Fiona Apple – I Know (Ukulele Fingerpicking)
Key
-
Versions
(4)
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Speed:
1.0x
Chords
This is just my personal interpretation of the song – obviously since the original's on piano,
this isn't gonna sound exactly like that. This is just one example of how to transfer this song to ukulele!
As far as fingerpicking goes I think this is a pretty simple arrangement, and you could definitely
develop certain areas more (e.g. the bridge) – either way I'll be leaving some
performance notes at the end to keep it beginner-friendly if anybody wants them :)
Hope you enjoy!
____________________
h Hammer-on
p Pull-off
* Strum
/ Slide up
\ Slide down
____________________
[Intro]
C C Fm Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----1-----------1=-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------1-----1----| C Am G C C A|----------3-------|----------2-------|2/3-------3------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|----0----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|-----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|-------0----0----|-------0-----0----|
[Verse 1]
C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| So be it I'm your crowbar / If that's what I am so far C Am G C C A|----------3-------|----------2-------|2/3--------3------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|------------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----| Until you get out of this mess C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| And I will pretend / That I don't know of your sins C Am Gm F Dm A|----------3-------|----------1-------|-0--------0-------|-0--------0-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|----0--------0----|----2--------2----| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|------------------|------------------| Until you are ready to confess/ but all the time, F7 D7 A|-0--------0-------|-3--------3-------| E|-------1--------1-|-------2--------2-| C|----3--------3----|----2--------2----| G|------------------|------------------| all the time C F C F A|-3--------3-------|-0--------0-------|-3--------3-------|-0--------0-------| E|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-| C|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0----| G|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| I'll know, I'll know.
[Verse 2]
C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| And you can use my skin to bury secrets in C Am G C C A|----------3-------|----------2-------|2/3--------3------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|------------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----| And I will settle you down C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| And at my own suggestion I will ask no questions C Am Gm F Dm A|----------3-------|----------1-------|-0--------0-------|-0--------0-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|----0--------0----|----2--------2----| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|------------------|------------------| While I do my thing in the background/ But all the time, F7 D7 A|-0--------0-------|-3--------3-------| E|-------1--------1-|-------2--------2-| C|----3--------3----|----2--------2----| G|------------------|------------------| all the time C F7 C F7 A|-3--------3-------|-0--------0-------|-3--------3-------|-0--------0-------| E|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-| C|----0--------0----|----3--------3----|----0--------0----|----3--------3----| G|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| I'll know, I'll know.
[Bridge]
E* * E* * * * Am* A|-2--------2-------|-2--------2--2--2-|-0--------------0-|-------0--------0-| E|-0--------0-------|-0--------0--0--0-|-0-----------0----|----0--------0----| C|-4--------4-------|-4--------2--2--2-|-0--------0-------|-0--------0-------| G|-1--------1-------|-1--------1--1--1-|-2-----2----------|------------------| E* * E* * * * Am* A|-2--------2-------|-2--------2--2--2-|-0--------------0-| E|-0--------0-------|-0--------0--0--0-|-0-----------0----| C|-4--------4-------|-4--------2--2--2-|-0--------0-------| G|-1--------1-------|-1--------1--1--1-|-2----------------| Baby, I can't help you out F7* C7* A|-2----------------|-1----------------|------------------| E|-0----------------|-0----------------|------------------| C|-2----------------|-0----------------|------------------| G|-1----------------|-0----------------|------------------| While she is still around ...
[Verse 3]
C Fm C A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----| So for the time being, I'm being... Am G C C A|----------2-------|-3--------3-------|----------3-------| E|-------0--------3-|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|----0--------2----|------------------|-0----------------| G|-2----------------|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----| patient... C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| And amidst this bitterness, / If you'd just consider this C Am Gm Fmaj7 Dm A|----------3-------|----------1-------|-0--------0-------|-0--------0-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|----4--------4----|----2--------2----| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|------------------|------------------| Even if it don't make sense, all the time F7 D7 A|-0--------0-------|-3--------3-------| E|-------1--------1-|-------2--------2-| C|----3--------3----|----2--------2----| G|------------------|------------------| Give it time... C Fm C A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----| And when the crowd becomes your burden Fm C A|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----| And you've early closed your curtain, I'll wait / Am G C C A|-3--------3-------|2/3--------3------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|------------------|------------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----| / by the backstage door
[Verse 4]
C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| While you try to find / The lines to speak your mind C Am Gm F A|----------3-------|----------1-------|-0--------0-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|-------1--------1-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|----0--------0----| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|------------------| And pry it open, hoping for an encore... / And Dm F7 D7 A|-0--------0-------|-0--------0-------|-3--------3-------| E|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-|-------2--------2-| C|----2--------2----|----3--------3----|----2--------2----| G|------------------|------------------|------------------| if it gets too late, for me to wait C Em* C C A|----------3-------|-2----------------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-------------|-0----------------|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|-4----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0----------|-0----------------|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----| For you to find you love me, and tell me so... Am* D* F7* G* A|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-2----------------| E|-0----------------|-2----------------|-1----------------|-3----------------| C|-0----------------|-2----------------|-3----------------|-2----------------| G|-2----------------|-2----------------|-2----------------|-0----------------| It's okay. You don't need to say it.
[Outro]
C Fm C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----| C Fm A|----------3-------|----------3-------|---------------------|---------------| E|----0-----------0-|----1-----------1-|----1-----1------1p0-|---------------| C|-0----------------|-0----------------|-0-----0-------------|-0-------------| G|-------0-----0----|-------1-----1----|---------------------|---------------|
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PERFORMANCE NOTES
- When picking I'll typically lightly accent the fourth beat in the measure.
- Towards the end of the song, around verse 3, I like to transition slowly towards accenting
the first beat in the measure instead – for the C and Fm it's just the C string, so I think it gives
it a cool sense of built-up tension for the anchor in the song to shift from that high C on the
A string to the more foreboding low C.
- wrt the slide-up 2/3 in most of the C-Am-G-C progressions: it was hard to convey this in tabs, but you pluck the string on the last downbeat of the measure before and slide up to 3 by the first beat of the next measure. the rhythm is like | 1 2 3 4 5 6+ | 1 ..etc. If you play the song faster than the original, this doesn't sound as great, so just scrap it if you feel like you should.
the C-Am-G-C progression
- figured this might be tough for some so I've found it easiest to do it like this –
(using PIMA to denote which finger to use to hold down strings)
C Am G C C A|----------3-------|----------2-------|2/3--------3------|----------3-------| E|----0-----------0-|-------0--------3-|----0-----------0-|----0-----------0-| C|-0----------------|----0--------2----|------------------|-0----------------| G|-------0-----0----|-2----------------|-------0-----0----|-------0-----0----|
A M I M A I I A
^I start at and return to the ring finger for C to make Fm easier later
^best not to immediately hold down the G chord when you get there – wait until you
have to pluck each of those last two notes before putting them down, to let the previous notes
ring/help with flow.
- same thing goes for the C-Am-Gm-F progressions.