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Editorβs notes
In this lesson Iβll teach you how to play βAcid Tongueβ by Jenny Lewis. Chords, strumming pattern, intro tab, etc β itβs all here! This was a very dear song to me back when it came out in 2009 β and I 100% recommend the album of the same name. I hope you dig this lesson!
Chords w/ lyrics
(capo 2nd fret)
INTRO
E ββ3βββββββ3β3β3β3β3βββββββ3βββ3β3βββ
B ββ0βββββββ0β0β1β1β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ
G ββ0βββββββ0β0β0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ
D ββ0βββββββ0β0β2β2β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ ...play twice
A ββxβββββββxβxβxβxβxβββββββxβββxβxβββ
E ββ3βββββββ3β3β3β3β3βββββββ3βββ3β3βββ
G C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D U D D D U
VERSE
G C
I went to a cobbler to fix a hole in my shoe
D C G C G
He took one look at my face and said "I can fix that hole in you"
G C
...I beg your pardon, I'm not looking for a cure
D C G C G
I've seen enough from my friends in the depths of the God-sick blues
CHORUS
G Am G
...You know I am a... liar-------
G Am G
...You know I am a... liar-------
G Am C G C G
...Nobody helps a.... liar------------
G C
'Cause I've been down to Dixie and dropped acid on my tongue
D C G C G
Tripped upon the land 'til enough was enough
G C
I was a little bit lighter and adventure on my sleeve
D C G C G
I was a little drunk and looking for company
G C
So I found myself a sweetheart with the softest of hands
D C G C G
We were unlucky in love but I'd do it all again
G Am G
...We built ourselves a... fire-------
G Am G
...We built ourselves a... fire-------
G Am C G C G
...You know I am a... liar-------
G C G/B Am (let ring) G C G
...And you don't know what I've done
G C
And by the rollin' river is exactly where I was
D C G C G
There was no snake oil cure for unlucky in love
G C
To be lonely is a habit, like smoking or taking drugs
D C G C G
And I've quit them both but man, was it rough
G Am G
...And now I am...... tired-----
G Am G
...It just made me... tired-----
G Am G
...Let's build ourselves a... fire-----
G Am C G C G
...Let's build ourselves a... fire--------
(repeat G-C-G as desired to end)
How to play the chords
Hereβs the typical positions used for each of the chords needed in this song:
E βββ3ββββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ3βββ
B βββ0ββββ1ββββ3ββββ1ββββ0βββ
G βββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ2ββββ0βββ
D βββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ2ββββ0βββ
A βββ2ββββ3βββββββββ0ββββ2βββ
E βββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββ
G C D Am G/B
Suggested intro chords
In spite of the chord shapes above, I would absolutely recommend learning this 2-finger way of playing a G-major for the intro of this song β as it makes the switch from G-to-C so much easier. See my video lesson for context. Technically, the C below is a βC/Gβ, but Iβll refer to it as a C for simplicity.
E βββ3βββ <= left pinky f. ββ3βββ <= left pinky f.
B βββ0βββ ββ1βββ <= left index f.
G βββ0βββ ββ0βββ
D βββ0βββ ββ2βββ <= left middle f.
A βββxβββ ββxβββ
E βββ3βββ <= left ring f. ββ3βββ <= left ring f.
G C
Using the shapes above, you can play the intro G-C-G sequence in the intro as follows:
G C G
E ββ3βββββββ3β3β3β3β3βββββββ3βββ3β3βββ
B ββ0βββββββ0β0β1β1β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ
G ββ0βββββββ0β0β0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ
D ββ0βββββββ0β0β2β2β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ
A ββxβββββββxβxβxβxβxβββββββxβββxβxβββ
E ββ3βββββββ3β3β3β3β3βββββββ3βββ3β3βββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D U D D D U
Strumming pattern
Hereβs an easy strum to get started with. Establish your tempo (1-2-3-4), and then do downstrums on only the 1 and 3 counts.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D
From there, you can mimic what Jenny Lewis plays through most of the song by doing this. Note, youβll want to keep your accent on the 1 and 3 counts, but youβll want to add a subtle βdown upβ on the β4 +β counts. See my video lesson for reference.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D U
> >
For strumming the G-C-G sequence (heard in the intro, etc) β refer to this mapping. Basically, youβll want to maintain the 1 and 3 accented counts, but you also need an additional up-strum on the first β3 +β count, just before switching to the C. Again, see my video lesson for reference.
G C G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D U D D D U
> > > >
Chord progressions
Intro:
G β’ β’ C G β’ β’ β’ G β’Β β’ C G β’ β’ β’
Verse:
βI went to a cobbler...β
G β’ β’ β’ G β’ β’ β’ C β’ β’ β’ C β’ β’ β’
D β’ β’ β’ C β’ β’ β’ G β’ β’ C G β’ β’ β’
Chorus:
βWe built ourselves a fire...β
Am β’ β’ β’ Am β’ β’ β’ G β’ β’ β’ G β’ β’ β’
Am β’ β’ β’ Am β’ β’ β’ G β’ β’ β’ G β’ β’ β’
Am β’ β’ β’ Am β’ β’ β’ C β’ β’ β’ C β’ β’ β’
Leaving all strings open during chord transitions
It sounds like, on the album recording of this song, the guitarist is using a technique whereby theyβre releasing all of their left-hand chord fingers from each chord on the final βdown upβ strums before each new chord. Specifically, see the sample tab below where the * denotes that Iβm picking up all my left hand fingers from the chord - just for the two strums before the next chord comes in. See my video lesson for additional reference.
G * C *
E ββ3βββββββ3βββ3β3β3βββββββ3βββ0β0βββ|ββ0βββββββ0βββ0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0ββ|β
B ββ0βββββββ0βββ0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ|ββ1βββββββ1βββ1β1β1βββββββ1βββ0β0ββ|β
G ββ0βββββββ0βββ0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ|ββ0βββββββ0βββ0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0ββ|β
D ββ0βββββββ0βββ0β0β0βββββββ0βββ0β0βββ|ββ2βββββββ2βββ2β2β2βββββββ2βββ0β0ββ|β
A ββxβββββββxβββxβxβxβββββββxβββ0β0βββ|ββ3βββββββ3βββ3β3β3βββββββ3βββ0β0ββ|β
E ββ3βββββββ3βββ3β3β3βββββββ3βββ0β0βββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D U D D D U D D D U D D D U
Bridge walk-down
Hereβs how to play the bridge walk-down that happens midway through the song:
"And you don't know what I've done...""
E ββ3ββ βββ0ββββ3ββββ0ββββ
B ββ0ββ βββ1ββββ0ββββ1ββββ
G ββ0ββ βββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ
D ββ0ββ => βββ2ββββ0ββββ2ββββ ...let the A-minor ring,
A ββ2ββ βββ3ββββ2ββββ0ββββ then return to the G
E ββ3ββ ββββββββββββββββββ
G C G/B Am
Good luck!
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