Guitar Tab:Birdhouse In Your Soul

From This Might Be A Wiki
Birdhouse In Your Soul
By: They Might Be Giants
Key: C major, often played live in D
Year: 1990
 1    e    +    a    2    e    +    a    3    e    +    a    4    e    +    a
 
 C                                       Dm
 I'm         your    only      friend              I'm       not       your
 Eb                                      F
 only              friend      but       I'm            a    little
 Bb                                      Cm7
 glowing        friend         but       really              I'm       not
 Db                                      G              
 actually                      your      friend    but  I              am

 C
 
 C                                       F
           Blue   canary       in   the  outlet    by   the  light     switch
 C/G                                Am                       G/B
           who       watches        over               you 
 C                   G/B                 Am                  F
           make  a   little         bird-          house     in        your 
 Eb                                      Ab
 soul      not   to  put   too      fine      a    point     on   it 
 Eb                                      Ab
 say       I'm  the  only           bee       in   your      bonnet 
 Eb                  Cm                  Ab                  G
           make  a   little         bird-          house     in        your 
 C                                       F
 soul
 
 C                                       F
 
 
 C                                       F
           I         have      a         se-  cret to        tell 
 C                                       F
           from      my        e-   lec-      tri- cal       well 
 C                   G/B                 C7
           it's a    sim-      ple       mes-      sage      and       I'm 
 F                                       G
 leav-     ing       out       the       whistles  and       bells 
 C                                       F
           so   the  room      must      listen    to        me 
 C                                       F
           fi-  li-  bus-      ter  vi-       gi-  lant-     ly 
 C                   G/B                 C7
           my        name      is        blue      ca-  na-            ry 
 F                                       G
 one       note      spelled   L         I         T         E 
 Am                                      F
           my        sto-      ry's      in-       fi-  nite
 
 D                                       F
           like the  Lon-      gines     Sym-      pho- nette               it
 
 
 1    e    +    a    2    e    +    a
 
 G
 doesn't             rest

_______________________
 
   Am  F     D                        Am    F   D
  ---0---0---0---                    ---5---5---5---
  ---1---1---1---                    ---5---5---5---
  ---2---2---2---        OR          ---5---5---5---
  ---2---3---4---                    ---7---7---7---
  ---0---0---0---                    ---7---8---9---
  ---x---x---x---                    ---5---5---5---

 1    e    +    a    2    e    +    a    3    e    +    a    4    e    +    a
 
 Instrumental/Bridge:
 Am                                      F 
 D                                       F 
 Am                                      F 
 D                                       F 
 F#m                                     D 
 B7                                      D 
 E                                       E/D 
 A/C#                                    E/B
  
 
 A                                       Bm
 I'm         your    only      friend              I'm       not       your 
 C                                       D
 only              friend      but       I'm            a    little 
 G                                       Am
 glowing        friend         but       really              I'm       not 
 Bb                                      G/B
 actually                      your      friend    but  I              am 
 
 C                                       F
           Blue   canary       in   the  outlet    by   the  light     switch 
 C/G                                Am                       G/B
           who       watches        over               you 
 C                   G/B                 Am                  F
           make  a   little         bird-          house     in        your 
 Eb                                      Ab
 soul      not   to  put   too      fine      a    point     on   it 
 Eb                                      Ab
 say       I'm  the  only           bee       in   your      bonnet 
 Eb                  Cm                  Ab                  G
           make  a   little         bird-          house     in        your 
 C                                       F
 soul                          and  while          you're    at   it  
 C/G                            Am       G/B
 leave the  night     light     on             in-       side     the 
 C                   G/B                 Am                  F
 bird-     house     in        your      soul
  
 1    e    +    a    2    e    +    a    3    e    +    a    4    e    +    a

Lithium junkie's guitar solo tab (From the TOTP "performance")
E--------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------- ----
D----2---0-----0------2---0------0------(x4)
A-----------3-----------------3--------------
E--------------------------------------------

E--------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------
A----4---5---6---5----7---5----4---2-----0--
E--------------------------------------------

SUGGESTION FOR INSTRUMENTAL SECTION
The chords for "My story's infinite..." and the instrumental section are as follows:
Am  F   D7  F (instead of Am  Am+  Am6  Am+)

If you look closely at these chords, you'll notice that they are the same pitches,
but if you listen to pitches in the bass, you'll see that this method of labeling the chords
is a little easier to wrap your head around.
"Am+" is theoretically correct, but calling it F Major makes a little more sense
when you hear that the bass note is an F and not an A.
Also, when they play this tune live, they play it a whole step higher than the record.
They've done this for quite awhile, so if you've ever wondered why it sounds a little
different when they play it live, that might be why.

chaddmaythis@hotmail.com, 14 Sep 2008



Remember if you want to play along with the recording, tune your guitar or pitch wheel 
your keyboard up a 1/4 step. It really messes with my ear. That's why I prefer the live 
versions which are in D major.