When I Fall Tab by Barenaked Ladies

When I Fall tab by Barenaked Ladies

Guitar Tab

When I Fall by Barenaked Ladies: Guitar, Bass & Songwriting Insights

"When I Fall" by Barenaked Ladies features intricate acoustic guitar work by Ed Robertson, showcasing his fingerpicking skills. The song's bassline, played by Jim Creeggan, provides a solid foundation with melodic flourishes. The band's trademark harmonies and clever lyrics shine through in this track, demonstrating their unique blend of pop and folk influences. The song was produced by Don Was, known for his work with artists like The Rolling Stones and Bonnie Raitt.

Capo on 4th
Difficulty: Intermediate

Key: E

Intro:
   $
e|-----------|  |-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-1--0------|  |--------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|
G|-0-----2p0-|  |------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3
D|-0---------|  |--0h2--------------------------------------------------|
A|-0---------|  |--------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|
E|-----------|  |-------------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
                                         Look straight in the win-

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -

Verse 1:
                                                                             $(D)   $(F)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1--|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1--|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3 |--------2-2------2--|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3--|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3--|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1--|
        -dow.                           Try not to look
        be  - low.                      Pretend I'm not
        up here.                        I try counting       -       sheep.        The sheep seem to

                                                                              $(D)   $(F)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1--|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1--|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3 |--------2-2------2--|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3--|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3--|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1--|
        shower.                          Off this office
        tower.                           It's 9.8 straight
        down.                            I can't stop my      -      knees.        I wish I could


Chorus:

    $(Am)   $(Am)         $(Gsus4)  $(Gsus4)              $(D)     $(F)
e|--0-------0---------------------------------|--------------------1--------|
B|--1--0h1--1------------0h1--0h1---1---------|-----------3--------1--------|
G|-0h2----2-2-------------0-------0-0---------|---------2-2--------2--------|
D|--2-------2-------------0---------0---------|-------0---0--------3--------|
A|--0-------0-------------2---------2---------|-----------0--------3--------|
E|------------------------3---------3---------|---0h2-----2--------1--------|
   fly,        from this building        from this   wall.              And if I should

    $(Am)   $(Am)         $(Gsus4)  $(Gsus4)              $(D)
e|--0-------0---------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
B|--1--0h1--1------------0h1--0h1---1---------|-----------3--------------1-0------|
G|-0h2----2-2-------------0-------0-0---------|---------2-2------------0------2p0-|
D|--2-------2-------------0---------0---------|-------0---0----------0------------|
A|--0-------0-------------2---------2---------|-----------0-----------------------|
E|------------------------3---------3---------|---0h2-----2--------0--------------|
   try,        would you catch me           if I    fall?

Verse 2:
                                                                              $(D)   $(F)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1--|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1--|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x5 |--------2-2------2--|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3--|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3--|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1--|
                            (2nd time:) My hands clentch the
       squeegee,                        my  secular
       rosary.                          hang on to your
       wallet,                          hang on to your rings.                       Can't look be-

                                                                              $(D)   $(F) $(G)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1----3-|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1----3-|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3 |--------2-2------2----4-|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3----5-|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3----5-|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1----3-|
       -low me,                          something will
      throw me.                          I curse at the
      windstorms,                        that October        -        brings.    I look straight in the board-

                                                                              $(D)   $(F)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1--|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1--|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3 |--------2-2------2--|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3--|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3--|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1--|
       room,                            a modern pha -
       raoh's tomb.                     I'd gladly swap
       places,                          if they care to dive.                     They're lined up at the win-

                                                                              $(D)   $(F) $(G)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1----3-|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1----3-|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3 |--------2-2------2----4-|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3----5-|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3----5-|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1----3-|
      -dow,                              peer down into
      limbo.                             They're frightened of
      jumping,                           in case they survive.                         I wish I could


Bridge:

    $(Am)   $(Am)         $(Gsus4)  $(Gsus4)    $(Am)      $(Gsuss4) $(D)     $(F)
e|--0-------0----------------------------|------0-----------------------------1-------|
B|--1--0h1--1------------0h1--0h1---1----|------1----------1---------3--------1-------|
G|-0h2----2-2-------------0-------0-0----|------2----------0---------2--------2-------| x2
D|--2-------2-------------0---------0----|------2----------0---------0--------3-------|
A|--0-------0-------------2---------2----|------0----------2---------0--------3-------|
E|------------------------3---------3----|-----------------3---------2--------1-------|
   step,        from this scaffold        onto soft green pastures shopping  malls or
   bed,         with my family          and my pastor     and my    grandfather  who's

            $(D)   $(F) $(G)
e|-----------------1----3|
B|----------3------1----3|
G|--------2-2------2----4|
D|------0---0------3----5|
A|----------0------3----5|
E|--0h2-----2------1----3|
    dead.           I look straight in the mir-


Verse 3:


e|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
B|-------------1---------1----------1-------------|----------------------1-----|
G|----------0----------0----------0---0-----------|--------0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-------2------------------------------2---------|------0-----0-----0-------0-|
A|------------------2-----------3---------3-------|----0-----2-----3-----------|
E|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
       -ror,                         I watch it come clearer            I look like a

                                                              $(D)   $(F) $(G)
e|----------------------------------------------|--------------------1----3-|
B|-------------1---------1----------1-----------|-------------3------1----3-|
G|----------0----------0----------0---0---------|-----------2-2------2----4-|
D|-------2------------------------------2-------|---------0---0------3----5-|
A|------------------2-----------3---------3-----|-------------0------3----5-|
E|----------------------------------------------|-----0h2-----2------1----3-|
      painter,                       Behind all the  grease.           But painting's cre-

                                                                              $(D)   $(F) $(G)
e|------------------------------------------------------------|    |-----------------1----3-|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|    |----------3------1----3-|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x3 |--------2-2------2----4-|
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|    |------0---0------3----5-|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|    |----------0------3----5-|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|    |--0h2-----2------1----3-|
      -ating,                           and I'm just
      erasing.                          A crystal clear
      canvas,                           is my masterpiece.                           I wish I could


[Chorus - repeat 2x]

    $(Am)   $(Am)         $(Gsus4)  $(Gsus4)            $(D)     $(F)     $(G)
e|--0-------0-------------------------------------|--------------1--------3--|
B|--1--0h1--1------------0h1--0h1---1-------------|-----3--------1--------3--|
G|-0h2----2-2-------------0-------0-0-------------|-----2--------2--------4--|
D|--2-------2-------------0---------0-------------|-----0--------3--------5--|
A|--0-------0-------------2---------2-------------|-----0--------3--------5--|
E|------------------------3---------3-------------|-----2--------1--------3--|
   fly         from this building        from this     wall.         And if I should

    $(Am)   $(Am)         $(Gsus4)  $(Gsus4)            $(D)     $(F)     $(G)
e|--0-------0-------------------------------------|--------------1--------3--|
B|--1--0h1--1------------0h1--0h1---1-------------|-----3--------1--------3--|
G|-0h2----2-2-------------0-------0-0-------------|-----2--------2--------4--|
D|--2-------2-------------0---------0-------------|-----0--------3--------5--|
A|--0-------0-------------2---------2-------------|-----0--------3--------5--|
E|------------------------3---------3-------------|-----2--------1--------3--|
   try        would you catch me                   if I  fall.          I wish I could &lt;-1st time
                                                                       When I  &lt;- 2nd time


Outro:

e|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------1-----------1-----------3-----1-0--------------|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------| x8
D|-------0h2--------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------2h3---------3/5--------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
        fall.                                     When I (&lt;-repeat every other loop)
        fall.

[fade out, or end on either a G chord (suspended feel) or C chord (full resolution)]




Note: often on the second repeat of a verse, they'll swap the 2nd and 3rd bar so it looks like this:
e|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------1-----------3-----------1-----1-0--------------|
G|-----------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------2p0----------|
D|------0h2---------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------3/5---------2h3--------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|

Feel free to insert that wherever it feels right.

************************************

| h   Hammer-on
| p   Pull-off
| r   Release
| /   Slide up
| \   Slide down
| $   Strum chord


*************************************

Published: July 3, 2025

Last updated: July 3, 2025

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Barenaked Ladies tabs for When i fall

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