Decemberists - Down by the water
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Song: "Down By The Water"
Artist: The Decemberists
Album: The King Is Dead (Down By The Water Release)-2010/2011
Transcribed by Chris Parker
~~
EDIT: Many thanks to Isabel_W for sending me the correct lyrics. I haven't
been checking my messages lately, nor the Decemberists' website, but they
have made the lyrics available online, which I have now updated.
Thanks again!
~
So, this song was just released for download today by The Decemberists
themselves, and it blew me away. I've listened to it now a total of three
times (about to be four to double-check the lyrics).
It just now occurred to me it would be a lot of fun to learn, so I picked up
my classical and went at it. It's in Em, and the chords you're going to
want to grab are here (God, being in music school and majoring in jazz has
made me hate tab... here they are in not-tab and relative chord fingering
to make me feel better)
Em |0-2-2-0-0-0|
G |3-2-0-0-0-3|
D |x-x-0-2-3-2| or D/F# |2-x-0-2-3-2|
C |x-3-2-0-1-0| or C/G |3-3-2-0-1-0|
The inverted chords are to taste. They fit (obviously) within the song's
progression, and you can add them if you want to. I play the F# in the D
major chord (really it's just a triad with doubled notes) with my thumb.
I'm taking the lyrics from the unregistered chord sheet on this site for
ease of use, but I'm changing the chords since, well, they were wrong. (Note
on the intro, I made it like a lead sheet you'd see in a jazz band: The
upward line is a bar line, the slashes are the same chords based on
rhythm/spacing. The Em is played in the same rhythm as the chords before it,
but the D major chord is played as two staccato quarter notes; you'll hear
it in the song)
Lines in parentheses are words I can't quite make out.
~~~~~~~~~
INTRO
C | Em | C | Em / D / |
VERSE
EmSee this ancient Griverbed
DSee where all the Cfollies led
EmDown by the water, (and) dDown by the old mainEm drag
EmI was just someG towhead teen
DFeelin' 'round for fingeCrs to get in-between
EmDown by the water, doDwn by the old mainEm drag
PRECHORUS
EmThe season Drubs me Emwrong
EmThe summerD swellsC anon
CHORUS
EmSo knock me down,G tear me up
DBut I would bear it all broken justC to fill my cup
EmDown by the water andD down by the old mEmain drag
BREAK
C | Em | C | Em / D / |
VERSE
EmSweet decsend this Grabble 'round
the Dpretty little patter ofC a seaport town
EmRolling in the water and rDolling down the old maiEmn drag
EmAll dolled up inG gabardine
DThe lash-flashing Leda of Cpier nineteen
EmQueen of the water andD queen of the old mEmain drag
PRECHORUS
EmThe seasonD rubs me Emwrong
EmThe summerD swellsC anon
CHORUS
EmSo knock me down,G tear me up
DBut I would bear it all broken justC to fill my cup
EmDown by the water andD down by the old mEmain drag
BREAK/SOLOS
C | Em | C | Em D |
Em | G | D | C | Em | D
PRECHORUS
EmThe seasonD rubs me Emwrong
EmThe summerD swellsC anon
CHORUS
EmSo knock me down,G tear me up
DBut I would bear it all broken justC to fill my cup
EmDown by the water andD down by the old mEmain drag
OUTRO/CODA
EmDown by the water andD down by the old mEmain drag
EmDown by the water andD down by the old mEmain drag
(There's a ritardando in the last line, you'll hear it)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, that's their latest song!
Like I said, totally blew me away, hope you guys have fun with it.