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THE PREDATORY WASP OF THE PALISADES IS OUT TO GET US! - Sufjan Stevens
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Tabbed by: Ryan Sommers
Email: ryansommers@gmail.com
Tuning: Standard, Capo II (chord names are relative to capo)Time: 3/4 D Bmadd11 Gmaj7e|------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-|G|------2-----------2-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----|D|0---0---0---0---0---0-----------4-----------4---------------------------|A|------------------------2---2-------2---2-------------------------------|E|------------------------------------------------3---3---3---3---3---3---|
Thinking outrageously I write in cursive I hide in my bed with the
Wearing three layers of coats and leg warmers I see my own breath on the
Oh I am not quite sleeping Oh I am
There on the wall inthe bedroom creeping I see a wasp with her
Em9e|------------------------|B|----------3-----------3-|G|------0-----------0-----|D|------------------------|A|------------------------|E|0---0---0---0---0---0---|
lights on the floor
face of the door
fast in bed
wings outstretched
The first instrumental break is tricky as hell, but I'm sure this is right,
it just took me a good bit of repetition to get down. Start real slow, just
keep repeating it, and it will make sense. The woodwinds go through the
progression once, then Sufjan's guitar fades in:
Ae|----0-----------0-----------0-----------0-------|B|--3---3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-----|G|4-----------4-----------4-----------4-----------|D|----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-|A|0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---|E|------------------------------------------------|
Ge|----0-----------0-----------0-----------0-------|B|--3---3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-----|G|4-----------4-----------4-----------4-----------|D|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-|A|------------------------------------------------|E|3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---|
The 4s on the G string are sort of optional, I can't really tell if he
plays them or not, and it's a hell of a lot easier if you don't.
Another verse follows, same guitar part, except now he adds some hammering
for flare:
D Bmadd11 Gmaj7e|------------------------------------------------------------------------|B|------3-----------3---------------3-----------3-----------3-----------0-|G|--2-------2---2-------2-------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----|D|0---0---0---0---0---0-----------4-----------4---------------------------|A|------------------------2---2-------2---2--------------------------0h2--|E|------------------------------------------------3---3---3---3---3-------|
Em9e|------------------------|B|----------3-------------|G|------0-----------0---0-|D|------------------------|A|-------------------0h2--|E|0---0---0---0---0-------|
North of Savannah we swim in the Palisades
I come out wearing my brother's red hat
There on his shoulder my best friend is bit seven times
he was washing his face in his hands
Oh how I meant to tease him
Oh how I meant no harm
Touching his back with my hand I kiss him
I see the wasp on the length of my arm
Then comes an instrumental verse with the trumpet and harmonized trumpet,
same as verse guitar.
Finally, the last section, in which he strums the chords in a dramatic
fashion. The strum pattern starts on the "and" pickup of the preceding
measure. For lack of a better way to notate this, "o"s mark the strums,
with capital "O"s being accented strums.
Aa1eAa2eAa3eAa1eAa2eAa3eAa
ooO ooO oo and so on and so forth
The chords (relative to capo) are D A Em G. The first part of the lyrics
here are chanted by the female Illinoismakers:
D A Em G
Oh great sights u---pon this state, Hallelujiah
Wonders bright and river's wake , Hallelujiah
Trail of Tears and Horseshoe Lake , Hallelujiah
Trusting things be--yond mistake , Hallelujiah
On "Trail of Tears," Sufjan enters with:
D A Em G
We were in love, we were in love, Palisades, Palisades, I can wait, I can wait
We were in love, we were in love, Palisades, Palisades, I can wait, I can wait
Trumpet/vibraphone line enters, no guitar
We were in love, we were in love, Palisades, Palisades, I can wait, I can wait
Chanting resumes as "We were in love" continues, strumming resumes:
D A Em G
Lamb of God we sound the horn, Hallelujiah
to us your ghost is born, Hallelujiah
Now just woodwinds, no guitar:
I can't explain the state that I'm in,
the state of my heart, he was my best friend.
Into the car, from the backseat,
oh admiration, in falling asleep.
All of my powers, day after day,
I can tell you, we swaggered and swayed.
Deep in the Tower, the prairies below,
I can tell you, but telling gets old.
Here, the chanting resumes from "Oh great sights . . ."
Terrible sting, terrible storm,
I can tell you, the day we were born.
My friend is gone, he ran away,
I can tell you, I love him each day.
Though we have sparred, wrestled, and raged,
I can tell you, I love him each day.
Terrible sting, terrible storm
I can tell you
and fin.
Corrections / Comments / Questions -> ryansommers@gmail.com
