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Norwegian Wood Tab by The Beatles

Norwegian Wood tab by The Beatles

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Norwegian Wood by The Beatles: Guitar, Bass & Songwriting Insights

"Norwegian Wood" by The Beatles was released in 1965 on their album "Rubber Soul." The song features a prominent sitar part, played by George Harrison, marking one of the first instances of Indian classical music being incorporated into a mainstream Western pop song. The lyrics, written by John Lennon, tell the story of a casual encounter with a woman at his home, ultimately ending in her leaving and possibly burning down his home, leaving a subtle ambiguity and intrigue in the narrative. The song's acoustic arrangement and melancholic tone set it apart from the Beatles' earlier work, showcasing their evolving musical experimentation and storytelling prowess.
Yet another TAB of Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) along with
2 corrections to the existing TABs of the song.  I have included
the existing TABs in their entirety and unedited for reference.

=============================================================================
Title:       Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Composers:   John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Group:       The Beatles
Album:       Rubber Soul
Arrangement: Doug French, dfrench@site.gmu.edu

capo: 2nd fret
time: 12/8
🎸
Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -
Intro, play 2 times:

  #1  D
E ||------2-2-2-------------------2-2-2----------------|
B ||--3---3-3-3---3---3---3-------3-3-3-------3--------|
G ||--2---2-2-2---4---2---0---2---2-2-2---0---0---2----|
D ||--0-----------------------4-----------2-------4----|
A ||---------------------------------------------------|
E ||---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .


      D           C       G   D
E  |------2-2-2-------------------2-2-2-2-----2--------||
B  |--3---3-3-3-------3-------3---3-3-3-3-----3--------||
G  |--2---2-2-2-------0-------2---2-2-2-2-2---2--------||
D  |--0-------------------0---0-----------0------------||
A  |--------------3-------2---0------------------------||
E  |---------------------------------------------------||
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .


Use same guitar pattern under solo voice:

  #4  D
E ||------2-2-2-------------------2-2-2----------------|
B ||--3---3-3-3---3---3---3-------3-3-3-------3--------|
G ||--2---2-2-2---4---2---0---2---2-2-2---0---0---2----|
D ||--0-----------------------4-----------2-------4----|
A ||---------------------------------------------------|
E ||---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
   1. I          once had a   girl...
   2. (Instrumental) ....

      D           C       G   D
E  |------2-2-2-------------------2-2-2-2-----2--------|
B  |--3---3-3-3-------3-------3---3-3-3-3-----3--------|
G  |--2---2-2-2-------0-------2---2-2-2-2-2---2--------|
D  |--0-------------------0---0-----------0------------|
A  |--------------3-------2---0------------------------|
E  |---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
      say,       she once ...
      ....

      D
E  |------2-2-2-------------------2-2-2----------------|
B  |--3---3-3-3---3---3---3-------3-3-3-------3--------|
G  |--2---2-2-2---4---2---0---2---2-2-2---0---0---2----|
D  |--0-----------------------4-----------2-------4----|
A  |---------------------------------------------------|
E  |---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
      She      showed me ...
      ...

      D           C       G   D
E  |------2-2-2-------------------2-2-2-2--------------|
B  |--3---3-3-3-------3-------3---3-3-3-3-----3--------|
G  |--2---2-2-2-------0-------2---2-2-2-2-2---2--------|
D  |--0-------------------0---0-----------0-------0----|
A  |--------------3-------2---0------------------------|
E  |---------------------------------------------------|

      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
      good        Nor-we-...
      ...                                         She


      Dm
E  |--1---1-1-1---1---0-0-0---0------------------------|
B  |--3---3-3-3---3---3-3-3---3---3-3-3----------------|
G  |--2---2-2-2---2---0-0-0---0---2-2-2---2---0---2----|
D  |--0-----------0-----------0-----------3---0---3----|
A  |--0-----------0-----------0------------------------|
E  |---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
    asked me  to ...


      G
E  |--3---3-3-3-3-----3-3-3-3-----3-3-3-3-----3--------|
B  |--3---3-3-3-3-----3-3-3-3-----3-3-3-3-----3--------|
G  |--0---0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-----0--------|
D  |--0---0-0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0---0--------|
A  |--2-------------------------------------------0----|
E  |--3-----------------------3------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
     where.                                       So
     laugh.                                       I


      Dm
E  |--1---1-1-1---1---0-0-0---0------------------------|
B  |--3---3-3-3---3---3-3-3---3---3-3-3----------------|
G  |--2---2-2-2---2---0-0-0---0---2-2-2---2---0---2----|
D  |--0-----------0-----------0-----------3---0---3----|
A  |--0-----------0-----------0-----------0------------|
E  |---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
     I looked a round a...


      Em7                     A7
E  |--0---0-0-0-0-----0-----0-0---0-0-0-0-0----------|
B  |--3---3-3-3-3-----3-----3-2---2-2-2-2-2----------|
G  |--0---0-0-0-0-----0-----0-0---0-0-0-0-0----------|
D  |--2---2-2-2-2-2-----------2---2-2-2-2-2----------|
A  |--2-----------2-----------0-----------0----------|
E  |-------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .
      chair.
      bath.


Use same guitar pattern as in measure #4 above:

      D
   1. I           sat on...


      D           C       G   D
      time,      drinkin...


      D
      We        talked un-til ...


      D           C       G   D
      said      "It's ....


Repeat from measure #4 above.

Ending:

      D
E ||---------------------------------------------------|
B ||--3---3-3-3---3---3---3-------3-3-3-------3--------|
G ||--2---2-2-2---4---2---0---2---2-2-2---0---0---2----|
D ||--0-----------------------4-----------2-------4----|
A ||---------------------------------------------------|
E ||---------------------------------------------------|
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .


      D           C       G   D
E  |---------------------------------------------------||
B  |--3---3-3-3-------3-------3------------------------||
G  |--2---2-2-2-------0-------2------------------------||
D  |--0-------------------0---0------------------------||
A  |--------------3-------2---0------------------------||
E  |---------------------------------------------------||
      +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .   +   .   .



=============================================================================
=============================================================================
Corrections to existing TABS:

1)  Richard Cook's TAB (in D, capo on 2nd fret) lists the chords of the
    bridge as:

    Dm         G
    She ... anywhere
    Dm         G     A
    I   ...    chair.

    which contains 2 errors. To be played in D the chords should be:

    Dm         G
    She ... anywhere
    Dm         Em7  A7
    I   ...    chair.

2)  Robert Hall's TAB (in E) lists the chords of the bridge as:

    Am         D
    She ... anywhere
    Am         D     F#
    I   ...    chair ---> verse (E riff above)

    which are in the wrong key.  To be played in E the chords should be:

    Em         A
    She ... anywhere
    Em         Fm7   B7
    I   ...    chair.

=============================================================================
Existing TABs:
=============================================================================


                            Norwegian Wood
                                                                 The Beatles

Tabbed by Richard Cook


Capo 2nd fret.


     D                                                               D    D
E ||-2----2------2---2---2--2--2------------------2------------------2----0h2-|
B ||-3----3------3---3---3--3--3------------------3--------3---------3----3---|
G ||-2----4------2---0---0--0--0-------0----------2--------0---------2----2---|
D |--0----0------0---0---4--4--4---2----------4---0------------------0----0---|
A ||-0-------------------------------------------------3--------2----0----0---|
E ||--------------------------------------------------------------------------|



     D                                                               D    D
E |--2----2------2---2---2--2--2------------------2------------------2----0h2-|
B |--3----3------3---3---3--3--3------------------3--------3---------3----3---|
G |--2----4------2---0---0--0--0-------0----------2--------0---------2----2---|
D |--0----0------0---0---4--4--4---2----------4---0--------0---------0----0---|
A |--0-------------------------------------------------3--------2----0----0---|
E |---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
     I    once had a     girl...



     D                                                               D    D
E |--2----2------2---2---2--2--2------------------2------------------2----0h2-|
B |--3----3------3---3---3--3--3------------------3--------3---------3----3---|
G |--2----4------2---0---0--0--0-------0----------2--------0---------2----2---|
D |--0----0------0---0---4--4--4---2----------4---0--------0---------0----0---|
A |--0-------------------------------------------------3--------2----0----0---|
E |---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
     She  showed me  ...


bridge
           Dm                                            G
E |--------1---------------------------------------------3--------------------|
B |--------3---------------------------------------------0--------------------|
G |--------2---------------------------------------------0--------------------|
D |--------0---------------------------------------------0--------------------|
A |--------0---------------------------------------------2--------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------------3--------------------|
      She  asked me to ...


   Dm                                           G              A
|--1--------------------------------------------3--------------0------------|
|--3--------------------------------------------0--------------2------------|
|--2--------------------------------------------0--------------2------------|
|--0--------------------------------------------0--------------2------------|
|--0--------------------------------------------2--------------0------------|
|-----------------------------------------------3---------------------------|
   I looked around and ...




[repeat 1st measure]


notes:
1.  Spacing doesn't indicate timing - I just lined the tab up with the lyrics.
2.  Chords are tabbed for their first beat only.  The D chord is strummed down,
    up, down.  Note the hammer-on at the end of each measure.
3.  Holding the D chord, use your pinky for 3rd fret notes and index finger
    for 1st fret notes, middle finger for 3rd fret on the A string.
4.  Have an accompanist play along without a capo:
     E     D     E     D    [bridge]  Em    A    Em     A   B

--mxrangnjfumchebcqtfmbcrosshkmp--


=============================================================================


This song is in E; you can play it in D with a capo, but
I don't have one, so I figured out this version.  It lets
you play the rhythm and lead guitar parts at the same time:

e --0---0---0---0---0---x---x---x---0---x---x---x---0----------
B --0---2---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----------
G --1---1---1---2---1---2---2---0---1---2---2---2---1----------
D --2---2---2---2---2---4---4---4---2---0---0---0---2----------
A --2---2---2---2---2---0---0---0---2---4---4---4---2----------
E --0---2---0---2---0---x---x---x---0---x---x---x---0----------
|
|   I  once had a  girl or ...
-> (c)  B   (c) G  (c)  D   G   G  (c)  D   G    A  (c)


Accent the string listed below the word to bring out
the melody. (c) means accent the whole chord.  Use your
smallest finger to hit the notes during "I once had a girl."

Chorus
------
Am                                             D
She asked me to stay ...

Am                                            D     F#
I looked around and I ...---> verse (E riff above)

----------------------------
I'm not sure of the complete lyrics, they're pretty clear
on the album (Rubber Soul)

Bob

=============================================================================





	This is the song Norwegian Wood, by the Beatles.
	The song appeared on the Rubber Soul album, released
	in 1965.  Here it is:


|-----------2--------2--------|-----------------2---2-------|
|-----------3--------3--------|-----------------3---3-------|
|----2------2--------2--------|--2h4--2--0------2---2-------|
|-----------0--------0--------|-------------4---0---0-------|
|-----------0--------0--------|-----------------0---0-------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|


|-----------------2---2-------|------------2--2--2--2--2--2-|
|-----------------3---3-------|------------3--3--3--3--3--3-|
|------0----------2---2-------|----0-------2--2--2--2--2--2-|
|---2-----4---0---0---0-------|------------0--0--0--0--0--0-|
|-----------------0---0-------|--3---2--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|


|----1---1---1----1---0-------|----0------------------------|
|----3------------3-------3---|----3---3---1-----1---3---1--|
|----2------------2-----------|----2-------------0----------|
|----0------------0-----------|----0-------------2----------|
|-----------------------------|------------------3----------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|


	(strum a few times)
|-----------------------------|----1---1---1----1---0-------|
|----3------------------------|----3------------3-------3---|
|----0------------------------|----2------------2-----------|
|----0------------------------|----0------------0-----------|
|----2------------------------|-----------------------------|
|----3------------------------|-----------------------------|

                              (strum a little)(strum a little)
|----0------------------------|------0-------|-------0------|
|----3---3---1-----1---3---1--|------3-------|-------2------|
|----2-------------0----------|------0-------|-------0------|
|----0-------------2----------|------2-------|-------2------|
|------------------3----------|------0-------|-------0------|
|-----------------------------|--------------|--------------| (then back to verse)



		       --------------------------


		The sitar is the actual instrument used by
		George Harrison to play this song.  It is
		the first Beatle's song where it is present.


						- Stuart Watson

Last updated:

The Beatles tabs for Norwegian wood

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