Jonathan Coulton – Re Your Brains (Guitar Acoustic)
Key
-
Versions
(6)
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Speed:
1.0x
Chords
Verse Strumming pattern basis
D D d u D d u D d u
1 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a
Notes:
1. The lower-case letters are quieter. Essentially he emphasizes the quarter note by strumming hard on it and
then the inner notes are quieter). Strumming hard on every beat gives it the sense of an inexorable zombie
march :-)
2. He varies this frequently in the song, but this is the foundation. If you want to get a sense of how he
does it live, the Youtube video from LA (title: "Jonathan Coulton in LA -13- Re:Your Brains") is a great
reference.
Riff 1
e|-3-------3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-| B|-0-------0---0-0-0h1-1-1-1p0-0-0-| G|-0-------0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0p0-0-0-| D|-0-------0-------0h2-2-2-2p0-0-0-| A|-x-------x-------x-x-----x-------| E|-3-------3-------3-3-----3-------| 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Riff 1b
e|-3-------3---3-3-3-3-----3---3-3-| B|-0-------0---0-0-0h1-----1---0-0-| G|-0-------0---0-0-0-0-----0---0-0-| D|-0-------0-------0h2-----2---0-0-| A|-x-------x-------x-x-----x-------| E|-3-------3-------3-3-----3-------| 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Note: he plays the G note on the bass string with his thumb, but I prefer to play it with my ring finger.
Riff 2
e|-------------------| B|-------------------| G|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-x-x-| D|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-x-x-| A|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-x-x-| E|-1-0-1-0-1-0-1-x-x-| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & a
Note: I prefer this version for Riff 2, which he played live. In the acoustic album version, the last two
muted strums are replaced with a slide up to a G chord, like so:
e|-------------------| B|-------------------| G|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2s4-| D|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3s5-| A|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3s5-| E|-1-0-1-0-1-0-1-1s3-| 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1
Am x02210
F x33211
C x32010
C/B x2x01x
G 3x0003
Fdim7 xx3434 (Note: he sometimes plays 4x3434 with the thumb on the E string)Am/G 302210
D7/F# 2x0212
B7/F# 2212xx (Note: uses thumb on E string, so this creates a walking down bass)E7 020100
Fm x33111
Cadd9/G 3x0010
Dm xx0231
Ab 466544
Eb x6888x
Gdim7 xx5656
Db x4666x
Dbm x46654
Csus4
[Intro]
Note: this is played live but not on the acoustic album version. Just one beat per chord, leading
into the first Am of the verse.
C E7
[Verse 1]
Am F C C C/B Heya Tom, it's Bob, from the office down the hall Am F G / Riff 1 Good to see you buddy, how've you been? Fdim7 Am Am/G D7/F# Things have been OK for me, except that I'm a zombie now
D7/F# G / Riff 1b
I really wish you'd let us in.
F C E7 Am Am/G I think I speak for all of us when I say I understand F C E7 Am Am/G Why you folks might hesitate to submit to our demand F Fm But here's an FYI... you're all gonna die screaming
[Chorus]
C G F G All we want to do is eat your brains C G F / Riff 2 We're not unreasonable, I mean, no one's gonna eat your eyes C G F G All we want to do is eat your brains Am Em F / Riff 2 We're at an impasse here, maybe we should compromise F C Dm7 If you open up the doors F C F G C We'll all come inside and eat your brains
[Verse 2]
Am F C C C/B I don't want to nitpick, Tom, but is this really your plan? Am F G / Riff 1 To spend your whole life locked inside a mall? Fdim7 Am Am/G D7/F# Maybe that's OK for now, but someday you'll be out of food and guns
D7/F# G / Riff 1b
And then you'll have to make the call
F C E7 Am Am/G I'm not surprised to see you haven't thought it through enough F C Cadd9/G B7/F# E7 Am Am/G You never had the head for all that bigger picture stuff F Fm But Tom, that's what I do... and I plan on eating you slowly
[Chorus 2]
C G F G All we wanna do is eat your brains C G F / Riff 2 We're not unreasonable, I mean, no one's gonna eat your eyes C G F G All we wanna do is eat your brains Am Em F / Riff 2 We're at an impasse here, maybe we should compromise... F C Dm7 If you open up the doors F C F G Ab We'll all come inside and eat your brains
[Bridge]
Eb Gdim7 Db I'd like to help you Tom, in any way I can Dbm Ab I sure appreciate the way you're working with me Eb Gdim7 Fm I'm not a monster Tom, well, technically I am C E7 I guess I am
[Verse 3]
Am F C C C/B I've got another meeting, Tom, maybe we could wrap it up Am F G / Riff 1 I know we'll get to common ground somehow Fdim7 Am Am7/G D7/F# Meanwhile I'll report back to my colleagues who were chewing on the doors
D7/F# G / Riff 1b
I guess we'll table this for now
F C E7 Am Am/G I'm glad to see you take constructive criticism well F C E7 Am Am/G Thank you for your time, I know we're all busy as hell F Fm And we'll put this thing to bed... When I bash your head open
[Chorus 3]
C G F G All we wanna do is eat your brains C G F / Riff2 We're not unreasonable, I mean, no one's gonna eat your eyes C G F G All we wanna do is eat your brains Am Em F / Riff 2 We're at an impasse here, maybe we should compromise... F C Dm7 If you open up the doors F C F G C Csus4 C We'll all come inside and eat your brains