Big Thief – Promise Is A Pendulum (v1)★
Difficulty: beginner Capo: 1th fret Tuning: D A D G A D (Celtic)
Transpose
Dsus2
xxx1x2
2
3
4
5
6
7
D
xxx1x3
2
3
4
5
6
7
G/B
x1xx2x
2
3
4
5
6
7
Bm
34
9
10
11
12
13
14
Em7
12xx3x
2
3
4
5
6
7
A7sus4
xxxxx1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Live: DADGAD, capo 1st fret
Studio: DADGAE, capo 3rd fret
This tab is based on the live version, but it is pretty much the same as the studio version. The tuning on the
studio version seems to keep the high E string an E. Personally, I prefer the live tuning, so that's
what I'm using. Also, the outro is slightly different on the two versions. Again, the live version is tabbed.
Chords used (relative to capo):
Dsus2 D G/B Bm Em7 A7sus4
d |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
A |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
G |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
D |--2-----4-----5-----4-----5-----2----|
A |--5-----5-----2-----2----(2)----0----|
D |--x-----x-----x-----x-----2-----x----|
Here's how the picking pattern and chord progression goes:
Dsus2 D
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----2-------2-------4-------4---| x2
A|-5-------5-------5-------5-------|
D|---------------------------------|
G/B Bm
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----5-------5-------4-------4---| x2
A|-2-------2-------2-------2-------|
D|---------------------------------|
Em7 Em7
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----5-------5-------5-------5---| x1 (x2 in the chorus)
A|---------------------------------|
D|-2-------2-------2-------2-------|
A7sus4 A7sus4
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----2-------2-------2-------2---| x (varies)
A|-0-------0-------0-------0-------|
D|---------------------------------|
The chorus is finished off with a little tail like this, instead of playing regular A7sus4 :
d|---------------0---------------0--|---------------0---------------0--|
A|-------0---------------0----------|-------0---------------0----------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0------|---0-------0-------0-------0------|
D|-----2-------2/4-----4-------4/5--|-----5-------5\4-----4-------4----|
A|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
In the outro, after playing the chorus tail once, it goes something like this: (It's pretty much in free time
and this is not a 100% correct tab, but the chords should be right):
d|---------------0---------------0--|---------------0-----------------|-----------0------------0--|
A|-------0---------------0----------|-------0---------------0---------|-----0------------0--------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0------|---0-------0-------0-------7-----|---7-----7------7-----7----|
D|-----2-------2/4-----4-------4/5--|-----5-------5/7-----7---------9-|-9-----9------9-----9------|
A|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-0-------0-------0-------0-------|---------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------|
d|-------------0-------|---------0----------0---------0--------0--------0---------0---|
A|------0------------0-|-------0---------0----------0--------0--------0---------0-----|
G|----9------9-----9---|----11--------11---------11-------11-------11--------11-------|
D|-11-----11-----11----|-11--------11---------11-------11-------11--------11----------|
A|---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------0-|
[Intro]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
G/B Bm G/B Bm
[Verse 1]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never build the ether, or the grass overgrown
G/B Bm G/B Bm
I could never build the river with a mouth full of foam
Em7 A7sus4 A7sus4
I could never built the winter with her cold tears of glitter
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I've been listening to the red oak, the acorn she cries
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Listening to the white birch, the paper she dries
Em7 A7sus4
I've been listening to the frog's joke, listening to the fire smoke
[Chorus]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never tell you now what I had oftеn said before
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Becausе promise is a pendulum, just swinging at the door
Em7 Em7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous, or scared anymore
A7sus4
I'm just saying
[Verse 2]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never make a rainbow, or any kind of flower
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Could never make a sparrow, or a meteor shower
Em7 A7sus4
Could never build an earthworm, never make the earth turn
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I've been listening to the laughing of the fox down the trail
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Clasping to the listening of the moss to the snail
Bm Bm
Ooo
Em7 A7sus4
The shimmer of the beech leaves, as the wind does a big sneeze
[Chorus]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never tell you now, but I had so often said before
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Because promise is a pendulum, just swinging at the door
Em7 Em7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous, or scared anymore
A7sus4
I'm just saying
[Verse 3]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never make the shadow between your cheek and your eye
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Could never make a freckle or the warm breath you sigh
Em7 A7sus4
The canopy of lashes with the softness of ashes
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I've been listening to the memory, the way that it was
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Listening to the echo of whys and because
Em7 A7sus4
Listening to the echo, telling me to let go
[Chorus]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never tell you now, but I had often said before
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Because promise is a pendulum, just swinging at the door
Em7 Em7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous or scared anymore
A7sus4
I'm just saying
A7sus4
Sayin'
Studio: DADGAE, capo 3rd fret
This tab is based on the live version, but it is pretty much the same as the studio version. The tuning on the
studio version seems to keep the high E string an E. Personally, I prefer the live tuning, so that's
what I'm using. Also, the outro is slightly different on the two versions. Again, the live version is tabbed.
Chords used (relative to capo):
Dsus2 D G/B Bm Em7 A7sus4
d |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
A |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
G |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
D |--2-----4-----5-----4-----5-----2----|
A |--5-----5-----2-----2----(2)----0----|
D |--x-----x-----x-----x-----2-----x----|
Here's how the picking pattern and chord progression goes:
Dsus2 D
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----2-------2-------4-------4---| x2
A|-5-------5-------5-------5-------|
D|---------------------------------|
G/B Bm
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----5-------5-------4-------4---| x2
A|-2-------2-------2-------2-------|
D|---------------------------------|
Em7 Em7
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----5-------5-------5-------5---| x1 (x2 in the chorus)
A|---------------------------------|
D|-2-------2-------2-------2-------|
A7sus4 A7sus4
d|---------------0---------------0-|
A|-------0---------------0---------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0-----|
D|-----2-------2-------2-------2---| x (varies)
A|-0-------0-------0-------0-------|
D|---------------------------------|
The chorus is finished off with a little tail like this, instead of playing regular A7sus4 :
d|---------------0---------------0--|---------------0---------------0--|
A|-------0---------------0----------|-------0---------------0----------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0------|---0-------0-------0-------0------|
D|-----2-------2/4-----4-------4/5--|-----5-------5\4-----4-------4----|
A|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
In the outro, after playing the chorus tail once, it goes something like this: (It's pretty much in free time
and this is not a 100% correct tab, but the chords should be right):
d|---------------0---------------0--|---------------0-----------------|-----------0------------0--|
A|-------0---------------0----------|-------0---------------0---------|-----0------------0--------|
G|---0-------0-------0-------0------|---0-------0-------0-------7-----|---7-----7------7-----7----|
D|-----2-------2/4-----4-------4/5--|-----5-------5/7-----7---------9-|-9-----9------9-----9------|
A|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-0-------0-------0-------0-------|---------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------|
d|-------------0-------|---------0----------0---------0--------0--------0---------0---|
A|------0------------0-|-------0---------0----------0--------0--------0---------0-----|
G|----9------9-----9---|----11--------11---------11-------11-------11--------11-------|
D|-11-----11-----11----|-11--------11---------11-------11-------11--------11----------|
A|---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------0-|
[Intro]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
G/B Bm G/B Bm
[Verse 1]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never build the ether, or the grass overgrown
G/B Bm G/B Bm
I could never build the river with a mouth full of foam
Em7 A7sus4 A7sus4
I could never built the winter with her cold tears of glitter
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I've been listening to the red oak, the acorn she cries
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Listening to the white birch, the paper she dries
Em7 A7sus4
I've been listening to the frog's joke, listening to the fire smoke
[Chorus]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never tell you now what I had oftеn said before
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Becausе promise is a pendulum, just swinging at the door
Em7 Em7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous, or scared anymore
A7sus4
I'm just saying
[Verse 2]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never make a rainbow, or any kind of flower
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Could never make a sparrow, or a meteor shower
Em7 A7sus4
Could never build an earthworm, never make the earth turn
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I've been listening to the laughing of the fox down the trail
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Clasping to the listening of the moss to the snail
Bm Bm
Ooo
Em7 A7sus4
The shimmer of the beech leaves, as the wind does a big sneeze
[Chorus]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never tell you now, but I had so often said before
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Because promise is a pendulum, just swinging at the door
Em7 Em7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous, or scared anymore
A7sus4
I'm just saying
[Verse 3]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never make the shadow between your cheek and your eye
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Could never make a freckle or the warm breath you sigh
Em7 A7sus4
The canopy of lashes with the softness of ashes
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I've been listening to the memory, the way that it was
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Listening to the echo of whys and because
Em7 A7sus4
Listening to the echo, telling me to let go
[Chorus]
Dsus2 D Dsus2 D
I could never tell you now, but I had often said before
G/B Bm G/B Bm
Because promise is a pendulum, just swinging at the door
Em7 Em7
And I'm not saying I'm not jealous or scared anymore
A7sus4
I'm just saying
A7sus4
Sayin'