Jeremy by Pearl Jam

What can I say of this song? Well from my point of view is just one of the best songs i've ever listened, not sure why it means so much in my life, but it does... when I saw Eddie playing it in San Diego last year I felt so lucky that I don't have the words to explain it properly. It was awesome, as I always expected it to be.

"Jeremy" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by bassist Jeff Ament. "Jeremy" was released in 1992 as the third single from Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten (1991). The song reached the number five spot on both the Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Billboard charts. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003). A remixed version of the song was included on the 2009 Ten reissue.

In 1993, the "Jeremy" video was awarded four MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Video of the Year

Video: Jeremy - Original song

Video: Jeremy - Guitar lesson
Unfortunately the only worhty lesson does not allow me to embed it here...
so here are the links to main parts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOnCY9WY144
And the outro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn-srY6nckM

Jeremy Guitar Tabs

In case you want to sing along the tabs are:

                         H*       H*
I----------------------I----------------------I--------------------------I
I----------------------I----------------------I--------------------------I
I----------------------I-----------12---------I--------------------------I
I---------------7----5-I--12-------12---------I-------------7----5-------I
I--0---5H7--0-----0----I--12------------------I--0--5H7--0----0----------I
I----------------------I----------------------I--------------------------I

    H*     H*
I----------------------I
I----------------------I
I----------------------I
I--12------------------I
I--12------12----------I
I----------12----------I


  The main riff behind the lyrics is always

               At home, drawing pictures       of mountaintops...
I---------------------I----------------------------I
I---------------------I----------------------------I
I---------------------I----------------------------I
I--------------7---5--I--------------7----------5--I
I---0--5H7--0----0----I---0--5H7--0-----0---5H7----I
I---------------------I----------------------------I


The following chords are arranged for one guitar (If you aren't in a band)

                            Daddy didn't give attention
                    A       G/A            D/A
I----------------I----------------------I------------------------------I
I----------------I--10-------8----------I------------------------------I
I----------------I--9--------7----------I---7--------------------------I
I----------------I--7--------5----------I---4--------------------------I
I----0--5H7--0---I--0--------0----------I---0------------0---5H7----0--I
I----------------I----------------------I------------------------------I


                To the fact that mommy didn't care--->

  D/A      A                                         A       G/A
I-------------------I-----------------------------I---------------I
I----------2--------I-----------------------------I--10-------8---I
I-7--------2--------I-----------------------------I--8--------7---I
I-4--------2--------I-----------------------------I--7--------5---I
I-0--------0--------I------------------0---5H7--0-I--0--------0---I
I-------------------I-----------------------------I---------------I


King Jeremy the          wicked              ruled his world

   D/A           D/A      A
I----------------------I-------------------I------------------------I
I----------------------I----------2--------I------------------------I
I---7------------------I--7-------2--------I------------------------I
I---4------------------I--4-------2--------I------------------------I
I---0-------0--5H7---0-I--0-------0--------I-------------0--5H7--0--I
I----------------------I-------------------I------------------------I


The chorus goes:

 F               Dm   E   F    A
 Jeremy's spoken   cla-ass  today


Rhythm fill at end of line is:

I----12--------------------I----------------12-----------I
I---------12----------12---I---12h14p12----------12------I
I----------------14--------I------------14-----------14--I
I--------------------------I-----------------------------I
I--------------------------I-----------------------------I
I--------------------------I-----------------------------I

The chords during the end of the song repeat  F--G--A. (Sometimes Am)
I don't know exactly how the solos go at the end, but I could figure it out I
suppose if everyone desired.


The end riff is played on a twelve-string bass, as many people pointed out. Here
it's arranged for a six-string guitar.

I--------------------------I---------------------------I
I---------8-----------7----I---------3-----------5-----I
I-------9----------7-----7-I-------4----------5-----5--I
I--------------------------I---------------------------I
I---0----------0-----------I---0----------0------------I
I--------------------------I---------------------------I


I--------------------------I---------------------------I
I---------0-----------1----I--------0------------1-----I
I-------0----------2-----2-I------0-----------2-----2--I
I--------------------------I---------------------------I
I---0-----------0----------I---0----------0------------I
I--------------------------I---------------------------I


Repeat the first three the second time through and end with:

                         H*      H*
I--------------------------------------I
I-------------1------------------------I
I--------2------------------------12---I
I-------------------------12------12---I
I---0-------------0-------12-----------I
I--------------------------------------I

 H*    -  harmonic
 h,H   -  hammer-on
 p     -  pull off

Lyrics

At home
Drawing pictures
Of mountain tops
With him on top
Lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a V
Dead lay in pools of maroon below
Daddy didn't give attention
To the fact that mommy didn't care
King Jeremy the wicked
Ruled his world
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Clearly I remember
Pickin' on the boy
Seemed a harmless little fuck
But we unleashed a lion
Gnashed his teeth
And bit the recessed lady's breast
How could i forget
He hit me with a surprise left
My jaw left hurtin
Dropped wide open
Just like the day
Like the day i heard
Daddy didn't give affection
And the boy was something mommy wouldn't wear
King jeremy the wicked
Ruled his world
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Try to forget this...
Try to erase this...
From the blackboard

1979 by Smashing pumpkins

"1979" is a song by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Released in 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, "1979" was a surprising hit.] The song was nominated for the Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the Grammy Awards, and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Alternative Video

Video: 1979 - Original song



Video: 1979 - Guitar lesson



From this song I'm mainly interested in the bits around the main riff

You will have to tune half step down as loads of Pumpkings songs are tuned

INTRO/MAIN RIFF
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------| 
|-8--8-8-8-8-9--4-4-4-4-4-4-4---------------------------| 
|-------------------------------6b-7-4-2-2-2-4-6-9--9-9-| x4
|-6--6-6-6-6-7--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-| 
|----0---0---0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------------------------| 

1979 Guitar Tabs

Verse

Eb:--------------------------------------------------
Bb:--------------------------------------------------
Gb:-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-9-4-4-4-4-4-4-4--------------------
Db:-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x---6^6-4-2-4-6-9-9-9-
Ab:-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-7-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Eb:-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--------------------

Pre-Chorus

Eb:---------------------------------
Bb:---------------------------------
Gb:-----------------4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
Db:-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
Ab:-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-
Eb:-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----------------

Chorus

Eb:----------------------------------------------
Bb:----------------------------------------------
Gb:---9-9-9-9--8-8-8-9-9-9-----------------------
Db:---9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9-9-9---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-
Ab:---7-7-7-7--6-6-6-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-
Eb:-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

Pre-Chorus #2

Eb:---------------------------------
Bb:---------------------------------
Gb:---------------------------------
Db:-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-
Ab:-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-
Eb:-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Bridge

Eb:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bb:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gb:-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Db:-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-
Ab:-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-
Eb:-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-

End Chord

Eb:-0-
Bb:-0-
Gb:-1-
Db:-2-
Ab:-2-
Eb:-0-


Song Anatomy:

- Verse x4
- Pre Chorus x1
- Verse x3
- Pre Chorus x1
- Chorus x3
- Pre Chorus x1
- Verse x4
- Pre Chorus 2 x1
- Chorus x3
- Bridge x3
- Pre Chorus 2 x1
- Verse x4
- Pre Chorus 2 x1
- Chorus x3
- Pre Chorus x1
- Verse x2
- End Chord x1

Lyrics

hakedown 1979, cool kids never have the time
On a live wire right up off the street
You and I should meet
Junebug skipping like a stone
With the headlights pointed at the dawn
We were sure we'd never see an end to it all
And I don't even care to shake these zipper blues
And we don't know
Just where our bones will rest
To dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below
Double cross the vacant and the bored
They're not sure just what we have in store
Morphine city slippin dues down to see
That we don't even care as restless as we are
We feel the pull in the land of a thousand guilts
And poured cement, lamented and assured
To the lights and towns below
Faster than the speed of sound
Faster than we thought we'd go, beneath the sound of hope
Justine never knew the rules,
Hung down with the freaks and the ghouls
No apologies ever need be made, I know you better than you fake it
To see that we don't even care to shake these zipper blues
And we don't know just where our bones will rest
To dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below
The street heats the urgency of sound
As you can see there's no one around

Guitar lesson: Basket Case by GreenDay

Basket Case is the third single of Dookie, which was the first studio album of Greenday band. It's one of the most known songs from this band which was world famous in 1995.


Video: Basket Case - Original song



This a great song the try power chords. There is another post just dedicated on power chords here

Before we see the video, it's worthy to mention that this song
combines fifth chords like C,G,A,etc with other like C#,G#,A#, etc variants half step down.

This is some of the fingering for G, A, D and E.

        G5     A5     D5     E5     G5     A5     D5     A5
E||----------------------------------------------(10)---(5)----|
B||--------------------------------(8)----(10)----10-----5-----|
G||------------------(7)----(9)-----7------9------7------2-----|
D||----(5)----(7)-----7------9------5------7-------------------|
A||-----5------7------5------7---------------------------------|
E||-----3------5-----------------------------------------------|

There are slight differences between E and E# or A5 and A#. A# is half step down than A5, E# is half step down than E,etc

        A#     A5     E#     E5     B#    B
E||-----------------------------------------
B||-----------------------------------------
G||------------------(8)----(9)-------------
D||----(6)----(7)-----8------9----(8)----(9)
A||-----6------7------6------7-----8----- 9
E||-----4----- 5-------------------6----- 7

So now you watch the video and use the previous as as a reference

Video: Basket Case - Guitar lesson



Basket Case - My notes

Chords

e# b# c g a# e# b#

This is the chorus

a# b# e# 
a# b# e#
a# b# e# d# c# a# b#

Riff
e# b#x2 cx2 b#x2 

In this case I play C in the 8th fret  as the transition is much easier from b#(in the 6th fret) to C( power chord with first string in the 8th fret)
You could play C chord as well in the 3rd fret (second string) 

Alternatives for C.

        C     C    
E||----------------
B||----------------
G||----(5)---------
D||---- 5----(10)--
A||-----3---- 10---
E||-----------8----

Other parts of the song are

a# b# many times

e# c a# e# b 

Lyrics

Do you have the time
To listen to me whine
About nothing and everything
All at once
I am one of those
Melodramatic fools
Neurotic to the bone
No doubt about it

Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Am I just stoned?

I went to a shrink
To analyze my dreams
She says it's lack of sex
That's bringing me down
I went to a whore
He said my life's a bore
So quit my whining cause
It's bringing her down

Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Uh, yuh, yuh, ya

Grasping to control
So I better hold on

Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Am I just stoned? 

Power chords

In music, a power chord (also fifth chord) is a chord-like pseudo-triad consisting of only the root note of the chord,
the fifth above it, and normally the octave above the root

A couple of useful charts showing the main power chords

These are the chords played in the first string



These are the chords played in the second string



For starters is enough to remember that

you can play G,A,B in the 3rd,5th and 7th fret in the first string (E)
you can play C,D,E in in the 3rd,5th and 7th fret in the second string (A) you can play

In case you don't know the basic of power chords here you are some good lessons






This lesson explain power chords with the basic fingering using just 2 fingers the index and the ring finger. Not really power chords as you need at least three notes.



Here's is Marty, a funny guy who I like to learn from, who gives guite good explanation on power chords



These are some links with nice power chords diagrams and some theory.

Power chords link 1

Power chords link 2

Guitar lesson: Nutshell by Alice in Chains

I love this song Nutshell by Alice in Chains.

For all those who has not heard about this group Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley. Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements. The band is known for its distinct vocal style which often included the harmonized vocals of Staley and Cantrell. Unfortunately Layne Staley passed away in 2002 (drugs abuse) .. The group reunited again in 2009 with a new lead singer Black Gives Way to Blue.

This song was released as part of the album Jar of Flies on January 1994 and it was recorded in just in week!!

Video: Nutshell - Original song



Video: Nutshell - Guitar lesson

I learnt it just using a simplified version of the real chords

022033 - E
320033 - G
XX0232 - D
X32030 - C




Nutshell Guitar Tabs

In case you want to sing along the tabs are:

INTRO RIFF - Acoustic guitar. Played through entire song.


 Em7    G      D   Cadd9
---------3------2---0----0----0-----0-----0---------0-----0---0--------
--3---3--3---3--3---3----3----3--3--3-----3---3--3--3-----3---3--3--3--
--0---0--0---0--2---0----0----0--0--0-----0---0--0--0-----0---0--0--0--
--2---2--0---0--0---2----2----2--2--0h2---2---2--2--0h2---2---2--2--2--
--2------2----------3----3----------3-----3---------3-----3------------
--0------3-------------------------------------------------------------

          .       Em7
--0--0--0--0----3--3---------
--3--3--3--3----3--3---3--3--
--0--0--0--0-------0---0--0--
--2--2--2--2-------2---2--2--
-------------------2---2--2--
-------------------0---------

Variation (instead of 4th time riff above)

 Em7    G      D   Cadd9                    Cmaj7  Cadd9    Cmaj7
---------3------2---0----0----0-----0---------0-----0---------0--------
--3---3--3---3--3---3----3----3--3--3--x--0---0-----3--x--0---0--------
--0---0--0---0--2---0----0----0--0--0--x--0---0-----0--x--0---0--------
--2---2--0---0--0---2----2----2--2--2--x------2-----2--x------2--------
--2------2----------3----3----------3---------3-----3---------3--------
--0------3-------------------------------------------------------------

          .       Em7
--0--0--0--0----3--3---------
--3--3--3--3----3--3---3--3--
--0--0--0--0-------0---0--0--
--2--2--2--2-------2---2--2--
-------------------2---2--2--
-------------------0---------


VERSE 1

We chase misprinted lies
We face the path of time
And yet I fight
And yet I fight
This battle all alone
No one to cry to
No place to call home


CHORUS - Electrical guitar, play twice

Oooh (4x)

--12-------------------------------------------
-----12----------------------------------------
--------12--11b12r11--9------------------------
-------------------------9(gradual bend)10^^^--
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------


--10-------------------------------------------
-----8-----------------------------------------
--------7---7b8r7------------------------------
---------------------10--9^^^------------------
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------


VERSE 2

My gift of self is raped
My privacy is raked
And yet I find
And yet I find
Repeating in my head
If I can't be my own
I'd feel better dead


OUTRO SOLO
                                                      
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------12----------------------------------
----------------------------9--11--12----------------------------------
-----9b10r9------------------------12----------------------------------
-------------10--9b10r9---------------------------------.--------------
-------------------------10-------------0--0--10h12--0--15--0--12^^^^--


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------12-----12-----12-(<- whammy vib)----
----------------------------9--11--12-----12-----11--------------------
-----9b10r9------------------------12--/9-10--9--10--------------------
-------------10--9b10r9---------------------------------.--------------
-0-0---------------------10--------------------------0--15--0--10h12^^-


------.-----.-----.----.----------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------
------12----10----8----7-------5--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5/-----
-----------------------------5----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--------------------
--/10----/9----/9---/7----/5-------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------0h1h3p1p0h1-----------------12h13h15p13p12-----------------
--------0h2--------------------11h12h14----------------14p12p11--------
--0h2h4---------------------------------------------------------14^^^--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----8------(drop with whammy to 7)-------------------------------------
----11b12--(bend this slightly up so notes stay in unison)-------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lyrics

We chase misprinted lies
We face the path of time
And yet I fight
And yet I fight
This battle all alone
No one to cry to
No place to call home

Oooh...Oooh...
Oooh...Oooh...

My gift of self is raped
My privacy is raked
And yet I find
And yet I find
Repeating in my head
If I can't be my own
I'd feel better dead

Oooh...Oooh...
Oooh...Oooh...

Why another guitar lesson blog?

I started playing the guitar just one year ago. My wife bought me a guitar by surprise. It was the kind of thing that I always wanted but you procrastinate and never do it by yourself. It was a precious black Dean Vendetta guitar.

I started as most of you strumming some chords, buying books and finally using the online resources that the web offers us. I'm still learning and I started to make my own notebook where I keep the lyrics, videos and small tabs. I thought that it would be useful sharing with you all these resources.

My idea is update this blog at least 3 times a week ( I wish I could have more time !) For each song I would like to add tabs, videos, some background on the song and the artist,etc.

I do like rock in any style, but I've to admit that I prefer the rock it was done in the 90's, don't tell me why, I just think is more pure and authentic. So what kind of music you expect to find here? Grunge, hard-rock, melodic punk, garage,etc.

Ok, let's stop the chatting and let see if you like the stuff I publish in this blog