PERFECTLY GOOD GUITAR - John Hiatt

Intro: |Am |Em |G C |D Em | |Am |Em D |G C |D | |Em |D Em | |D Em | Em G Well he threw one down form the top of the stairs Am C D Beautiful women were standing everywhere Em G They all got wet when he smashed that thing Am D G But off in the dark you could hear somebody sing Am Em Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars G C D Em Smashing a perfectly good guitar Am Em D I don't know who they think they are G C D Em Smashing a perfectly good guitar |D Em | |Em |D Em | It started back in 1963 His momma wouldn't buy him that new red harmony He settled for a sunburst with a crack But he's still trying to break his momma's back. <Chorus> He loved that guitar just like a girlfriend But every good thing comes to an end Now he just sits in his room all day Whistling every note he ever played <Solo> - same chords as chorus There out to be a law with no bail Smash a guitar and you go to jail With no chance for early parole You don't get out till you get some soul <Chorus> Late at night the end of the road He wishes he still had the old guitar to hold He'd rock it like a baby in his arms Never let it come ot any harm <Chorus> (Hold the final D on "good" for 4 measures) ----------------------------------------- There are at least 4 guitars on the recording (possibly as many as 6). However, the 3 main ones are an acoustic (John strumming the chords), the lead guitar (Michael) and another electric (an overdub). The lead guitar plays the intro and solo as shown below, plays nothing during the verses, and power chords during the chorus. Intro: Begins with feedback, and then.. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------|----------------| |-----17--15~~~~--|---17--15----------|------------------------|----------------| |--/16--16------16|-16--16-----\14-12-14b16---b16-r14p12h14-12-|-14-12----------| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------|------14-/14----| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------|----------------| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------|----------------| + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-------------------|-------------------------| |-----17--15~~~~--|---17--15----------|-------15----------------| |--/16--16------16|-16--16-----\14-12-|-14b16---b16---r14-12----| |-----------------|-------------------|----------------------14-| |-----------------|-------------------|-------------------------| |-----------------|-------------------|-------------------------| + + + + + + + + + + + + |-------------------------|---------|-----------------| |-------------------------|---------|-----------------| repeat last |-14\12-12\11-11\7--7-----|---------|-----------------| 2 measures |----------------------9--|---------|-7-7---9---------| |-------------------------|-7-------|-5-5---7---------| |-------------------------|-0-------|-------0---------| Solo: + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------------| |-----17--15~~~~--|---17--15----------|-------15---------------------| |--/16----------16|~~~--16-----\14-12-|-14b16---b16-----r14p12-14-12-| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------------| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------------| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------------------| + + + + + + + + |-----------------------------|--------------------------------------12-----| |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------15b17| |-14-12-----------------------|----------------------12-14b16---------------| |-------14-12-----------------|-----------------14--------------------------| |-------------14\12-10--------|------10-12--/14-----------------------------| |------------------------12\--|--/12----------------------------------------| + + + + + + + + + + + + |--------15b17------b17-15~|~~~~~12-----------------|-------------------------| |---15-12------------------|-----15-15b17-r15-13----|-------------------------| |--------------------------|---------------------14-|/14\12-12\11-11\7--7--9--| |--------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------| |--------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------| |--------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------| + + + + |-------------|----------| |-------------|----------| |/9--9-~~~~~~~|^^^^^^^^^^| |-------------|----------| |-------------|----------| |-------------|----------| Overdub Guitar Fill: + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----/5-4-5-4-2-0-|-0-0---2---------|----/5-4-5-4-2-0-|-0-0---2---------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| The fill shown is first played at the end of the first chorus. During the second chorus, the overdub guitar plays + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-----------------| |----/5-----------|---3-5-----------| |-----------------|-------4---------| G5 C5 | D5 E5 | |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-----------------| |----/5-----------|---3-5-----------| |-----------------|-------4---------| G5 C5 | D5 | |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| And then the fill again. The fill appears again at the end of the solo. During the third chorus, the overdub guitar plays + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-----------------|-3---------3-----|-----------------| |----/5-----------|---3-5---------3-|-----3-------3---|-----------------| |-----------------|-------4----/4---|---4---5---------|-2---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-----2-2-------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------2-2-------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0-------| + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + |-----------------|-----------------|-3---------3-----|-----3-----------| |----/5-----------|---3-5---------3-|-----3-------3---|-----3-----------| |-----------------|-------4----/4---|---4---5---------|-2---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| And then the fill again During the fourth chorus, the overdub guitar plays much the same as what it did for the third, except for the fact that the last measure shown is held for a further 3 measures, before playing the fill twice.