Wow two songs in a week, I am on a roll!
Anyway this is a song that I heard Weller play unplugged on the Days of Speed album, it sounded fantastic and I tried and tried and tried to get a half decent tab for it. Most tabs were from the Jam days and played in Ab, and looked pretty unplayable. So to cut a long story short I pretty much gave up on it. Anyways, recently I got a chance to watch him play it (on Youtube – put in “Weller English Rose†and you'll get it). Its from a session on Jools Holland. Note that even Weller manages to screw it up completely the first time and starts again, hope for us all!
The picking pattern is nice and simple so that shouldn't be an issue for anyone. The real challenge is getting the G barre chord sorted out, and the first chord change. Other than that, I promise you its not that hard. To me, this is one of the greatest love songs ever written, you can keep your Wonderful Tonight's and all those other songs, the words to this are just fantastic and I can never hear this often enough.
Anyway, let's march on.
Tip for those struggling with Barre chords
Last night I decided to try and make my guitar help me a bit with these chords. So I tuned all the strings down a whole step to dafcgd (high to low) and then put a capo on the 2nd fret to bring the tuning back to ebgdae. This has three great effects –
1. It slackens the strings slightly, so automatically makes barre's a little easier
2. It brings the G barre from fret 3 of the guitar to fret 5 (its still at fret 3 relative to the capo), so its nearer the middle of the guitar's body, so its easier to press the strings down
3. The capo itself holds the strings a tiny bit closer to the frets than an uncapoed guitar.
So try that if you're struggling, it might well help. Of course you don't have to bother with any of that if you're ok with the G barre to start with!
The picking pattern
I will give you a choice of two. For beginners I suggest a pattern of bass then D string then G string then B string and repeat, for each chord – like thise|-----------------|
B|-------x-------x-|
G|-----x-------x---|
e|---x-------x-----|
B|-x-------x-------|
G|-----------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
As for timing its straightforward one and two and three and four and…over and over again. For more advanced players I suggest this sort of pattern – the first X is your bass note.e|-----------------|
B|-------x-----x---|
G|-----x-----x-----|
e|---x-----x-----x-|
B|-x---------------|
G|-----------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
The chords
Some really scary looking names here. Don't be put off. Only one barre chord, the rest are either four finger or three finger chords. And the changes are very guitar friendly. More on that later. Anyway here they are –
G barre chord 355433
C#m7b5 x4545x
Cmaj7 x3545x
Amaj7 x07650
D#m7b5 x6767x
Dmaj7 x5767x
Generally Weller just plays the G barre a couple of times before launching into the first verse, so its probably best if I tab it out so you can get the hang of things –
G (barre)
e|-----------------|
b|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|
a|-----------------|
e|-3-------3-------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Take it nice and slow and get the strings to ring nice and cleanly. Don't even think about going any further if you can't get this bit right.
The first chord change.
Right this is the hardest change, get this and the rest of the song is pretty simple, honestly. The secret is to use your middle finger (on the G string 4th fret) as your anchor. Leave this in place. Now life the remaining fingers off, and form a D7 shape around your middle finger with your pinky and ring fingers like this G to C#m7b5
e|-3-------------|
b|-3-------5-----|
g|-4-------4-----|
d|-5-------5-----|
a|-5-------------|
e|-3-------------|
at the SAME TIME add your index to the A string 4th fret to get to x4545x.
Its worth practicing this over and over again slowly until you can do it without thinking.
From there, the next chord x3545x is simply a case of sliding your index finger down a fret to the 3rd fret. Nice and easy! You then return to your G barre. The whole of the first section, and the first two verses go like this.
The last verse of the song shows a key change – the first chord for this is Amaj7 played x07650 nice and easy..just use your index on the B string, middle finger on the G string and ring finger on the D string. To change chord to the D#m7b5 simply add your pinky onto the 7th fret of the B string, and fold your index finger over to grab the 6th fret of the A string. Again, like in the first progression, you then slide your index finger down a fret to go from x6767x to x5767x. After this you return to your Amaj7. Note that throughout you can leave your fingers in place on the G and D strings throughout.
Note the only real change to the pattern is two downstrums at various points, for example on the words “English Roseâ€.
I hope you take the time to have a go at this fanstastic song.
Now then – you will note that this doesn't all fit on one page. The best thing to do is copy it and paste it into word in Courier point 10 – play around with the margins and it will all line up perfectly (I hope).
Enjoy,
Matt
Oh last thing, on the very last chord (Amaj7) quickly add your index finger to the 5th fret of the high E string to end it.
English Rose – Paul Weller
Intro
G barre
e|-----------------|
b|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|
a|-----------------|
e|-3-------3-------|
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
G (barre) C#m7b5 Cmaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
b|-------3-------3-|-------5-------5-|-------5-------5-|---5-------5---|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|---4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5---|
a|-----------------|-4-------4-------|-3-------3-------|---3-------3---|
e|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 +_4 +
No matter where I roam……… I will return to my English rose for
(hint use middle finger as a pivot here on D string – it stays on the same string)
C#m7b5 Cmaj7 G barre
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
b|-------5-------5-|-------5-------5-|-------3-------3-|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|
a|-4-------4-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
No bonds can ever tempt me from she…
verses
G (barre) C#m7b5 Cmaj7 G barre
e|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
b|-------3-------3-|-------5-------5-|-------5--------5-|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4--------4---|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5--------5-----|---5-------5-----|
a|-----------------|-4-------4-------|-3--------3-------|-----------------|
e|-3-------3-------|-----------------|------------------|-3-------3-------|
v1 I've sailed the 7 seas…… flown the whole blue sky
V2 I've search'd t'secret mists, I've climbed the highest peaks
G (barre) C#m7b5 Cmaj7 G barre
e|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
b|-------3-------3-|-------5-------5-|-------5--------5-|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4--------4---|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5--------5-----|---5-------5-----|
a|-----------------|-4-------4-------|-3--------3-------|-----------------|
e|-3-------3-------|-----------------|------------------|-3-------3-------|
v1 but I've ret'rd with haste….. to where my love dies lie
v2 caught the wild wind home…. to hear her soft voice speak
G (barre) C#m7b5 Cmaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
b|-------3-------3-|-------5-------5-|-------5-------5-|---5-------5---|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|---4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5---|
a|-----------------|-4-------4-------|-3-------3-------|---3-------3---|
e|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
V1 No matter where I go I will come back to my English rose for
V2 No matter where I roam I will come return to my English rose for
C#m7b5 Cmaj7 G barre
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
b|-------5-------5-|-------5-------5-|-------3-------3-|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|
a|-4-------4-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
V1 No one can ever tempt me from she… GO TO V2
V2 No bonds can ever tempt me from she… go to break
Break
C#m7b5 Cmaj7 G barre
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
b|-------5-------5-|-------5-------5-|-------3-------3-|-------3-------3-|
g|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|
d|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|---5-------5-----|
a|-4-------4-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
Key changes now to A
Amaj7 D#m7b5 Dmaj7 Amaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
b|-------5-------5-|-------7-------7-|-------7-------7-|-------5-------5-|
g|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|
d|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|
a|-0-------0-------|-6-------6-------|-5-------5-------|-0-------0-------|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
V3I've been to ancient worlds scoured the whole universe
Amaj7 D#m7b5 Dmaj7 Amaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
b|-------5-------5-|-------7-------7-|-------7-------7-|-------5-------5-|
g|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|
d|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|
a|-0-------0-------|-6-------6-------|-5-------5-------|-0-------0-------|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
V3 caught the 1st train home to be at her side
Amaj7 D#m7b5 Dmaj7 Amaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--0------0-|
b|-------5-------5-|-------7-------7-|-------7-------7-|--5------5-|
g|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|--6------6-|
d|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|--7------7-|
a|-0-------0-------|-6-------6-------|-5-------5-------|--0------0-|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------|
V3 no matter where I go… I will come back to my English Rose for
D#m7b5 Dmaj7 D#m7b5 Dmaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--0------0----|
b|-------7-------7-|-------7-------7-|-------7-------7-|--5------5----|
g|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|--6------6----|
d|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|--7------7----|
a|-6-------6-------|-5-------5-------|-6-------6-------|--0------0----|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------|
V3 no bonds…………………………….nothing………………………………..nowhere…………………………can ever keep me from
Amaj7 D#m7b5 Dmaj7 Amaj7
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------5-| s
b|-------5-------5-|-------7-------7-|-------7-------7-|--------5---| l
g|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|-----6-------6---|------6-----| o
d|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|---7-------7-----|----7-------| w
a|-0-------0-------|-6-------6-------|-5-------5-------|--0---------| l
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------| y
She…………….
Nice post again Matt, I was looking at posting this myself.
I pick slightly different and use slightly different chords.
I can post up my version if you like, whilst finding the time to have a go at this and the Verve
yeah, post away! Does your use a barre on the first fret for the first chord by any chance?
all the best
Matt
nope,
I use an E shape chord
A 6
D 6
G 5
