They Might Be Giants - Lucky ball and chain
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Tuning:
I based this on the album version, but I got the bridge from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Ygjt0_hKs
In that video, it looks like where I have "B7" he is playing something different. However, I don't think it's
D6, as you'll find in other tabs of this song. D6 just doesn't quite sound right when compared to
either their live performances or the studio recording. I think B7 sounds better, but feel free to experiment
and leave a comment with what you think sounds best :)
Verse 1:
I Glost my luckyEm ball & chain
And Cnow she's four years Dgone
Just Gfive feet tall andEm sick of me
And Call my Drattling Gon
She Gthrew away her Embaby-doll
I Cheld on to my Dpride
But GI was young and Emfoolish then
I feel Cold and Dfoolish Gnow.
B7 [Give it a listen to get the strum down.]
Chorus:
ConfiCdentially, she never called me Gbaby-doll
ConfiCdentially, I never had much Gpride
But Cnow I rock a bar stool and I Gdrink for two
Just Dpondering this Ctime bomb in my Dmind.
Verse 2:
I Glost my lucky Emball & chain
And Cnow she's four years Dgone
Just Gfive feet tall and Emsick of me
And Call my Drattling Gon
She Gwalked away from a Emhappy man.
I Cthought I was so Dcool.
GI just stood there Emwhistling
"There Cgoes the bride" as sDhe walked out the Gdoor Em
C D G (strum 3 times and pause for a 1-beat rest.)
There goes the bride as she walked out the door
Bridge:
[h = hammer on, but in live performances, he often just plucks them individually. The D7 moving up 3 frets is
how they play it live; it's a little different on the album recording.]
(D7)
e|-------------|-2-2-2-2-5-5-5-5-8-8-8-8-11-11-11-11-|-2-2-2-2-5-5-5-5-8-8-8-8-11------|
B|-------------|-1-1-1-1-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-10-10-10-10-|-1-1-1-1-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-10------|
G|-------------|-2-2-2-2-5-5-5-5-8-8-8-8-11-11-11-11-|-2-2-2-2-5-5-5-5-8-8-8-8-11------|
D|---------0h2-|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-----0h2-----|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|--3----------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Verse 3:
GI could shake my Emtiny fist
And Cswear I wasn't Dwrong,
But Gwhat's the sense in Emarguing
CWhen you're Dall Galone?
GSure as you can't Emsteer a train
CYou can't change your Dfate
GWhen she told me Emoff that day
CI knew I'd Dlost my Ghome.
B7
Chorus:
ConfiCdentially, I never told you Gof her charms
ConfiCdentially, we never had a Ghome
But Cthis railroad apartment was the Gperfect place
DWhen she'd sit and Chold me in her Darms.
Repeat 2nd verse:
I lGost my lucky Emball & chain
And nCow she's four years Dgone
Just fGive feet tall and Emsick of me
And aCll my Drattling Gon
She wGalked away from a Emhappy man.
I tChought I was so Dcool.
GI just stood there wEmhistling
"There Cgoes the bride" as sDhe walked out the Gdoor Em
There gCoes the bride as sDhe walked out the doGor Em
There Cgoes the bride as sDhe walked out the doGor.
[The song fades out on the album; in the live performances they usually end on G. I like to end by strumming
G three times, like in the video I linked at the top.]