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WATCHING MY LIFE GO BY
by Michael Hedges 1981
Tuning: DADGCC
Legend:
! = left hand reaches under neck and vigorously slaps guitar body like
it's a bongo drum!
This tune is in 5/8 TIME Michael kept a kind of eighth note grace note
strum pattern throughout this tune. Notes Tabbed out below are more or
less Accents, but this is my first tab, so there are grace notes that I didn't put in
here, but if you know the tune, you'll know what to do...
* WHEN YOU OPEN THIS MAKE SURE IT WRAPS TO WINDOW AND NOT RULER.
UNSURE? GO TO THE 62ND CHARACHTER OF EACH LINE OF TABLATURE AND DO A HARD RETURN [HIT
ENTER] IT WILL LINE UP PROPERLY ...
Forte [WITH PASSION]
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
-0--0--0---------------------------0--0--0------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
-0--0--0---------------------------0--0--0------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
---------5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10-----------|
---------5--5--5-------7--7--7-------10-10-10---------12-12-12-----------|
---------5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10-----------|
--5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10------------------|
--5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10------------------|
--5--5--5-------7--7--7-------10-10-10---------12-12-12------------------|
! !
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
! !
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
pianoforte [lightly with grace and energy, LET IT BREATHE]
[and keep 16ths going on the top 2 strings as shown vaguely below]
Everyone sees their life a different way __________________________
---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
---5----------------4-----------------0-----------------0----------------|
---7----------------5-----------------7-----------------5----------------|
---X----------------X-----------------8-----------------7----------------|
---X----------------X-----------------X-----------------X----------------|
Saviors even come on different days
---------2--2--2----------------2--2--2---------------------------------|
---------0--0--0----------------0--0--0---------------------------------|
---------3--3--3----------------3--3--3---------------------------------|
--0-0-0----------------0-0-0--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
---------2--2--2----------------2--2--2---------------------------------|
---------0--0--0----------------0--0--0---------------------------------|
---------3--3--3----------------3--3--3---------------------------------|
--0-0-0----------------0-0-0--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
Bleeding his colors into several shades
----------------3----3----3------------------------3----3----3-----------|
----------------0----0----0------------------------0----0----0-----------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
----------------0----0----0------------------------0----0----0-----------|
----------------3----3----3------------------------3----3----3-----------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
Forte [stronger]
But I am a prisoner caught in the flesh, red-handed
-------5---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------0---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------0---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------5---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------X---------------8-------------------------------------------------|
-------5---------------8-------------------------------------------------|
Watching my life go by
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
--0---0---0--------0-0--------(0)-0---0---0---------------0-0------------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
slides up to 12th fret from open string.
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
--0---0---0--------0-0--------(0)-0---0---0---------------0-0------------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
I'm watching my life go by
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
-------9--9--9-------------------9--9--9---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
-------9--9--9-------------------9--9--9---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
GLISS
Watching my life go by
! !
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
Nobody knows how close ... "together" means
---0--------------------------0-------------0---------------0-----------|
---0--------------------------0-------------0---------------0-----------|
---5--------------------------4-------------0---------------0-----------|
---7--------------------------5-------------7---------------5-----------|
---X--------------------------X-------------8---------------7-----------|
---X--------------------------X-------------X---------------X-----------|
Love is a race we run at different speeds
---------2--2--2----------------2--2--2---------------------------------|
---------0--0--0----------------0--0--0---------------------------------|
---------3--3--3----------------3--3--3---------------------------------|
--0-0-0----------------0-0-0--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
---------2--2--2----------------2--2--2---------------------------------|
---------0--0--0----------------0--0--0---------------------------------|
---------3--3--3----------------3--3--3---------------------------------|
--0-0-0----------------0-0-0--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
--3-3-3----------------3-3-3--------------------------------------------|
Pacing ourselves to deal with different needs
----------------3----3----3------------------------3----3----3-----------|
----------------0----0----0------------------------0----0----0-----------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
----------------0----0----0------------------------0----0----0-----------|
----------------3----3----3------------------------3----3----3-----------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
---0--0--0------------------------0--0--0--------------------------------|
---3--3--3------------------------3--3--3--------------------------------|
But I am a spectator caught in a crowd of laughter
-------5---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------0---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------0---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------5---------------0-------------------------------------------------|
-------X---------------8-------------------------------------------------|
-------5---------------8-------------------------------------------------|
Watching my life go by
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
--0---0---0--------0-0--------(0)-0---0---0---------------0-0------------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
-------------0----------0-----------------------0--------------0---------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
--0---0---0--------0-0--------(0)-0---0---0---------------0-0------------|
--12--12--12-------0-0--------(0)-12--12--12--------------0-0------------|
I'm watching my life go by
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
-------9--9--9-------------------9--9--9---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
------------------0----0----0----------------0----0----0-----------------|
-------9--9--9-------------------9--9--9---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
-------7--7--7-------------------7--7--7---------------------------------|
GLISS
~~~crescendo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Watching my life go by
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee deet deet
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
-0--0--0---------------------------0--0--0------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
Dee Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
--------------2----2----2------------------------------2----2----2------|
-0--0--0---------------------------0--0--0------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
-4--4--4---------------------------4--4--4------------------------------|
Dweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Daa
Dweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
---------5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10-----------|
---------5--5--5-------7--7--7-------10-10-10---------12-12-12-----------|
---------5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10-----------|
--5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10------------------|
--5--5--5-------7--7--7--------8--8--8---------10-10-10------------------|
--5--5--5-------7--7--7-------10-10-10---------12-12-12------------------|
eeeeeeeee Ah - dah - daaaaaahhhhh
! !
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
! !
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
[same as verses above]
Somebody help me find my way back down
There's nobody left for me to lap around
Everyone's breaking past my speed of sound
I am a dictator I keep my soul surrounded
Watching my life, Waaah - tching my life, Watching my life ....
I'm watching my life go by
Watching my life go by
[ending]
I'm watching my life go by-------------------------
-----------------0----0----0----------------------------0----0----0-----|
-----------------0----0----0----------------------------0----0----0-----|
-----------------0----0----0----------------------------0----0----0-----|
----7--7--7----------------------------7--7--7--------------------------|
----7--7--7----------------------------7--7--7--------------------------|
----7--7--7----------------------------7--7--7--------------------------|
--yyyyy-----------------------------------------------------------I'm---
-----------------0----0----0----------------------------0----0----0-----|
-----------------0----0----0----------------------------0----0----0-----|
-----------------0----0----0----------------------------0----0----0-----|
----7--7--7----------------------------7--7--7--------------------------|
----7--7--7----------------------------7--7--7--------------------------|
----7--7--7----------------------------7--7--7--------------------------|
~~~crescendo>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>
Watching my life!
----0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------------|
----0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------------|
----0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------------|
----0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------------|
----0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------------|
----0---0---0---0-------------------------------------------------------|
************************************************** **********************
Alternative harmonics [the entire harmonics part]
! !
-------------0----------0----------------------H5-----------------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------H4-----------------|
-------------0----------0----------------------------------H5-----------|
--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---0------------------------------|
! !
-------------X----------X-----------------------------------------------|
-------------X----------X-----------------------------------------------|
-------------0----------0-------------------------H5--------------------|
--0---0---0-----0-0----------(0)-0---0---0--------------H4--------------|
--0---0---0-----0-0----------(0)-0---0---0--------------------H5--------|
--0---0---0-----0-0----------(0)-0---0---0------------------------------|
Artist: Michael Hedges
Click to get the code!