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Brave New World

Michael Penn

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: "Brave New World" (Michael Penn)

Wow, is this a good song. This is actually a transcription of an
acoustic version only available on the promo single of "Seen The
Doctor," which I recommend you look for in used CD stores. Anyway,
as always, some notes:

1) Why am I transcribing a version that nobody has heard from a
    single that nobody has? Well, several reasons. First off, it's
    just a cool damn version. Second, I actually had this CD before I
    got _March_, which has the original (and I saw him on _Unplugged_
    in the early early days playing this and was blown away). Third,
    and maybe most importantly, this version has only one guitar. The
    album version has many, with changes in dynamics and all that
    stuff using electric and acoustic guitars. Here, we have just one
    simple acoustic. This makes it easy to figure out what's going on
    (you don't have to figure out how each guitar part contributes to
    the song) and easy to play, since many of us can only play one
    guitar at a time. This isn't *too* much different from the album
    version. If nothing else, this will give you a good stepping
    stone to The True Way.
2) Feel is much more important than accuracy. Don't concentrate on
    hitting exactly what I've got here. Missing a note or two or
    hitting a string accidentally makes the song sound much more
    authentic than a perfect rendition of what I've transcribed.
    Especially during the solo. Listen to the recording and try to
    replicate the attitude, not the notes.
3) TECHNICALLY, this song is in 12/8 (with a little 9/8 during the
    "solo"). That would be an absolute bastard to write out and
    nobody would understand it. Therefore, I'm making it 4/4 (and 3/4
    during the solo) with a swing feel. Folks seem to understand
    that. Trust me, it makes things a lot less confusing.
4) The main difference between this and the album version is the
    middle section. It's a pain in the ass because it keeps changing
    time signatures, which I've tried to point out. This version is
    much simpler, though still tough.
5) The falsetto bits in the chorus ("*This* ain't no Golden...,"
    "*Let's* drive into...") is really annoying for those of us with
    extremely bad falsettos. You may have to fake it somehow.
6) Yes, there are a *lot* of words. You will be very surprised at how
    fast you can memorize them. Don't sweat it too much.


"Brave New World" (Michael Penn)
Performed by Michael Penn
From the promotional "Seen The Doctor" CD single (original version on
    the album _March_)
Transcribed pointlessly and without permission by Marc Hirsh

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


4/4 with a swing feel (swing 8ths)

(acoustic guitar - heavily palm muted)
  A5
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-------|
E-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

(just barely palm muted)
  A5
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---3---0-------|-0---------------|-0---3---0-------|
E-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

  A5
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---3---0-------|-0---------------|-0---3---0-------|
E-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

[This is figure A - don't play it right now, play it over the verses
    where there's an A5 chord]
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---------------|
E-----3---0---3---|-----3---0---3---|-----3---0---3---|-----3---0---3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

A5
Baby's busy hiding in the bassinet
A5
Wondering if the Third World War's started yet
  A5
I told her I was pulling up and heading West
    A5
She said she would have come but she was overdressed
  A5
I sent a picture postcard of a Midwest bank
    A5
She wrote me that she showed it to her new friend Frank
    A5
Who noticed in a window on the nineteenth floor
  A5
A guy my age about to prove that Man can't soar
    D7 (start playing full chords, not muted)
And he would also like to know
           C7
If I could just check around before I left this town
    Em
For slow-mo footage of the tumbledown

A                  Amaj7
This may not be my best day
                         D
                       E-2-2-|-2-x-0-2-0--| (this fill isn't on the album,
                       B-3-3-|-3-x-3-3-3--|   if I remember, but it's on
                       G-2-2-|-2-x-2-2-2--|   this version and is very
                       D-0-0-|-0-x-0-0-0--|   cool. It's as if everything
                       A-----|------------|   stops while the acoustic
                       E-----|------------|   sets everything back up)
    F#m                  h h   e e q q q
But this ain't no Golden Age
A                        Amaj7
You looked pretty on the freeway
F#m                   F
Let's drive into that Brave New World

(just barely palm muted)
  A5
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---3---0-------|-0---------------|-0---3---0-------|
E-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

A5
A van pulls up and someone offers me a ride
    A5
The driver lost the map and he was terrified
A5
Everybody whispering to save his pride
      A5
Say, "Son, would you be kind enough to be our guide?"
    A5
The driver yells, "The man in back already tried,
        A5
But his memory is rusty and his vision tied."
A5
Glasses and a lubricant were by his side
    A5
The Tin Man was inanimate, the Lion lied
     D7 (full chords, not muted)
They did not want to see me go
          C7
But I did not want to be another muskateer
         Em
Plus the gas runs out before the van's in gear

A                        Amaj7
Please don't hit me if I do say
                          D
                        E-2-2-|-2-x-0-2-0-|
                        B-3-3-|-3-x-3-3-3-|
                        G-2-2-|-2-x-2-2-2-|
                        D-0-0-|-0-x-0-0-0-|
                        A-----|-----------|
                        E-----|-----------|
     F#m                  h h   e e q q q
That this ain't no Golden Age
A                           Amaj7
You looked so pretty on the freeway
F#m                   F
Let's drive into that Brave New World

SOLO
 (3/4 time)                      (back to 4/4)
E-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|---------|---0--0-0-|---0--0-0-|
B-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|---------|---0--0-0-|---0--0-0-|
G-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|---------|---0--0-0-|---0--0-0-|
D-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|---------|-2----2-2-|-2----2-2-|
A-0-1-2-|-------|-0-1-2-|-------|-0-1-2---|-2----2-2-|-2----2-2-|
E-------|-------|-------|-------|-------3-|-0----0-0-|-0----0-0-|
  q q q   h e e   q q q   h e e   q q q q   q q. e q   q q. e q

                     (back to 3/4)
E---------|---------|-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|
B---------|---------|-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|
G---------|---------|-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|
D---------|---------|-------|-3-3-3-|-------|-3-3-3-|
A-7-7-5-5-|-4-3-2-1-|-0-1-2-|-------|-0-1-2-|-------|
E---------|---------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
  q q q q   q q q q   q q q   h e e   q q q   h e e

(and back to 4/4)
E---------|---7---7-|---7---7-|
B---------|---8---8-|---8---8-|
G---------|---9---9-|---9---9-|
D---------|---------|---------|
A-0-1-2---|---------|---------|
E-------3-|-0---0---|-0---0---|
  q q q q   q q q q   q q q q

(heavily palm muted)
  A5
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-------|
E-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e
(there's a horse neighing here somewhere, though I have no idea why)

(just barely palm muted)
  A5
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---3---0-------|-0---------------|-0---3---0-------|
E-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

A5
Buster and his company look good in black
A5
Trying to find a way out of the cul-de-sac
A5
Tearing through the phone book and the almanac
     A5
They all have dusty noses 'cause they sniff shellac
     A5
They finally found the number of a matador
    A5
Who rode in a Beemer with a pricey whore
    A5
But Buster wasn't quick enough, he locked the door
    A5
And rode off saying he'd be back before the war
   D7 (full chords, no muting)
By then the night was falling slow
          C7
And I did not want to stick around and just look old
       Em
When I saw you pulling onto my soft shoulder

(now, on the album, everything kinda stops while a single guitar
takes over for the full band. On this version, the acoustic just
keeps on chugging at full speed. Kinda changes the mood of the song)

A                  Amaj7
This may not be my best day
                         D
                       E-2-2-|-2-x-0-2-0-|
                       B-3-3-|-3-x-3-3-3-|
                       G-2-2-|-2-x-2-2-2-|
                       D-0-0-|-0-x-0-0-0-|
                       A-----|-----------|
                       E-----|-----------|
    F#m                  h h   e e q q q
But this ain't no Golden Age
A                        Amaj7
You looked pretty on the freeway
F#m                   F
Let's drive into that Brave New

(just barely palm muted)
  A5
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---3---0-------|-0---------------|-0---3---0-------|
E-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e
World

  A5
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---3---0-------|-0---------------|-0---3---0-------|
E-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|-----3---0---3---|-------------3---|
  e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e   e e e e e e e e

(repeat and fade - or end suddenly on an A5)

All of the chords you'll need to know:
  A5  D7  C7  Em  A  Amaj7 F#m  D   F
E---|-2-|-0-|-0-|-0-|--0--|-2-|-2-|-1-|
B---|-1-|-1-|-0-|-2-|--2--|-2-|-3-|-1-|
G-2-|-2-|-3-|-0-|-2-|--1--|-2-|-2-|-2-|
D-2-|-0-|-2-|-2-|-2-|--2--|-4-|-0-|-3-|
A-0-|---|-3-|-2-|-0-|--0--|-4-|---|-3-|
E---|---|---|-0-|---|-----|-2-|---|-1-|
--
Marc Hirsh (marc@owlnet.rice.edu)

    \ /
     ^ --"I'm breathing but it's become a chore."
     V     (Michael Penn)