Meat Is Murder

PLEASE NOTE
The following files are the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song.
You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.

The Headmaster Ritual

Guitar tabs and chords symbols
This is my version of the Johnny's guitars arrangments.
Please, notice that the song should be played with a capo on the 2nd fret.
Another thing: tabs doesn't allow us to understand well the rhythm of the accompanyment, so any questions or doubts, please, e-mail-me: eluedy@ufba.br, or emarques@svn.com.br

INTRO: C9 /Esus4/ E
(2x)
e------------0-0----------|
b--3-3-3-3-3-0-0----------|
g--0-0-0-0-1-2-1----------|
d--2-2-2-2-2-2-2----------|
a--3-3-3-3-3-2-2----------|
e------------0-0----------|

e-------------0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----|
b--3-3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3---3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3-3-0-0-----|
g--0-0-0-0-0--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-1-2-1-----|
d--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----|
a--3-3-3-3-3--x-x-x-x---x-x-x-x--0-0-0-0-0-2-2-----|
e-------------x-x-x-x-3^3-3-3-3--x-x-x-x-x-0-0-----|

and returns to the intro's first chords (C9 /Esus4/ E), repeating the whole thing until the guitar riff:

(2x)
e---------------------------0----|
b--------------------------------|
g----------2-1----------2-1------|
d--------0------------0----------|
a------4----------2-4------------|
e--0-----------0-----------------|

and

e-------------0-0-0--3-3-3-------|
b--3-3-3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-------|
g--0-0-0-0-0--2-2-2--2-2-2-------|
d--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0--0-0-0-------|
a--3-3-3-3-3--x-x-x--x-x-x-------|
e-------------x-x-x--x-x-x-------|

it returns to the guitar riff, and, then, goes to the chant:

A B E c#m
Beligerant ghouls run Manchester schools

Amaj7 B E
spineless swines, cemented minds

B
Sir leads the troops, jealous of youth

Amaj7 E c#m
same old suit since 1962

B
he does the military two-step

Ab c#m7/9 B
down the nape of my neck i wanna go home

G#m Amaj7
i don't want to stay

F#/G Emaj7/9 Amaj7 Ab A
give up education as a bad mistake

=======================================================================================

tablature for the chords on "down the nape of my neck..."

(c#m7/9) (B) (G#m) (Amaj7) (F#/G)
e----------0------------2-0---------------0---------------------
b------4------4--------------4---------4----4------2--2-0---2---
g----4---4------4-----4--------4-----4---4----4----1--------3---
d--------------------------------------------------2--------4---
a--4----------------2------------------------------0--------x---
e----------------------------------4------------------------4---

(Emaj7/9) (Amaj7)...
e--2-------------------|
b--4-------------------|
g--4-------------------|
d--2-------------------|
a--x-------------------|
e--x-------------------|

Rusholme Ruffians

by:Robert Holmes,fainne@connect.ie

Intro:D repeatedly A G# G then D Bm x3

So the whole riff through the song is D Bm for a while then A G# G

What She Said

by,Robert Holmes fainne@connect.ie

Intro:(high)F#

One Main riff throughout:

F# E B D C# A B D E

The kind of break is: F# A B F# A B D E

That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
(Marr/Morrissey)

From: aschaffe@acs.ryerson.ca (Adam Schaffer - RTAT/W94)
transcribed by Adam Schaffer

Notes:
Tune up two semitones to F# or capo on the 2nd fret. As if you didn't figure it out, the main part is played on an 12-string acoustic. For chords with asterisks (*) below them, the note on the low E string should be played using your thumb.

             Park the car at the side of the road
                       only      desire is   to die but
F#-0----0----4----0----7-----------0----------------2-
C#-5----0----0----0----5-----------0----------------2-
A -6----6----6----6----5-----------1----------------2-
E -7----7----7----7----5-----------2----------------4-
B -0----0----0----0----7-----------2----------------4-
F#---------------------------------0----------------2-

   you should know time's tide with smother you
    I'm a-fraid it doesn't make     me       smile
F#--0----0----2-----0-----------------------------2---0-
C#--0----0----2-----0-----------------------------0---0-
A --1----1----2-----4-----------------------------4---4-
E --2----2----4-----5-----------------------------5---5-
B --2----2----4-----5-----------------------------5---5-
F#--0----0----2-----3-----------------------------3---3-
                    *                             *   *

   and I will too
    I wish I could laugh...
F#-0-----------0---0-
C#-5-----------1---0-
A -6-----------2---0-
E -7-----------3---5-
B -0-----------3---5-
F#-------------1---3-
               *   *

    when you laugh about people who feel so very lonely their
F#-0-----4---------------------0------------7----5---4--0-
C#-0-----0---------------------0------------0----0---0--0-
A -6-----6---------------------6------------6----6---6--6-
E -7-----7---------------------7------------X----X---X--X-
B -7-----7---------------------7------------7----7---7--7-
F#-5-----5---------------------5--------------------------
   *     *                     *

but that joke isn't funny anymore it's
F#-8---5-----------0----------0--0--0-------3---2-
C#-6---3-----------1----------3--1--0-------3---3-
A -0---0-----------2----------0--0--0-------0---2-
E -7---4-----------3----------2--2--2-------0---0-
B -8---5-----------3----------3--3--3-------X-----
F#-----------------1------------------------3-----
*

too close......too near the bone,
F#-8--------------5----------
C#-6--------------3----------
A -0--------------0----------
E -7--------------4----------
B -8--------------5----------
F#---------------------------

   too close to home and it's too near the bone
F#-0------------0----0---0----3------------2-
C#-1------------3----1---0----3------------3-
A -2------------0----0---0----0------------2-
E -3------------2----2---2----0------------0-
B -3------------3----3---3----X--------------
F#-1--------------------------3--------------
   *
   more than you'll          ever know
F#-----------0-------------0---0---0-----0--0-
C#-----------1-------------0---0---1-----0--0-
A -----------2-------------2---0---2-----2--0-
E -----------3-------------3---3---3-----3--3-
B -----------3-------------3---3---3-----3--3-
F#-----------1-------------1---1---1-----1--1-
             *             *   *   *     * *
F#-0-----------0---0-
C#-5-----------0---0-
A -6-----------2---0-
E -7-----------3---5-
B -0-----------3---5-
F#-------------1---3-
               *   *
The "I've seen this happen..." part
F#-5-----5-7--8--7---0-2--0-
C#-5-----5-5--5--5---0-0--0-
A -6-----5-5--5--5---4-4--4-
E -7-----6-6--6--6---5-5--5-
B -7-----7-7--7--7---5-5--5-
F#-5-----5-5--5--5----------

the next two chords are either:

F#-0---0-
C#-0---0-
A -0---0-
E -2---4-
B -3---5-
F#-------

or:

F#-3---5-
C#-5---7-
A -5---7-
E -5---7-
B -3---5-
F#-------

How Soon Is Now
November 1993 edition

From: john dioso <76711.2312@CompuServe.COM>

Hey, Jennifer, I've been playing this song for a good decade now, and I'll
be damned if what I play matches Johnny Marr note for note. The chords,
ostensibly, are F#, A, and B in the verse, and C#m, E, and F# in the chorus
(the "You shut your mouth" bit).
Played straight, it sounds horrendously wrong. But with the right rhythm,
you can approach Johnny-ness.
I read in a "Guitar" magazine profile of Johnny five or six years ago that
he actually played this song with his guitar tuned to an open E (that is,
strumming all the open strings would be an E chord; so the strings were
tuned, from lowest to highest, E-B-E-G#-B-E). It's a tuning that Bo Diddley
used in many of his songs, and if you listen carefully, you'll notice the
"Bo Diddley beat" lurking behind this mope-rock anthem (try playing the song to the rhythm of "Born to Hand Jive" from "Grease," and you'll get the
picture. Anyway, on to the song.

chords (in standard tuning, BTW):
verse chorus
F# A B D A C#m E
E-2 - - - 5 4 0
B-2 2 4 7 5 5 0
G-3 2 4 7 6 6 1
D-4 2 4 7 7 6 2
A-4 0 2 5 7 4 2
E-2 - - - 5 - 0

The opening "riff" is just the F# chord (2nd fret position) with loads of
reverb, another way to get that "wavy" feeling from just playing the one
chord is to position your hand to play the F# as I've shown you above,
except hammer on the first-finger barre on the 2nd fret to begin the riff
(^ = downstroke. v = upstroke):

|F# ^ v ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ | do this twice; the second time the lead guitarist (on
tour, Johnny) plays:
E-----2-2-2-2-2-2-2 | (4/5\4) just before the rhythm guitarist (on tour,
Craig Gannon) plays the next chords
B-----2-2-2-2-2-2-2 |
G-3---3-3-3-3-3-4-3 |
D-4---4-4-4-4-2-2-2 |
A-4---4-4-4-4-4-4-4 |
E-0(h)2-2-2-2-2-2-2 |

so the chord sequence for the intro and verse is:
|F#|F#|F#|A/B/|

                         How Soon Is Now?
         F#
I am the son and the heir
     A               B          F#
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
                        A B
Of nothing in particular

D             A
You shut your mouth, how can you say
C#m E                 F#
I go about things the wrong way ?
     D                      A
I am Human and I need to be loved
C#m       E             |F#|F#|F#|A/B/|
Just like everybody else does

         F#
I am the son and the heir
     A               B          F#
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
                            A B
Oh, of nothing in particular

D A
You shut your mouth

D                               A
There's a club if you'd like to go
               C#m      E          F#
You could meet somebody who really loves you
       D
So you go, and you stand on your own
A
And you leave on your own
        C#m              E
And you go home, and you cry
                |F#|F#|F#|A/B/|
And you want to die

D                              A
When you say it's gonna happen "now"
C#m          E            F#
Well, when exactly do you mean?
         D                  A
See I've already waited too long
C#m E           F#
And all my hope is gone

Well I Wonder

From: Travel1054@aol.com (Jim D Lantos)

Intro:Bm7(+9) Gmaj7(+9) Bm7(+9) Gmaj7(+9) Bm7 A Bm7 GMaj7(+9)

D F#m Bm7 A Bm7
Well I wonder...do you hear me when you sleep?

Gmaj7(+9) A G A
I...hoarsely cry

D F#m Bm A Bm
Well I wonder...do you see me when we pass?

Fmaj7(+9) A G A Em
I...half die

Gmaj7(+9) A G A Em
Please keep me in mind...

Gmaj7(+9) A G A
Please keep me in mind.

Bm7(+9) Gmaj7(+9)

D F#m Bm7 Gmaj7(+9)
Gasping...but somehow still alive.

Em Gmaj7(+9) A G A D F#m
This is the fierce last stand of all I am........gasping dying

Bm7 Gmaj7(+9)
but some-how still alive

Em Gmaj7(+9) A G A Em Gmaj7(+9)
This is the final stand of all I am Please...keep me in mind...

Repeat Intro

Instrumental:D/F#m/Bm7/Gmaj7(+9)/Em/Gmaj7(+9)/A G A Repeat this bit once
Em/Gmaj7(+9)/A G A ...And Repeat this bit also

...And that's all the book has. If anyone has the TAB to the solo (or a
better-sounding version of this song) please post them as it is one of my
favorite songs and I'd like to get it right.

CHORDS:

Bm7(+9)     x20222
Gmaj7(+9)   3x0202
Bm7       224232 (bar 2nd)
A     x02220
D     xx0232
F#m     xx4222
G     320003
Bm     xx4432
Em     022000

Barbarism Begins At Home
(Morrissey/Marr)

From: kjohn@quads.uchicago.edu (SINE QUA NON)

Transcribed by Adam Schaffer

Huge tuning tip: Tune to each string up two semi-tones to F#.

Intro:
F#--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x-7-7-x-x-
C#--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x-7-7-x-x-
A -11-12-x-x-9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-11-12-x-x-9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-7-7-x-x-
E -11-12-x-x-9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-11-12-x-x-9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-9-9-x-x-
B --9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x-7-7-x-x-
F#-------------------------------------------------------------

F#-x_sl_12-12-x-x-12-x-x-12---------3---7_p_5_p_0--5_p_0---
C#-x_sl_12-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-----------5------------------0-
A -x_sl_14-14-x-x-14-x-x-12-0-0-0-0------------------------
E -x_sl_14-14-x-x-14-x-x-14--------------------------------
B -x_sl_12-12-x-x-12-x-x-12--------------------------------
F#---------------------------------------------------------

Main Riff 1:

F#-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x-7-7-x-x-
C#-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x-7-7-x-x-
A -9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-11-12-x-x-9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-7-7-x-x-
E -9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-11-12-x-x-9-x-9-x-x-9-x-x-9-9-x-x-
B -7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x--9-10-x-x-7-x-7-x-x-7-x-x-7-7-x-x-
F#---------------------------------------------------

Main Riff 2: "Unruly boys who will not grow up..."

F#----------------------------------------------3--------7-
C#---------------------------------------x_sl_5---x_sl_8---
A ---------------------------------------------------------
E ---------0-------0-----------------0---------------------
B ---0_h_2---0_h_2---0-0-0-2---0_h_2---0-------------------
F#-0-------------------------0-----------------------------

F#-----------------------------
C#-------------------0---------
A ---------5-4---------0---0-2-
E -0-----5-----5---2-----------
B ---0-4---------3-------0-----
F#-----------------------------

F#--------------------------------------------3--------7-
C#-------------------------------------x_sl_5---x_sl_8---
A -------------------------------------------------------
E -------0-------0-----------------0---------------------
B -0_h_2---0_h_2---0-0-0-2---0_h_2---0-------------------
F#-------------------------0-----------------------------

F#-------------0---------------
C#-------------------0---------
A ---------5-4---------0---0-2-=20
E -0-----5---------2-----------
B ---0-4---------3-------0-----
F#-----------------------------

*Funk Riff 1: "Oh no, no, no, no, no, <moan> <moan>"
(*let B string ring periodically)

F#-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-14-12-x-x-12-x-12-x-12-x-x-14-12-x-x- =20
C#-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-14-12-x-x-12-x-12-x-12-x-x-14-12-x-x-
A -12-x-x-12-x-x-12-14-12-x-x-12-x-12-x-12-x-x-14-12-x-x- =20
E -------------------------------------------------------
B -------------------------------------------------------
F#-------------------------------------------------------

F#-12_h_14-14-x-x-14-x-x-7-7-x-x-x_sl_17-17-17-17-17-x-x-7-7-x-x-
C#-12_h_14-14-x-x-14-x-x-7-7-x-x-x_sl_17-17-17-17-17-x-x-7-7-x-x-
A -12_h_14-14-x-x-14-x-x-7-7-x-x-x_sl_17-17-17-17-17-x-x-7-7-x-x-
E ---------------------------------------------------------------
B ---------------------------------------------------------------
F#---------------------------------------------------------------

*Funk Riff 2:
(*let B string ring periodically)

F#-12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-12-12-12-12-
C#-12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-12-12-12-12-
A -12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-14-14-14-14- <--- play twice!
E -14-x-14-x-x-14-x-x-14-14-14-14-14-14-
B --------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------

F#-12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-12-12-12-12-
C#-12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-12-12-12-12-
A -12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-12-12-12-12-
E -11-x-11-x-x-11-x-x-11-11-11-11-11-11-
B -12-x-12-x-x-12-x-x-12-12-12-12-12-12-
F#--------------------------------------

F#-0-x-0-x-x-0-0-0-----0--0--0--0-
C#-8-x-8-x-x-8-8-8_sl_10-10-10-10-
A -9-x-9-x-x-9-9-9_sl_11-11-11-11-
E -x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-----x--x--x--x-
B -0-x-0-x-x-0-0-0-----0--0--0--0-
F#--------------------------------

Ending:

F#-x-x-0--x-x-0--0--0--3--2-
C#-x-x-0--x-x-0--3--2--3--2-
A -x-x-0--x-x-0--4--2--3--2-
E -x-x-2--x-x-2--4--2--2--1-
B -x-x-2--x-x-2--2--0--3--2-
F#-x-x-0--x-x-0-------------

F#-x-x-0--x-x-0--0--0------3---7_p_5_p_0--5_p_0-----0-
C#-x-x-0--x-x-0--3--2--0-----5------------------0---8-
A -x-x-0--x-x-0--4--2----0--------------------------9-
E -x-x-2--x-x-2--4--2-------------------------------9-
B -x-x-2--x-x-2--2--0-------------------------------7-
F#-x-x-0--x-x-0-------------------------------------0-

Bassline: (tune up to F# as well)

A ---------------------------------------------------
E -----2-2---------4-5---------2-2-------------------
B ---------0_h_2-------------------0_h_2-2-x-x-1-x-x-
F#-0-0-----------0-----x-x-0-0-----------------------

A ----------------------------------------------- =20
E -------------4-5-x-x-----------------4_h_5_p_4-
B -0-x-0-x-------------3-x-3-x-4-5-x-x-----------
F#---------2-3-----------------------------------

Ending:

A --------------------------------------------------------
E --------------2-4_h_5_p_4-------------------4_h_5_p_4---
B -0-0-(3)_sl_4-------------0-3-x-3-x-4-5-x-x-------------
F#------------------------------------------------------0-

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