"Just A Shadow" by Big Country
From the album "Steeltown"
Tabbed by Colin Dawson; colin_g_dawson@hotmail.com
October 2004.
Updated October 2005 (shorthand simplified)
Abbreviations;
s = slide
sd = slide down
h = hamer
p = pull
Intro:
To make the INTRO tab easier to read, I've used the following abbreviations;
0 = Open string
4 = Fourteenth fret
6 = Sixteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
8 = Eighteenth fret
D A D A
E|----|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|--4-|8-8-8-8-8-4-4-4-|--------------4-|8-8-8 8 8-4-4-4-|--------------4-|
D|--0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|6-6-6-4-4-4-6-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|6-6-6-4-4-4-6-0-|
A|--0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|----|----------------|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|----------------|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|
D A F#m D
E|----------------|----------------|-----------|------------|
B|----------------|----------------|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4-----|
G|8-8-8-8-8-4-4-4-|--------------4-|4-------4--|4--------4--|
D|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|6-6-6-4-4-4-6-0-|-----------|------------|
A|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------|------------|
E|----------------|0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-----------|------------|
To make the next part easier to tab, I've used the following abbreviations;
0 = Open string
7 = Seventh fret
9 = Ninth fret
1 = Eleventh fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
D A D A F#m
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--------|--------|--------|
G|1-111111|--------|1-111111|--------|
D|0-000000|4-1-9-7-|0-000000|4-1-1---|
A|0-000000|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|0-0-0---|
E|--------|0-0-0-0-|--------|0-0-0---|
D A A E A
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--------|--------|--------|
G|1-111111|--------|--------|--------|
D|0-000000|4-1-9-7-|1-111111|--7-7---|
A|0-000000|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|1-0-0---|
E|--------|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|0-0-0---|
D A D A F#m
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--------|--------|--------|
G|1-111111|--------|1-111111|--------|
D|0-000000|4-1-9-7-|0-000000|4-1-1---|
A|0-000000|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|0-0-0---|
E|--------|0-0-0-0-|--------|0-0-0---|
D A A E A
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--------|--------|--------|
G|1-111111|--------|--------|--------|
D|0-000000|4-1-9-7-|1-111111|--7-7---|
A|0-000000|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|1-0-0---|
E|--------|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|0-0-0---|
Verse 1:
Bm A D A
It went so well for you.
F#m E D E
With a place right where you wanted, and the ones to fill it too.
Bm A D A
But some blows break the spell.
F#m E D E
That it hits you every day, until you need to hit as well
To make the next part easier to tab, I've used the following abbreviations;
1 = first fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
F#m D
E|---|-----------|-----------|
B|---|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4----|
G|-1s|4-------4--|4-------4--|
D|---|-----------|-----------|
A|---|-----------|-----------|
E|---|-----------|-----------|
Chorus:
F#m Esus E A Esus E
It’s just a shadow of the man you should be
F#m Esus E A Esus E
Like a garden in the forest that the world will never see
F#m Esus E A Esus E
You have no thought of answers only questions to be filled
To make the next part easier to tab, I've used the following abbreviations;
1 = first fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
F#m D
E|---|-----------|-----------|
B|---|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4----|
G|-1s|4-------4--|4-------4--|
D|---|-----------|-----------|
A|---|-----------|-----------|
E|---|-----------|-----------|
And it feels like hell
To make the next part easier to tab, I've used the following abbreviations;
0 = Open string
7 = Seventh fret
9 = Ninth fret
1 = Eleventh fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
D A D A F#m
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--------|--------|--------|
G|1-111111|--------|1-111111|--------|
D|0-000000|4-1-9-7-|0-000000|4-1-1---|
A|0-000000|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|0-0-0---|
E|--------|0-0-0-0-|--------|0-0-0---|
D A A E A
E|--------|--------|--------|--------|
B|--------|--------|--------|--------|
G|1-111111|--------|--------|--------|
D|0-000000|4-1-9-7-|1-111111|--7-7---|
A|0-000000|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|1-0-0---|
E|--------|0-0-0-0-|0-000000|0-0-0---|
Verse 2
Bm A D A
It all seemed fine for you
F#m E D E
Till the struggle of ambition turned in violence upon you
Bm A D A
E|------21-------------------|---------------|
B|19-22----------------------|---------------|
G|---------------------------|---------------|
D|---------------------------|---------------|
A|---------------------------|---------------|
E|---------------------------|---------------|
Sometimes a landslide comes
F#m E D E
If you’re hiding in that avalanche you need a place to run
To make the next part easier to tab, I've used the following abbreviations;
1 = first fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
F#m D
E|---|-----------|-----------|
B|---|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4----|
G|-1s|4-------4--|4-------4--|
D|---|-----------|-----------|
A|---|-----------|-----------|
E|---|-----------|-----------|
Chorus:
F#m Esus E A Esus E
It’s just a shadow of the woman you should be
E|------21---
B|19-22------
G|-----------
D|-----------
A|-----------
E|-----------
F#m Esus E A Esus E
Like a garden in the forest that the world will never see
F#m Esus E A Esus E
You have no thought of answers only questions to be filled
To make this bit easier to read, I've used the following abbreviations;
1 = first fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
F#m D
E|---|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
B|---|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4----|-----------------|
G|-1s|4-------4--|4-------4--|4sd--------------|
D|---|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
A|---|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
E|---|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
And it feels like hell ch kah
To make this bit easier to read, I've used the following abbreviations;
4 = Fourteenth fret
6 = Sixteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
8 = Eighteenth fret
1 = Twenty first fret
D Bm E F#m D Bm E F#m D
E|-------------------|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
B|-------------------|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
G|---------------4---|4---h6-6s8-|8s4--------4---|4---h6-6s1--|8---------4---|
D|--------66-6-6---6-|-----------|----66-6-6---6-|------------|---66-6-6---6-|
A|-------------------|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
E|-------------------|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
Bm E F#m D Bm E F#m D
E|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
B|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
G|4---h6-6s8-|8s4--------4---|4---h6-6s1--|8---------4---|
D|-----------|----66-6-6---6-|------------|---66-6-6---6-|
A|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
E|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
D Bm E F#m
I know there is no need for what’s been done
D Bm E F#m
I know there is enough for everyone
D Bm E F#m
Frustration brings a heavy hand to bear
D Bm E
And there’s never been a hand
Verse 3:
Bm A D A
Did we ever have it good
F#m E D E
While we lived in Eldorado did we find the gold we should
Bm A D A
If it really was the truth
F#m E D E
Why are faces filled with anger that should only shine with youth
To make the next part easier to tab, I've used the following abbreviations;
1 = first fret
4 = Fourteenth fret
7 = Seventeenth fret
F#m D
E|---|-----------|-----------|
B|---|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4----|
G|-1s|4-------4--|4-------4--|
D|---|-----------|-----------|
A|---|-----------|-----------|
E|---|-----------|-----------|
Chorus:
F#m Esus E A Esus E
It’s just a shadow of the people we should be
F#m Esus E A Esus E
Like a garden in the forest that the world will never see
F#m Esus E A Esus E
You have no thought of answers only questions to be filled
F#m D
E|---|-----------|-----------|----------|
B|---|--4-7-4----|--4-7-4----|----------|
G|-1s|4-------4--|4-------4--|4s2-------|
D|---|-----------|-----------|----------|
A|---|-----------|-----------|----------|
E|---|-----------|-----------|----------|
And it feels like hell ch kah
To make this bit easier to read, I've used the following abbreviations;
F#m D
E|-------------------|
B|-------------------|
G|---------------4---|
D|--------66-6-6---6-|
A|-------------------|
E|-------------------|
Bm E F#m D Bm E F#m D
E|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
B|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
G|4---h6-6s8-|8s4--------4---|4---h6-6s1--|8---------4---|
D|-----------|----66-6-6---6-|------------|---66-6-6---6-|
A|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
E|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
Bm E F#m D Bm E F#m D
E|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
B|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
G|4---h6-6s8-|8s4--------4---|4---h6-6s1--|8---------4---|
D|-----------|----66-6-6---6-|------------|---66-6-6---6-|
A|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
E|-----------|---------------|------------|--------------|
(Repeat the above riff over the following four lines)
D Bm E F#m
I know there is no need for what’s been done
D Bm E F#m
I know there is enough for everyone
D Bm E F#m
Frustration brings a heavy hand to bear
D Bm E F#m
And there never is a hand outside that cares
(see below for the guitar solo that runs through the following section)
D Bm E F#m
Still the promise comes of living fit for all
D Bm E F#m
If we only get our back against the wall
D Bm E F#m
I look at backs that pushed the wall for years
D Bm E F#m
Scarred by many knives and too much fear
To simplify the tab for the following part I've used the following
abbreviations and I've just tabbed the main notes, not the rhythm;
9 = Nineteenth fret
1 = Twenty first fret
2 = Twenty second fret
(The chords for the following parts are just D > Bm > E > F#m)
E|--------|--------|------|---------|--------|--------|------|---------|
B|--2-2-2-|2-1-9---|------|-----1-9-|--2-2-2-|2-1-9---|----9-|-----1-9-|
G|--------|------1-|9---9-|1--------|--------|------1-|9-----|1--------|
D|--------|--------|------|---------|--------|--------|------|---------|
A|--------|--------|------|---------|--------|--------|------|---------|
E|--------|--------|------|---------|--------|--------|------|---------|
Still the promise... If we only get...
E|--1-1-1-|1-9-----|-------|----9---|--1-1-1-|1-9-----|--------|9------|
B|--------|----2-1-|9----2-|1-----1-|--------|----2-1-|9----2-1|--1----|
G|--------|--------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|
D|--------|--------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|
A|--------|--------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|
E|--------|--------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|
I look at backs... Scarred by many...