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September Gurls

Big Star

Text File

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: marc@owlnet.rice.edu (Marc Bennett Hirsh)
Subject: TAB: "September Gurls" (Big Star)

Here's the only Big Star song many people know. The Bangles covered
this on their great _Different_Light_ album (not as good as _All_
_Over_The_Place_, but this isn't the time...), and while the
emphasis of their version seemed to be on the vocals (which is the
reason why Michael Steele is my favorite Bangle, for those of us who
have one), the original just plain focuses on the song, pure and
simple. If you know what that means, let me know. Notes:

1) Both guitars are capoed up 2 frets. Thus, all info is based on
    chord shape, not concert pitch. If the TAB says "2," then the note
    is played on the 4th fret of the neck, which is the 2nd fret if
    the capo is the nut. Make sense? This is standard business that
    I'm describing poorly.
2) The rhythm guitar (guitar 1) is very clean and jangly. The lead
    guitar (guitar 2) is kinda biting and sharp. I'm not sure how to
    get that sound, but if you jangle with both guitars, you'll
    probably sound okay. If you want, you can tune down your high E
    string to D and let it ring throughout the solo, which sounds
    good and only necessitates a few horrendous stretches across the
    fingerboard. Do what you want.
3) Kinda like in "The Ballad of El Goodo," the rhythm guitar is
    mostly extremely simplistic. I'm not writing most of the rhythm
    out in TAB because it would waste space and tell you not much
    more than you already know. If you just keep pounding away at
    quarter note intervals, you'll sound great. Also assume that if I
    don't specify otherwise, guitar 1 is always playing chords at the
    aforementioned rhythm. So if you just see a guitar 2 fill, guitar
    1 is still going at it unless I've said it isn't. Capice?
4) No backing vocals written here, nohow.
5) As he was the only guitarist in the band at this point, Alex
    Chilton played both parts, overdubbing them. This would be hard to
    do on stage, so chances are that you'll need 2 guitars. But it
    can be done on one guitar, trust me. I think the Bangles did it.
6) The little ghost notes in the intro are basically just there
    because that's what should happen when you make the changes. Don't
    try to put them there. If you play it right, it should just kinda
    happen.
7) The TAB for guitar 2 during the bridge ("When I get home...") is
    somewhat of an approximation. There's something more complex than
    just palm-muted power chords going on here, but I can't tell what
    it is. The single-note lines should be right, though. It looks
    scary, but that's only because Chilton hits one or two notes in
    the middle of a bend. Listening to the song (never a bad idea
    anyway) will show what it is you're shooting for.
8) I'm not sure, but I think Chilton (and bassist Andy Hummel, for
    that matter) may have made a mistake in the rhythm part behind the
    solo. In the first 2 bars, he plays D D D D | A A G G, when the
    rest of the time he plays D D A A | G G G G. Whether it was
    intentional or not, it sounds good, anyway, but the fact that the
    first 2 bars are different from the pattern set up in the rest of
    the solo is perplexing. To me, at least. But it's his song, so he
    can do whatever he wants.
9) The Bangles version is almost exactly the same except:
    a) The solo is different. The Bangles solo is a lot faster and,
        frankly, kinda confusing. I'd like to know it, but not *that*
        badly. The Bangles do something not entirely unlike the BS
        solo during their outro. Oh, and they correct the "mistake" I
        mentioned in the last note.
    b) Lyric changes:
        "I was your butch" to "And for so long"
        "I loved you, well, never mind" to "I loved you, boy, never
            mind" (a small change, but I thought it was a nice touch)
        "the time *she* make things right" to "the time *he* makes
            things right" (obvious, but I'm just pointing it out)
        "when *she* makes love to me" to "when *he* makes love to me"
            (ditto)
    c) It sounds like there may only be one guitar in the Bangles
        version. Lead and rhythm seem to have been incorporated into
        one guitar (I may be wrong, though). Because of this, the
        fills are simplified.
    d) The Bangles change the complex mixture of chords (A7sus4 and
        G - is this a G6add9?) in the bar before the solo to a
        straight G chord and add an extra bar of G immediately
        afterwards to show off their amazing vocal harmonies before
        the solo. Not like Big Star couldn't have done this, but they
        just didn't.
    e) The Bangles repeat the descending intro bit quietly after the
        song has finished.
    f) There's lots of keyboard in the Bangles version.
    g) The Bangles version is followed by "Angels Don't Fall in
        Love," while the Big Star original goes into "Morpha Too."
        Kind of a stupid thing to point out, but it alters one's mood
        after hearing SG.
    Gee, maybe the Bangles version *isn't* exactly like the Big Star
    version...
10) No, I don't know why he spelled it "Gurls" (anyone?). I don't
    think it matters.


"September Gurls" (Alex Chilton)
Performed by Big Star
From the album _Radio_City_ (on one outstanding CD with _#1_Record_)
Transcribed without permission by Marc Hirsh, but really, I'm just
    trying to help

Notation:
s - sixteenth note
e - eighth note
q - quarter note
h - half note
w - whole note
. - play note for one and a half times the value before it (just like a dot in
     standard notation)
^ - ties two note lengths together
NOTE LENGTHS IN CAPITAL LETTERS MEAN REST FOR THAT VALUE OF TIME!
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off


CAPO ALL GUITARS UP 2 FRETS
Let ring

    G/D       A/D     G/D       D
(guitar 1)
E---7-7-(0)-|-5-5-(0)-3-3-(0)-|-2---2-2-------2-|-2-2---2---2-|
B---8-8-(0)-|-5-5-(0)-3-3-(0)-|-3---3-3-------3-|-3-3---3---3-|
G---7-7-(0)-|-6-6-(0)-4-4-(0)-|-2---2-2-------2-|-2-2---2---2-|
D---0-0-----|-0-0-----0-0-----|-0---0-0-------0-|-0-0---0---0-|
A-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------|
E-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------|
| H q e (e)   q e (e) q e (e)   q   q q       q   q q   q   q
|
|(guitar 2)
E-----------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
B-----------|-----------------|---------------3-|-3-------------|
G-----------|-----------------|---------2-(2)h4-|-2-------------|
D-----------|-----------------|---(2)h4---------|---(4)\2-0-----|
A-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------2-0-|
E-----------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
  W           W                 H     e e     q   h     e e e e

(guitar 2 out)
   D            A
September girls do so much
  G                Em
I was your butch until we touched
D                 A
I loved you, well, never mind
G                Em
(guitar 2)
E--------------|---------------|
B-x------------|---------------|
G-0------------|---------------|
D-0------------|-------------2-|
A-x------------|---------------|
E--------------|---------------|
  w              H.        E e
I've been crying all the time

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

(guitar 1)
   D                              G
E--2-2-2-2--|-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-|-5-5---3-3-3-3-3-|
B--3-3-3-3--|-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-|-5-5---3-3-3-3-3-|
G--2-2-2-2--|-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-|-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-|
D--0-0-0-0--|-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-|-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-|
A-----------|---------|---------|-----------------|
E-----------|---------|---------|-----------------|
|  q q q q    q q q q   q q q q   q q E s s s s e
|
|(guitar 2)                     (reverse rake)
E-----------|---------|---------|-5---------------|
B-------(3)-|---3-2---|---------|-5---------------|
G---2-2--2--|---4-2-2-|-(2)-2---|-0---------------|
D---2h4-----|-------4-|-(4)-2---|-0---------------|
A-----------|---------|---------|-----------------|
E-----------|---------|---------|-----------------|
  Q e q  q.   E q h e   (e) q.^h  w

(guitar 2 out)
   D               A
September girls, I don't know why
G              Em
How can I deny what's inside?
D            A
Even though I keep away
G              Em
(guitar 2)
E------------|---------------|
B-x----------|---------------|
G-0----------|---------------|
D-0----------|-------------2-|
A-x----------|---------------|
E------------|---------------|
  w            H.        E e
They will love all our days

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

  D
(guitar 2)
E--------------|-----------|
B-----(h3)-----|---(h3)----|
G-2-(2)------2-|-(2)-2-----|
D-2-(2)h4----2-|-(2)h4-----|
A---------0----|-------2---|
E--------------|-----------|
  q     q q. e       e q.^h

     A    A7sus4         A  A7sus4
(guitar 1)
E----0-----0----------|--0---3----3--|
B----2-----3----------|--2---3----3--|
G----2-----0----------|--2---0----0--|
D----2-----2----------|--2---2----2--|
A----0-----0----------|--0---0----0--|
E---------------------|--------------|
|    q.    e^h           q.  e^q  q
|
|(guitar 2 - palm muted during chords only)
E---------------------|-----------------|
B---------------------|-----------------|
G----2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
D----2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A----0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E---------------------|-----------------|
     e e e e  e e e e   e e e e e e e e
When I get to bed       late at night

  A         A7sus4         A    A7sus4
(guitar 1)
E-0-0--------3-3-3-3-3-3-|-0-0---3--3-3-|
B-2-2--------3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-2---3--3-3-|
G-2-2--------0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2---0--0-0-|
D-2-2--------2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2---2--2-2-|
A-0-0--------0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0---0--0-0-|
E------------------------|--------------|
| e e E      q s s s s e   e e E q. e e
|
|(guitar 2 - palm muted during chords only)
E------------------------|------------------------|
B------------------------|------------------------|
G-2-2-2------------------|-2-2-2------------------|
D-2-2-2-2-4b5-(b)5(r4)-2-|-2-2-2-2-4b5-(b)5(r4)-2-|
A-0-0-0------------------|-0-0-0------------------|
E------------------------|------------------------|
  e e e e e e    e     e   e e e e e e    e     e
That's the time      she   makes things right

     A    A7sus4            A  A7sus4
(guitar 1)
E----0-----0-------------|--0---3-----x-3--|-(3)-3-3-3-3-3-|
B----2-----3-------------|--2---3-----x-3--|-(3)-3-3-3-3-3-|
G----2-----0-------------|--2---0-----x-0--|-(0)-0-0-0-0-0-|
D----2-----2-------------|--2---2-----x-2--|-(2)-2-2-2-2-2-|
A----0-----0-------------|--0---0-----x-0--|-(0)-0-0-0-0-0-|
E------------------------|-----------------|---------------|
|    q.    e^h              q E h     s s    (e) e q q e e
|
|(guitar 2 - palm muted during chords only)
E------------------------|---------------0-|-(0)-0-0-0-|
B------------------------|---------------3-|-(3)-3-3-3-|
G-2-2-2------------------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-|-(0)-0-0-0-|
D-2-2-2-2-4b5-(b)5(r4)-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-|-(0)-0-0-0-|
A-0-0-0------------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-|-(2)-2-2-2-|
E------------------------|---------------3-|-(3)-3-3-3-|
  e e e e e e    e     e   e e e e e e e e   (e) e q h
Ooh, when she makes love to me              Oooh...

  D                 A      G     D    A        G
(guitar 2)
E-----------------|------------|--------5----|------5---------|
B-8h10-10-8h10-10-|-8h10-7-5-3-|-(3)-3-(3)-3-|-(3)-(3)-3----8-|
G-----------------|------------|-------------|-----------0----|
D-----------------|------------|-------------|----------------|
A-----------------|------------|-------------|----------------|
E-----------------|------------|-------------|----------------|
  e e  q  e e  q    e e  q q q  (q.) q  q  e   (e)  e  q q. e

  D                  A        G     D   A     G (guitar 1 plays G
(guitar 2)                                        once and lets ring)
E------------------|--------------|---------|-0-|-(0)-|
B-h10-10-8h10-10-8-|-(8)h10-7-5-3-|-2-3-3---|-3-|-(3)-|
G------------------|--------------|---------|-0-|-(0)-|
D------------------|--------------|---------|-0-|-(0)-|
A------------------|--------------|---------|---|-----|
E------------------|--------------|---------|---|-----|
   e  q  e e  q  e   (e) e  q q q   e q e^h   w   (w)

  D
(guitar 2)
E----------|-----------------|
B-3-3------|--------3--3-3---|
G-0h2----2-|----(2)-2--4-2-2-|
D-0-0----2-|-(2)h4---------4-|
A----------|-----------------|
E----------|-----------------|
  q q^q. e       e  q. s s q.

  D
(guitar 2)
E---
B-3-
G-2-
D-0-
A---
E---
  w             A
September girls do so much
  G
(guitar 2)
E---
B-x-
G-0-
D-0-
A-x-
E---               Em
I was your butch until we touched

(guitar 2 out)
D                 A
I loved you, well, never mind
G                Em
(guitar 2)
E--------------|---------------|
B-3------------|---------------|
G-0------------|---------------|
D-0------------|-------------2-|
A-x------------|---------------|
E--------------|---------------|
  w              H.        E e
I've been crying all the time

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

  D            A            G
(guitar 2)
E-------------------------|------------|
B----------3------3-3-(3)-|---(3)------|
G-----2-2-(2)-(2)-2-2--4--|----4---0---|
D-(2)h4--------2-------5--|----5---0-2-|
A-------------------------|------------|
E-------------------------|------------|
      e e  e   q  e e  e    E  e E q e
    December   boys got it  bad

  D       A         G            D   G         A
(guitar 2)
E-----------------|------------|----5---5----|------5------|
B-8h10-10-8h10-10-|-8h10-7-5-3-|-3-(3)-(3)-3-|-(3)-(3)-3---|
G-----------------|------------|-------------|-----------0-|
D-----------------|------------|-------------|-------------|
A-----------------|------------|-------------|-------------|
E-----------------|------------|-------------|-------------|
  e e  q  e e  q    e e  q q q   q. q   q  e   (e)  e  q h

  D      A      G          D      A    G
(guitar 2)
E-------------|----------|-----------|------------|
B-3-2-------3-|-(3)-2-3--|-3-2-------|-----3------|
G-2-2---2-0-2-|-(2)-2-2--|-2-2---2-0-|-(0)-0----0-|
D-------4-0---|----------|-------4-0-|-(0)-0----0-|
A-------------|----------|-----------|------------|
E-------------|----------|-----------|------------|
  e e E q q e   (e) h q.   e e E q q.  (e) q.^q q

  D      A          G                  D
(guitar 2)
E-----------------|------------------|-----10-----|
B-8h10-10-8h10-10-|-(10)-10-10-10-10-|-(x)--------|
G-----------------|------------------|------------|
D-----------------|------------------|------------|
A-----------------|------------------|------------|
E-----------------|------------------|------------|
  e e  q. e e  e    (e)  q  q  e  q    (s) s^q.^h
--
Marc Hirsh (marc@owlnet.rice.edu)

    \ /
     ^ --"It's easy to be nuts. Try being me."
     V     (_The_Fisher_King_)