DESPITE THE TEARS
Words and Music by Chris Dowd of Fishbone and Jeff Buckley
This is a fantastic song which hasn’t gotten one zillionth of the attention it deserves.
Still, if any raving Jeff Buckley or Fishbone fans care to try it out, here it is.
It’s easiest to play with a capo on the second fret, so everything in this document is
two semitones below sounding pitch.
Enjoy! Rock on!
CHORD CHART
INTRO: E B Bm C# F#m C#/E# (B7)
VERSE 1
E B Bm C#
He found a letter from his lover
F#m C#/E# (B7)
she said she's never coming home
E B Bm C#
his things were lying on her doorstep
F#m C#/E# (B7)
and his tears, they fell like rain
CHORUS 1
E (E7)
and in his mind, he knew
Am Bm C
he'd love her always
F#m B E (B7)
despite the tears
VERSE 2
E B Bm C#
and in this town where few knew love
F#m C#/E# (B7)
he'd spend his nights all alone, crying
E B Bm
and all the love he'd once shared with her
C#
was gone, long, long, long gone
F#m C#/E# (B7)
and he knew a part of him was dying
CHORUS 2 (slightly crazier guitar part)
E (E7)
and in his mind, he knew
Am Bm C
he'd love her always
F#m B E (B7)
despite the tears
BRIDGE
D A B
(continued B7) D
don't cry, don't cry, don't cry
A B7
lover we tried, we tried, we tried
CHORUS 3
E
yet in his mind he knew
Am Bm C
he'd love her always
E
yet in his mind now in his mind
Am
he knew he'd love her
Bm C
he knew he'd love her always
F#m B E
despite the tears
E
[noodling ad nauseum]
NOW IN TAB FORM…
MAIN RIFF/VERSES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------2-2-------2-2-----------------|
------4-4-------4-4------4-4------1-1------2---------1---------------------|
----6----------4-------4---------3-------4---------3-----------------------|
--7---------6--------5---------4---------------------------2-2-2-2-2[etc]--|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[Sometimes he repeats the root of the chord]
CHORUS:
------0------------------------------------------------------|
---0--0------->9--------->10--->12----13---------------------|
---1--1------->7---7----->9---->11--------12-----------------|
---2--2------->9-----9--->10--->12------------14--[etc]------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
--4-4-4-[etc]------------------2-2-2-[etc]-------------------|
-----------------2-2-2-[etc]------------------2-2-2-[etc]----|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
Chorus 2 is the same thing except I like to put a G# on top of the first E chord and the
& Bm chords are arpeggiated in a frantic way.
BRIDGE
-------------0---5----------5--6--7---------|
--7--7--7----5-----5--------------7---------|
--7--7--7----6--------6--6--------8---------|
--7----------7--------------------9---------|
--5----------0--------------------9---------|
----------------------------------7---------|
------------0---5--------5-6-7---------------------|
--7--7--7---5-----5----------7---------------------|
--7--7--7---6-------6--6-----8------6--------------|
--7---------7----------------9--------9-7-6--------|
--5---------0----------------9--------------9-7-7--|
-----------------------------7---------------------|
OUTRO
Noodling based on the standard shape E chord
--0---------------|
--0---------------|
--1---------------|
--2---------------|
--2---------------|
--0---------------|