The Ballad of El Goodo

Tab

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This is tablature — fret positions rather than chord names. Wide lines scroll sideways on their own, so the page never does.

From: marc@owlnet.rice.edu (Marc Bennett Hirsh)

Subject: TAB: "Ballad Of El Goodo" (Big Star)

A great Pop gem from a great Pop group. No wonder every cool band

(R.E.M., Replacements, Bangles, Nirvana, etc.) loved 'em. Notes:

1) Capo everything up six frets! And yet, even this won't get you in

the right key to play along with the recording. All the

instruments in this one are a touch flat. But the sixth fret will

get you the closest to the recorded key. Side note: I had

stupidly, stupidly thought that this was capoed at the first fret,

but then I discovered that a few things didn't sound right and

realized what was going on. Which means that I have to relearn

this song that I thought I knew, since all of the chords have

effectively changed. This *can* be faked with the capo at one,

though it won't sound perfect and, frankly, you should just learn

it at the 6th. I don't know why you'd bother confusing yourself.

But I'm just so pissed that I know it two different ways that I

thought I'd point it out.

2) Since we are capoed up 6 frets, I am treating the 6th fret as if

it's the nut. Therefore, all chord names are really just the

shapes and don't reflect the true concert pitch. Also, if the

number in the TAB says "1", then it's really played on the 7th

fret (since the seventh fret is the first non-capoed fret). This

is fairly standard, but I'm just restating it.

3) As with all Big Star songs, there are some beauty vocal harmonies

which I am abandoning for this feeble transcription. Sorry, folks.

4) I don't know what effects are on the main guitar (probably

Chilton, since it seems to be his song), but it sounds quite

nifty. Some sort of flanger, perhaps.

5) The rhythm for most of this song is dead-simple. 2 strums per bar

(which means, for those of us who know nothing about theory or

other real-music stuff, hit each chord twice and then move on).

The chord changes are faster in the chorus than in the verses, so

here's the deal: for the verses, hit each chord twice for each

time I've written it. For the chorus, hit each chord once for

every time I've written it. Thus, if it's the verse and I've

written "Eb Eb," then play Eb four times. I've put "G (G)" in the

chorus because you don't actually hit that second G, but you let

the first one continue ringing. For the bridge, I actually point

out how many times to play each chord. Make sense? I was

originally going to put the chords in TAB, but it took up way too

much space and you don't really need to know *exactly* what's

going on (like rests, chordals, etc.). You can figure that out on

your own if it bothers you.

6) A couple of places where I just list chords, there's something a

little more complex going on. I try to point out basically what's

happening, but I couldn't figure out exact TAB, so I decided

against putting in guesses. If you can pick it out, please do,

but I can't.

7) I came [] <--- *that* close to denoting 12-string TAB with `='

rather than `-' (like I always use) but then thought that that'd

probably tell more about me than I really want people to know.

"The Ballad of El Goodo" (Alex Chilton/Chris Bell)

Performed by Big Star

From the album _#1_Record_ (on one stupendous CD with _Radio_City_)

Transcribed without permission as always by Marc Hirsh

(capo all guitars up 6 frets)

Let all guitars ring!

(guitar 1 - electric, flanged?)

G D Em Bm Am7 Dsus4

q q q q q q q q q q q q

h e e e e e e e e q e e q e e e e e e e e e e q Q

G C Am7 D

Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh

Bm G C Eb Eb

I been trying hard against unbelievable odds

(guitar 1 now doubled by guitar 2 [12-string acoustic], bass enters)

G C Am7 D

It gets so hard in times like now to hold on

(drums enter)

Bm G C Fadd9 Fadd9

But guns they wait to be stuck by, at my side is God

Chorus

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 G (G)

And there ain't no one goin' to turn me round

G D Em Bm C Dsus4

Ain't no one goin' to turn me

(guitar 1 plays G once, guitar 2 plays:)

E---3-------3---|-----3-----3---|---3-------3---|-----3-----3---|
B-----3-------3-|-------3-----3-|-----3-------3-|-------3-----3-|
G---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
D---------------|-0h2-----0-----|---------------|-0h2-----0-----|
A-------0h2-----|---------------|-------0h2-----|---------------|
E-3-------------|---------------|-3-------------|---------------|

q e e e e e e e e e e q e e q e e e e e e e e e e q e e

round

(both guitars)

G C Am7 D

These people now, they tell you that they know

Bm G C Eb Eb

And places where they send you, and it's easy to go

G C Am7 D

They zip you up and dress you down and stand you in a room

Bm G C Fadd9 Fadd9

But you know you don't have to, you could just say no

Chorus

G (G)

(guitar 1)

E---------|

B---------|

G---------|

D-0-----0-|

A---0h2---|

E---------|

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 h e e q

And there ain't no one goin' to turn me round

G (G)

(guitar 1)

E---------|

B---------|

G---------|

D-0-----0-|

A---0h2---|

E---------|

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 h e e q

Ain't no one goin' to turn me round

G (G)

(guitar 1)

E---------|

B---------|

G---------|

D-0-----0-|

A---0h2---|

E---------|

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 h e e q

And there ain't no one goin' to turn me round

[guitar 1 arpeggiates these next chords, but I'm not sure how]

G D Em Bm C Dsus4

Ain't no one goin' to turn me

(guitar 1 plays G once, guitar 2 plays:)

E---3-------3---|-----3-----3---|---3-------3---|-----3-----|
B-----3-------3-|-------3-----3-|-----3-------3-|-------3---|
G---------------|---------------|---------------|-----------|
D---------------|-0h2-----0-----|---------------|-0h2-----0-|
A-------0h2-----|---------------|-------0h2-----|-----------|
E-3-------------|---------------|-3-------------|-----------|

q e e e e e e e e e e q e e q e e e e e e e e e e h

round

(guitar 1 plays chords, guitar 2 plays some arpeggiations)

Am (4 times) C (3 times) G/B

Been built up and trusted

Am (4 times) C (3 times) G/B

Broke down and busted

(guitar 2)

E-----------|

B-1-0-------|

G-----2-0---|

D---------2-|

A-----------|

E-----------|

e e e e h

Am G/B C (twice) Am (twice, then rest twice)

But they'll get theirs and we'll get ours, if you can just-a

(both guitars) (guitar 2 only)

Em Am D G

E-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|---------------|-3-|
B-0-0-|-0-0-|-1-1-|-1-1-|-3-3-|-3-3-|---------------|-3-|
G-0-0-|-0-0-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|---------------|-0-|
D-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|---------0h2p0-|-0-|
A-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|---1/2---------|---|
E-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|-----|-----|-3-----3-------|---|

h h h h h h h h h h h h q e e e e e e w

Hold on, hold on

(both guitars) (guitar 2 only)

Em Am D G

E-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|---------------|-3-|
B-0-0-|-0-0-|-1-1-|-1-1-|-3-3-|-3-3-|---------------|-3-|
G-0-0-|-0-0-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|---------------|-0-|
D-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|---------0h2p0-|-0-|
A-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|---1/2---------|---|
E-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|-----|-----|-3-----3-------|---|

h h h h h h h h h h h h q e e e e e e w

Hold on, hold on

(guitar 1 does little one-note lines until "...strong odds")

(guitar 2 plays chords as usual)

G C Am7 D

Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh

Bm G C Eb Eb

I been trying hard against strong odds

(guitar 1 plays chords)

G C Am7 D

It gets so hard in times like now to hold on

Bm G C Fadd9 Fadd9

But I'll fall if I don't fight, and at my side is God

Chorus

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 G (G)

And there ain't no one goin' to turn me round [the rhythm for the end

chord of every line in

this final chorus is:

e q. h, if you care]

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 G (G)

Ain't no one goin' to turn me round

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 G (G)

And there ain't no one goin' to turn me round

G D Em Bm C Dsus4 G (G)

Ain't no one goin' to turn me round

(both guitars) (guitar 2 only)

Em Am D G

E-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|---------------|-3-|
B-0-0-|-0-0-|-1-1-|-1-1-|-3-3-|-3-3-|---------------|-3-|
G-0-0-|-0-0-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|---------------|-0-|
D-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|---------0h2p0-|-0-|
A-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|---1/2---------|---|
E-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|-----|-----|-3-----3-------|---|

h h h h h h h h h h h h q e e e e e e w

Hold on, hold on

(both guitars)

Em Am D

E-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|-3-2-|-0-2-|
B-0-0-|-0-0-|-1-1-|-1-1-|-3-3-|-3-3-|
G-0-0-|-0-0-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|
D-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|
A-2-2-|-2-2-|-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|
E-0-0-|-0-0-|-----|-----|-----|-----|

h h h h h h h h h h h h

Hold on, hold

(guitar 1 plays G chord once)

(guitar 2)

E---3-------3---|---3-------3---|---3-------3---|---3-------3---|
B-----3-------3-|-----3-------3-|-----3-------3-|-----3-------3-|
G---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
D-0-----0h2-----|-0-----0h2-----|-0-----0h2-----|-0-----0h2-----|
A---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
E---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

q e e e e e e q e e e e e e q e e e e e e q e e e e e e

(guitar 2)

E---3-------3---|---3-------3---|---------------|-------|
B-----3-------3-|-----3-------3-|---------------|-------|
G---------------|---------------|---------------|-0-----|
D-0-----0h2-----|-0-----0h2-----|-------0-0h2p0-|-------|
A---------------|---------------|-2-1h2---------|---2---|
E---------------|---------------|---------------|-----3-|

q e e e e e e q e e e e e e q e e e e e e q q h

=====================================================================

Chords used in this song (in order of appearance):

G C Am7 D Bm Eb Fadd9 Em Dsus4 Am G/B

E-3-|-3-|--3--|-2-|--2--|-----|---3---|--0--|---3---|--0--|-----|
B-3-|-1-|--1--|-3-|--3--|--4--|---1---|--0--|---3---|--1--|--3--|
G-0-|-0-|--2--|-2-|--4--|--0--|---2---|--0--|---2---|--2--|--0--|
D-0-|-2-|--2--|-0-|--4--|--5--|---3---|--2--|---0---|--2--|--0--|
A-2-|-3-|--0--|---|--2--|--6--|-------|--2--|-------|--0--|--2--|
E-3-|---|-----|---|-----|-----|-------|--0--|-------|-----|-----|

************************************

| s - sixteenth note

| e - eighth note

| q - quarter note

| h - half note

| w - whole note

| . - play note for one and a half times the value before it (just like a dot in

| ^ - ties two note lengths together

| NOTE LENGTHS IN CAPITAL LETTERS MEAN REST FOR THAT VALUE OF TIME!

| / - slide up

| \ - slide down

| h - hammer-on