Alkaline Trio - San Francisco guitar chord

Author/Artist: Alkaline Trio

Title: San Fransisco

Album: Goddamnit

Transcribed by: Darby Edelen

Email: edelen@cats.ucsc.edu

Most of the tabs I've seen for this song (on the greatest album ever to grace god's green earth)

are lacking in one respect or another, so I've tried to combine the best qualities of the tabs I've

seen with my own interpretations of a few of the little subtleties of the song that make it more

interesting. Hopefully this will help others in their quest for 'the perfect tab,' but please do share

any changes you think should be made with me (edelen@cats.ucsc.edu).

Thanks,

Darby

Notes: Listen to the song for the rhythm, during the verses the chords are struck only once (alright,

maybe twice... perfection is a lofty goal, go with what you think sounds best). Feel free to throw your

pinky onto the last string of the power chords if you like, I prefer the leaner sound of the two string

chord for most of this song. I've written the chords over the lyrics I usually hit them on, but feel free

to experiment on that one... it's not where Skiba plays them and I think you have a little freedom in

interpreting them. Also, this tab isn't quite as confusing as it looks. If you are confused I suggest you

look at another tab first then come to this one for what I consider a more comprehensive tabbing/chord

chart of the song (to really get it down). The A struck during the verses (denoted A' here) could be played

an octave lower if you like (denoted A here), I think it sounds cooler the way I tabbed it though =)

x = muted string

~ = let ring

h = hammer on

p = pull off

/ = slide up

\ = slide down

() = optional chord

p.m. = palm mute

Chords:

E Eo A A' A'' C# C#o D#o B B' Bo G#

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

G|----------9--------------9------2---------------6------8--------------4------4-----------|

D|---9------x--------------7------2-------6-------x------x--------------4------x-----------|

A|---7------7-------7-------------0-------4-------4------6------9-------2------2-----6-----|

E|------------------5-------------x-----------------------------7--------------------4-----|

Intro:

e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

G|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| x2 (let ring at end of 2nd)

D|----------------------------------------6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7----|

A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--9-9-9-9--11-11-11-11--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|

E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0--0--0--0---------------------------------------|

Play These Through Together 2x:

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

G|-----------------------------------------------8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9----|

D|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--11-11-11-11--13-13-13-13-----6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7----|

A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--9--9--9--9---11-11-11-11-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|

E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0--0--0--0---0--0--0--0------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

G|-----------------------------------------------8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--9-9-9-11-11-11-11-11---|

D|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--11-11-11-11--13-13-13-13-----6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--7-7-7-9--9--9--9--9----|

A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--9--9--9--9---11-11-11-11-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0--0--0--0----|

E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--0--0--0--0---0--0--0--0----------------------------------------------|

Verse:

E A' C# B

Choking on the thought of leaving

E A' C# B

drinking to keep from sobbing

E A' C# B

Four P.M. four dollar pints

A (B)

at SFO the time and price

E A' C# B x2

E A' C# B

With all my happiness aborted

E A' C# B

The PA painfully starts boarding

E A' C# B

I sink deep thirty-thousand feet

A (B)

into my window seat electric chair

Chorus:

E Eo D#o G#

And I was drinking you goodbye

B

A heart floats in the bay

E Eo D#o G#

From sour home Chicago

B

I hear it beating far away

E Eo C# C#o B' Bo

There's no telling what I'll do

A'' (4x pattern: 4x p.m. then no p.m.)

If I don't return to you

Pre-Verse:

e|--------------|

B|--------------|

G|--------------|

D|---2--4h-/-6--|

A|--------------|

E|--------------|

e|--------------------------------------------|---------------|

B|--------------------------------------------|---------------|

G|-------------------9-9-9--11-11-11--13--13--|---9-9-9-9--x4-| x2

D|--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--x-x-x--x--x--x---x---x---|---7-7-7-7-----|

A|--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--7-7-7--9--9--9---11--11--|---------------|

E|--------------------------------------------|---------------|

Verse:

E A' C# B

Hopeful thoughts of soon returning

E A' C# B

can't put out my stomach burning

E A' C# B

Plastic wings and plastic smiles

A (B)

Unsalted peanuts stretch my miles

Bridge:

e|--------------------------------------------|

B|--------------------------------------------|

G|--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--8-8-8-8----------| x2

D|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--x-x-x-x----------|

A|--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--6-6-6-6----------|

E|--------------------------------------------|

E~

Choking on the thought of leaving

Eo \ (slide down the neck, let up when it sounds right)

Drinking to keep from heaving

A|--6/7\6/7\6/7\6--| A (B)

5pm, 5 dollar pints - Hellbound Airlines - time and price s

Chorus 2x

End on B

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