Son Of Sam Tab

************************* P L E A S E  N O T E *************************
 
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 ************************* P L E A S E  N O T E *************************
 
 
--Title: Son of Sam
--Artist: Elliott Smith
--Release: Figure 8
--last updated: 1/5/2008
 
--transcription by: Oteriman
 
--tuning: The studio version is standard (E A D G B E), but live he’s usually a half-step down
(Eb G# C# F# Bb Eb) or a whole step down (D G C F A D)
 
NOTE: There are about 5 or 6 different variations of this song between album & live, full band & acoustic.
This tab represents the most common way Elliott would play it, the version with the intricate fingerpicked
intro sections (seen here: http://youtu.be/E1PRlTCVBxQ). On occasion Elliott would substitute chords for
these parts (like this: http://youtu.be/jOmA--5_q6o). See the end for this simplified way.
 
[Intro]
 
First of all, here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
   Am1   G#1   A/G   A/F#  G#/F#   G1  F#/D7   F     E
e|--0-----0-----0-----x------4-----0-----0-----1-----0--|
B|--5-----5-----5-----7------7-----0-----1-----1-----0--|
G|--5-----5-----0-----4------4-----0-----2-----2-----1--|
D|--0-----0-----0-----4------4-----0-----0-----3-----2--|
A|--x-----x-----x-----x------x-----x-----x-----3-----2--|
E|--5-----4-----5-----5------4-----3-----2-----1-----0--|
 
Here's the actual tab. This looks really complex (and it is), but if you're fingering reflects the positions
from the chords above, it'll be a lot more straightforward:
 
   Am1                     G#1                     A/G
e|-----0----3---5---5---3------0------0----------------0----3---5--5/9---8----|
B|------------5-----------5---------5-----5---4p3-------------5---------------|
G|-----5-----5----5------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----0-----0----0-----------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------0------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----------5-----5-----5-------------|
 
   A/F#                    G#/F#                G1
e|--------------------------------------------------0--------------------|
B|----------7-----------7-----------7-------5---0-------3-------3--------|
G|------4-----4-----4-----4-----4-----4------h7-0-------------------2h4--|
D|----4------4----4------4----4------4----4-------0-------0---0-------0--|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-------3-----3-----3-----3------|
 
   F#/D7                    F           E
e|-----0----0-0------0---------1----1-1----0----0--0--|
B|-----1----1-1---1h3---3-1----1----1-1----0----0--0--|
G|-----2------2----------------2------2----1-------1--|
D|-----0------0-----0----0-----3------3----2-------2--|
A|-----------------------------3------3----2-------2--|
E|--2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----0-----0-------|
 
[Verse 1]
 
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
    A     A1    D9    F     E
e|--0-----2-----0-----1-----0--|
B|--2-----3-----3-----1-----0--|
G|--2-----5-----5-----2-----1--|
D|--2-----2-----4-----3-----2--|
A|--0-----0-----5-----3-----2--|
E|--x-----x-----x-----1-----0--|
 
And here's the actual tab:
 
    A                       A1                      D9
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----2----2-2----2----2-2----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----2----2-2----2----2-2----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----2------2----4------4----4------4--|
A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
    F                       E
e|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----1------1----1------1--|
D|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
A|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
E|--1-----1-----1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
 
[Chorus 1]
 
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
    Am    B7    F     C   F#/B7   F
e|--0-----0-----1-----0-----0-----1--|
B|--1-----0-----1-----1-----0-----1--|
G|--2-----2-----2-----0-----2-----2--|
D|--2-----1-----3-----2-----1-----3--|
A|--0-----2-----3-----3-----x-----3--|
E|--x-----x-----1-----3-----2-----1--|
 
And here's the actual tab:
 
    Am          B7          F           C           F#/B7       F          X 2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
B|-----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----0------0----2------2----2------2--|
D|-----2------2----1------1----3------3----2------2----1------1----3------3--|
A|--0-----0-----2-----2--------3------3----3------3----------------3------3--|
E|--------------------------1-----1-----3-----3-----2-----2-----1-----1------|
 
[VERSE 2] INTRO
 
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
   Am1   G#1    E
e|--0-----0-----0--|
B|--5-----5-----0--|
G|--5-----5-----1--|
D|--0-----0-----2--|
A|--x-----x-----2--|
E|--5-----4-----0--|
 
And here's the actual tab:
 
    Am1                     G#1         E
e|-----0----3---5---5---3------0------0---0-0--------|
B|------------5-----------5---------5-----0-0-4/3-1--|
G|----/5-----5----5------5-----5-----5------1--------|
D|------------------------------------------2--------|
A|------------------------------------------2--------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----0------------|
 
[Verse 2]
 
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
    A     A1    D9    F     E
e|--0-----2-----0-----1-----0--|
B|--2-----3-----3-----1-----0--|
G|--2-----5-----5-----2-----1--|
D|--2-----2-----4-----3-----2--|
A|--0-----0-----5-----3-----2--|
E|--x-----x-----x-----1-----0--|
 
And here's the actual tab:
 
    A                       A1                      D9
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----2----2-2----2----2-2----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----2----2-2----2----2-2----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----2------2----4------4----4------4--|
A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
    F                       E
e|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----1------1----1------1--|
D|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
A|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
E|--1-----1-----1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
 
[Chorus 2]
 
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
    Am    B7    F     C   F#/B7   F
e|--0-----0-----1-----0-----0-----1--|
B|--1-----0-----1-----1-----0-----1--|
G|--2-----2-----2-----0-----2-----2--|
D|--2-----1-----3-----2-----1-----3--|
A|--0-----2-----3-----3-----x-----3--|
E|--x-----x-----1-----3-----2-----1--|
 
And here's the actual tab:
 
    Am          B7          F           C           F#/B7       F          X 2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
B|-----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----0------0----2------2----2------2--|
D|-----2------2----1------1----3------3----2------2----1------1----3------3--|
A|--0-----0-----2-----2--------3------3----3------3----------------3------3--|
E|--------------------------1-----1-----3-----3-----2-----2-----1-----1------|
 
[Bridge]
 
(Chords basically are the tab for this section, so here's both)
 
    A                                 F1
e|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x----------------------------------------------|
B|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
G|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
D|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
A|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x--/8--8--8--8--x-x-8--8--8--8--x-x-8--8--x-x--|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
   D7V                               F6
|-/8-8-8-8-x-x-8-8-8-8-x-x-8-8-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-11-11-11-11-x-x-11-11-x-x--|
|-/7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
|-/7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-7-7-x-x-7-7-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x--/10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-10-10-x-x-10-10-x-x--|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
    A                       G/A       F
e|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x---1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x--|
B|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x---1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x--|
G|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x---2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x--|
D|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x---3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-x-x--|
A|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-x-x-x-x---3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-3-3-x-x-3-3-x-x--|
E|--------------------------3-3-------1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x--|
 
    D7                                F       G     G#/G
e|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-----1-1----------------|
B|--1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-1-1-x-x-1-1-x-x-----1-1-----0-0---0-0--|
G|--2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-----2-2-----0-0---0-0--|
D|--0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-0-0-x-x-0-0-x-x-----3-3-----0-0---0-0--|
A|--------------------------------------3-3----------------|
E|------------------------------------1-----1-3-----4------|
 
[Verse 3]
 
(Same chords from Verse 1)
 
    A                       A1                      D9
e|------0----------------------2----2-2----2----2-2----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|----------3---2--------------3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3----3----3-3--|
G|----2-------2-2---2---2-2----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|----2-------2-2-2------2-----2------2----2------2----4------4----4------4--|
A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
    F                       E
e|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----1------1----1------1--|
D|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
A|-----3------3----3------3----2------2----2------2--|
E|--1-----1-----1-----1-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
 
[Chorus 3]
 
(Same chords from Chorus 1)
 
    Am          B7          F           C           F#/B7       F          X 2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
B|-----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0-0----1----1-1--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----0------0----2------2----2------2--|
D|-----2------2----1------1----3------3----2------2----1------1----3------3--|
A|--0-----0-----2-----2--------3------3----3------3----------------3------3--|
E|--------------------------1-----1-----3-----3-----2-----2-----1-----1------|
 
--OUTRO PART 1
 
(Same chords from Intro section)
 
   Am1                     G#1                     A/G
e|-----0----3---5---5---3------0------0----------------0----3---5--5/9---8----|
B|------------5-----------5---------5-----5---4p3-------------5---------------|
G|-----5-----5----5------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----0-----0----0-----------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------0------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----------5-----5-----5-------------|
 
   A/F#                    G#/F#                G1
e|--------------------------------------------------0--------------------|
B|----------7-----------7-----------7-------5---0-------3-------3--------|
G|------4-----4-----4-----4-----4-----4------h7-0-------------------2h4--|
D|----4------4----4------4----4------4----4-------0-------0---0-------0--|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-------3-----3-----3-----3------|
 
   F#/D7                    F           E
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----1----1-1----0----0--0--|
B|-----1----1-1----1----1-1----1----1-1----0----0--0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2----1-------1--|
D|-----0------0----0------0----3------3----2-------2--|
A|-----------------------------3------3----2-------2--|
E|--2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----0-----0-------|
 
--OUTRO PART 2
 
Here are base chords that we’ll be playing for this section, just for reference:
 
   Am1   G#1   Am/C  A/B    G#/B   G2  F#/A    F1    E7
e|--0-----0-----0-----0------0-----0-----0-----0-----0--|
B|--5-----5-----0-----0------0-----0-----0-----0-----0--|
G|--5-----5-----5-----4------4-----4-----2-----2-----1--|
D|--0-----0-----5-----4------4-----0-----2-----0-----0--|
A|--x-----x-----x-----x------x-----x-----x-----x-----2--|
E|--5-----4-----5-----5------4-----3-----2-----1-----0--|
 
And here's the actual tab.
 
    Am1                     G#1                     Am/C
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----5----5-5----5----5-5----5----5-5----5----5-5----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5----5------5--|
D|-----0------0----0------0----0------0----0------0----5------5----5------5--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----4-----5-----5-----5-----5------|
 
    A/B                     G#/B                    G2
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
B|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0--|
G|-----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4--|
D|-----4------4----4------4----4------4----4------4----0------0----0------0--|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--5-----5-----5-----5-----4-----4-----4-----4-----3-----3-----3-----3------|
 
    F#/A                    F1                E7
e|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0---0-0---0-0--|
B|-----0----0-0----0----0-0----0----0-0---0-0---0-0--|
G|-----2------2----2------2----2------2-----2-----1--|
D|-----2------2----2------2----0------0-----0-----0--|
A|------------------------------------------------2--|
E|--2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----1-----0------|
 
    Am                F      E      A
e|----------------------------------------|
B|------1-----------------1------0-----2--|
G|----2-2-----------0----2------1-----2---|
D|----2---------0-2-----3------2-----2----|
A|--0-----0-2-3--------3------2-----0-----|
E|--------------------1------0------------|
 
THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 
NOW FOR THE SIMPLIFIED WAY:
 
Substitute OUTRO PART 2 for the difficult tablature in INTRO, VERSE 2 INTRO, & OUTRO PART 1. Elliott does it
sometimes himself, so you shouldn't feel too guilty about it. :p
 
************************************************
 
b   - bend
r   - release
gb  - gradual bend
gr  - gradual release
h   - hammer on
p   - pull off
T   - trill
W   - whammy bar dive
\   - slide down
/   - slide up
x   - mute
X\  - pick slide
~~~ - vibrato
*7  - artificial harmonic
*7* - natural harmonic
... - palm mute
(0) - optional note
XXX - tremolo pick
alt - variation of riff
 
************************************************
X