What A Terrible World What A Beautiful World by The Decemberists, tabs and chords at PlayUkuleleNET

What A Terrible World What A Beautiful World

by The Decemberists

Biography:

The Decemberists son una banda estadounidense de indie pop, formada en Portland, Oregon. Su nombre deriva de la "Rebelión Decembrista" de 1825 en Rusia, y la temática de sus canciones normalmente trata de historias y personajes ficticios, normalmente mezclado a hechos históricos y siempre manteniendo una línea narrativa.

Actualmente, The Decemberists esta formado por:

Colin Meloy (vocalista, guitarra)
Chris Funk (guitarra, multi-instrumentalista)

Read more on Last.fm

Other songs:

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Four years of hard work!

This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!

I. A singer addresses his audience
II. Calvary Captain
III. Philomena
IV. Make you Better
V. Lake Song
VI. Till the Water’s all long gone
VII. The Wrong Year
VIII. Carolina Low
IX. Better Not wake the Baby
X. Anti-Summersong
XI. Easy Come, Easy Go
XII. Mistral
XIII. 12/17/12
XIV. A Beginning Song

This is an awesome album from the Decemberists that I have attempted to grab the best tabs I could find and put
them together in a nice concise place for you! ^_^ .I'm sure everyone knows this, but if you want to go to any
particular song, just ctrl-f using the roman numeral attached to it. (be sure to include the .) and it'll
take you right to it. :) Enjoy and buy the record!

I. The Singer Addresses His Audience
from "What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World"
Released January 20th, 2015

Originally tabbed by RandMcNally @ Ultimate-Guitar.com
Feel free to send comments or questions
to: carmenbondrajr at gmail dot com

Standard Tuning

E

E B A
We know, we know, we belong to ya
E B A G
We know you built your life around us
A E
Would we change, we had to change some

B

E B A
We know, we know, we belong to ya
E B A G
We know you threw your arms around us
A
And the hopes we wouldn't change
E
But we had to change some
G A E
You know, to belong to you

E|--0-2-4-5--|

A(barre) C#m
We're aware that you cut your hair
B A
In a style that our drummer wore
E
In a video

E|--0-2-3-4--|

G# C#m
But with fame came a mounting claim
B
For the evermore
You know
F#m
So when your bridal processional
A
Is a televised confessional
E C#m
To the benefits of Axe shampoo
B
You know we did it for you
We did it all for you

E B A
Cause we know, we know, we belong to ya
E B A G
We know you built your life around us
A E
And would we change, we had to change some
G A E
You know, to belong to you (x4)

G A E
To belong, to belong, to belong (x5)

During this jam part the lead electric comes in and plays a quick
E|--3---5---4---0--|
before playing the standard G A E barre chords until the finish.

II. Calvary Captain[INTRO]
F G Em Am
F G Em Am

[VERSE]
F G Em Am
I am the cavalry captain, I am the remedy to your heart
F G Em Am
I am the common collector, I am imprinted upon your stars

[INTERLUDE]
F G Em Am

[VERSE]
F G Em Am
And when you shine, shine your eyes, looking lost, looking bright
F G
Wheel away on the light brigade
F
And if only for a second (only for a second)
G
And if only for a time (only for a time)
F
And if only for a second (only for a second)
G
And if only for a time, we'll be alive

[CHORUS]
F G Em Am
We'll be alive, oh oh oh oh oh
F G Em Am

[VERSE]
F G Em Am
I am the cavalry captain, I am the remedy to your heart
F G Em Am
I am the common collector, I am imprinted upon your stars

[INTERLUDE]
F G Em Am

[VERSE]
F G Em Am
There is a world, there is a time, lookin' calm, lookin' kind
F
And if only for a second (only for a second)
G
And if only for a time (only for a time)
F
And if only for a second (only for a second)
G
And if only for a time, we'll be alive

[CHORUS]
F G Em Am
We'll be alive, oh oh oh oh oh
F G Em Am

[OUTRO]
F G Em Am
I am the cavalry captain, I am the remedy to your heart
F G Em Am
I am the common collector, I am imprinted upon your stars

just repeat F G Em Am until it fades out

III. Philomena

You can use D7 instead of D during the verse, it'll sound nice. :)

G Em Am D x5
Em D
[Verse 1:]
G Em Am D
Oh, Philomena, you in a tawdry-gown
G Em Am D
Lean to your window, let slip a ribbon down
G Em Am D
A cure to your boredom, if only you'll let me go
Em D
Down, down down
G Em Am D
Long sunny days can lead to lazy vices
G Em Am D
Boys all at idle, left to their own devices
G Em Am D
Open up your linen lap and let me go
Em D
Down, down down

[Chorus:]
B Em Am D
All I ever wanted in the world was just to live to see a naked girl
B Em C D
But I found I've quickly bored, I wanted more, I wanted more

[Verse 2:]
G Em Am D
So I'll be your candle and I'll be your statuette
G Em Am D G
I'll be your lash and loop of leatherette, and oh
Em Am D
Philomena, if only you'll let me go
Em D
Down, down down

G Em Am D x3
Em D
[Chorus:]

B Em Am D
All I ever wanted in the world was just to live to see a naked girl
B Em C D
But I found I've quickly bored, I wanted more, oh so much more

[Verse 2:]

G Em Am D
So I'll be your candle and I'll be your statuette
G Em Am D G
I'll be your lash and loop of leatherette, and oh
Em Am D
Philomena, if only you'll let me go
Em D
Down, down down
Em D
Go down, down down
Em D
Go down
G
Go down

IV. Make you Better

This is largely based on the video of Colin playing in New York, less so on the recording.

Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2
e|---7------10-------3---------------|
B|---7------10-------3---------------|
G|---6------9--------2---------------|
D|---0------0--------0---------------|
A|---X------X--------X---------------|
E|---7------10-------3---------------|

INTRO:
Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2 (x2)

VERSE:

Bm9 Dsus2
I want you, thin fingers;
Gsus2
I wanted you, thin fingernails.
Bm9 Dsus2
And when you bend backwards
Gsus2
I wanted you, I needed you
Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2
Oh-oh to make me better

Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2

VERSE:
I loved you in spring time
I lost you when summer came.
And when you pulled backwards
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me better.
Oh-oh to make me better.

CHORUS:
A G D
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
G D A G A
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
G D
And won't it all just come around to make you
G D A
Let it all unbreak you to the day you met her
G
But it'd make you better.
Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2
It'd make you better.

VERSE:
I sung you your twinges
I suffered you your tattletales.
And when you broke sideways
I wanted you, I needed you
Oh-oh, to make me better.
Oh-oh, to make be better.

CHORUS:
But we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around to make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day that you met her
And it'd make you better.
Bm G D A
And it'd make you better.
Bm G D A
Did it make you better?

INSTRUMENTAL:
Bm G D A (x2)

BRIDGE:
Bm G D A
And all I wanted was a sliver to call mine.
Bm G D
And all I wanted was a shimmer in your shine
A G A
To make me bright

CHORUS:
Cause we're not so starry-eyed anymore
Like the perfect paramour you were in your letters
And won't it all just come around to make you
Let it all unbreak you to the day that you met her
And it'd make you better.
And it'd make you better.

OUTRO:
Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2
Bm9 Dsus2 Gsus2 Dsus2 Gsus2
Bm9

V. Lake Song

Intro: D

Em
Down by the lake
We were overturning pebbles
D
And upending all the animals alight
Em
And I took a drag
From your cigarette and pinched it
'Tween my finger and my thumb
D
Till it died
Em D
And the sun burned low on the radio
Em
Say that you will
Say you will or will you won't
Or you whatever you prevaricate
D
Your whole life, don't you?
Em
This much I can say:
I would've waited till the oceans
Fell Away and all the sunken cities
D
Would reveal themselves to you
Em
But you won't, will you?
D
Because you never do
Em
And the sun burned through
D
Sweet as honeydew
Bm
And I
A G
Seventeen and terminally fey
F#m Em
I wrote it down and threw it all away
G
Never gave a thought to what I'd paid
Bm
And you
A G
Sibylline, reclining in your pew
F#m Em
You tattered me, you tethered me to you
G
The things you would and wouldn't do
D
To tell the truth I never had a clue

Em D

Em
Now we arise
To curse those young suburban villains
D
And their ill-begotten children from the lawn
Em
Come to me now
And on this station wagon window
Set the ghost of your two footprints
D
That they might haunt me when you're gone
Em
And when the light broke dawn
D
You were forever gone
Em
But I remember you, you were full
D
You were full and sweet as honeydew
Bm
And I
A G
Seventeen and terminally fey
F#m Em
I wrote it down and threw it all away
G
And never gave a thought to what I paid
Bm A G
And you all sibylline, reclining in your pew
F#m Em
You tattered me, you tethered me to you
G
The things you would and wouldn't do
D
You noticed how I never had a clue
Never had a clue
You were full and sweet as honeydew
You were full and sweet as honeydew

VI. “Till The Water’s All Long Gone” – The Decemberists

Tabbed by Ian Cummings on 1/23/15.

Time: 3/4

*On the recording, the Em is played in the following manner:
e--3
B--5
G--4
D--2

Intro:
Em Bm
e------3-5—5b7--7b5p3-----------------------------------------|
B--3/5----------------5-5-5------3-5--5/7--5-3--5/7--5-3------|
G----------------------------2/4-------------------------4----|
D-------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------|

Em Bm
e------3-5—5b7--7b5p3----------------------5-----5-----------------------------|
B--3/5----------------5-5-5------3-5--5/7----5/7--7-5/3/2----3p2---------------|
G----------------------------2/4--------------------------4------4p2-----------|
D--------------------------------------------------------------------4p3p2-----|
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Em Bm
They came down from the mountain
Em Bm
They’d strayed too long from the fountain
Em
And all the while
Em Bm
All the while they longed for us

Bm Em
But I won't betray
Bm Em
No I won't betray
Bm Em Bm
No I won't betray our water
Bm Em
No I won't betray
Bm Em
No I won't betray
Bm Em Bm
No I won't betray our water
D A Em
Till the water's all long gone

(Intro)

Em Bm
And you, my sweet flower
Em Bm
And how you grew more sweet by the hour
Em
And loathe was I
Em Bm
Loathe was I to lose you
Bm Em
My tender rose
Bm Em
My limber rose
Bm Em Bm
My slender loping daughter

Bm Em
My tender rose
Bm Em
My slender rose
Bm Em Bm
My limber loping daughter
D A Em
But my daughter’s long, long gone

(Intro)

*Fingerpick the first two lines, strum after:

Em Bm
They came down from the mountain
Em Bm
They'd strayed too long from the fountain
Em Bm
O my girl, o my love I've lost you

Bm Em
But I won't betray
Bm Em
No I won't betray
Bm Em Bm
No I won't betray our water

Bm Em
No I won't betray
Bm Em
No I won't betray
Bm Em Bm
No I won't betray our water
D A Em
Till the water's all long gone

Intro X4 (with some variation on the tab)

VII. The Wrong Year

G D Em Cmaj7 x2
[Verse:]
G D
Gray Jean was a river child
Em Cmaj7 G D Em Cmaj7
Born down by the river wild
G D
Said hey, what ya wanna be?
Em Cmaj7
Nobody's gonna intervene
G D Em Cmaj7
[Chorus:]
D Cmaj7
And she wants you but you won't do
D Cmaj7
And it won't leave you alone
D Cmaj7
And the rain falls on the wrong year
D Cmaj7 D
G D Em Cmaj7
And it won't leave you alone, it won't leave you alone

G D Em Cmaj7

[Verse 2:]
G D
Could be that he's into you
Em Cmaj7 G D Em Cmaj7
Could be that the opposite's true
G D
Struck down as a summer child
Em Cmaj7
Ten steps just to run a mile
G D Em Cmaj7

[Chorus:]

D Cmaj7
And he wants you but you won't do
D Cmaj7
And it won't leave you alone
D Cmaj7
And the rain falls on the wrong year
D Cmaj7 D
G D Em
And it won't leave you alone, it won't leave you alone
Cmaj7 G D Em Cmaj7
It won't leave you alone
[Bridge:]
Bm Am
Your spirit's weiling
Bm Am
Flesh is getting bored
Bm Am C
Speaker's blaring out some long forgotten chord
D G
Some missbegotten long forgotten chord

D Em Cmaj7 G D Em Cmaj7

[Verse 3:]
G D
Sing me some ?mandolin? (if anyone know what he says here, please write it in the comment section)
Em Cmaj7 G D Em Cmaj7
And I'll sleep all the winter long
G D
Till then I can only be,
Em Cmaj7
nobody's gonna intervene

G D Em Cmaj7

[Chorus:]

D Cmaj7
And she wants you but you won't do
D Cmaj7
And it won't leave you alone
D Cmaj7
And the rain falls on the wrong year
D Cmaj7 D
G D Em
And it won't leave you alone, it won't leave you alone
Cmaj7 G D Em
It won't leave you alone
Cmaj7 G D Em Cmaj7
It won't leave you alone
G D Em Cmaj7

VIII. Artist: The Decemberists
Song: Carolina Low

Tabbed by: N.H.

I heard Colin play this song on NPR and had to learn it. He said he had written it that
morning, so this song is only two days old at this point. It's an easy song to learn just
from listening, so this tab is for beginners looking to play.

I can't quite figure out his picking pattern, but I got all the notes of the melody. He
doesn't play these exactly while singing, but it is the melody he sings to. I left out
the bass notes, but I just play the low D at every pause. The lyrics are just a guess at
what he is singing, so some of them may be wrong, and they will probably change if it is
ever recorded for an album.

Tuning: DADGBE - Drop D

E ---------------------------------------|
B ---------------------------------------|
G -------0--2-----------------0----------|
D -0--3----------------0-3---------0-----|
A ---------------------------------------|
D ---------------------------------------|
I am a boy from the high country

E ---------------------------------------|
B ---------------------------------------|
G --------------0------------------------|
D ----0-3------------2-----------2h3---0-|
A -----------------------------------3---|
D ---------------------------------------|
And I got a little low for the offering

That's the gist of the song. Here it is without the lyrics. Might make it easier to see the melody.

E -----------------------------------------------|
B -----------------------------------------------|
G -----0-2--------0-----------0------------------|
D -0-3--------0-3---0-----0-3---2--------2h3---0-|
A -------------------------------------------3---|
D -----------------------------------------------|

He also walks down the low D string sometimes in the interludes between lyric like this:

A -3--------|
D ----3-2-0-|

And he also may do it at the last line of every stanza, as opposed to:

A -2h3---0-|
D -----3---|

I am a boy
From the high country
And I got a little low
For the offering
Come down from the mountains
Bow to the sea
Carolina low - to cradle thee

Gonna take you up
Gonna take you around
Oh, your poor little pant legs
Dragging down
Did you crack your lip?
Did you skin your knee?
Carolina low - to carry thee

What is sealed with a handshake
Is spoiled with a kiss
Got an ugly little mouth, boy
To come to this
I'm bound for the hilltops
Gonna make it bleed
Carolina low - to carry thee

I am a boy
From the high country
And I got a little low
For the offering
And I got a little low
For the offering
And I got a little low
For the offering

IX. Better not Wake the Baby

I play this in D standard tuning, so 2 steps down. Since it's all based around Em, it's
really easy to play a
basic melody between strums since those top 3 strings will be open anyways.

---------

Em A5 Em A5 D Em

Em
Kick a hole in the hallway
A5
While singing like a painted lady
Em
Use your skull like a cannonball
Em A5 D Em
But it better not wake the baby

Chorus

D Em
How long will this go on?
D Em A5
How long, indeed?
Em
You can bang a drum 'till the money's all gone
Em A5 D Em
But it better not wake the baby

Em
Make your moan of your lot in life
A5
Split your mind half crazy
Em
Gouge your eyes with a butter knife
Em A5 D Em
But it better not wake the baby

Chorus

Em
Drown yourself in crocodile tears
A5
Curse the gods what made 'ye
Em
Pine away for your better years
Em A5 D Em
But it better not wake the baby

Chorus x2
X.

XI. Anti-summersong

G C

Here now, long gone
G D
Three freaks and a bed are gone
Em C
Went to the river but the river got dry
G D
And all the good people were hanging around

G C
Too little, too late
G D
Everybody gotta medicate
Em C
Through the winter when the winter comes down
G D
And all the city comes to hanging ground

C G
I'm not going on
D G
Just to sing another summer song
C G
So long, farewell
D G
Don't everybody follow over themselves

HARMONICA SOLO
C G D G
C G D G

C G
I'm not going on
D G
Just to sing another summer song
C G
So long, farewell
D G
Don't everybody follow over themselves

C G
I'm not going on
D Em D C
Just to sing another singalong suicide song
C G
So long, farewell
D G
Don't everybody follow over themselves
D G
So, don't everybody follow over themselves
D C
Don't everybody follow over themselves

G C
Here now, long gone
G D
Three freaks and a bed are gone
Em C
Went to the river but the river got dry
G D
And all the good people were hanging around

G C
Too little, too late
G D
Everybody gotta medicate
Em C
Through the winter when the winter comes down
G D
And all the city comes to hanging ground

C G
I'm not going on
D G
Just to sing another summer song
C G
So long, farewell
D G
Don't everybody follow over themselves

HARMONICA SOLO
C G D G
C G D G

C G
I'm not going on
D G
Just to sing another summer song
C G
So long, farewell
D G
Don't everybody follow over themselves

C G
I'm not going on
D Em D C
Just to sing another singalong suicide song
C G
So long, farewell
D G
Don't everybody follow over themselves
D G
So, don't everybody follow over themselves
D C
Don't everybody follow over themselves

XII. Easy Come, Easy Go
Intro notes--- B A G F#

Intro-- Em Am Em Am Em D Em x2

Em Am Em
Limber-Jack, he landed on his back
Am Em D Em
Was betting on the netting when the rigging went slack
Em Am Em
Was a moonless-night, the stars all lending light
Am Em D Em
She's leering in the mirror when the rodent broke right

Em Em/G A
Cause you never really know
A A/G Em
When the whistle's gonna blow
Em Em/G A
You never really know
B7
Easy come and easy go

Em Am Em
He was a stand-up gent, but no one knew his bent
Am Em D Em
And all the little bones that he hid in his vent
Em Am Em
She was the come-on queen, jewel on the scene
Am Em D Em
They found her in the shower she'd been gone for seven weeks

Em Em/G A
Cause you never really know (no you never really know)
A A/G Em
When the whistle's gonna blow
Em Em/G A
You never really know (no you never really know)
B7
Easy come and easy go

Instrumental--- Verse prog... 1x

Em Em/G A
Cause you never really know (no you never really know)
A A/G Em
When the whistle's gonna blow
Em Em/G A
You never really know (no you never-ever know)
B7
Easy come and easy go

Em Am Em
Oh, Limber-Jack, his name is on the plaque
Am Em D Em
His mother is another that will never get him back

XIII. “Mistral” – The Decemberists

Tabbed by Ian Cummings on 1/24/15.

*Dadd4 is just the traditional open C chord shifted up two frets:

e--x
B--3
G--0
D--4
A--5
E--x

Intro:

C G D Em

C G D

C G D Em

Am C Dadd4

C Em
So we already wrecked the rental car
G Em
And I've already lost my way
C Em
My feet entombed in this tourist bar
Am C
For a day, anyway
C Em
So lay me down on the cobblestones
G Em
And unfurl this aching jib
C Em
The streets all built on ancient bones
Am C
And the crib of the ribs

C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
C G
Won't the mistral
D
Blow away
C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
Am C Dadd4
Won’t it blow, won’t it blow, won’t it blow

C Em
So it's me and you and the baby boy
G Em
And a fourth to share the weight
C Em
We're eking out a little joy
Am C
From what awaits back in the States, aay

C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
C G
Won't the mistral
D
Blow away
C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
Am C Dadd4
Won’t it blow, won’t it blow, won’t it blow

(Honky-tonk piano, guitar solos)

C Em G Em C
Em Am C

C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
C G
Won't the mistral
D
Blow away
C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
Am C Dadd4
Won’t it blow, won’t it blow, won’t it blow

Fade out:
C G
Won't the mistral
D Em
Blow it all away
C G
Won't the mistral
D
Blow away ...

XIII. “12/17/12” — The Decemberists

Tabbed by Ian Cummings on 1/24/15.

*D add4 is just the traditional open C chord shifted up two frets:

e--x
B--3
G--0
D--4
A--5
E--x

Intro:
G, quick shift to C X4

Am G
What a gift, what a gift has been given me
C/G D add4
Here with my heart so whole
Am C
While others may be grieving
G C G
To think of their grieving

Am G
And O my boy, don't you know you are dear to me
C/G D add4
You are the breath of life
Am C
And a light upon the water
G C G
A light upon the water

(Harmonica solo – use verse form.)

Am G
And O my love, if you only knew how I longed for you
C/G D add4
How I waste my days
Am C
Wishing you would come around
G C G
Just to have you around

Am G
And what a dear, what a sweet little baby
C/G D add4
This cannonball
Am C
In the bosom of your belly
G C G
It's just a kick in your belly

(Harmonica solo #2)

Am G
And O my god, what a world you have made here
C/G D add4
What a terrible world
Am C
What a beautiful world
G C G
What a world you have made here
C G C G
What a world you have made here
C G C G
What a world you have made here
C G C G
What a world you have made here.

XIV. A Beginning Song

G D x2

G D G
Let's commence to coordinate our signs
D G
Get them square to lights
D G D
Get them square to lights
G D G
Condescend the calmest riot in your mind
D G
Find yourself in time
D G D
Find yourself in time

[Chorus:]
C G D C G D
I am waiting, should I be waiting?
C G D C
And I am wanting, should I be wanting?
D C D G
And all around me, all around me

G,D X2

[Verse 2:]
G D G
Document the world inside your skin
D G
Tender of your lips
D G D
The tender of your lips
G D G
Doc commence to care each brick of heart
D G
The sensor on your heart
D G C D
Starting with your heart light up

[Chorus:]
C G D C G D
I am waiting, should I be waiting?
C G D C
And I am wanting, should I be wanting?
D C D G
And all around me, all around me
D G
All around me X3

[Bridge:]
C G D C G D
I am waiting, should I be waiting?
C G D C G D
And I am wanting, should I be wanting?
C G D C D C
I am hopeful, should I be hopeful all around me
D C D C X2
All around me

[Verse 3:]
C D C D
It's it sunlight, it's it shadow
C D C D
It's the quiet, it's the word
C D
It's the beating heart
C D C D
It's the ocean... It's the boy
C D
It's you, my sweet love
Oh, my love
And the light, bright light
And the light, bright light
Bright light, bright light
It's all around me
It's all around me
It's all around me