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If I Could by Jack Johnson
If I Could
Tuning: E A D G B E
Key: A
[Intro]
A E F#5 Bm7 A E5 F#5 B5
A E F#5 Bm7 A E5 F#5 B5
[Verse 1]
A E5 F#5 Bm7
A brand new baby was born yesterday, just in time
A E5 F#5 B5
A E5 F#5 Bm7
Papa cried, baby cried, said your tears are like mine
A E5 F#5 B5
A E5 F#5 Bm7
I heard some words from a friend on the phone Didn't sound so good
A E5 F#5 B5
A E5 F#5 Bm7 E
The doctors gave him two weeks to live I'd give him more If I could
[Chorus]
A D5 B5 E
You know that I would now
A D5 B5 E
If only I could
A D5 B5 E
You know that I would now
A D5 B5 E
If only I could
[Interlude]
A E5 F#5 Bm7
A E5 F#5 B5
A E5 F#5 Bm7
A E5 F#5 B5
[Verse 2]
A E5 F#5 Bm7
Down the middle drops one more grain of sand
A E5 F#5 B5
A E5 F#5 Bm7
They say that new life makes losing life easier to understand
A E5 F#5 B5
A E5 F#5 Bm7
Words are kind they help ease the mind - I'll miss my old friend
A E5 F#5 B5
And though you've
A E5 F#5 Bm7 E
got to go we'll keep a piece of your soul - One goes out, one comes in
[Chorus]
A D5 B5 E
You know that I would now
A D5 B5 E
If only I could
A D5 B5 E
You know that I would now
A D5 B5 E
If only I could
[Outro]
A
A brand new baby was born yesterday just in time
Papa cried baby cried said your tears are like mine
I heard some words from a friend on the phone didn't sound so good
The doctors gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
Down the middle drops one more grain of sand
They say that new life makes losin' life easier to understand
Words are kind they help ease the mind I miss my old friend
And thou you gotta go we'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out, one comes in
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
------------------
version 2
I
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------7-----|
A|---4---4/7-7---7---4---4/9---9-7-|
E|-5---5-------0---2---2-----------|
II
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|---4---4/7-7---7---4---4/9-9-7---|
E|-5---5-------0---2---2---------9-|
III (Chorus)
e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|-----------------|
D|-------6---------|
A|---7-----7---7-0-|
E|-0---0-----0-----|
IV
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-----6-------------------|
D|-7/9---7-----------------|
A|---------9-9-9---7---7-0-|
E|---------7-----0---0-----|
I
A brand new baby was born yesterday
II
Just in time
I
Papa cried, baby cried
II
Said your tears are like mine
I
I heard some words
From a friend on the phone
II
That didnt sound so good
I
The doctor gave him two weeks to live
III IV
Id give him more if I could
IV
You know that I would now
IV
If only I could
IV
You know that I would now
I
If only I could
Down the middle drops one more
Grain of sand
They say that
New life makes losing life easier to understand
Words are kind
They helped ease the mind
Of this, my old friend
And though you gotta go
We'll keep a piece of your soul
What goes out
What goes in
You know that I would now
If only I could
You know that I would now
If only I could
| / Slide up
------------------
version 3
Tuning: standard
Notes: This short but sweet song has basically just two parts to it.
I'm not gonna sit here and try to confuse you with the exact lay out and/or
lyrics. I have to assume if you have come this far that you know the song
well enough to wanna play it and will recognize the different parts.
This song has some ghost notes in it. They will be marked in "( )".
Ghost notes are just what you might assume they are. They are notes played
so subtley (sic?) that you don't actually play them, but you still kinda fret
them or pick them as if they really existed. In this song they are somewhat
necessary because they keep your hands in the flow and rhythm of the song.
You will notice that in playing this song correctly your hands are almost
doing a trance like movement in a constant rhythm once you really start to
"feel" it. THat is where ghost notes will be most important. Listen to the
song for reference.
During the verses Jack changes the order of the parts sometimes but every
part played in this song is listed here. Just listen for when he changes things up.
One last note. Use your FINGERS for this song. No picks!!!
Intro and verses
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------7-------0---------------|
A|-------4------4/7----7-------0-------4-------4/9-------9-------------4-----|
E|---5------5----(0)-------0-------2-------2----------------------5----------|
p
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----4/7----7--------0--------4--------4/9---9-------0---------------------|
E|-5----(0)-------0---------2-------2--------------7-------------------------|
p
Bridge-leading into Chorus Chorus
e|--------------------------I------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------I------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------I------4/6---------------------------------------|
D|----------8---------------I-----------7------7\4----4---------4--------4/6-|
A|----9-----------9-----(9)-I---0----------5----(0)--------2--------(2)------|
E|-0-----0-----0-----0------I------------------------------------------------|
p
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-4--------------4/6--------------------------------------------------------|
D|----6----------------7------7\4----4----------4--------4/6--6--------------|
A|-------7----0-----------5----(0)----------2------(2)-----------7--7--------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
p
Last phrase of song
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----4/6----------------------------------------4--------6------------------|
D|---------7------7\4----4-------4---------4/6------5------------------------|
A|-0----------5----(0)-------2-------(2)------------------0------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
p
A brand new baby was born yesterday just in time
Papa cried baby cried said your tears are like mine
I heard some words from a friend on the phone didn't sound so good
The doctors gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
Down the middle drops one more grain of sand
They say that new life makes losin' life easier to understand
Words are kind they help ease the mind I miss my old friend
And thou you gotta go we'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out, one comes in
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
------------------
version 4
Tuning: Standard
This is a simple song that has little one note changes at the end of every riff.
Riff A and B are to be used during the Verses.I labled the two different riffs
he plays and when you should play them.
Order For Song:
Intro
Verse 1
Transition To Chorus
Chorus x3
Verse 2
Transition To Chorus
Chorus x4
The Order for the Intro and the Verse is A,B,A,B,A,B,A,A,A,B
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
Riff B D|---------------------------7---------|
A|---4---4/7-7-------4---4/9---9-------|
E|-5---5-------0-0-2---2---------9-----|
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
Riff A D|-------------------------------------|
A|---4---4/7-7-------4---4/9-9---------|
E|-5---5-------0-0-2---2-------7\5-----|
The Transition into the chorus is almost the same as Riff B
with a different ending.
e|---------------------------------------------|
Transition B|---------------------------------------------|
to G|---------------------------------------------|
Chorus D|---------------------------7------------6----|
A|---4---4/7-7-------4---4/9---9-9-7-7-7----7--|
E|-5---5-------0-0-2---2-----------------------|
e|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
Chorus G|---4/6-----------------------------|X 3
D|-------7---7---7---4---4---6---6---|
A|-0-------5---5---2---2---7---7-----|
E|-----------------------------------|
The Second Verse uses the two riffs differently than the first verse.
Verse 2: Play Riff A,B,A,B,A,B,A,B,A,B After This play the transition once more
then go to the chorus and play it 4 times. on the 4th time end by
playing the A string.
A brand new baby was born yesterday just in time
Papa cried baby cried said your tears are like mine
I heard some words from a friend on the phone didn't sound so good
The doctors gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
Down the middle drops one more grain of sand
They say that new life makes losin' life easier to understand
Words are kind they help ease the mind I miss my old friend
And thou you gotta go we'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out, one comes in
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
| / slide up
| \ slide down
------------------
version 5
Capo: 2nd fret
First Verse: A B A B A B A A A B A
Second Verse: A B A B A B A B A B A
Part A
e |-------------------------------------|
b |-------------------------------------|
g |-------------------------------------|
d |-------------------------------7-----|
a |----4---4/7--7---0----4---4/9----9-7-|
e |--5---5--------0----2---2------------|
Part B
e |-------------------------------------|
b |-------------------------------------|
g |-------------------------------------|
d |-------------------------------------|
a |----4---4/7--7---0----4---4/9--9---0-|
e |--5---5--------0----2---2--------7---|
Riff into Chorus
e |----------------|
b |----------------|
g |----------------|
d |--------6-------|
a |----7-------7---|
e |--0---0-------0-|
Chorus x4
e |------------------------------------------|
b |------------------------------------------|
g |------------------------------------------|
d |----9/11-------------------------11----11-|
a |--0---------12---------9---9/12-----12----|
e |-----------------10\7----7----------------|
A brand new baby was born yesterday just in time
Papa cried baby cried said your tears are like mine
I heard some words from a friend on the phone didn't sound so good
The doctors gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
Down the middle drops one more grain of sand
They say that new life makes losin' life easier to understand
Words are kind they help ease the mind I miss my old friend
And thou you gotta go we'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out, one comes in
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
------------------
version 6
these are the main riffs that go on throughout the song
Intro
e---------------------------------|
B---------------------------------|
G---------------------------------|
D---------------------------7-----|
A-0-0-0-4/7-7-7-7-------4/9---9---|
E-----------------2-2-2---------7-|
e--------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------|
A-0-0-0-4/7-7-7-7-------4/9-9----------|
E-----------------2-2-2-------7/5------|
A brand new baby was born yesterday just in time
Papa cried baby cried said your tears are like mine
I heard some words from a friend on the phone didn't sound so good
The doctors gave him two weeks to live
I'd give him more if I could
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
Down the middle drops one more grain of sand
They say that new life makes losin' life easier to understand
Words are kind they help ease the mind I miss my old friend
And thou you gotta go we'll keep a piece of your soul
One goes out, one comes in
You know that I would now if only I could
You know that I would now if only I could
-------------