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Opel

Syd Barrett

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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##

To: jamesb@animal-farm.nevada.edu
Subject: CHO: Opel (Syd Barrett)

Here is my best shot at transcribing "Opel" by Syd Barrett.  I'm sure
it's not quite right -some of the lyrics are off and the chords in the
closing sequence "I'm trying..." are only an approximation.

If anyone out there plays this songs and has corrections, or different
ways of playing parts of this song, I'd really appreciate hearing them.

Please send comments or corrections to dave@eng.umd.edu (Dave Fleming)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Opel" by Syd Barrett as transcribed by Dave Fleming:
Notes about the song:

It seems to be in 6/8 (or 3/4, I guess) time

INTRO TAB:
h means hammer on,  / means slide

                                          A

+-----------------------------------------0----------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------2----------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------2----------------------------+
+---------------------------------0-h2-0--2----------------------------+
+-4h5-4-------2h3-2-------0-h2-0----------0----------------------------+
+-0---0-5/2-0-0---0---0-2-----------------x----------------------------+

VERSES:

     A              E
On a distant shore, miles from land
G                                    D
Stands the ebony totem in ebony sand,
  A                  E
A dream in a mist of grey
B                A
On a far distant shore.

A                          E
The pebble, it stood alone
G                             D
And driftwood lies half buried
A                          E
Warm, shallow water sweeps shells
B              A
So the cockles shine.

A                      E
A bare, winding carcas stalk
G                              D
Shimmers as flies scoop up meat.
A
An empty way,
B          A
Dry Tears.

A                         E
Crisp flax squeaks.  Tall reeds
      G              D
Make a circle of grey
     A
In a summer way, around man
B         A
 so don't drown

BRIDGE:

(This is the long section of strummed chords.  I'll count measures
 in 6/8 in the following way:

  ------  ------ ------
  G       C      D      means A measure of G, one of C and one of D)

unusual chords used:
     Cadd9:  x32030

begin bridge:

  ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
  Cadd9  C      Bb            Cadd9  C      Bb     F      Am

  ------ ------
  E

  ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
  C7            F          F# G             A      D      G

  ------ ------
 (still G)

  This is then repeated, except that the second time I think that
  the first chord is C7 instead of Cadd9.

CLOSING:

(Note, I am highly uncertain -even moreso than I am about the rest of this
song- about the "accuracy" of the transcription here.  Correct me, please!)

unusual chords used:

      I don't know what to call these things, but they're based on
      the chord x02200 which I think is either A5 or Asus2.

      The chords and my (incorrect) names for them are:

           A:       x02220
           A5:      x02200
           A5addF#: x02202
           A5addG#: x02204

Begin closing:

A      A5addG#
I'm trying

A      A5addG#
I'm trying

A5addF# A5
To find you

A5addF# A5
To find you

A      A5addG#
I'm living

A      A5addG#
I'm giving

A5addF# A5
To find you

A5addF# A5
To find you

The next part I think uses only the A chord:

A
I'm living
I'm living
I'm trying
I'm giving
(Switch at this point to A5 and diddle with it for a while)

END