tonight.

Baby, if I [G]told you the [Bm]right words,

ooh, at the righ[A]t time, you'd be mine.

=== [Em] === [F#m] === [G] === [A] repeat

I love you

Is all that you can't say

Years gone by and still

Words don't come easily

Like I love you I love you

{c: to chorus}

------------------------------------------------------

D A7sus A7

e-----2---2--2-0---2---|0---0---0--------

B--T--3---3--3-3---3-0-|3---3-0-2--------

G--A--2---2--2-2---2---|0---0---0--------

D--B--0---0--0-0---0---|2---2---2--------

A----------------------|0---0---0--------

E----------------------|-----------------

This is played and repeated twice, the second time it's repeated the vocals

come in: "Sorry- is all that you can't say." However on "say" an Em chord is

played. Repeat the chord changes, but go to a D on "still" in "years go by

and still." Repeat once more landing on an Em, then change to a G, then A

each time "sorry" is repeated. Watch for the time signature changes around

the G. This entire sequence is repeated, with the exception of the opening

strums before the singing begins. Of course, substitute the next verses,

i.e. "Forgive me..."

The remaining part of the song goes:

Baby, can I hold you tonight.

Baby, if I told you the right words,

oo- at the right time,

D Em F#m G A repeat.

you'd be mine.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAST CAR

e-----------0----0----------|5------4----4--------

B--T------------------------|---------------------

G--A--6-7-6-----------------|---------------------

D--B--7-----7----------7----|7------7--------7----

A---------------------------|---------------------

E---------------------------|---------------------

Repeat this over and over, until the bridge "I remember we were driving...".

D for one measure, A for one measure, F#m(244222) for a measure, Esus

(022200) for a measure, then a measure in which a D and F#m are given equal

time, followed by a measure of E. Repeat the last two measures, then play

one with a D and E. Back to the repeating riff.

------------------------------------------------------

This is what I've got for Fast Car by Tracy Chapman:

I'm not going to post the words, b/c I don't know them. But this is a decent

compromise on the continual riff throughout the song, considering I can't

play bass and acoustic guitars at the same time. Oh, and yes, I did this by

listening to the CD.

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 repeat...

e---|-------0---0----|-5-----4---4----|

B-T-|-2-3-2----------|----------------|

G-A-|-2-----------2--|-----2-------2--|

D-B-|-0--------------|----------------|

A---|-------0--------|----------------|

E---|----------------|-2-----0--------|

I apologize if my notation is unconventional, but this is my first TAB post

attempt. It's a little tricky to play this version, but I can manage it by

keeping my index finger on the G, and by cheating with my thumb for the E

bass notes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR MY LOVER

I use "^" for hammer-on, and the "d" and "u" to indicate downward and upward

strums. Here's the intro:

d u d u d u d u

e-----0---0-----------3---3-----------|2---2---2---0---------|

B--T--0---0-----------0---0-----------|3---3---3---0---------|

G--A--0---0-----------0---0-----------|2---2---2---0---------|

D--B--2---2-------0---0---0-------0---|0---0---0---2---------|

A-----2---2---0^2-----2---2---0^2-----|------------3---------|

E-----0---0-----------3---3-----------|----------------------|

The intro is repeated, and then:

Two weeks in a Virginia jail

For my lover, for my lover.

Twenty thousand dollar bail

For my lover, for my lover.---

And everybody thinks

A(add9) (x02420)

I'm the fool.

They don't get---any

love from you.

Things we won't do for love---

A(add9)

I'd climb a mountain if I had to,

risk my life so I could have you---

you- you- you- you...

Cmaj7 (x32000)

you- you -you -you -you.

Repeat this progression with these lyrics:

Everyday I'm psychoanalyzed

for my lover, for my lover.

Dope me up and I tell them lies

for my lover, for my lover.---

And everybody thinks... etc.

Stay on the Cmaj7 the second time through an extra measure, for:

I follow my heart

and leave my head to ponder

deep in this love--- no

man can shake.

Keep with these chord changes for the remaining lyrics:

I follow my heart

and leave my mind to wonder,

is this love worth- the sacri-

fices I make?

Now repeat the from the "Two weeks in a Virginia jail" verse.

------------------------------------------------------

{title:For My Lover}

{st:by Tracy CHAPMAN}

{c:intro}

v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^

D=2==2======0= ==0==0======0=

Em A=2==2==0_2== G ==2==2==0_2== D Cmaj7

{c:chorus}

Two weeks in a Vir[G]ginia jail

For my lover, f[A]or my lover.

Twenty thousand [G]dollar bail

For my lover, [A]for my lover...

And everybody thinks

I'm the fool. (x02420)

They don't get

any [C]love from you.

Things we won't do for love...[Aadd9]

I'd climb a mountain if I had to,

risk my life so I could have you

you, you, you, you...

yo, you, you, you, you. (x32000)

Everyday I'm psychoanalyzed

for my lover, for my lover.

Dope me up and I tell them lies

for my lover, for my lover....

And everybody thinks... etc.

I follow my heart

and leave my head to ponder

deep in this love

no [Cmaj7]man can shake.

I follow my heart

and leave my mind to wonder,

is this love worth,

the sacrifices I make?

{c:(chorus)}

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR YOU

e----------------------|--0-------------|----------------|--------------|

B--T--3---0-0------0---|3---0-2-----2---|3---0-1-----1---|1---0-3---3---|

G--A----0--------2---0-|----------2---2-|--2-------0---0-|--0-----2---0-|

D--B-------------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|

A-----2-----0----------|2-----0---------|0-----3---------|3-----0-------|

E----------------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|

This is what is played in the intro, but watch for changes in the pattern

once she begins singing, as the order of the bars varies. Perhaps despite

first appearances, not very complex left hand fingering.

Basically, finger-picking between G, D, and C chords. Pattern changes to

strumming right before "Look at me losing control,".

Use Em (022000), C (x32010), Am7 (x02010) and another C. Upon "emotions" the

finger picking pattern is resumed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

IF NOT NOW

Use a capo barred at the second fret to match the pitch of this one. Follow

the transcription as you would any TAB, disregarding the fact that you're

two frets up. A pitch of "2" is played by plucking the notated string two

frets above the capo, not the nut.

F-----0------0--0------0--|0--0----0----2-----|0------0--0------0--|0--0----0---0----

C#-T--1------1--1------1--|0--1----1------3---|1------1--1------1--|0--1----1-----1--

A--A--2------2--2------2--|2--2----2--------2-|0------0--0------0--|0--0----0-------0

E--B--3------3--3------3--|3--3----3----------|2------2--2------2--|2--2----2--------

B-------------------------|-------------------|3------3--3------3--|3--3----3--------

F-------------------------|-------------------|--------------------|-----------------

This is repeated a few times; when Tracy sings "then- why make your

promises" the chords change between D, Bm, A, Fm, and G. Again remember that

the song is capoed at the second fret, so the shape of the D will be a C,

the Bm and Am, etc. In case it's still unclear, here are the actual chord

forms to shape:

D (x32010), Bm (x02210), A (320003), F#m (022000, and G (133211).

Change to an F#m7 (010000) when the sequence is repeated immediately

thereafter. Change between G and A on the bridge to the repeat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOUNTAINS O' THINGS

Use the following chords and repeat them over and over:

Am, Dm, F and G.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

She's Got Her Ticket

{title:She's Got Her Ticket}

{st:by Tracy Chapman}

She's got her ticket

I think she gonna use it

I think she going [C]to fly away[Am]

No one should try and stop her

Persuade her with their power

She says that her mind is made

Up

This scheme is repeated until the end of the song.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talkin 'Bout A Revolution

G(320003), Cadd9(x32030), Em (022000) and D(xx0232).

To be repeated until the end of the song.

------------------------------------------------------

{title:Talkin' Bout A Revolution}

{st:Tracy Chapman}

{define: Cadd9 0032030}

{define: Dsus4 0X00233}

{c:chorus}

{soc}

D[G]on't you [Cadd9]know

They're talkin' about [Dsus4]a revolu[G]tion

It[Cadd9]sounds [D]like [Dsus4]a whisper

Don't you know

They're talkin' about a revolution

It sounds like a whisper

{eoc}

While they're standing in the welfare lines

Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation

Wasting time in the enemployment lines

Sitting around waiting for a promotion

{c:chorus}

Poor people gonna rise up

And get their share

Poor people gonna rise up

And take what's theirs

Don't you know

You better run, run, run...

Oh I said you better

Run, run, run...

Finally the tables are starting to turn

Talkin' bout a revolution

------------------------------------------------------

Meaning of the symbols: ^ strike the strings down, v strike the strings up.

_______ _______

| |\ | | | | | |\ | | | |

e|-------------------0---------|--------------2----3--2---------|

b|--0-----0-----3----3--3--0---|--------------3-------3--0------|

g|--0-----0-----0-------0--0---|---0----0-----2-------2--0------|

d|--0-----0-----2----------0---|---2----2-----0----------0------|

a|--2-----2-----3--------------|---2----2-----------------------|

E|--3-----3--------------------|---0----0-----------------------|

^ ^ v v ^ v ^ ^ v v ^ v

These 2 measures are repeated all along the song.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why ?

The chords used in this are Bm (x24432), G (320003), A (x02220),

D(add9)(xx0230), and A(add9)(x02420).

The intro is merely alternating between Bm and G, and adding hammers-on. In

the case of the Bm hammer-on the three fingers other than the one barring at

the second fret. With the G hammer on the pointer finger.

After that:

Why do the babies starve, there's enough food to feed the world?

Why, when there's so many of us are there people still alone?

Why are the missiles called peacekeepers, when they're aimed to kill?

Why is a woman still not safe when she's in her home?

D(add9)

Love is hate

A(add9)

war is peace,

no is yes,-

we're all free.---- But, some-

body's gonna have to answer, the time is coming soon. Amidst

all these questions and contradictions there're

some who seek the truth. Tell me...

Then repeat.

------------------------------------------------------

{title:Why?}

{st:by Tracy CHAPMAN}

Why do the babies starve

when there's enough food to feed the world?

Why when there's so many of us are [A]there people still alone?

Why are the missiles called peacekeepers when they're aimed to kill?

Why is a woman still not safe [A]when she's in her home?

Love is hate

war is peace,

no is yes,-

we're all free...

But, some[Bm]body's gonna have to answer, the time is coming soon.

Amidst [G]all these questions and contradictions

there're [A]some who seek the truth. Tell me...

Why do the babies starve, When there's enough food to feed the world

Why when there're so many of us, Are there people still alone

Why are the missiles called peace keepers, When they're aimed to kill

Why is a woman still not safe, When she's in her home?

Love is hate

War is peace

No is yes

And we're all free

But somebody's gonna have to answer

The time is coming soon

When the blind remove their blinders

And the speechless speak the truth