Iron & Wine – Arms Of A Thief (Guitar Tab)

Capo 3
Versions (2)

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Chords

There are three basic chord shapes in the song, but only two of them get used with any regularity: a Dm shape and a C shape. A Gm7 shape is also used during the slide guitar solos. Capo on the third fret, and you get the Fm/Eb/Bbm7 progression that's featured in the studio version. To keep things rhythmically simple, I'll notate the song in four-measure groups, rather than by its lyrics. You'll spend the vast majority of your time going back and forth from Dm to C. Here are the chord shapes:
   Dm
e|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|
E|---------------|---------------|

   C
e|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|

   Gm7
e|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--1---------1--|--1---------1--|
E|---------------|---------------|
[Intro]
  Dm                              C
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|  x2
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Verse 1]
Dm                                C
Mr. Henry and the muscle man gave her shoes on a night there was no room to stand
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
Like a letter in a stolen purse, she was bored of her weight, she was bored of her words
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
The daughter of a soldier told the fallen priest, "It's a cold, cold place in the arms of a thief,"
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
And reachin' out to touch the steering wheel, she said, "Leave me alone, but just don't leave me here,
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Chorus]
Dm                                C
alri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ight?
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
Alri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ight?"
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Verse 2]
Dm                                C
Mr. Henry and another guy gave her gold on a night that it fell from the sky
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
And like a body when the buzzard came, she was bored of her look, she was bored of her name
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
The daughter of a lawyer told the fallen priest, "It's a cold, cold place in the arms of a thief,"
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
And dabbin' at the arrow in her heel, she said, "Leave me alone, but just don't leave me here,
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Chorus]
Dm                                C
alri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ight?
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
Alri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ight?"
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Slide Guitar / "Nananana" Section]
Gm7              C                Dm
Slide guitar - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--1---------1--|--3---------3--|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Gm7              C
Slide guitar - - - - - - - - - - -
e|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--1---------1--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
"Na" section - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|  x3
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Verse 3]
Dm                                C
Mr. Henry was a dyin' man with advice in a tongue that she didn't understand
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
Like the water when the sea got rough, she was bored of the breeze, she was bored of her luck
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
The winner and the loser told the fallen priest, "It's a cold, cold place in the arms of a thief,"
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
And holdin' everything he made her steal, she said, "Leave me alone, but just don't leave me here,
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Chorus]
Dm                                C
alri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ight?
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
Alri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ight?"
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
[Slide Guitar / "Nananana" Section]
Gm7              C                Dm
Slide guitar - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--1---------1--|--3---------3--|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Gm7              C
Slide guitar - - - - - - - - - - -
e|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--1---------1--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|

Dm                                C
"Na" section - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
e|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
B|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
G|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|--------0------|  x5
D|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|----0h3---3----|
A|--5---------5--|--5---------5--|--3---------3--|--3---------3--|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Dm
 - - - -
e|-----|
B|-----|
G|-----|
D|--3--|
A|--5--|
E|-----|
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