Chords with lyrics
"Permanent Vacation" by Aerosmith
(from the 1987 Geffen album PERMANENT VACATION)
This is a nice, easy, straightforward rocker. The whole thing
can be fairly duplicated with basic open chords. Most of the
song is the following riff of 
D MajorD and A:
E MajorE --2-2-2-2---------|-------------------|--2-2-2-2-----------
BB --3-3-3-3---------|----2-2-0-2-2-0-2--|--3-3-3-3-----------
G+G --2-2-2-2---------|----2-2-0-2-2-0-2--|--2-2-2-2-----------
D MajorD --0-0-0-0---------|----2-2-0-2-2-0-2--|--0-0-0-0-----------
A augmentedA ------------------|----0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|--------------------
E MajorE -----------0-2-3--|--4----------------|-----------0-2-3----
E MajorE ---------------------------------------------
BB ----2-2-0-2----------------------------------
G+G ----2-2-0-2----------------------------------
D MajorD ----2-2-0-2----------------------------------
A augmentedA ----0-0-0-0----------------------------------
E MajorE --4------------------------------------------
It's repeated for every verse with the following change at the
end of the phrase (or you can always power chord it for that
extra "oomph"):
C majorC D MajorD A augmentedA
E MajorE --0------2--------------|--------------------
BB --1------3--------------|-------2-2-0-2------
G+G --0------2--------------|-------2-2-0-2------
D MajorD --2------0--------------|-------2-2-0-2------
A augmentedA --3---------------------|-------0-0-0-0------
E MajorE ---------------0--2--3--|--4-----------------
Yeah, yeah I got to get a-way
The bridge is another simple pattern of open chords:
C majorC G+G 
FF C majorC
E MajorE ----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3-----1-1-1---0------
BB ----1--1--1--1--1--1--1--1--0--0--0--0-----1-1-1---1------
G+G ----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-----2-2-2---0------
D MajorD ----2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--0--0--0--0-----3-3-3---2------
A augmentedA ----3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2-----3-3-3---3------
E MajorE ----------------------------3--3--3--3-----1-1-1----------
I really need it really really need it San Tro-pez
This repeats four times, and the fourth time ends on an B:
C majorC G+G FF BB
E MajorE ----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3-----1-1-1----------
BB ----1--1--1--1--1--1--1--1--0--0--0--0-----1-1-1---4------
G+G ----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-----2-2-2---4------
D MajorD ----2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--0--0--0--0-----3-3-3---4------
A augmentedA ----3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2-----3-3-3---2------
E MajorE ----------------------------3--3--3--3-----1-1-1----------
really need it man I got to get a -way
The solos continue over this rhythmic pattern (which may well be
a combination of the bass and rhythm guitar parts, but this is
the way I do it, and it sounds fine when played along with the
CD):
BB A augmentedA BB D MajorD 
DbDb C majorC BB A augmentedA BB
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------
BB ---4---2---4----7-7-7-7-7-7-6--5--4--2--4------
G+G ---4---2---4----7-7-7-7-7-7-6--5--4--2--4------
D MajorD ---4---2---4----7-7-7-7-7-7-6--5--4--2--4------
A augmentedA ---2---0---2----5-5-5-5-5-5-4--3--2--0--2------
E MajorE -----------------------------------------------
During the second solo, with the harmonica, drop the DbDb and C majorC
chords and just riff on the A, B, and D.
And the song really lends itself to flourishes, so take the
opportunities to throw in fills and riffs wherever else you can!
Armed with this novice transcription (my first!), you should be
able to put the entire song together. And it's fun to play at
shows 'n stuff. Enjoy!
Matt Dirksen ([email protected])
"I don't have a car; I have a Les Paul Custom."
Other versions of Permanent Vacation
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Permanent vacation by Aerosmith
