The Smiths – William It Was Really Nothing (Guitar Tab)

Capo 2

Versions (3)

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Chords

This is mostly from the live version (one guitar) Check out some of the Smiths live performances of this, like Madrid 1985, from YT. Figuring out this song has been torture, but luckily there are a few videos of people playing it on YT. But they all play certain parts differently! I’ve revised this to what I think sounds accurate to the live version, while going with the easier parts when I see YTers playing a part differently. Part I: Intro

    Gadd9 (once, let ring) F#m(once) Gmaj7 (once)
F#|-3--------------------|--7---------8-------------|
C#|-1--------------------|--8---------10------------|
A |-2--------------------|--7---------9-------------|
E |-3--------------------|--9---------10------------|
B |-0--------------------|--7---------8-------------|
F#|----------------------|--------------------------|            

    Gadd9      D         F#m         Bm                 
F#|-3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-7---8--7--5---|
C#|-1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8-8-8---5--5--5---|
A |-2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-7---5--5--5---|
E |-3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9-9-9---5--5--5---|
B |-0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7-7-7-------------|
F#|--------------------|-----------------------|

     Gadd9      D         F#m    Bm (once, let ring)
F#|--3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
C#|--1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8--5-----------------|
A |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
E |--3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9--7-----------------|
B |--0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7--7-----------------|
F#|---------------------|--------------------------|

    Gadd9     D         F#m         Bm           
F#|-3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-10--8--7--5---|
C#|-1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8-8-8---5--5--5---|
A |-2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7-7-7---5--5--5---|
E |-3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9-9-9---5--5--5---|
B |-0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7-7-7-------------|
F#|--------------------|-----------------------|

     Gadd9      D         F#m    Bm 
F#|--3-3-3-3-3--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
C#|--1-1-1-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-8-8-8--5-----------------|
A |--2-2-2-2-2--0-0-0-0-|-7-7-7--5-----------------|
E |--3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-9-9-9--7-----------------|
B |--0-0-0-0-0--3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7--7-----------------|
F#|---------------------|--------------------------|

Part II

   Gadd9             Gmaj7             
F#|-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1-|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1--|
A |-2--2-2-2--2-2-2-|-2--2-2-2--2-2-2--|
E |-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-3--3-3-3--3-3-3--|
B |-----------------|------------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|

    D        F#m7      Gadd9            A(Fmaj7 shape)
F#|------------------|-3--3-3-3-3-3-3-|-0--0-0-0-0-0-0-|
C#|----3-0-----3-0---|-1--1-1-1-1-1-1-|-3--3-3-3-3-0-0-|
A |---0-0-0---0-0-0--|-2--2-2-2-2-2-2-|-4--4-4-4-4-4-4-|
E |--------0-------0-|-3--3-3-3-3-3-3-|-5--5-5-5-5-5-5-|
B |-3--------2-------|----------------|----------------|
F#|------------------|----------------|----------------|

Part III: The B / D / E finger-picking sequence.

   BMaj7(Amaj7 shape) B7(A7 shape)                   
F#|-------------0------------------0----|
C#|--------2-----2-----------2------0---|
A |----1-----1-----------0-----0--------|
E |---2-----------------2---------------|
B |-0----0-----0------0----0-----0------|
F#|-------------------------------------|

    D (Cmaj7 shape)  E (Cmaj7 shape)
F#|--------------------------------------|
C#|--------------------------------------|
A |-----0-0-------0------0--0---0----0---|
E |---2-----2---4------4------4----2-----|
B |-3----3----3-----/5-----5----5--------|
F#|--------------------------------------|

   BMaj7              B7                   
F#|-------------0------------------0----|
C#|--------2-----2-----------2------0---|
A |----1-----1-----------0-----0--------|
E |---2-----------------2---------------|
B |-0----0-----0------0----0-----0------|
F#|-------------------------------------|

    D                   E
F#|---------------------0-----------------|
C#|---------------------0-----------------|
A |-----0-0-------0-----0-----------------|
E |---2-----2---4------/4-----------------|
B |-3----3----3--------/5-----------------|
F#|---------------------------------------|

Alternative Part III: Rhythm guitar (if you want to skip that 
finger-picking part, these are the chords to strum)
    B                 B7
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
A |-6--6-6-6--6-6-6-|-6--6-6-6--6-6-6--|
E |-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
B |-----------------|------------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|

    D (C shape)       E (slide C shape up)
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1-|-3--3-3-3--3-3-0--|
A |-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
E |-2--2-2-2--2-2-2-|-4--4-4-4--4-4-4--|
B |-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
F#|-----------------|------------------|

    B                 B7
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--|
C#|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
A |-6--6-6-6--6-6-6-|-6--6-6-6--6-6-6--|
E |-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-|-5--5-5-5--5-5-5--|
B |-----------------|------------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|

    D                 E (let ring)
F#|-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0----------------|
C#|-1--1-1-1--1-1-1-|-3----------------|
A |-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-|-0----------------|
E |-2--2-2-2--2-2-2-|-4----------------|
B |-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|-5----------------|
F#|-----------------|------------------|

Part IV: the great Pre-Chorus finger-picking line
 make these chord shapes for the finger-picking
    Gsus4     G6      Dsus2
F#|--6--    --5--   --8---|
C#|--3--    --3--   --5---|
A |--5--    --5--   --7---|
E |--3--    --3--   --5---|
B |-----    -----   ------|
F#|-----    -----   ------|

    Gsus4                  G6                   
F#|-----6------6-------6-5---5-----5---3-5--|
C#|----------3---3---3-----------3----------|
A |---5----5-------5-----------5-----5------|
E |-3----------------------3----------------|
B |-----------------------------------------|
F#|-----------------------------------------|

      Dsus2                          G6 A6
F#|--------8------8-----------8--7---5--7-----|
C#|----------5------5-------5--------3--5-----|
A |------7------7------7-------------5--7-----|
E |----5------------------5----------3--5-----|
B |-------------------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

Part V: Chorus ("William...") The G, D, and A major chords are a C chord shape, muffling the G string and with your pinky on the high e string as follows...

    G          D       G           A           
F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

    Bm          F#6
F#|----------------------------|
C#|------5----------5----------|
A |----5---5------5---5--------|
E |--7----------6--------------|
B |----------------------------|
F#|----------------------------|

    G          D       G           A           
F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

    Bm          F#6       Bm7        Bm6 (let ring)
F#|----------------------------------5-----------|
C#|------5----------5---------5------5-----------|
A |----5---5------5---5-----5---5----5-----------|
E |--7----------6---------5-------5--4-----------|
B |----------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------|

Part IV again: the Pre-Chorus finger-picking

    Gsus4                  G6                   
F#|-----6------6-------6-5---5-----5---3-5--|
C#|----------3---3---3-----------3----------|
A |---5----5-------5-----------5-----5------|
E |-3----------------------3----------------|
B |-----------------------------------------|
F#|-----------------------------------------|

      Dsus2                          G6 A6
F#|--------8------8-----------8--7---5--7-----|
C#|----------5------5-------5--------3--5-----|
A |------7------7------7-------------5--7-----|
E |----5------------------5----------3--5-----|
B |-------------------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

Part V again: Chorus

    G          D       G           A           
F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

    Bm          F#6
F#|----------------------------|
C#|------5----------5----------|
A |----5---5------5---5--------|
E |--7----------6--------------|
B |----------------------------|
F#|----------------------------|

    G          D       G           A           
F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

    Bm          F#6       Bm7        Bm6 (let ring)
F#|----------------------------------5-----------|
C#|------5----------5---------5------5-----------|
A |----5---5------5---5-----5---5----5-----------|
E |--7----------6---------5-------5--4-----------|
B |----------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------|

Repear Part IV and V one more time:

    Gsus4                  G6                   
F#|-----6------6-------6-5---5-----5---3-5--|
C#|----------3---3---3-----------3----------|
A |---5----5-------5-----------5-----5------|
E |-3----------------------3----------------|
B |-----------------------------------------|
F#|-----------------------------------------|

      Dsus2                          G6 A6
F#|--------8------8-----------8--7---5--7-----|
C#|----------5------5-------5--------3--5-----|
A |------7------7------7-------------5--7-----|
E |----5------------------5----------3--5-----|
B |-------------------------------------------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

Part V: Chorus

    G          D       G           A           
F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

    Bm          F#6
F#|----------------------------|
C#|------5----------5----------|
A |----5---5------5---5--------|
E |--7----------6--------------|
B |----------------------------|
F#|----------------------------|

    G          D       G           A           
F#|-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10--8-7-|
C#|-6-6-6-6-6-/1-1--1-/6-6-6-6-6-6/8--8---0-0-|
A |-x-x-x-x-x-/x-x--x-/x-x-x-x-x-x/x--x-------|
E |-7-7-7-7-7-/2-2--2-/7-7-7-7-7-7/9--9-------|
B |-8-8-8-8-8-/3-3--3-/8-8-8-8-8-8/10-10------|
F#|-------------------------------------------|

    Bm          F#6       Bm7        Bm6 (let ring)
F#|----------------------------------5-----------|
C#|------5----------5---------5------5-----------|
A |----5---5------5---5-----5---5----5-----------|
E |--7----------6---------5-------5--4-----------|
B |----------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------|

On the live version of the Chorus, Marr would sometimes play something like this for that last part:

     Bm(add9)    F#6         Bm7          Bm6 (let ring)
F#|--7--5-7--5---7--5-5--5---5--5-7--5----5------------|
C#|--5--5-5--5---5--5-8--5---5--5-5----5--5------------|
A |--5--5-5--5---5--5-5--5---5--5-5-------5------------|
E |--7--7-7--7---6--6-6--6---5--5-5-------4------------|
B |----------------------------------------------------|
F#|----------------------------------------------------|

Legend: / = slide