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Normal American Kids


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Here is my first stab at this one. Not super happy with the 'slide riff'; if anyone has any feedback, I would appreciate it. Comments and corrections always appreciated.

Wilco - Normal American Kids / Schmilco 2016
Std Tuning / Capo 2
(all chords/tab relative to capo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5OTJBuUr0o

Chords:
    A  A/f#  A/c#  /d  /c#  /b    D  F# B G(iii) D(iv)
e|--0---0-----0-------------------2-----2---------5--|
b|--2---2-----2-------------------3--2--4----3----4--|
g|--2---2-----2---(0)-(0)---(0)---2--3--4----4----4--|
d|--2---4-----2---(4)-(4)---(2)---0--4--4----5----4--|
a|--0---0-----4----5---4-----2-------4--2----5----5--|
e|-----------------------------------2-------3-------|

[Slide Riff]:
e|-----------------------(2)------|
b|-----------------------(3)------|
g|--------------------0--(2)------|
d|-5-5s7---4-4s6----2-----0-------|
a|--------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------|

Intro:
 A      A/f#    A         A/c#
[Slide Riff]  (x2)

 A      A/f#    A         A/c#
Remind myself, myself long ago
 /d     /c#    /b           D      
'Fore drive, 'fore I could vote
A      A/f#    A         A/c#
All the time holding a grudge
[Slide Riff]
'Fore I knew people could die just because

Em          Am     Em          Am
Shaft in a sling, head for the bus
   F#           B       G(iii)   D(v)
I knew what I liked was not very much
 A          A/f#   A          A/c#
High at the time, tied to the grid
 /d     /c#              /b      D      
Always afraid of those normal American 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kids 

[Slide Riff] 

Em             Am     Em          Am
Oh, all of my spirit leaked like a cut
   F#           B          G(iii)    D(v)
I knew what I needed would never be enough
A         A/f#     A        A/c#
I was too high to change my bid
 /d     /c#              /b      D   
Always afraid to be a normal american 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kid

 /d     /c#            /b      D   
Always hating normal normal american 
Em             Am     Em          Am
empty summer days
   F#       B          G(iii)       D(v)
Lightning crazed and cracked like an egg
A     A/f#       A      A/c#
High behind the garden shed
 /d       /c#          /b      D   
Painting myself as a normal American 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kid
 /d       /c#          /b      D   
I always hated it
 A         A/f#       A         A/c#
 F#         B       G(iii)      D(v)

A     A/f#       A      A/c#
High as high as high can loom
 /d        /c#      /b      D   
Under the sheets in my bedroom
A     A/f#      A      A/c#
I was high as high can get
 /d       /c#           /b      D   
Always afraid of those normal American 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kids

[Slide Riff] 

     Em        Am        Em        Am
Oh, bongs and jams, and carpeted vans
 F#       B        G(iii)     D(v)
Hate everything I don't understand
A     A/f#   A           A/c#
Hard times tightening the lid
  /d         /c#              /b      D   
I had to get away from those normal American 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kids
  /d     /c#         /b      D   
Always hated those normal American 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kids

[Slide Riff] 

  /d     /c#         /b      D   
Always hated those normal American 
 A         A/f#    A         A/c#
kids
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Hey anthony- thanks for taking a crack at this. Always appreciate your efforts on these tunes. Looking forward to giving it a shot when i get home tonight. I doubt I will have anything to add, but will do so here if I do.

 

Edit: I am messing around with this now, and it sounds to me like a straight A chord after those Em chords. As I am sure you know, Jeff fingers his A chords weird so it certainly looks like an Am in the video. My ears are trumping my eyes on this one. What do you think?

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Hey anthony- thanks for taking a crack at this. Always appreciate your efforts on these tunes. Looking forward to giving it a shot when i get home tonight. I doubt I will have anything to add, but will do so here if I do.

 

Edit: I am messing around with this now, and it sounds to me like a straight A chord after those Em chords. As I am sure you know, Jeff fingers his A chords weird so it certainly looks like an Am in the video. My ears are trumping my eyes on this one. What do you think?

 

You could be right; now that I hear it, it may be just A and not Am. I naturally want to pair Am with Em. Maybe that is just me and my predilections. What do you think of the other bar chords in the 'chorus'? He leans pretty heavy on the bottom 2 or three strings so it can be tough to flush out the whole chord. More like power chords.

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