In Spite Of Ourselves by John Prine I think all of the tabs are pretty poor for this song,so here is how I play the song. It is played in a basic country-blues style alternating bass fingerpicking. The version I am tabbing this from is on Youtube and features a picture of his album "Sweet Revenge." This version does not use a capo, but sometimes he plays this song capoed. INTRO: C Major X 2 F Major e-3-0---0-------------0-----|-----------------------------------------| B-----------3---1-1-3-------|-----1---1-------3---1-3-----------------| G-----0-------0---0-----0-x2|-0h2---------0h2-------------------------| D---------------------------|-------3---3-------3-----3---------------| A-3-------3-----3---3-------|-----------------------------------------| E---------------------------|-1-------1---1-------1-------------------| C Major G Major e-3-0---0-------------0----|-0-------------0-------------3---3--------| B-----------3---1-1-3------|---3---0---------3---0---------------0----| G-----0-------0---0-----0--|-----------0-------------0----------------| D--------------------------|-----0-------0-----0-------0---0----------| A-3-------3-----3---3------|---------------------------------------2--| E--------------------------|-3-------3-----3-------3-----3-----3------| e---------------| For the majority of the song from here on out, I simply B-1-------------| pick out a country blues pattern around these chords. G-------0---0---| D---2-----------|This little bit to the left (the last little bit of intro) A-3-------2---3-|is also used at the end of each little verse segment. E-----3---------| HERE ARE MY PATTERNS: C Major pattern F Major Pattern e-----------------------------|---------------------------------------| B---1-------1-------1-------1-|---1-------1-------1-------1-----------| G-------0-------0-------0-----|-------2-------2-------2---------------| D---2-----2-------2-------2---|---3-----3-------3-------3-------------| A-3-----------3---------------|---------------------------------------| E-----3---------------3-------|-1---1-------1-------1-----------------| G Major Pattern e-------------------------------| At times the G major pattern will need to B---3-------3-------3-----------|extended without playing that final B note. G-------0-------0-------0-------|Only finish it with that B note when leading D---0-----0-------0-------------|back into the C major Chord (tonic). A-------------------------2-----| E-3---3-------3-------3---------| Here are the Lyrics and the chords so you know when to play each pattern: C C She don't like her eggs all runny, She thinks crossin' her legs is funny F C She looks down her nose at money, She gets it on like the Easter Bunny, G G C She's my baby, I'm her honey, I ain't never gonna let her go. C C He ain't got laid in a month of sundays, caught him once he was sniffing my undies F C He ain't too sharp but he gets things done, drinks his beer like its oxygen G G C He's my baby, and I'm his honey, Never gonna let him Go Chorus: C F C In spite of ourselves, we'll end up sittin' on a rainbow G C F Against all odds, Honey we're the big door prize, We're gonna spite, Our C G noses right off of our faces, There won't be nothing but big old hearts C dancing in our eyes. Instrumental break: C F C F e-0----------------------------------------0---0------------------------| B-1-3---------1------1-3---1-3-------1-----------3---------1------1-3---| G-----0-0h2--------------------0---------0---0-----0-0h2----------------| D-----------3------3-----3---3-----2---------------------3------3-----3-| A-3----------------------------0h3-----3---3---3------------------------| E-------1-------1----1-----1-------------------------1-------1----1-----| C F C e-----------------0---0----------------------------------------0---------| B-1-3-------1-----------3---------1------1-3---1-3-------1-----------1---| G-----0---------0---0-----0-0h2--------------------0---------0---0-----0-| D---3-----2---------------------3------3-----3---3-----2-----------------| A-----0h3-----3---3---3----------------------------0h3-----3---3---3-----| E-1-------------------------1-------1----1-----1-------------------------| C G e-0---0---------------------------------| B---------1---3---3-------1-------------| G---0-------0---------0---------0---0---| D---------------0-----------2-----------| A-3-----3---------------2-3-------2---3-| E-------------3-----3---------3---------| Rest of the song continues as normal: C C She thinks all my jokes are corny, Convict movies make her horny, F C She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs, swears like a sailor when she shaves her legs. G C She takes a lickin', and keeps on tickin', Never gonna let her go C C He's got more balls than a big brass monkey, He's a whacked out weirdo and a lovebug junkie F C Sly as a fox, Crazy as a loon, Payday comes and he's a-howling at the moon, G C He's my baby, I don't mean maybe, Never gonna let him go Chorus x 2 and fade out. This should be a pretty good guide to the song. There are several ways to play these fingerpicked countryish tunes and make them sound great. Experiment. Thank you, Mr Prine, for being a fantastic songwriter. www.TAB6.com