Hozier – Swan Upon Leda (Guitar Acoustic Tab)

Capo 2 Video Lesson
Versions (4)

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Chords

This tab is the live and acoustic version Hozier plays in the video linked below, and is a continuation of the wonderful work done by ClayHof111 in notating this stunning song. Every group of three notes is a quaver triplet rhythm, and the time signature alternates between 4/4 and 2/4 bars (as seperated with barlines.) Words are below each system and should be accurately (ish) placed to help you figure out where they go. In the second and final chorus, Hozier changes up his picking pattern to single strums in some areas, but I have left it as the full version so you can choose to do it either way! ************************************
[Intro]
   C                                    C
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----| x2
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|-3----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
                                                                           A...

[Verse 1]
   C                                    Dm                 Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|-0--------0-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
...husband                                waits out-        side,                                        

   Am                                    G                                   C               
e|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0-------0-|-------1---------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----0--------0--------0-------0----|----0---------0----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------0--------0-------0-------|-------------------|
A|-0----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-3---------3-------|
E|------------------------------------|-3---------------------------------|-------------------|
                      a crying           child pushes a child               into the

   F                                    Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   night,                                                          she was

    C                                    Dm               Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|-0--------0-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
    told he would                       come this          time,

   Am                                    G                                   C               
e|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0-------0-|-------1---------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----0--------0--------0-------0----|----0---------0----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------0--------0-------0-------|-------------------|
A|-0----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-3---------3-------|
E|------------------------------------|-3---------------------------------|-------------------|
                      without          leaving so much as a                 feather          

   F                                    Am                                    Am              
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|-0----------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
   behind,                                                             to   enact     at 

   C/B                C                  E                                                                  
e|------------------|------------------|-----------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-|------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|---1--------1--------1--------1----|
D|----------0-------|----------0-------|---------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-2----------------|-3----------------|-----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|0----------------------------------|
  last     the        perfect            plan,                          

  E7                                    Am                 G                   
e|------------------------------------|-----------------|------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|------1--------1-|-------0--------0-|
G|----1--------1--------1--------1----|---2--------2----|----0--------0----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|---------2-------|----------0-------|
A|------------------------------------|0----------------|------------------|
E|-0----------------------------------|-----------------|-3----------------|
   one more sweet                       boy to             be                

  F                                     F(open B string)         
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|------0--------0--------0--------0--|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------3--------3--------3-------|
A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|-1----------------------------------|
   butchered                     by       man.                       but the...                          

[Chorus]
  Dm                  C                  G/B
e|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----2--------2----|----0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----|
D|-0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------0--------0--------0-------|
A|------------------|-3----------------|-2----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
   ...gateway         to the             world,

   G/B                                  G/B                C
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------2-------|
A|-2----------------------------------|-2----------------|-3----------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
                            was still   outside the        reach of

  F                                     Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   him,                                                              what

  Dm                  C                  G/B
e|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----|
D|-0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------0--------0--------0-------|
A|------------------|-3----------------|-2----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
   never          belonged to            angels,

   G/B                                  G/B                C
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------2-------|
A|-2----------------------------------|-2----------------|-3----------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
                                  had   never          belonged          to

  F                                     Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   men,                                                                the

  Dm                  C                  G/B
e|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----2--------2----|----0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----|
D|-0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------0--------0--------0-------|
A|------------------|-3----------------|-2----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
   swan               upon                Leda,

  E7                                    F       
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----1--------1--------1--------1----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|----------3--------3--------3-------|
A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-0----------------------------------|-1----------------------------------|
                            empire      upon                        Jerusa-

   C                                    C
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----| x2
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|-3----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   -lem.                                                                   A...

[Verse 2]
   C                                    Dm                 Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|-0--------0-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
... grandmother                        smuggling           meds,                                 

   Am                                    G                                   C               
e|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0-------0-|-------1---------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----0--------0--------0-------0----|----0---------0----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------0--------0-------0-------|-------------------|
A|-0----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-3---------3-------|
E|------------------------------------|-3---------------------------------|-------------------|
                     past where the     god child soldier                   Setanta stood

   F                                    Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   dead,                                                              our

    C                                    Dm               Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|-0--------0-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
    graceful                       turner of               heads,

   Am                                    G                                   C               
e|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0-------0-|-------1---------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----0--------0--------0-------0----|----0---------0----|
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------0--------0-------0-------|-------------------|
A|-0----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-3---------3-------|
E|------------------------------------|-3---------------------------------|-------------------|
                she weaves through the  checkpoints like a                  needle and 

   F                                    Am                                    Am              
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|-0----------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
   thread,                                                       someone's   frightened

   C/B                C                  E                                                                  
e|------------------|------------------|-----------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1-|-------1--------1-|------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|---1--------1--------1--------1----|
D|----------0-------|----------0-------|---------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-2----------------|-3----------------|-----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|0----------------------------------|
  boy                 waves her         on,                       

  E7                                    Am                 G                   
e|------------------------------------|-----------------|------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|------1--------1-|-------0--------0-|
G|----1--------1--------1--------1----|---2--------2----|----0--------0----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|---------2-------|----------0-------|
A|------------------------------------|0----------------|------------------|
E|-0----------------------------------|-----------------|-3----------------|
   she offers a                         mother's           smile and        

  F                                     F(open B string)         
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|------0--------0--------0--------0--|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------3--------3--------3-------|
A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|-1----------------------------------|
   soon she's gone.                                                  The...

[Chorus]
  Dm                  C                  G/B
e|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----2--------2----|----0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----|
D|-0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------0--------0--------0-------|
A|------------------|-3----------------|-2----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
   ...gateway         to the             world,

   G/B                                  G/B                C
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------2-------|
A|-2----------------------------------|-2----------------|-3----------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
                                   the  gun in a           trembling

  F                                     Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   hand,                                                              where

Dm                  C                  G/B
e|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----2--------2----|----0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----|
D|-0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------0--------0--------0-------|
A|------------------|-3----------------|-2----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
   nature             unmakes the        boundary,

   G/B                                  G/B                C
e|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|-------0--------0-|-------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0----|----0--------0----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------2-------|
A|-2----------------------------------|-2----------------|-3----------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|
                                  the   pillar of          myth still

  F                                     Am
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----2--------2--------2--------2----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------3--------3--------3-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------|
E|-1----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   stands,                                                              the

  Dm                  C                  G/B
e|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------3--------3-|-------1--------1-|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|
G|----2--------2----|----0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----|
D|-0--------0-------|----------0-------|----------0--------0--------0-------|
A|------------------|-3----------------|-2----------------------------------|
E|------------------|------------------|------------------------------------|
   swan               upon                Leda,

  E7                                    F       
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------0--------0--------0--------0-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----1--------1--------1--------1----|----2--------2--------2--------2----|
D|----------0--------0--------0-------|----------3--------3--------3-------|
A|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-0----------------------------------|-1----------------------------------|
                            occupier  upon                     ancient

   C                                    C
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|-------1--------1--------1--------1-|
G|----0--------0--------0--------0----|----0--------0--------0--------0----| x2
D|----------2--------2--------2-------|----------2--------2--------2-------|
A|-3----------------------------------|-3----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
   land.