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Editor’s notes
This video is a guitar lesson for “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer. It includes chords, tabs, and strumming pattern – showing how to play this song in standard tuning on an acoustic guitar.
- 0:00 Playthrough
- 1:55 About this lesson
- 3:24 Chords used
- 5:37 Chord progression timing
- 6:01 Main riff
- 11:38 Verse strum, reggae style
- 13:27 Verse strum, full chords
- 15:16 Chorus
- 17:21 Bridge
Chords w/ lyrics
INTRO (play twice, then let E chord ring)
E –––4–––––4–x–x–––4–––––––––––––––––––––––5–x–x–––0––––––––––––––––
B –––4h5–––5–x–x–––4–––––––––––––0–––––––––5–x–x–––0––––––––––––––––
G –––4–––––4–x–x–––5–––––––––––5–––––5/6–––6–x–x–––1–––––––––––9\–––
D –––4h6–––6–x–x–––6–––––––––6–––––––6/7–––7–x–x–––2–––––––––––9\–––
A –––4–––––––––––––6–––––––6–––––––––6/7–––––––––––2––––––9h11––––––
E –––––––––––––––––4–––4–––––––––––––4/5–––––––––––0–––0––––––––––––
C#m G# A E
INTERLUDE
C#m G# A E
...Oh yeah...................
C#m G# A E
...Alright...................
VERSE
C#m G# A E
Somebody's Heine'..... is crowding my icebox
C#m G# A E
Somebody's cold one... is giving me chills
C#m G# A E
Guess I'll just close... my eyes
INTERLUDE
C#m G# A E
...Oh yeah...... alright.....
C#m G# A E
Feels good...... inside......
VERSE
C#m G# A E
....Flip on the telly...... wrestle with Jimmy
C#m G# A E
....Something is bubbling behind my back
C#m G# A E
The bottle is ready to blow...
CHORUS
C#m G# A E
...........Say it ain't so
C#m G# A E
...Your drug is a heartbreaker
C#m G# A E
...........Say it ain't so
C# G# A E
...My love is a life taker
VERSE
C#m G# A E
I can't confront you... I never could do
C#m G# A E
That which might hurt you... so try and be cool
C#m G# A E
When I say... this way-- is a water slide away from me
C#m G# A E
That takes you further every day... so be cool
CHORUS
C#m G# A E
...........Say it ain't so
C#m G# A E
...Your drug is a heartbreaker
C#m G# A E
...........Say it ain't so
C# G# A E
...My love is a life taker
BRIDGE
(use power chords)
B B/Bb E G
...Dear Daddy... I write you... in spite of years of silence
B B/Bb E G
...You've cleaned up... found Jesus... things are good or so I hear
B B/Bb E G
...This bottle... of Stephen's... awakens ancient feelings
B B/Bb E G
...Like father... stepfather... the son is drowning in the...
C#m G# A E C#m G# A E
Flood--------- yeah yeah... yeah yeah...
(repeat main chord progression, solo as desired)
CHORUS
C#m G# A E
...........Say it ain't so
C#m G# A E
...Your drug is a heartbreaker
C#m G# A E
...........Say it ain't so
C# G# A E
...My love is a life taker
Chords used
Most of the song, except for the bridge, uses these 4 chords in this order (repeating):
E ||––––4––– ––––4–––– ––––5–––– ––––0––––
B ||––––5––– ––––4–––– ––––5–––– ––––0––––
G ||––––6––– ––––5–––– ––––6–––– ––––1––––
D ||––––6––– ––––6–––– ––––7–––– ––––2––––
A ||––––4––– ––––6–––– ––––7–––– ––––2––––
E ||–––––––– ––––4–––– ––––5–––– ––––0––––
C#m G# A E
The timing is generally as follows. Note this is a group of 3 beats, then 5 beats, then 3 beats, then 5 beats. As opposed to all measures being 4 beats equally.
C#m G# A E
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
The chorus is the only section (which uses these chords) that violates this timing principle just above.
Main riff
Play this twice. The final time you play it, let the final E-major chord ring.
E ||–––4–––––4–x–x–––4–––––––––––––––––––––––5–x–x–––0––––––––––––––––––
B ||–––4h5–––5–x–x–––4–––––––––––––0–––––––––5–x–x–––0––––––––––––––––––
G ||–––4–––––4–x–x–––5–––––––––––5–––––5/6–––6–x–x–––1–––––––––––9\–––––
D ||–––4h6–––6–x–x–––6–––––––––6–––––––6/7–––7–x–x–––2–––––––––––9\–––––
A ||–––4–––––––––––––6–––––––6–––––––––6/7–––––––––––2––––––9h11––––––––
E ||–––––––––––––––––4–––4–––––––––––––4/5–––––––––––0–––0––––––––––––––
C#m G# A E
Verse chords, full strum
E –|–––4––––––––––4––––––––––––––––5–––––––––––0––––––––––––––––|–
B –|–––5––x––x––––4––––––––––––––––5–––––––––––0––––––––––––––––|–
G –|–––6––x––x––––5––x––x––x––x––––6––x––x–––––1––x––x––x––x––––|–
D –|–––6––x––x––––6––x––x––x––x––––7––x––x–––––2––x––x––x––x––––|–
A –|–––4––x––x––––6––x––x––x––x––––7––x––x–––––2––x––x––x––x––––|–
E –|––––––––––––––4––x––x––x––x––––5––x––x–––––0––x––x––x––x––––|–
C#m G# A E
Chorus
Repeat this same progression:
"...Say it ain't so..."
E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ||––(5)–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ||–––6––6–––x–x–x–x–––(5)––––––––––––––(6)––––––––––(1)–––––––––––––––––
D ||–––6––6–––x–x–x–x––––6––6––x–x–x–x––––7––7––x–x––––2––x–x–x–x–x–x–x–––
A ||–––4––4–––x–x–x–x––––6––6––x–x–x–x––––7––7––x–x––––2––x–x–x–x–x–x–x–––
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––4––4––x–x–x–x––––5––5––x–x––––0––x–x–x–x–x–x–x–––
C#m G# A E
If you want, you can add that final riff at the end:
E -|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B -|––(5)–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G -|–––6––6–––x–x–x–x–––(5)––––––––––––––(6)––––––––––(1)–––––––––––––9\––
D -|–––6––6–––x–x–x–x––––6––6––x–x–x–x––––7––7––x–x––––2–––x–x––––––––9\––
A -|–––4––4–––x–x–x–x––––6––6––x–x–x–x––––7––7––x–x––––2–––x–x–––9h11–––––
E -|–––––––––––––––––––––4––4––x–x–x–x––––5––5––x–x––––0–––x–x–0––––––––––
C#m G# A E
You can also emulate the sloppy electric guitar wail, by leaving the top two strings open:
"...Say it ain't so..."
E –|––––––––––0–0––––––––––––––0–0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –|––––––––––0–0––––––––––––––0–0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –|–––6––6––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––(6)––––––––––(1)–––––––––––––––––
D –|–––6––6––––––––––––––6––6–––––––––––––7––7––x–x––––2––x–x–x–x–x–x–x–––
A –|–––4––4––––––––––––––6––6–––––––––––––7––7––x–x––––2––x–x–x–x–x–x–x–––
E –|–––––––––––––––––––––4––4–––––––––––––5––5––x–x––––0––x–x–x–x–x–x–x–––
C#m G# A E
The final time you play the progression, it’s good to let all the chords sound loudly.
"...My love is a life taker..."
E –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –|–––6––6––6––6–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––9––9––9––9––9––––––
D –|–––6––6––6––6––––––6––6––6––6––6–––––7––7––7––––––9––9––9––9––9––––––
A –|–––4––4––4––4––––––6––6––6––6––6–––––7––7––7––––––7––7––7––7––7––––––
E –|–––––––––––––––––––4––4––4––4––4–––––5––5––5––––––0––0––0––0––0––––––
C#m G# A E
Bridge
Repeat this progression:
"Dear Daddy... I write you... in spite of years of silence..."
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D ||–––9––9––x––9–––––8––8––x––8–––––2––2––x––2––––––5––5––x––5––––|–
A ||–––9––9––x––9–––––9––9––x––9–––––2––2––x––2––––––5––5––x––5––––|–
E ||–––7––7––x––7–––––6––6––x––6–––––0––0––x––0––––––3––3––x––3––––|–
B B/Bb E G
I’m pretty sure Weezer plays it more like this. Me, I don’t prefer this fashion, hence the version above. Ultimately, it’s the same notes –– take your pick.
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G ||–––4––4––X––4–––––4––4––X––4–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D ||–––4––4––x––4–––––4––4––x––4–––––2––2––x––2––––––5––5––x––5––––|–
A ||–––2––2––x––2–––––1––1––x––1–––––2––2––x––2––––––5––5––x––5––––|–
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0––0––x––0––––––3––3––x––3––––|–
B B/Bb E G
Verse strum, reggae style
If you want to emulate the second guitar on the album version, play this – where you’re emphasizing these chord shapes on the up-strum. The other (lead) guitar can play the main riff on top of this and it sounds very nice.
E –|–––x––4––x––4––x––4––x––4––x––5––x––4––x––4––x––4–––|–
B –|–––x––5––x––4––x––4––x––4––x––5––x––5––x––5––x––5–––|–
G –|–––x––6––x––5––x––5––x––5––x––6––x––4––x––4––x––4–––|–
D –|–––x––6––x––6––x––6––x––6––x––7––x––6––x––6––x––6–––|–
A –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
C#m G# A E
Good luck!
Let me know if you have questions. I hope this was helpful.
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