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Editorβs notes
This video is a guitar lesson for βSay It Ainβt Soβ by Weezer. It includes chords, tabs, and strumming pattern β 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 βββ4βββββ4βxβxβββ4βββββββββββββββββββββββ5βxβxβββ0ββββββββββββββββ
B βββ4h5βββ5βxβxβββ4βββββββββββββ0βββββββββ5βxβxβββ0ββββββββββββββββ
G βββ4βββββ4βxβxβββ5βββββββββββ5βββββ5/6βββ6βxβxβββ1βββββββββββ9\βββ
D βββ4h6βββ6βxβxβββ6βββββββββ6βββββββ6/7βββ7βxβxβββ2βββββββββββ9\βββ
A βββ4βββββββββββββ6βββββββ6βββββββββ6/7βββββββββββ2ββββββ9h11ββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββ4βββ4βββββββββββββ4/5βββββββββββ0βββ0ββββββββββββ
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 ||ββββ4βββ ββββ4ββββ ββββ5ββββ ββββ0ββββ
B ||ββββ5βββ ββββ4ββββ ββββ5ββββ ββββ0ββββ
G ||ββββ6βββ ββββ5ββββ ββββ6ββββ ββββ1ββββ
D ||ββββ6βββ ββββ6ββββ ββββ7ββββ ββββ2ββββ
A ||ββββ4βββ ββββ6ββββ ββββ7ββββ ββββ2ββββ
E ||ββββββββ ββββ4ββββ ββββ5ββββ ββββ0ββββ
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 ||βββ4βββββ4βxβxβββ4βββββββββββββββββββββββ5βxβxβββ0ββββββββββββββββββ
B ||βββ4h5βββ5βxβxβββ4βββββββββββββ0βββββββββ5βxβxβββ0ββββββββββββββββββ
G ||βββ4βββββ4βxβxβββ5βββββββββββ5βββββ5/6βββ6βxβxβββ1βββββββββββ9\βββββ
D ||βββ4h6βββ6βxβxβββ6βββββββββ6βββββββ6/7βββ7βxβxβββ2βββββββββββ9\βββββ
A ||βββ4βββββββββββββ6βββββββ6βββββββββ6/7βββββββββββ2ββββββ9h11ββββββββ
E ||βββββββββββββββββ4βββ4βββββββββββββ4/5βββββββββββ0βββ0ββββββββββββββ
C#m G# A E
Verse chords, full strum
E β|βββ4ββββββββββ4ββββββββββββββββ5βββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββ|β
B β|βββ5ββxββxββββ4ββββββββββββββββ5βββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββ|β
G β|βββ6ββxββxββββ5ββxββxββxββxββββ6ββxββxβββββ1ββxββxββxββxββββ|β
D β|βββ6ββxββxββββ6ββxββxββxββxββββ7ββxββxβββββ2ββxββxββxββxββββ|β
A β|βββ4ββxββxββββ6ββxββxββxββxββββ7ββxββxβββββ2ββxββxββxββxββββ|β
E β|ββββββββββββββ4ββxββxββxββxββββ5ββxββxβββββ0ββxββxββxββxββββ|β
C#m G# A E
Chorus
Repeat this same progression:
"...Say it ain't so..."
E ||ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ||ββ(5)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ||βββ6ββ6βββxβxβxβxβββ(5)ββββββββββββββ(6)ββββββββββ(1)βββββββββββββββββ
D ||βββ6ββ6βββxβxβxβxββββ6ββ6ββxβxβxβxββββ7ββ7ββxβxββββ2ββxβxβxβxβxβxβxβββ
A ||βββ4ββ4βββxβxβxβxββββ6ββ6ββxβxβxβxββββ7ββ7ββxβxββββ2ββxβxβxβxβxβxβxβββ
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββ4ββ4ββxβxβxβxββββ5ββ5ββxβxββββ0ββxβxβxβxβxβxβxβββ
C#m G# A E
If you want, you can add that final riff at the end:
E -|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B -|ββ(5)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G -|βββ6ββ6βββxβxβxβxβββ(5)ββββββββββββββ(6)ββββββββββ(1)βββββββββββββ9\ββ
D -|βββ6ββ6βββxβxβxβxββββ6ββ6ββxβxβxβxββββ7ββ7ββxβxββββ2βββxβxββββββββ9\ββ
A -|βββ4ββ4βββxβxβxβxββββ6ββ6ββxβxβxβxββββ7ββ7ββxβxββββ2βββxβxβββ9h11βββββ
E -|βββββββββββββββββββββ4ββ4ββxβxβxβxββββ5ββ5ββxβxββββ0βββxβxβ0ββββββββββ
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 β|ββββββββββ0β0ββββββββββββββ0β0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B β|ββββββββββ0β0ββββββββββββββ0β0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G β|βββ6ββ6ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ(6)ββββββββββ(1)βββββββββββββββββ
D β|βββ6ββ6ββββββββββββββ6ββ6βββββββββββββ7ββ7ββxβxββββ2ββxβxβxβxβxβxβxβββ
A β|βββ4ββ4ββββββββββββββ6ββ6βββββββββββββ7ββ7ββxβxββββ2ββxβxβxβxβxβxβxβββ
E β|βββββββββββββββββββββ4ββ4βββββββββββββ5ββ5ββxβxββββ0ββxβxβxβxβxβxβxβββ
C#m G# A E
The final time you play the progression, itβs good to let all the chords sound loudly.
"...My love is a life taker..."
E β|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B β|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G β|βββ6ββ6ββ6ββ6βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ9ββ9ββ9ββ9ββ9ββββββ
D β|βββ6ββ6ββ6ββ6ββββββ6ββ6ββ6ββ6ββ6βββββ7ββ7ββ7ββββββ9ββ9ββ9ββ9ββ9ββββββ
A β|βββ4ββ4ββ4ββ4ββββββ6ββ6ββ6ββ6ββ6βββββ7ββ7ββ7ββββββ7ββ7ββ7ββ7ββ7ββββββ
E β|βββββββββββββββββββ4ββ4ββ4ββ4ββ4βββββ5ββ5ββ5ββββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββββββ
C#m G# A E
Bridge
Repeat this progression:
"Dear Daddy... I write you... in spite of years of silence..."
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||βββ9ββ9ββxββ9βββββ8ββ8ββxββ8βββββ2ββ2ββxββ2ββββββ5ββ5ββxββ5ββββ|β
A ||βββ9ββ9ββxββ9βββββ9ββ9ββxββ9βββββ2ββ2ββxββ2ββββββ5ββ5ββxββ5ββββ|β
E ||βββ7ββ7ββxββ7βββββ6ββ6ββxββ6βββββ0ββ0ββxββ0ββββββ3ββ3ββxββ3ββββ|β
B B/Bb E G
Iβm pretty sure Weezer plays it more like this. Me, I donβt prefer this fashion, hence the version above. Ultimately, itβs the same notes ββ take your pick.
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||βββ4ββ4ββXββ4βββββ4ββ4ββXββ4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||βββ4ββ4ββxββ4βββββ4ββ4ββxββ4βββββ2ββ2ββxββ2ββββββ5ββ5ββxββ5ββββ|β
A ||βββ2ββ2ββxββ2βββββ1ββ1ββxββ1βββββ2ββ2ββxββ2ββββββ5ββ5ββxββ5ββββ|β
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0ββ0ββxββ0ββββββ3ββ3ββxββ3ββββ|β
B B/Bb E G
Verse strum, reggae style
If you want to emulate the second guitar on the album version, play this β where youβre 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 β|βββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ5ββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ4βββ|β
B β|βββxββ5ββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ5ββxββ5ββxββ5ββxββ5βββ|β
G β|βββxββ6ββxββ5ββxββ5ββxββ5ββxββ6ββxββ4ββxββ4ββxββ4βββ|β
D β|βββxββ6ββxββ6ββxββ6ββxββ6ββxββ7ββxββ6ββxββ6ββxββ6βββ|β
A β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E β|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
C#m G# A E
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