Autoscroll
1 Column 
Text size
Transpose 0
Tuning: E A D G
Burning with Optimism's Flames Bass Tab by Gargoyle2500 This is for the album version. Due to the nature of some XTC songs, I have to tab second by second; sometimes, parts in one part of the song aren't repeated later. This is an interpretation which I hope is close although I may have a few parts off. Please don't feel obliged to follow this tab 100%, you may find something slightly off in it. I don't believe I have the timing correct for everything, for example, but I have gone over the tablature multiple times to assess that the parts are as on target as I could hear. Note: If you want the same bass tone as heard in this song, I feel as though Colin played a 30" bass in this song. You'll also have to (for the most part) play the strings between where a middle pickup and a bridge pickup would be. This isn't a blanket statement to all basses but should help. Colin also often played only with one finger though I think he changed later on. [Main Riff] 0:00 - 0:14 Never seen her glowing all that bright she's throwing; like some aurora from her head it's growing, G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| Then it goes to this (pick the G note, let it ring:) 0:14 - 0:17 reaching to the ground and all around like a Navaho blanket. G|--------| D|--------| A|--------| E|-6\-3---| 0:17 - 0:22: Never heard her singing, now she's gently ringing; like copper wind chimes; what on earth is bringing G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| 0:22 - 0:27: up this stream? The cat who got the cream is licking her lips and smiling like her Cheshire cousin. G|--------| D|--------| A|--------| E|-6\-3---| [Pre-Chorus] 0:27 - 0:33: She claims she's found a way to make her own light; all you do is smile, you banish G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| E|-6--6--6\1--1--1/6--6--6\1--1--1---| 0:33 - 0:37: the night; G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| E|-1-3-3--1-3-3--1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---| 0:37 - 0:59 [Chorus] She says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away; G|--------------------------------------------------------| D|--------------------------------------------------3*3---| A|--------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1--1--------| she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, away away; G|----------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------| A|----------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1---1---1*1---| she says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away; G|----------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------| A|----------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1---1*1*--6-7---| 0:57 - 0:58 she says she's G|------------------| D|------------------| A|-------------8/---| E|-8---8-8---8-*----| (play the F note, A8, quietly.) [Post-chorus] bur-ur-ur-urning, ah, ah, ah, urning, bur, ur, ur, urning, ur, ur, ur, ahhhhhhh. 0:58 - 1:11 G|----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----10/14-13-*--------13-12-*--------13-12-*--------11-10-*-----| A|-10-*--------14\-9/12-*-----13\-9/12-*-----13\-8/10-*-----11\---| E|----------------------------------------------------------------| Main Riff, 1:11-1:21: Now you see I'm smiling, back to juvenile'ing; I learnt her lesson in like flint and styling; G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| Main riff end, 1:21 - 1:24: all the world is neatly curled around my littlest finger. G|--------| D|--------| A|--------| E|-6\-3---| Main riff, 1:24 - 1:29: I can't stop this grinning, so assume I'm winning; threw pessimism in the air it's spinning G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| 1:29 - 1:34: crashing to the floor and nevermore will it lure me away with sweets and shiny things just like a magpie. G|--------| D|--------| A|--------| E|-6\-3---| [Pre-chorus] (1:34 - 1:40.) She claims she's found a way to make her own light; all you do is smile, you banish G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| A|-1--1---1-*------------------------| E|----------1--1---1/6--6---6\1--1---| 1:40 - 1:44: the night. G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| E|-1-3-3--1-3-3--1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---| [Chorus Variation 1] at 1:44 - 1:57: She says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away; she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, away away; G|---------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------3*3---| A|---------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1---1--------| (play this variation twice) [Chorus Variation 2] 1:57 - 2:05 she says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away; G|---------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1---1--3-3---| she says she's G|------------------| D|------------------| A|-------------8/---| E|-8---8-8---8-*----| (again, play the F note, A8, quietly.) Then the chorus end plays again (2:05 - 2:17.) bur-ur-ur-ur-urning, ah, ah, ah, ah, she's bur, ur, ur, ur, urning, ah, ah, ah, ahhhhhhh G|---------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------14-13-*--------13-12-*--------12-11-*--------11-10-*----| A|-10/13-*-----14\-9/12-*-----13\-9/12-*-----12\-8/11-*-----11---| E|---------------------------------------------------------------| Next, play the main riff again (2:17 - 2:29) Now every bird and bee, just fuel the fire for me; G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| and play a variation of the main riff (down 2 notes) from 2:29 - 2:36: Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, yes yes yes yes yes yes. G|-----------------------------| D|-----------------------------| A|----8-*----------8-*---------| E|-6-*--6-5-3-5-6-*--6-5-3-5---| 2:36 - 2:42 now every closing door, just fans the flames some more; G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| 2:42 - 2:49 Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, yes yes yes yes yes yes. G|-----------------------------| D|-----------------------------| A|----8-*----------8-*---------| E|-6-*--6-5-3-5-6-*--6-5-3-5---| 2:49 - 2:55 G|----------------| D|----------------| A|---10-*---0*----| E|-8-*--8-7-*-7---| (the last time, slide up to the next note in the next part.) Next, main riff variation 2 (up 5 notes, 2:55-3:00:) G|----------------------| D|----------------------| A|-----15-*-------------| E|-13-*---13-12-10-12---| End it from 3:00 - 3:02 by sliding down to the next part. Next, play the pre-chorus (3:02 - 3:11) She claims she's found a way to make her own light; all you do is smile, you banish G|---------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------| E|-6--6---6\1--1---1/6--6---6\1--1---1---| the night. G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| E|-1-3-3--1-3-3--1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---| [Chorus Variation] (3:11/3:12 - 3:32) She says she's burning with optimism's flames, awa-ha-a-ay; G|-------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------3--2-2--0-0-*--------| A|-----------------------------------------------------3--*----| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1--0-*----------------6/--| slide up to 8 to play the chorus again) she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, yaeh; G|---------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1--1--1--3-3---| 3:25 - 3:32 she says she's burning with optimism's, optimism's fla-hey; G|---------------------------------------------------------| D|------------------------------------------------3*-3-*---| A|---------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0-1--1-1-*--------| (3:31-3:32) She says she's G|----------------| D|----------------| A|----------------| E|-8---8-8--8-/---| [Chorus End Variation] (3:32 - 3:58) Bur, ur, ur, ur, ur-ning, ah, ah, ah, ah; uh, uh, uh, uh..... Bur, ur, ur, urning, ah, ah, ah, ohhhhh! G|-----------------------------------------------------------| D|-------14-13-*-----13-12-*--------13-12-*--------11-10-*---| A|-10/13-*-----14\-9-*-----13\-9/12-*-----13\-8/10-*-----8---| E|-----------------------------------------------------------| 3:58 - [End] Now I'm thinking okay I'm turning night into day yea-haa yatidatatidadat. G|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -| D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| E|-8---8-10---10-10h12---12-13---13-15\-8-8-8-/-17-\-8-8-8-/-19-\-8-8-8-/-20-19-17-15-8-/---10h11--10h11--| The last few parts after ending on the C note on the 8th fret (sliding up included) may be eliminated for a live performance; they're here for completion's sake. - Gargoyle2500 * = Mute String / = Slide Up \ = Slide Down h = Hammer On