Fan Transcriptions

Most of these tabs have been collected from the now defunct Unofficial Blue Nile Website. At some point I should make a link to a downloadable version.

Guitar Tablature for Jean The Birdman

Jean The Birdman - David Sylvian and Robert Fripp

CHORDS

D7   -xx0212
C7   -x32310
G    -320003
G/F# -2x0003
E    -022100
G7   -320001
D*   -xx0101


@ Jean the Birdman

D7  C7  G  G/F#

D7  C7  G  G/F#


D7
He gambles on the saddle
     C7
He's pulling on the mane
   G  
He thrashes on the horse's back
G/F#
Ambition is a bloody game

D7
Horse doesn't want to jump
    C7  
The river looks too wide
        G
Well he faces every hurdle
       G/F#
With a nervous state of mind

D7
  Stay with me, 
C7
  Breathe deeply
G
  Take three paces back
G/F#
Turn and make a full attack

D7
  The gods are laughing
            C7
And they're tugging at the reins
         G
But he's taken to his wings
         G/F#
And they hit the bank

           E
Heaven may stone him
    G7                             D7 D* D7
But Jean the birdman pulls it off
  
           E
Heaven may stone him
    G7                             (TAB riff A)
But Jean the birdman pulls it off

Tab Riff A
e-------------------------------:
B-------------------------------:
G-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-3-2(h)3(p)2-1-:
D-0-----------------------------:
A-------------------------------:
E-------------------------------:

e-------------------------------:
B-------------------------------:
G---1-2-1-2-3-2(h)3(p)2-1--1-2--:
D-0-----------------------0-----:
A-------------------------------:
E-------------------------------:

  D
e-------------------------------:
B-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-:
G-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-:
D-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-:
A-------------------------------:
E-------------------------------:


His finger's on the trigger
His eye is on the clock
He doesn't give the game away
And quickly fires the bullets off


Six hearts cut short
Still dreaming they're alive
Blown 'round in dusty circles
Like an absent state of mind


Who hunter? Who victim?
God love America
He surely doesn't love him


Hitching out of nowhere
Lines of traffic knee deep
A chance to stave the morning off
And get some sleep


Heaven may stone him
But Jean the birdman pulls it off
Heaven may stone him
But Jean the birdman pulls it off


[This part is based on Sylvian Slow Fire Tour performances]

Start from a Dsus4(xx0233) and allow notes to ring on.
 
e---3-----2-------0-2-----------------:
B---3-3----3--3-3-------2-3-----------:
G---2--2----2---------2---------------:
D---0---------------------------------:
A-------------------------------------:
E-------------------------------------:

 D
e-------------------------------------:
B-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------:
G-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-------:
D-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------:
A-------------------------------------:
E-------------------------------------:

e-------------------------------------:
B-------------------------------------:
G----------------5-7-8-7-5------------:
D--------3-5-6-7-----------7-6-5-3----:
A--5-3-5------------------------------:
E-------------------------------------:


He wears a crucifix
His mother left to him
It's wrapped in chains around his heart
Rusted and wafer thin

"Don't count on luck son"
All the angels sing
"Don't need to check a weathervane
We all know what tomorrow brings"

Life is a cattle farm
Coyotes with the mules
Life is a bullring
For taking risks and flouting rules

Who needs a safety net
The world is open wide
Just look out for card sharks
And the danger signs

Heaven may stone him
But Jean the birdman pulls it off
Heaven may stone him
But Jean the birdman pulls it off
Heaven may stone him
But Jean the birdman pulls it off
Heaven may stone him
But Jean the birdman pulls it off

Transcribed 11/07/99 by Mike Garoghan
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