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Modern Cowboy
Tesla
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: law2@husc7.harvard.edu (Keith Law)
"Modern Day Cowboy," by Tesla.
From their debut album _Mechanical Resonance_, on Geffen Records.
Words and Music by Jeff Keith, Frank Hannon, and Tommy Skeoch.
From GFTPM, August 1989. Issue out of print, I think.
Painstakingly computerized by Keith Law, law2@husc.harvard.edu.
T = play with thumb
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
^ = bend ^q = quarter tone ^h = half tone ^F = full tone
if letter is above the fret #, note is bent THEN picked
7^F^7 = pick 7, full bend up, bend back down to original note
h = hammer
p = pull-off
g = grace note - written above note to be 'graced'
~ = vibrato
A.H. = artificial harmonic; note in parentheses is note to be sounded
Notes:
1) When two staffs (one above the other) are connected at measure marks by a
| symbol in the space between the staffs, that indicates that the top staff is
Guitar I, the bottom is Guitar II, and that the two parts should be played
simultaneously.
2) DS al Coda means return to the point marked SEGNO, then when the
word "Coda" appears go the appropriate coda.
Chords used:
A5 X01XXX F5 XX35XX G5 XX57XX E5 02XXXX
D5 XX02XX OR 133XXX OR 35XXXX C/E XX25XX
D/F# XX47XX OR 13XXXX B5 X244XX C5 X35XXX
Intro
Riff A (Gtr I) Riff B (Gtr II)
---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|--2--2--2------------|--5--5--5------------|
---------------3h5h7-|--2--2--2------------|--3--2--3------------|
---1h3h5-3h5h7-------|--0--0--0--0-0-0-0-0-|----------0-0-0-0-0--|
-1-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
with Riff A
end Riff B
---------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|----------------6h8h10-|---------------------|
--7--7--7------------|----3h5h7-5h7h9--------|--2--2--2------------|
--5--4--5------------|-----------------------|--2--2--2------------|
---------------------|--3--------------------|--0--0--0--0-0-0-0-0-|
------------15\------|-----------------------|---------------------|
Gtr II: G5 D/F# D5 F5 C/E C5
~~~~~
---------------------|----------|-15----14----10---|-13----12-----8---\-|
---------------------|----------|-18^F--17^F--13^F-|-16^F--15^F--11^F-\-|
--5--5--5------------|--7--7--7-|------------------|--------------------|
--3--2--3------------|--5--4--5-|------------------|--------------------|
----------0-0-0--0-0-|----------|------------------|--------------------|
---------------------|----------|------------------|--------------------|
------------|----------|-----------|----------|------------------|
------------|----------|-----------|----------|------------------|
------5--7--|----5--7--|----7------|-----5--7-|------------------|
--2---3--5--|-2--3--5--|----4------|--2--3--5-|--2------5--------|
--0---------|-0--------|-----------|--0-------|--0---3--5--------|
------------|----------|-------17\-|----------|------1--3--------|
Verses:
Rhy. Fig. 2
SEGNO
-------------------|-------------------|------------------|------------------|
-------------------|-------------------|------------------|--------------3---|
------2-------2----|------2-------2----|------2-------2---|------2-----4---4-|
----2---2---3---3--|----4---4---3---3--|----2---2---3---3-|----4---4/5-------|
--0-------0--------|--0-------0--------|--0-------0-------|--0---------------|
-------------------|-------------------|------------------|------------------|
Stormy night under jet black skies Billy pulls into town
With Rhy. Fig. 2:
Thunder rolled and the | lightning bolts | come crashin' to the ground |
Gtr I - Rhy. Fig. 3
----------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|
----------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|
--9--9------10-10-----|--12--12---11-|--9--9------10-10-----|-7--7--7----9---|
--7--7-------7--7-----|--12--12---12-|--7--7-------7--7-----|-4--4--5----6---|
-------0--0-------0-0-|--------------|-------0--0-------0-0-|----------------|
----------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|
Gtr II - Rhy. Fig. 3A | | | |
----------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|
----------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|
--2--2-------5--5-----|--7--7----7---|--2--2-------5--5-----|-7--7--7----9---|
--2--2-------3--3-----|--5--5----4---|--2--2-------3--3-----|-4--4--5----6---|
-------0--0-------0-0-|--------------|-------0--0-------0-0-|----------------|
----------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------|
Cold as ice, heart of stone, as he walks into the room with an-
With Rhy. Figs. 3 & 3A (both 1st 3 bars only)
other man who was | feelin' the same way. | All hell's breakin' loose! |
Gtrs
I & II D/F# G5 B5
Overdub guitar:
----------------|----0--------------|------0-------|--0-----------------|
----------------|----0--------------|------0-------|--0-----------------|
----------4--4--|----4--------------|------0--4--4-|--4-----------------|
----------4--4--|----4--------------|--3------4--4-|--4-----------------|
----------2--2--|----2--0--2p0-2-0--|--3------2--2-|--2--0--2p0--2--0---|
----------------|-------------------|--1-----------|--------------------|
Bang, bang, shoot 'em up bang, bang blow you away!
-------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------3h5h7---------------------5h7h9--|
--------1h3h5--3h5h7--------------3h5h7--5h7h9---------|
--1h3h5---------------------3h5h7----------------------|
~~~~
Chorus w/ Rhy. Figs. 3 & 3A & Fill 2 (Fill 2: D--7---)
A5 F/A G5 D A5 F/A
It's a showdown in a | no man's land for the | cowboy of the modern |
3rd time to Coda 1
D5 G5 E/G# A5 F/A G5 D
day. Come on, | sun-down, don't be | hangin' round, 'cause the |
_____________________________________________
A5 F/A 1. E5 A5 F/A D/A F/A
cow-boy 'll blow you away | || w/ Rhy Fig 2 (1st 3 bars)| |
_________________________
A5 F/A E/A |
-------------|--0--------|
-------------|----0------|
-------------|------1----|
-------------|--------2--|
-------------|-----------|
-------------|-----------|
_____________________
| 2.
------------------------------------------------------|
--g---------------------------------------------------|
--7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7/9h13p9h13p9h13p9h13p9-/13-|
------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------|
| |
------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------|
--7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h----|
------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------|----------------------------|
------------------------------------|----------------------------|
-/13h16p13h16p13h16p13h16p13--/19^F-|----------------------------|
------------------------------------|-------------------3h5h7----|
------------------------------------|-----1h3h5--3h5h7-----------|
------------------------------------|--1-------------------------|
| |
------------------------------------|----------------------------|
------------------------------------|----------------------------|
------------------------------------|----------------------------|
------------------------------------|-------------------3h5h7----|
-h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5h7p5-----/11---|-----1h3h5--3h5h7-----------|
------------------------------------|--1-------------------------|
Interlude
w/Riff B
-17----12-17-12----17----12-17-12----17----12-17-|
----13----------13----13----------13----13-------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-17----13-17-13----17----13-17-13----17----13-17-|
----13----------13----13----------13----13-------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-19----15-19-15----19----15-19-15----19----15-19-|
----15----------15----15----------15----15-------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
w/Riff B (1st 2 bars only)
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
--19^h^19---|--19^h--19--17-----------|--17--19--20-22-22^F------|
------------|---------------20^F------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
| ~~~~~~ | ~~~~~~ |
--22^F^22---|--22^F--22--20-19^h------|--20--22--20-22-22^F------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
-----------8-10-12-10--8-------------------------------------------------|
--8-10-12----------------12-10--8-12-10--8-------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------12-10--9-12-10--9-------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------12-10--9-12-|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| |
----------12-13-15-13-12-------------------------------------------------|
-12-13-15----------------15-13-12-15-13-12----------12-------------------|
-------------------------------------------16-14-12----14-12-------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12-15-|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A.H. ~~~~~~~~~
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--10--9----------12-10--9------------------------------------------------|
--------12-10--8----------10^F-(slow bend...)----------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ~~~~~~~~~ |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--14-12----------15-14-12------------------------------------------------|
--------15-14-12----------14-(hold)--------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Guitar solo
w/Rhy Figs 3 & 3A (both 1st 3 bars only)
A.H. (F#) A.H. (F#) AH (E) ~~~~
-------------------------|------------|-5-------------------------------------|
---h---------------------|------------|---5-8-5-----5-------------------------|
--7^-^7^h^7p5-7^h^7^h^7--|-5^h--------|---------7^h---7-5-7^F^p5---7^F^p5---4-|
-------------------------|-----7--7---|---------------------------7--------7--|
-------------------------|------------|---------------------------------------|
-------------------------|------------|---------------------------------------|
~~~~~~ AH~~~ AH~~~~~~~ AH~~~ AH~~~~
-------------------|---------------------|------------------------8-|
-------------------|---------------------|---------------8----------|
-------------------|---------------------|------5-----/9------------|
--5--5---5h7p5-----|---------------5-----|---/7---------------------|
-------------------|-----3-----/7--------|--------------------------|
-------------------|--/5-----------------|--------------------------|
-12p8-10p8----8-10p8----8-12p8-10p8----|
-----------10--------10-------------10-|
---------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------|
----------------------------------16h19p16h19p16h19p16h19p16h19--|
--17h21p17h21p17h21p17h21p17h21----------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
---7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9-------------7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9-----------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~~
--19h22p19h22p19h22p19h22p19h22^F----------|
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
---7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9/13------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------|
Acoustic gtr.
---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
--------5--3---1---3-|---------------------|--1--0---------------|
---------------------|-----------------2---|--------2--0------2--|
---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
1st time DS al Coda I
2nd time to Coda II
---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
--0------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
-------0---2---------|----2-------2------|----2--------------|
-----------------2---|--3---3---2---2----|--0---0-----2---0--|
---------------------|--------0-------0--|--------0-3---2----|
---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Coda I
(continue Rhy Figs 3 & 3A)
A5 F/A D G5 E5 A5 F/A
cow-boy 'll blow you away | It's a | show-down! ~~~~~
----------------------------|----------------------|--5------------------|
----------------------------|----------------------|--8^F----------------|
----------------------------|----------------------|--**tremolo pick***--|
----------------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
----------------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
----------------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-(5)-----8------10---|--12-----------------|-(12)----------0-20^1.5-|
-(8)----11^F----13^F-|--15^F---------------|-(15)-------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|------------------------|
-******************--|--***************----|------------------------|
---------------------|---------------------|-----------/X\----------|
---------------------|---------------------|------12\--/X\----------|
/\/\/\
--20^2^--17-20-17h20p17----17----|---17h20p17h20p17-17------------------------|
------------------------20----20-|------|--------------20-20-17-20-20^F---x\--|
---------------------------------|------|---------------------------------x\--|
---------------------------------|------|---------------------------------x\--|
---------------------------------|------|-------------------------------pick--|
---------------------------------|------|-------------------------------slide-|
Coda II
Acoustic gtr.
-------------------|-------------------|
-------------------|-------------------| Repeat and fade.
------2-------2----|------2-------2----|
----2---2---2---2--|----2---2---2---2--|
--0-------0--------|--0-------0--------|
-------------------|-------------------|
Additional lyrics:
2. Al Capone and Bad Boy Jones on the wrong side of the law.
Johnny D. and his company, always first to the draw.
Gangster lean, feelin' so mean, tryin' to take more than their share.
Cause all they saw was ruling it all, the scent of blood was in the air.
3. So here we are and we've come this far but it's only getting worse.
The foreign lands with their terrorist demands only cause the good to hurt.
The USA, the USSR, with their six-guns to their sides.
I see the message written on the wall: Too much anger deep inside.
![chord popup]()
