The Smiths - William it was really nothing
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Capo: 2
Tuning: E A D G B E
The Smiths - William It Was Really Nothing
Capo on 2nd fret
This is mostly from the live version (one guitar)
Check out some of the Smiths live performances of this, like Madrid 1985, from YT.
Figuring out this song has been torture, but luckily there are a few videos of people
playing it on YT. But they all play certain parts differently! I’ve revised this to
what I think sounds accurate to the live version, while going with the easier parts
when I see YTers playing a part differently.
Part I: Intro
Gadd9 (once, let ring) F#m(once) Gmaj7 (once)
F#|-3--------------------|--7---------8-------------|
C#|-1--------------------|--8---------10------------|
A |-2--------------------|--7---------9-------------|
E |-3--------------------|--9---------10------------|
B |-0--------------------|--7---------8-------------|
F#|----------------------|--------------------------|
Gadd9 D F#m Bm
F#|-3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-7---8--7--5---|
C#|-1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8-8-8---5--5--5---|
A |-2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-7---5--5--5---|
E |-3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9-9-9---5--5--5---|
B |-0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7-7-7-------------|
F#|--------------------|-----------------------|
Gadd9 D F#m Bm (once, let ring)
F#|--3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
C#|--1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8--5-----------------|
A |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
E |--3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9--7-----------------|
B |--0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7--7-----------------|
F#|---------------------|--------------------------|
Gadd9 D F#m Bm
F#|-3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-10--8--7--5---|
C#|-1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8-8-8---5--5--5---|
A |-2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-7---5--5--5---|
E |-3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9-9-9---5--5--5---|
B |-0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7-7-7-------------|
F#|--------------------|-----------------------|
Gadd9 D F#m Bm
F#|--3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
C#|--1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8--5-----------------|
A |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
E |--3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9--7-----------------|
B |--0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7--7-----------------|
F#|---------------------|--------------------------|
Part II
Gadd9 Gmaj7
F#|-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1-|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1--|
A |-2--2-2-2--2-2-2-|-2--2-2-2--2-2-2--|
E |-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-3--3-3-3--3-3-3--|
B |-----------------|------------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|
D F#m7 Gadd9 A(Fmaj7 shape)
F#|------------------|-3--3-3-3-3-3-3-|-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-|
C#|----3-0-----3-0---|-1--1-1-1-1-1-1-|-3--3-3-3-3-0-0-|
A |---0-0-0---0-0-0--|-2--2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4--4-4-4-4-4-4-|
E |--------0-------0-|-3--3-3-3-3-3-3-|-5--5-5-5-5-5-5-|
B |-3--------2-------|----------------|----------------|
F#|------------------|----------------|----------------|
Part III: The B / D / E finger-picking sequence.
BMaj7(Amaj7 shape) B7(A7 shape)
F#|-------------0------------------0----|
C#|--------2-----2-----------2------0---|
A |----1-----1-----------0-----0--------|
E |---2-----------------2---------------|
B |-0----0-----0------0----0-----0------|
F#|-------------------------------------|
D (Cmaj7 shape) E (Cmaj7 shape)
F#|--------------------------------------|
C#|--------------------------------------|
A |-----0-0-------0------0--0---0----0---|
E |---2-----2---4------4------4----2-----|
B |-3----3----3-----/5-----5----5--------|
F#|--------------------------------------|
BMaj7 B7
F#|-------------0------------------0----|
C#|--------2-----2-----------2------0---|
A |----1-----1-----------0-----0--------|
E |---2-----------------2---------------|
B |-0----0-----0------0----0-----0------|
F#|-------------------------------------|
D E
F#|---------------------0-----------------|
C#|---------------------0-----------------|
A |-----0-0-------0-----0-----------------|
E |---2-----2---4------/4-----------------|
B |-3----3----3--------/5-----------------|
F#|---------------------------------------|
Alternative Part III: Rhythm guitar (if you want to skip that
finger-picking part, these are the chords to strum)
B B7
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
A |-6--6-6-6--6-6-6-|-6--6-6-6--6-6-6--|
E |-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
B |-----------------|------------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|
D (C shape) E (slide C shape up)
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1-|-3--3-3-3--3-3-0--|
A |-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
E |-2--2-2-2--2-2-2-|-4--4-4-4--4-4-4--|
B |-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
F#|-----------------|------------------|
B B7
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
A |-6--6-6-6--6-6-6-|-6--6-6-6--6-6-6--|
E |-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
B |-----------------|------------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|
D E (let ring)
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0----------------|
C#|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1-|-3----------------|
A |-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0----------------|
E |-2--2-2-2--2-2-2-|-4----------------|
B |-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-5----------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|
Part IV: the great Pre-Chorus finger-picking line
make these chord shapes for the finger-picking
Gsus4 G6 Dsus2
F#|--6-- --5-- --8---|
C#|--3-- --3-- --5---|
A |--5-- --5-- --7---|
E |--3-- --3-- --5---|
B |----- ----- ------|
F#|----- ----- ------|
Gsus4 G6
F#|-----6------6-------6-5---5-----5---3-5--|
C#|----------3---3---3-----------3----------|
A |---5----5-------5-----------5-----5------|
E |-3----------------------3----------------|
B |-----------------------------------------|
F#|-----------------------------------------|
Dsus2 G6 A6
F#|--------8------8-----------8--7---5--7-----|
C#|----------5------5-------5--------3--5-----|
A |------7------7------7-------------5--7-----|
E |----5------------------5----------3--5-----|
B |-------------------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Part V: Chorus ("William...") The G, D, and A major chords are a C chord shape,
muffling the G string and with your pinky on the high e string as follows...
F#|-G8-8-8-8-8-/D3-3--3-/G8-8-8-8-8-8/A10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Bm F#6
F#|----------------------------|
C#|------5----------5----------|
A |----5---5------5---5--------|
E |--7----------6--------------|
B |----------------------------|
F#|----------------------------|
F#|-G8-8-8-8-8-/D3-3--3-/G8-8-8-8-8-8/A10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Bm F#6 Bm7 Bm6 (let ring)
F#|----------------------------------5-----------|
C#|------5----------5---------5------5-----------|
A |----5---5------5---5-----5---5----5-----------|
E |--7----------6---------5-------5--4-----------|
B |----------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------|
Part IV again: the Pre-Chorus finger-picking
Gsus4 G6
F#|-----6------6-------6-5---5-----5---3-5--|
C#|----------3---3---3-----------3----------|
A |---5----5-------5-----------5-----5------|
E |-3----------------------3----------------|
B |-----------------------------------------|
F#|-----------------------------------------|
Dsus2 G6 A6
F#|--------8------8-----------8--7---5--7-----|
C#|----------5------5-------5--------3--5-----|
A |------7------7------7-------------5--7-----|
E |----5------------------5----------3--5-----|
B |-------------------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Part V again: Chorus
F#|-G8-8-8-8-8-/D3-3--3-/G8-8-8-8-8-8/A10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Bm F#6
F#|----------------------------|
C#|------5----------5----------|
A |----5---5------5---5--------|
E |--7----------6--------------|
B |----------------------------|
F#|----------------------------|
F#|-G8-8-8-8-8-/D3-3--3-/G8-8-8-8-8-8/A10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Bm F#6 Bm7 Bm6 (let ring)
F#|----------------------------------5-----------|
C#|------5----------5---------5------5-----------|
A |----5---5------5---5-----5---5----5-----------|
E |--7----------6---------5-------5--4-----------|
B |----------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------|
Repear Part IV and V one more time:
Gsus4 G6
F#|-----6------6-------6-5---5-----5---3-5--|
C#|----------3---3---3-----------3----------|
A |---5----5-------5-----------5-----5------|
E |-3----------------------3----------------|
B |-----------------------------------------|
F#|-----------------------------------------|
Dsus2 G6 A6
F#|--------8------8-----------8--7---5--7-----|
C#|----------5------5-------5--------3--5-----|
A |------7------7------7-------------5--7-----|
E |----5------------------5----------3--5-----|
B |-------------------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Part V: Chorus
F#|-G8-8-8-8-8-/D3-3--3-/G8-8-8-8-8-8/A10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Bm F#6
F#|----------------------------|
C#|------5----------5----------|
A |----5---5------5---5--------|
E |--7----------6--------------|
B |----------------------------|
F#|----------------------------|
F#|-G8-8-8-8-8-/D3-3--3-/G8-8-8-8-8-8/A10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|
Bm F#6 Bm7 Bm6 (let ring)
F#|----------------------------------5-----------|
C#|------5----------5---------5------5-----------|
A |----5---5------5---5-----5---5----5-----------|
E |--7----------6---------5-------5--4-----------|
B |----------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------|
On the live version of the Chorus, Marr would sometimes play
something like this for that last part:
Bm(add9) F#6 Bm7 Bm6 (let ring)
F#|--7--5-7--5---7--5-5--5---5--5-7--5----5------------|
C#|--5--5-5--5---5--5-8--5---5--5-5----5--5------------|
A |--5--5-5--5---5--5-5--5---5--5-5-------5------------|
E |--7--7-7--7---6--6-6--6---5--5-5-------4------------|
B |----------------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------------|
Legend:
/ = slide