Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals – Call It What It Is (Guitar)

Key
-
Versions (2)

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Chords

[Intro] D F G D F G [Verse 1]
D                        F G  D                           F G 
They shot him in the back... now it's a crime to be black...

         D             F       G        D         F G 
So don't act surprised... when it gets vandalized...
[chorus]
F    G              F    G               
Call it what it is, call it what it is, 

F   G                          D  F G        D   F G 

[Verse 2]
[tab]D                F G D       F G D         F G D 
There's good cops... bad cops... white cops... black cops...
[chorus]
            F   G              F    G               
You got to call it what it is, call it what it is, 

F    G                          D  F G        D  F G 
Call it what... it... is... murder
[Verse 3]
D             F G D         F G D            F G         D             F G  
Trayvon Martin... Ezell Ford... Michael Brown... and so many, many more...
[chorus]
G                   F    G               F   G                          D  F G D  F G 
Call it what it is, call it what it is, call it what... it... is... murder
[Verse 4]
D           F G     D     F G 
Government... ain't easy... 

D         F G     D     F G 
Policing... ain't easy...

     D      F G     D     F G 
Hard times... ain't easy... 

   D        F   G     D      F G  D  F   G     D     F G 
O-ppression... ain't easy... racism...  ain't easy... 

D      F G     D       F G    D
Fear... ain't easy... suffer-ing ain't easy
[chorus]
 F    G              F    G               
Call it what it is, call it what it is, 

F    G                          D     F   G   D   F G 
Call it what... it... is... murder ...murder
[Verse 5]
D          F G D            F G
Gun control... mind control... 

D               F      G       D
Self-control... we've dug ourselves a hole
[chorus]
F    G              F    G               
Call it what it is, call it what it is, 

F   G                          D  F G        D   F G 
Call it what... it... is... murder

            F   G              F    G               
You got to call it what it is, call it what it is, 

F    G                          D  F G        D  F G 
Call it what... it... is... murder

F    G              F    G               
Call it what it is, call it what it is, 

F   G                          D  F G        D   F G 
Call it what... it... is... murder
Notes, use barre chords on the “call it what it is…” chorus section and slide the barre chord from the F to the G shape in one action then strum on the G shape (fast count 1,2,3,4,5) F to G, G, G, G, 1 2 3 4 5 Rather than playing the chords you can use a slide or pick as follows or have one guitar play chords and a second play the slide
[Verses]
E|----------------------------------| 
B|----------------------------------| 
G|-12/14-12-10-------------10-12-10-| 
D|-------------10-10/12~-12---------| 
A|----------------------------------| 
E|----------------------------------| 

[chorus]         x3                   x1                                  x2
E|----------------||-----------------||----------------------------------||
B|----------------||-----------------||----------------------------------||
G|-10/12-12-12-12-||--12--12--12-/10-||-12/14-12-10-------------10-12-10-||
D|----------------||-----------------||-------------10-10/12~-12---------||
A|----------------||-----------------||----------------------------------||
E|----------------||-----------------||----------------------------------||