Slick Tab

Alright, so this is Slick by Sugar, off the album Copper Blue. A really interesting song
in terms of structure and chord sequences, there's a lot of modal mixture going on.
 
[Intro]
 
Ok so the song starts with just guitar playing these two chords. I'll give you the chords
and you can figure the strumming out.
 
     G    Fsus2 (play the F with your thumb!) Play this times 4
e|---3-----3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---3-----3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---0-----0-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---0-----0-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---2-----3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---3-----1-----------------------------------------------------------------|
 
When the bass enters it does a quick run in the C major scale and the guitar may or may not follow it.
On the studio Bob just hangs on an open G, but live he did this:
 
    G  A7sus4 G/B  Csus2 Dsus4 Fsus2   G     Fsus2
e|--3----3-----3----3-----3------3-----3-----3--|
B|--3----3-----3----3-----3------3-----3-----3--|
G|--0----2----.0----0-----2------0-----0-----0--|
D|--0----2-----0----0-----0------0-----0-----0--|
A|--2----0----.2----3------------3-----2-----3--|
E|--3----------------------------1-----3-----1--|
 
 
[Verse]
Alrght kids, here are the chords for the verse:
 
I was crazy to think...
 
     G   Fsus2  G   Fsus2   G   Fsus2   G Fsus2   G   Fsus2
e|---3----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3---3-----3-----3---|
B|---3----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3---3-----3-----3---|
G|---0----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---0-----0-----0---|
D|---0----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0---0-----0-----0---|
A|---2----3-----2-----3-----2-----3-----2---3-----2-----3---|
E|---3----1-----3----(1)----3-----1-----3---1-----3-----1---|
 
     G   Fsus2  G   Fsus2   G
e|---3----3-----3-----3-----3--|
B|---3----3-----3-----3-----3--|
G|---0----0-----0-----0-----0--|
D|---0----0-----0-----0-----0--|
A|---2----3-----2-----3-----2--|
E|---3----1-----3----(1)----3--|
 
    C     F     C     F      C     F      C     F
e|--0-----1-----0-----1------0-----1------0-----1--|
B|--1-----1-----1-----1------1-----1------1-----1--|
G|--0-----2-----0-----2------0-----2------0-----2--|
D|--2-----3-----2-----3------2-----3------2-----3--|
A|--3-----3-----3-----3------3-----3------3-----3--|
E|--------1-----------1------------1------------1--|
 
     G   Fsus2  G   Fsus2   G   Fsus2   G
e|---3----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-|
B|---3----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-|
G|---0----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-|
D|---0----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-|
A|---2----3-----2-----3-----2-----3-----2-|
E|---3----1-----3----(1)----3-----1-----3-|
 
    Am     Cm     Am     Cm    D#m     G# then go to this GM7 voicing before the next verse
e|--0------3-------0------3-----6------4------------------------------|
B|--1------4-------1------4-----7------4-------------------3----------|
G|--2------5-------2------5-----8------5-------------------0----------|
D|--2------5-------2------5-----8------6-------------------4----------|
A|--0------3-------0------3-----6------6-------------------5----------|
E|-------------------------------------4------------------(3)---------|
 
Here's some cool alternate voicings Bob throws in sometimes in the live versions
(substitute for the Am and Cm)
 
   Am9(no3) Cm    Asus2
e|-0--------0------0---------|
B|-0--------4------0---------|
G|-0--------0------4---------|
D|-2--------1------2---------|
A|-0--------3------0---------|
E|---------------------------|
 
The GM7 at the end could also be played like this, but you could also play an open G chord like in the
verse
and just go wild with the whammy bar, that's what Bob did live anyway. There's another guitar on the
studio
recording that's playing an octave
 
   GM7 alt     G octave
e|-0-------|-------|-------|
B|-0-------|-------|-------|
G|-0-------|---0---|--12---|
D|-4-------|---4---|---0---|
A|(2)------|-------|-------|
E|-3-------|-------|--14---|
 
G              Fsus2  G        Fsus2
I was crazy to think crazy to chase
G              Fsus2  G        Fsus2
Chasing this automobile
G              Fsus2  G        Fsus2
I tend to think were you ready to race
G           Fsus2     G
Racing this automobile
C         F             C         F
It's a machine it's the one in my dreams
C        F      C           F
It's taking me out of control it slips
G         Fsus2         G      Fsus2
Through my hands on the wheel
G                     Fsus2
Don't you know how it feels
G           Fsus2
When you're driving your dreams
G
Through a pole
 
Am                          Cm
I hate your face I hate the wall
Cm                          Am
I'm sick of staring at the wall
                          Cm     D#m
I hate the mirror with alcohol
G#                   GM7
There is no wall
 
 
Repeat the verse but don't go to the GM7 at the end, instead we go to this pre-Chorus bit:
 
[Pre-Chorus]
   GM7      Bb6     Fsus2       G#
e|-----------3-------------------4-------------------------------------------|
B|--3--------3--------1----------4-------------------------------------------|
G|--0--------0--------0----------5-------------------------------------------|
D|--4--------0--------3----------6-------------------------------------------|
A|--5--------1--------3----------6-------------------------------------------|
E|--3-----------------1----------4-------------------------------------------|
 
here's some alternate voicings, on the studio version Bob simply just hangs out on that G chord drone
    GM7     BbM7     Fsus2       G#M7
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---0----------------1-----------4------------------------------------------|
G|---0-------0--------0-----------0------------------------------------------|
D|---4-------7--------3-----------6------------------------------------------|
A|---2-------5--------3-----------6------------------------------------------|
E|---3-------6--------1-----------4------------------------------------------|
 
ok so now we go to the full chorus, there are plenty of ways to play it. I checked with 3 live
versions and
Bob tends to play them differently on each. So this is definitively a roll your own situation.
 
On the studio version there's a mass of shoegazy guitars going on and then there's one that's playing
GM7
shell voicings underneath. They sound like octaves but there's a rub in there that makes me think
otherwise.
The chord progression goes a bit like this:
 
GM7   BbM7    FM7      G#M7
They said the road was slick
GM7   BbM7    FM7       CM7
I said I've been feeling sick
GM7   BbM7    FM7       CM7
My head went through the mirror
GM7   BbM7    FM7       CM7
Why did they send you here
 
[Chorus]
 
   GM7   BbM7    FM7    G#M7      GM7   BbM7    FM7   CM7
e|------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G|-11-----14-------------12-----|-11-----14------------------------------|
D|----------------14------------|---------------14-----9----(x3)---------|
A|-10-----13-------------11-----|-10-----13------------------------------|
E|----------------13------------|---------------13-----8-----------------|
 
Chorus chords based on the Live version from 1992 Cabaret Metro recording
 
    GM7   Bb6   FM7     G#M7       GM7  BbM7    FM7   CM7(bend the CM7 chord up a half step and back
to CM7)
e|---------------0---------------|---------------0--------------------|
B|--3------6-----0-------4-------|--4-----6------0--------------------|
G|--0------------5-------0-------|--0------------5-----4(b)-----------|
D|--4------5-----3-------6-------|--4-----5------3-----------(x3)-----|
A|--5--------------------6-------|--5------------------3(b)-----------|
E|-(3)-----6-------------4-------|-(3)----6---------------------------|
 
Chorus chords based on Live version from 1994 First Avenue recording
 
    GM7  BbM7  FM7    G#M7         GM7  BbM7   FM7   CM7
e|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------4---------|---------------------------------------|
G|--0-----0-----0------0---------|--0-----0-----0-----4(b)---------------|
D|--4-----7-----2------6---------|--4-----7-----2-------------(x3)-------|
A|--2-----5-----0------6---------|--2-----5-----0-----3(b)---------------|
E|--3-----6-----1------4---------|--3-----6-----1------------------------|
 
When Bob and his band decided to play Copper Blue in its entirety in 2013, Bob played the Chorus in
his classic and trademarked way:
 
    G    Bb6   Fsus2   G#M7         G     Bb6    Fsus2   Csus2
e|--3----3-----------------------|--3------3-------3-------3-----------------|
B|--3----3-------1-------4-------|--3------3-------3-------3-----------------|
G|--0----0-------0-------0-------|--0------0-------0-------0-----------------|
D|--0----0-------3-------6-------|--0------0-------0-------2-----------------|
A|--2----1-------3-------6-------|--2------1-------3-------3--------(x3)-----|
E|--3------------1-------4-------|--3--------------1-------------------------|
 
 
[Bridge]
 
After the chorus there's this instrumental bit, on the studio version Bob simply hangs out on a G chord
and you let that ring. Live, however he played:
 
     GM7      BbM7     Fsus2     C (descends chromatically)     G
e|--------------------------------------------------------------3------------|
B|---0----------------------------------------------------------3------------|
G|---0---------0---------0--------------------------------------0------------|
D|---4---------7---------3----------10-----9-----8---7-7--6-6---0------------|
A|---2---------5---------3-------10------9-----8-----7-7--6-6---2------------|
E|---3---------6---------1-----8-------7-----6-------5-5--4-4---3------------|
 
    GM7    Bb6                  Fsus2
I want to get up and shake you loose
 Fsus2                     G#M7
I want to be free of these machines
 
     GM7       Bb6           Fsus2             G#M7
e|-------------3--------------1----------------------------------------------|
B|---3---------3--------------1-----------------4----------------------------|
G|---0---------0--------------0-----------------0----------------------------|
D|---4---------0--------------3-----------------6----------------------------|
A|---5---------1--------------3-----------------6----------------------------|
E|---3------------------------1-----------------4----------------------------|
 
Then we play the Chorus like the one before.
After the Chorus there's another instrumental break. Again, Bob hangs out in G or GM7
and he goes up to G#M7 right at the end to finish with another chorus.
 
GM7
I want to be released from this dream
              G#M7
I want to be another machine
 
    G or GM7 will work                                    G#M7 before the chorus
e|--3------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--3-----3-------------------------------------------------4----------------|
G|--0-----0-------------------------------------------------0----------------|
D|--0-----4-------------------------------------------------6----------------|
A|--2-----5-------------------------------------------------6----------------|
E|--3-----3-------------------------------------------------4----------------|
 
[Last Chorus]
 
Last Chorus doesn't resolve to either G# or CM7, instead it hangs out in F. Some
guitars in the back seem to be played in bar chords.
But live, Bob switched it up.
 
    GM7      Bb6      Fsus2   GM7    Bb6     Fsus2 (alternates between the E and F
                                                    on bass on every second repeat)
e|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
B|--3--------6--------1-------|3------6--------1----1-1-1-1------------------|
G|--0--------0--------0-------|0------0--------0----0-0-0-0------------------|
D|--4--------8--------3-------|4------8--------3----3-3-3-3------------------|
A|--5--------8--------3-------|5------8--------3----3-3-3-3------------------|
E|--3--------6--------1-------|3------6--------1----0-1-0-1------------------|
 
You can try it the open way too.
 
    G       Bb6       Fsus2    G      Bb6      Fsus2    this E/F swtich can also work
e|--3--------3----------3----|-3-------3------3--3-3-3--|-------------------|
B|--3--------3----------3----|-3-------3------3--3-3-3--|-------------------|
G|--0--------0----------0----|-0-------0------0--0-0-0--|--4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5--|
D|--0--------0----------0----|-0-------0------0--0-0-0--|--2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3--|
A|--2--------1----------3----|-2-------1------3--3-3-3--|--2-3-2-3-2-3-2-3--|
E|--3-------------------1----|-3--------------1--0-1-1--|-------------------|
 
yet another way:
    GM7     Bb6        Fsus2    GM7  Bb6     Fsus2
e|---------------------------|-------------------------0-0-------------------|
B|--3-------------------1----|--3-------------1---1-1--5-5-------------------|
G|--0-------3-----------0----|--0-----3-------0---0-0--5-5-------------------|
D|--4-------0-----------3----|--4-----0-------3---3-3--3-3-------------------|
A|--5-------5-----------3----|--5-----5-------3---3-3--3-3-------------------|
E|-(3)-----(6)----------1----|-(3)---(6)------1---0-1------------------------|
 
end on F.
 
 
 
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| (n)  Ghost note
 
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