Adrianne Lenker - Hours were the birds
tabsver. 1
Autoscroll
1 Column
Text size
Transpose 0
Capo: 2
Tuning: E A D G B E
Hours Were The Birds - Adrianne Lenker
CAPO 2ND FRET, all fret numbers relative to capo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-9jO9zGDvk
The important thing is that you get the fingerpicking rhythm correct with this - the open D string rings out
throughout pretty much the entire song. The best thing to do is watch these two videos of Adrianne playing
the song, they help a lot!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdEdtcC3_8A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKSVHAX4vFA
[Intro]
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2---2---2-2-2---0---0---0---0-----0-----0--------0-----0----------| x2
D|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0------0-0-0-0-0--------|
A|----------------------------------2------------2/7------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
Then one bar of this before the first verse; this also plays between verses and briefly before the chorus.
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2---2---2-2-2-----------------------------------------------------| x2
D|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
[Verse]
The rhythm is slightly different and more regular over the vocals here. Listen at 0:13 on the recording for
the change.
I've got something here, it's a chance...
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2---2---2-2-2---0---0---0---0-----0-----0--------0-----0----------| x4
D|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0------0-0-0-0-0--------|
A|----------------------------------3--------------2-------------0----|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2---2---2-2-2-----------------------------------------------------| x2
D|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
I am weatherproof as the rain...
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2---2---2-2-2---0---0---0---0-----0-----0--------0-----0----------| x4
D|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0------0-0-0-0-0--------|
A|----------------------------------3--------------2-------------0----|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--2---2---2----2---2-2----------------------------------------------|
D|--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0----------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
[Chorus]
I love Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado too...
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------|
G|----------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-----|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
...and you.
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------|
G|----------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-----|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
I must have been a traveller inside of the womb...
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------|
G|----------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-----|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
...you said a house is a tomb.
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------|
G|----------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-------------7---0-----|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
Well zoom, zoom zoom... (the root note on the 3rd fret in this part is best played with your thumb,
and is muted almost immediately.)
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--7----5----3--------7----5----3--------7----5----3--------7----5----3----|
G|----0----0----0-0------0----0----0-0------0----0----0-0------0----0----0-0|
D|----0----0----0-0------0----0----0-0------0----0----0-0------0----0----0-0|
A|--9----7-------------9----7-------------9----7-------------9----7---------|
E|------------3------------------3------------------3------------------3----|
...I've got you, and you've got me.
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--3----3----3----3--------------------------------------------------------|
G|----0----0----0-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|----0----0----0-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--3----3----3----3--------------------------------------------------------|
And then it's just the same thing all over again!
***********************************
| / Slide-up
***********************************
Lyrics:
I've got somethin' here, it's a chance
I'm'a make my changes as I go
And the city lights dance away the stars
I have met all kinds of reasons why the seasons leave their scars
I am thin as cinnamon, and tarnished like these metal cars
That drive along the rivers of the tar
I am weatherproof as the rain
And I've fooled every lover into drinking up my pain
I am hanging by the edges of my name, but I am warm
So comfortable forgetting 'bout the storm
I love Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado too
Atlanta and Montana, Nebraska in the moon
And you
I must have been a traveller inside of the womb
Never had a place with a living room
You said a house is a tomb
Well zoom, zoom, zoom
Here we go, Annie
No more planning
Isn't this dandy?
I've got you, and you've got me
I'm going back to the lake
This time of year it's frozen through
Ain't nothing gonna break
I'll take you there and show you where
I used to spend my time
Before working, before leaving, before wine
I love Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado too
Atlanta and Montana Nebraska in the moon
And you
Life is easy come, and it's easy go, too
Hours were the birds, and I guess they flew
I just can't get a grip on this place, Billy Lou
Well zoom zoom zoom
Here we go, Annie
No more planning
Isn't this dandy
I've got you, and you've got me