WHAT A GOOD BOY (LIVE VERSON from Rock Spectacle) - Barenaked Ladies
(Key of G / Capo 5th Fret so D = G / A = D / G = C)
(No capo? Just play G, D & Cadd9)
VERSE 1: (G = 3 2 0 0 3 3, as throughout the song)
D A G
WHEN I WAS BORN, THEY LOOKED AT ME AND SAID
WHAT A GOOD BOY, WHAT A SMART BOY, WHAT A STRONG BOY
D A G
AND WHEN YOU WERE BORN, THEY LOOKED AT YOU AND SAID
WHAT A GOOD GIRL, WHAT A SMART GIRL, WHAT A PRETTY GIRL
D A G
WE'VE GOT THESE CHAINS, HANGING AROUND OUR NECKS
PEOPLE WANT TO STRANGLE US WITH THEM, BEFORE WE TAKE OUR FIRST BREATH
D A G
AFRAID OF CHANGE, AFRAID OF STAYING THE SAME
WHEN TEMPTATION CALLS, WE JUST LOOK AWAY
CHORUS: (* = single strum)
D A
THIS NAME IS THE HAIRSHIRT I WEAR
G
AND THIS HAIRSHIRT IS WOVEN FROM YOUR BROWN HAIR
D A
THIS SONG IS THE CROSS THAT I BEAR
G
BEAR IT WITH ME, BEAR WITH ME, BEAR WITH ME
D* A* G* A*-G*
BE WITH ME TONIGHT
NC D* A* G* A*-G* NC
I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T RIGHT BE WITH ME TONIGHT
VERSE 2:
D A G
I GO TO SCHOOL, I WRITE EXAMS
IF I PASS, IF I FAIL, IF I DROP OUT, DOES ANYONE GIVE A DAMN?
D A G
AND IF THEY DO, THEY'LL SOON FORGET
'CAUSE IT WON'T TAKE MUCH FOR ME TO SHOW THAT MY LIFE AIN'T OVER YET
D A G
I WAKE UP SCARED, I WAKE UP STRANGE
I WAKE UP WONDERING IF ANYTHING IN MY LIFE IS EVER GONNA CHANGE
D A G
I WAKE UP SCARED, I WAKE UP___ STRANGE AND EVERYTHING AROUND ME STAYS THE__
CHORUS: (* = single strum)
D A
SAME, THE HAIRSHIRT,
G
THIS HAIRSHIRT IS WOVEN FROM IS WOVEN FROM YOUR BROWN HAIR
D A
THIS SONG IS THE CROSS THAT I BEAR
G
BEAR IT WITH ME, BEAR WITH ME, BEAR WITH ME
D* A* G* A*-G* NC D* A* G* A*-G* NC
BE WITH ME TONIGHT I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T RIGHT
pause D* A* G* A*-G* NC
BE WITH ME TONIGHT
VERSE 3:
D A G
I_ COULDN'T TELL YOU, THAT I WAS WRONG
I CHICKENED OUT, GRABBED A PEN AND A PAPER, I SAT DOWN AND I WROTE THIS SONG
D A G
I_ COULDN'T TELL YOU, THAT YOU WERE RIGHT
SO INSTEAD I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR, WATCHED TV, LAID AWAKE ALL NIGHT
D A G
WE'VE GOT THESE CHAINS, HANGING AROUND OUR NECKS
PEOPLE WANT TO STRANGLE US WITH THEM, BEFORE WE TAKE OUR FIRST BREATH
D A G
AFRAID OF CHANGE, AFRAID OF STAYING THE SAME
WHEN TEMPTATION CALLS, WE ALL HIDE___
CHORUS: (* = single strum)
D A
THIS NAME IS THE HAIRSHIRT I WEAR
G
AND THIS HAIRSHIRT IS WOVEN FROM, WOVEN FROM YOUR BROWN HAIR
D A
THIS SONG IS THE CROSS THAT I BEAR
G
BEAR IT WITH ME, BEAR WITH ME, BEAR IT WITH ME, BE WITH ME TONIGHT
OUTRO: (starts very quiet and picks up intensity with line 4)
D A G
WHEN I WAS BORN, THEY LOOKED AT ME AND SAID
WHAT A GOOD BOY, WHAT A SMART BOY, WHAT A STRONG BOY
D A G
AND WHEN YOU WERE BORN, THEY LOOKED AT YOU AND SAID
WHAT A GOOD GIRL, WHAT A SMART GIRL, WHAT A PRETTY GIRL
D A G
G
WHAT A PRETTY GOOD
D A G (SLOW DOWN BEGINS) D*
HEAD___ OF___ HAIR
E doesn't = MC2, E = Fb
Music "Theory"? "It's not just a theory, it's the way it is!"
Jonny T.
Cool tune jonny. Do you have a strum pattern for it?
The strum pattern changes a lot in this song. It's totally by feel. I know that's not what you want to hear but that's the way this song is. Sometimes you strum very little, some times a little more.
The speed of the song varies as does the intensity and volume. My suggestion is to play along with the recording. I did this tab based on the live recording.
E doesn't = MC2, E = Fb
Music "Theory"? "It's not just a theory, it's the way it is!"
Jonny T.
I've been cruising the ESD Index for some easy songs to play around the campfire this season. I stumbled onto this song which seems pretty simple and I can learn it without much effort, but I can't help but think, "What the hell is a 'hairshirt'?"
...but I can't help but think, "What the hell is a 'hairshirt'?"
Thanks for the transcript - I'm looking forward to trying it!
Thanks Fixer. I learned something new today.
Gosh and I thought it was just a shirtless guy with way too much body hair :D
E doesn't = MC2, E = Fb
Music "Theory"? "It's not just a theory, it's the way it is!"
Jonny T.
