Xtc - The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead guitar tab
Here it is, long awaited (?) and hopefully accurate.
Some notes:
(1) I figured this out without having the tape player going, so though the
chord pattern is accurate (pretty much all I-IV-V) I've put this in the key of
G, which may be different from that on the album. The important thing is that
_I_ can sing it in this key. So there.
Seriously, though, transposing this would not be a big deal.
(2) There is a surprise A chord (or II chord, made major) in the last
chorus. I really feel like there is another "surprise" chord in the rest of
the choruses, but I can't quite put a finger on it (ha, ha). The way I've
printed it here sounds pretty good, though.
-------------------------------
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
-------------------------------
by Andy Partridge
Album: XTC "Nonsuch"
-------------------------------
G C
Peter Pumpkinhead came to town
G C
Spreading wisdom and cash around
G G/B C
Fed the starving and housed the poor
G G/B C
Showed the Vatican what gold's for
C D Em
CHORUS: But he made too many enemies
C D Em
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
C D
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin,
C D
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin-
G D/F# C/E D C G/B D/A D/F#
head?
Peter Pumpkinhead pulled them all
Emptied churches and shopping malls
When he spoke it would raise the roof
Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth
(CHORUS)
Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame
Governments who would slur his name
Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said, "Any kind of love is all all right"
(CHORUS)
Peter Pumpkinhead was too good
Had him nailed to a chunk of wood
He died grinning on live TV
Hanging there he looked a lot like you, and an awful lot like me!
C D Em
(CHORUS)But he made too many enemies
C D Em
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
C D
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin,
C D
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin-
G D/F# C/E D
head? Ah-ah-ah
C D
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
C D
Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin
C Dsus4 D C/D D
Hooray for Pe - ter - Pump - kin -
G D/F# C/E D
Head!
C G/B A D/F#
Oh my, oh my, don't it make you want to cry, oh!
G
(ending)
This is taken from the soundtrack of Dumb and Dumber. There are a few places
where I can't make head nor tail of the words - speak English, woman! Hence, I
would appreciate it greatly if anybody could fill in the gaps.
Enjoy!
THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD - Crash Test Dummies with Ellen Reid
-------------------------------
Guitar Riff-
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
(Stab) (Stab) (Stab) (Stab)
0-0-2-|----2-----2---2-|----2-----2-2---|----3-----3---3-|----3-----3-3---|
0-0-3-|----3-----3---3-|----3-xxx-3-3---|-3--3-----3---3-|----3-xxx-3-3---|
0-0-2-|----2-----2---2-|----2-xxx-2-2-0-|-0--0-----0---0-|----0-xxx-0-0---|
0-0-0-|----0-----0---0-|----0-----0-0---|-0--0-----0---0-|----0-----0-0-0-|
----0-|----0-----0---0-|----0-------0---|----------------|--------------0-|
------|----------------|----------------|-3--------3---3-|----------3-3---|
(x = Left-hand-muted percussive note)
This is played four times as an intro (drums come in the second time, and
harmonica and Hammond come in the third time). Although the chords for the
links between the verses are different, I think the riff is played over these
as well. It's kind of hard to tell what the guitar is doing after the intro,
since it disappears in the mix.
.............
(Let's begin)
D G
Peter Pumpkinhead came to town
D G
Spreading wisdom and cash around
D G
Fed the starving and housed the poor
D G
Showed the (?---?) what gold's for
G A Bm
But he made too many enemies
G A Bm
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
G A
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
G Gm/Bb A/C# D D/C# D/B D/A G G/F# Em A
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Peter Pumpkinhead brought to shame
Governments who would slur his name
Lusts and sex scandals failed outright
"Be a min," he said, heading down (?----?) alright
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Peter Pumpkinhead was too good
Had him nailed to a chunk of wood
He died grinning on live TV
Hanging there he looked a lot like you and an awful lot like me
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
G Gm/Bb A/C# D D/C# D/B
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
G A
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
G A
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
G Gm/Bb A Bm A/C# D D/C# D/B D/A
Hooray for Pe -ter Pumpkin -head
G G/F# C A/C# D
Alright, alright - I make you want to cry out (?)
