R A D I O H E A D O P T I M I S T I C K i d A Transcribed by Ameya Deoras deoras@uiuc.edu Feb 2003 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ I've read a lot of optimistic tabs on the web and, to me, they all seem very inaccurate. That's why I wrote my own tab for solo guitar (which means sometimes I put together two guitar parts into one) This is an interpretation of the song; I have tabbed what Radiohead actually play and what I play when I play it solo. It's all about improvisation guys. ~~~~~~~Intro~~~~~~~ First things first, this song is in a Drop D tuning!! All the tabs out there use standard tuning. If you really listen you can make out that it is drop D. Okay, that being said, these are the chords for the intro. You can change them around to what suits you the best. The strumming is also up to you. This is the way I like to play it: D E Dsus2 F G Dsus2 e--0*---0*---0--------0*---0*---0---- B--10---12---7--------6----8----7---- 0* - playing that string is optional G--11---13---7--------7----9----7---- D--12---14---7--------8----10---7---- A--0*---0*---0*-------0*---0*---0---- D--0*---0*---0*-------0*---0*---0---- Alternatively (and a lot of people tab it this way) F G Dsus2 F G Dsus2 F G Dsus2 F G Dsus2 e--0*---0*---0--------0*---0*---0---- --0*---0*---0--------0*---0*---0---- B--10---12---7--------6----8----7---- OR --10---12---7--------6----8----7---- G--10---12---7--------7----9----7---- a combination --11---12---7--------7----9----7---- D--10---12---7--------8----10---7---- of the two --12---12---7--------8----10---7---- A--0*---0*---0*-------0*---0*---0---- --0*---0*---0*-------0*---0*---0---- D--0*---0*---0*-------0*---0*---0---- --0*---0*---0*-------0*---0*---0---- ~~~~~~~Verse 1~~~~~~~ This is the basic pattern played by guitar 1 through most of the song e-------------------------------------------------------------- B-------------------------------------------------------------- G---------7---7-7--5---5-555-----------9----9--9---7---7-777--- D-------------------------------------------------------------- A---------9---9-9--7---7-777----------10---10-10---9---9-999--- D-0---0-0----(0----0-----000)-0---0-0------(0------0-----000)-- Note: *The G string is more prominent than the A string. *You can put the optional (bracketed) D notes in the base wherever you want. When this phrase shows up in other parts (choruS), I sometimes harmonize it like: e-------------------------------------------------------------- B-------------------------------------------------------------- G---------7---7-7--5---5-555-----------9----9--9---7---7-777--- you can --9-- instead --9- D---------7---7-7--5---5-555-----------9----9--9---7---7-777--- also -10-- of --9-- A---------9---9-9--7---7-777----------10---10-10---9---9-999--- play -10-- -10-- D-0---0-0-----------------------0---0-0------------------------ flies are buzzing round my head vultures circling my bed picking up every last crumb the big fish eat the little ones big fish eat the little ones not my problem, give me some ~~~~~~~Chorus~~~~~~~ First I'll tab out the separate parts and then combine them :) Guitar 1- e--------------------- B---10-------9---7---- G----7-------7---7---- D----7-------7---7---- followed by the phrase from verse 1. A----0*------0*--0*--- D----0*------0*--0*--- ^ ^ The first and third chords are repeated a lot before changing. 0* is optional Guitar2 (It is in STANDARD TUNING, NOT in Drop D) e-----------------------0-2~~~ ----------------------------- B-------------------1-3------- -------------------------7--- G-------------0-2-3----------- or -------------------5-7-9----- D-------0-2-3----------------- -------------5-7-8----------- A-0-2-3----------------------- -------5-7-8----------------- E----------------------------- -5-7-8----------------------- Bass line (tabbed for guitar 1) e----------------------------- B----------------------------- G----------------------------- D----------------------------- A---3---2--------------------- D-----------5---0------------- Putting them together... these are the chords I use :) Repeat the chords just as you would for guitar 1 e--5---5-----3---2--------- B--3---3-----3---3--------- G--2---0-----3---2--------- D------0-----0---0--------- followed by the phrase from verse 1. A--3---2-----5---0--------- D------------5---0--------- you can try the best you can you can try the best you can the best you can is good enough ~~~~~~~Verse 2~~~~~~~ Here's one way of playing the riff in verse 2 played by guitar 2 e------------------------------------------------------------------------ B----3-----1---------------------------3------1-------------------------- G-----------3p2---2---2---2---0---3--2---------3p2------0---3---2-------- D------------0----------------------------------0-------------------0---- A-------------0----------------------------------0----------------------- D--------------0----------------------------------0---------------------- Then guitar 1 comes in with the phrase from verse 1. this one's optimistic this one went to market this one just came out of the swamp this one drops a payload fodder for the animals living on animal farm ~~~~~~~REPEAT CHORUS~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~Section 3~~~~~~~ Guitar 1 and 2 seem to play just what they play in verse 2. The bass and drums are the only ones changing. Playing all 3 parts together can be tricky so I'm going to add the base line notes to guitar 1. e----1---0-----3---2--------- B----3---1-----5---3--------- G----2---2-----5---2--------- D----3---2-----5---4--------- 0* is optional A----0*--0*--------0*-------- D----3---2-----5---4--------- Breaking it down: Guitar1 plays whats on the D and B string. The base guitar plays whats on the low D. I added the harmony to the G and e strings. I usually play the notes on the low D string with my thumb. If you find this too hard you can eliminate one string: e--------------------- ----1---0-----3---2-- --------------------- B----3---1-----5---3-- ----3---1-----5---3-- ----3---1-----5---3-- G----2---0-----5---2-- or ----2---2-----5---2-- or ----2---2-----0---2-- D----0---2-----0---0-- ----3---2-----5---4-- ----3---2-----5---4-- A----0*--0*----------- --------------------- --------0------------ D----3---2-----5---4-- --------------------- ----3---2-----5---4-- ~~~~~~~Section 4~~~~~~~ Guitar 1 just plays a variation of the phrase from verse 1- play the first half twice, then the second half twice. I'd really like to help you man I'd really like to help you man nice mister marionette flying along on a prison ship ~~~~~~~Repeat Chorus~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~Repeat (Harmonized) Intro~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~Outro~~~~~~~ Guitar1 plays a mellowed out version of its part in section 3 e---------------------- ---------------------- B----3---1-----5---3--- ---------------------- G---------------------- or ----7---5-----9---7--- D----3---2-----5---4--- ---------------------- A---------------------- ----8---7----10---9--- D---------------------- ---------------------- _____________________________________________________________________________________________