The Airborne Toxic Event - Letter to georgia
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SONG: (A) Letter to Georgia
BAND: The Airborne Toxic Event
Q/C/C: email me: schm2213@umn.edu
Probably the prettiest song by this band to date. Absolutely heartwrenching.
NOTE: this is based on one particular live version. It is “Live at Birmingham Academy,”
in the UK on the 7th of November 2009. It was played during a set that is available for
download in its entirety (like an hour and a half long track) on the Airborne website.
I have seen this song performed live, and it was played slightly differently, and most
youtube clips I have seen all play it differently as well. Most versions I’ve seen he uses
a capo (sometimes 3, sometimes 4...); sometimes he plays D G A, sometimes G C D. I guess we
won’t know the official version until the studio version comes out, but this version, the one
I’ve downloaded from their website, is the prettiest version I’ve heard, so I’d suggest everyone
grab a copy of it.
If you have a different version somehow and you really like THAT version and it sounds slightly
different, then try messing around with a capo, or if worst comes to worst replace the chords
below with the following: D -> G, G -> C, A -> D, and move the capo around again.
LAST NOTE: The way I hear it (for this version; no capo, standard tuning), he (Mikel)
avoids the top e string a lot, emphasizing instead the unchanging note D on the B string
(3rd fret), like the tremolo. Sometimes he does play the e string, and sometimes, instead of
the D chord he plays Bm. It’s too hard to tell, and at this point it’s too irregular, to put
the Bm’s in this tab, so I’m just going to put D’s in and if you want to throw in the occasional
Bm go for it.
Song starts off with Anna’s (viola) tremolo on note D (8th fret, high e-string). Eventually, when
Steven (guitar) begins mimicking, he tremolo’s in a similar pattern. It’s pretty much (top e
string): 8 8 8 10 (in same time as chords below, trem each). Sometimes they go up to 12, and one
or both of them might add a second note via the B string.
Intro: (after lead-in trem from Anna)
C F C G x4
CHow can I explain to you
FThe picture of this avenue?
CThe rain falls on the street outside
GMy window on this Thursday afternoon
CI sit alone inside
FThese sinful walls I've lived inside
CSo many lies I’ve lived and died
GNone so much as the one I’ve lived with you.
CI see you on the highFway
(F)
A thousand miles away
CRain falls through your hair and cheeks
GTears and mascara streaks
CYour face reflected in the glass
FLines in the pavement go past
CJust like the lines around your eyes
GThat held the weight of all these sad goodbyes
Interlude:
C F C G x 4
(I think the last time is Bm G D A...)
CEverybody that I know
FTell me just to let it go
CYou run from everything, they say
GHurt the ones you love blindly
CBut here I sit and picture you
FWith fingers worn, your shirt torn through
CYour heart's so big and broke in two
GYour mind drifting through all you knew
CAfraid to love, afraid to lose
FAfraid to start, afraid to choose
CAfraid to live, afraid to die
GAfraid to let you days slip by
CAfraid you’ll change or stay the same
FAfraid we’ll lose ourselves again
CAfraid of the truth that Glove
Could cause you so much Cpain
(C) F C
I Gknow
I felt it, Ctoo
I kFnow, I kCnow
G Darlin, I wish it wasn't true.
(end on C)