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William it Was Really Nothing cover art

William it Was Really Nothing

The Smiths
Tab
★4.5(11)

3 versions

Tab3

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

Song

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...

G D G A

F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--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#|----------------------------|

G D G A

F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--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

G D G A

F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--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#|----------------------------|

G D G A

F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--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

G D G A

F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--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#|----------------------------|

G D G A

F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--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

Comments

Spotted a wrong chord, or know a capo position that sounds closer to the record?

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