Video lesson
My video showing you how to play it like Smashing Pumpkins (lesson #285):
My cover version, which uses a strummier βeasyβ arrangement (lesson #287):
PDFs chord sheets for both versions are available via the link below.
Get the PDF chord sheet (3 pages)
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After clicking the button and logging in to Patreon, look for the PDF attached to the bottom of the post.
Editorβs notes
Hereβs a guitar lesson showing you how to play an acoustic version of 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins (played in standard tuning). In this tutorial, Iβll break down the two main riffs used in great details, tabs included, before showing additional advice for utilizing a variety chord voicings & strumming patterns. Put it all together, and youβll know what you need to pull this song off in a few different ways.
Timestamps of what I teach:
- 0:00 Lesson overview
- 2:05 Intro & Verse Riff
- β’ Starting with the bass notes (2:05)
- β’ Adding octaves & muted strings (6:24)
- β’ Adding open strings & the bend (8:44)
- 15:38 Chorus Riff
- 20:58 Bridge
- 22:12 Misc. Chord Voicings
- 24:13 Misc. Strumming Tips
Tuning notes
Tune down 1/2 step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) to play along with the band version, if you use the chords I show you in this lesson. My lesson is in standard tuning, which I decided to do just to keep things accessible and straightforward.
Lyrics with chords
INTRO Eb βββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bb βββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Gb βββ8βββ8βββ8β8β8ββ/9ββββ4ββ4β4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Db βββxβββxβββxβxβxβββxββββxββxβxβxβββββ6b~~β4ββ2ββ4ββ6βββ9β9β9β9βββ
Ab βββ6βββ6βββ6β6β6ββ/7ββββ2ββ2β2β2βββββ0ββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0βββ0β0β0β0βββ
Eb ββ(0)βββββββββββββ(0)ββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E-riff A-riff
VERSE
E-riff A-riff E-riff A-riff
..........Shakedown, 1979.........Cool kids never have the time
E-riff A-riff F#m B
....On a, live wire right up off the street, you and I... should
E-riff A-riff E-riff A-riff
Meet.........Junebug skipping like a stone... with the... headlights pointed at the
E-riff A-riff F#m B
Dawn....... We were sure we'd never see an end...to it all
CHORUS
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Gb βββ9βββ9βββ9β9β9βββ8ββ8β8βββ4ββ4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Db βββ9βββ9βββ9β9β9βββ9ββ9β9βββ4ββ4β4βββ6b~ββ4ββ2ββ4ββ6βββ9β9β9β9βββ
Ab βββ7βββ7βββ7β7β7βββ7ββ7β7βββ2ββ2β2βββ0ββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0βββ0β0β0β0βββ
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0ββ(0)ββββββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E /Eb B A-riff
E /Eb B A-riff
And I------- don't even care... to shake these zipper
E /Eb B A-riff
Blues... and we don't know... just where our bones
E /Eb B A-riff F#m B (E-riff)
Will rest------- to dust, I guess... forgotten and absorbed... into the earth below
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] Double crossed, the vacant and the bored
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] They're not sure just what we have in store
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] Morphine, city slippin' [F#m] dues, down to [B] see
E /Eb B A-riff E
That we------ don't even care... as restless as we are
(E) /Eb B A-riff
...... We feel the pull... in the land of a thousand
E /Eb B A-riff
Guilts------ and poured cement... lamented and
BRIDGE
B C#m A B C#m A
Assured to the lights... and towns below..... Faster than, the speed of sound
B C#m A F#m B E-riff
Faster than, we thought we'd go..... Beneath, the sound, of hope
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] Justine never knew the rules
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] Hung down with the freaks and the ghouls
[E-riff] ... No-a [A-riff] 'pologies ever need be made
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] I know you better than you [F#m] fake it, to [B] see
That [E] we---- don't [/Eb B] even [A-riff] care... to shake these zipper [E] blues
[E] ...That [/Eb B] we don't [A-riff] know... just where our bones,
Will [E] rest----- to [/Eb B] dust I [A-riff] guess...
Forgotten and [F#m] absorbed... to the [B] earth... [E-riff] below
[E-riff] ....[A-riff] the street heats the urgency of now
[E-riff] ... [A-riff] as you see, there's no one [E] around
Learning the intro & verse riff
Keep it simple at first βΒ donβt expect yourself to immediately be able to capture the subtle nuance of the droning 6th string, the bend you do in the 3rd measure of the intro/verse, etc. Instead, take it step by step.
First, start with the bass notes. Get comfortable playing this over and over. When you can do this fluently, move on to the next step.
Eb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Gb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Db βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ7β6ββ4ββ2ββ4ββ6βββ9β9β9β9βββ <= left ring and middle
Ab βββ6βββ6βββ6β6β6βββ7ββββ2ββ2β2β2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ <= left index
Eb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Second, add the muted octaves (first half) and the droning 5th string (second half). Keep the strumming simple! Also, note that Iβm not doing the bend yet on the first note of the second half (which later on weβll add on 6th fret of the 4th string).
Eb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Gb βββ8βββ8βββ8β8β8βββ9ββββ4ββ4β4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Db βββxβββxβββxβxβxβββxββββxββxβxβxβββ7β6ββ4ββ2ββ4ββ6βββ9β9β9β9βββ
Ab βββ6βββ6βββ6β6β6βββ7ββββ2ββ2β2β2βββ0β0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0βββ0β0β0β0βββ
Eb βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Then, after many reps and when youβre comfortable enough to spice it up, take it all the way (adding the bend, adding the occasionally droning open 6th string , etc).
Eb βββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bb βββxβββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Gb βββ8βββ8βββ8β8β8ββ/9ββββ4ββ4β4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Db βββxβββxβββxβxβxβββxββββxββxβxβxβββ6b~~β4ββ2ββ4ββ6βββ9β9β9β9βββ
Ab βββ6βββ6βββ6β6β6ββ/7ββββ2ββ2β2β2βββ0ββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0βββ0β0β0β0βββ
Eb ββ(0)βββββββββββββ(0)ββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Learning the chorus riff
This one is a bit more straightforward, in that itβs using techniques already established in the first riff. Hereβs how I like to play it:
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Gb βββ9βββ9βββ9β9β9βββ8ββ8β8βββ4ββ4β4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Db βββ9βββ9βββ9β9β9βββ9ββ9β9βββ4ββ4β4βββ6b~ββ4ββ2ββ4ββ6βββ9β9β9β9βββ
Ab βββ7βββ7βββ7β7β7βββ7ββ7β7βββ2ββ2β2βββ0ββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0βββ0β0β0β0βββ
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0ββ(0)ββββββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E /Eb B A-riff
However, here are a few variations and notes to keep in mindβ¦
Strumming Asus2 in the second half
The second half of this riff uses the βA-riffβ which is found in the intro & verse sectionsβ¦ but you can replace this with an Asus2 chord (x022000), strummed, if you want to simplify things. This is also nice just to mix things up, so youβre not repeating the A-riff too much.
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββ
Bb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββ0βββββββββββββββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββ
Gb βββ9βββ9βββ9β9β9βββ8ββ8β8βββ4ββ4β4βββ2ββ2ββ2β2β2ββββ2ββ2ββ2β2β2ββ
Db βββ9βββ9βββ9β9β9βββ9ββ9β9βββ4ββ4β4βββ2ββ2ββ2β2β2ββββ2ββ2ββ2β2β2ββ
Ab βββ7βββ7βββ7β7β7βββ7ββ7β7βββ2ββ2β2βββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββ
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0ββ(0)ββββββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E /Eb B Asus2
Modifying the β/Ebβ chord
The second chord I have as β/Ebβ (spoken as βover E-flatβ), which could alternatively be described as E-maj-7 (E-major-7). Different lessons for this song show this chord played in different ways. I use the approach above because I think it sounds great and is easy to play. Alternatively, hereβs other ways to do that same voicing. Pick your poison.
How I play it: Other ways to play it:
ββββ0ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ0ββββ
ββββ0ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ0ββββ ββββ0ββββ0ββββ
ββββ9ββββ8ββββ ββββ9ββββ9ββββ ββββ9ββββ8ββββ ββββ9ββββ8ββββ
ββββ9ββββ9ββββ ββββ9ββββ9ββββ ββββ9ββββ9ββββ ββββ9ββββxββββ
ββββ7ββββ7ββββ ββββ7ββββ6ββββ ββββ7ββββ6ββββ ββββ7ββββ6ββββ
ββββ0βββ(0)βββ ββββ0βββββββββ ββββ0βββββββββ ββββ0βββββββββ
E /Eb E /Eb E /Eb E /Eb
Learning the bridge chords
Hereβs how I like to play the bridge chord voicings. The cool part about this approach, is you keep your left ring and left pinky fingers on the 4th and 3rd strings (respectively) for all three chords.
Eb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββ
Bb βββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0βββββ0βββ0βββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββ
Gb βββ4βββ4βββ4β4β4βββββ4βββ4βββ4β4β4ββββ6ββ6ββ6β6β6ββββ2ββ2ββ2β2β2ββ <= left pinky
Db βββ4βββ4βββ4β4β4βββββ4βββ4βββ4β4β4ββββ6ββ6ββ6β6β6ββββ2ββ2ββ2β2β2ββ <= left ring
Ab βββ2βββ2βββ2β2β2βββββ2βββ2βββ2β2β2ββββ4ββ4ββ4β4β4ββββ0ββ0ββ0β0β0ββ <= left index
Eb ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B B C#m A
Chord reference chart
Okay, there are a lot of ways to play the chords you hear in this song. Sometimes, a single chord may played 2-3 different ways β depending on the skill level, and sound, and strumming style you want to go for. You can reference videos of Billy playing this live, or see Rivers Cuomoβs cover version, and so on β my suggestion is watch a bunch, take your pick, and understand youβre 100% empowered to play these chords however you like.
Here are the chords, grouped by chord name.
Eb ββ0βββ0ββ Eb ββ0βββ0βββ0ββ Eb ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ Eb βββββ(0)β(0)β Eb ββ0ββ2ββxββ
Bb ββ0βββ0ββ Bb ββ0βββ0βββ0ββ Bb ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ Bb ββ4ββ(0)β(0)β Bb ββ0ββ2ββxββ
Gb ββ1βββ9ββ Gb ββ8βββ8βββ9ββ Gb ββ2ββ6ββ6ββ Gb ββ4βββ4βββ8ββ Gb ββ9ββ2ββxββ
Db ββ2βββ9ββ Db ββ9βββ9βββ9ββ Db ββ2ββ7ββ7ββ Db ββ4βββ4βββ9ββ Db ββ7ββ4ββ4ββ
Ab ββ2βββ7ββ Ab ββ7βββ6βββ6ββ Ab ββ0ββ0ββ7ββ Ab ββ2βββ2βββ9ββ Ab ββ9ββ4ββ4ββ
Eb ββ0βββ0ββ Eb ββ0ββββββββββ Eb ββββββββ5ββ Eb ββββββββββ7ββ Eb βββββ2ββ2ββ
E E/Eb A B F#m
Strumming
To strum like Billy plays, youβll want to do steady down-strums on the 8th notes as shown below. The trick here is to pay close attention to your dynamics and swells and crescendos. Donβt play the same exact volume the whole time! That gets boring. Instead, find ways to build things up, quiet things down, and emphasize certain strums. One approach could be to accent the quarter notes slightly (1-2-3-4), and on the 8th notes in between be a little bit more quiet.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
d d d d d d d d "DOWN down DOWN down DOWN down DOWN down..."
Another approach, if you want something more strummy in a traditional sense, is to use a pattern like this. Note that many of my tabs in this lesson sort of follow this implied rhythm. Which itself is very loosely inspired by the drum track on this song.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
d d d u d "Down, down, down-up-down..."
Other videos
Hereβs the official video from Smashing Pumpkins.
Billyβs solo acoustic performance on Howard Stern:
Rivers Cuomo solo acoustic version:
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