Tabs
Tuning: Standard
Key: E MajorE
Alternate the main riff with the open A augmentedA and E MajorE strings to sound like the album as shown
Both these notes are in key throughout so you can get pretty loose with them or if needed
play at the same time as the riff notes and it will still sound just fine
intro:
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11----11----11----11----13-------14-------14---|-11----11----11----11----13-------14-------14---|
A augmentedA|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
repeat intro:
verse:
"back to the middle and dont you remember" "every day was another fish tank and your"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11---------------------------------------------|-11---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-0----------------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
"head swims around and you wrote us a letter" "sayin' things will get much better goes"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
"back to the middle and dont you remember" "every night there's a tiny porch light in our"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11---------------------------------------------|-11---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-0----------------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
"chest pulls clouds of bugs to flutter" "we felt loved as they carried us carried us"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
"back to the middle and don't you remember" "our head is a cage and the parrot loves to talk"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11----11----11----11----13-------14-------14---|-11----11----11----11----13-------14-------14---|
A augmentedA|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
*hit that distortion pedal
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|-13---13--13-13-13-13-13---13-16-16-14-14-13-13-|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|-11---11--11-11-11-11-11---11-14-14-12-12-11-11-|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-6-----6-----6--6--6----8--8--8--9--9--9--9-----|-6-----6-----6--6--6-----4--4--4--4---2--2--2---|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-4-----4-----4--4--4----6--6--6--7--7--7--7-----|-4-----4-----4--4--4-----2--2--2--2---0--0--0---|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--9--9--9--8--8--6--6--|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--7--7--7--6--6--4--4--|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-6-----6-----6--6--6----8--8--8--9--9--9--9-----|-6-----6-----6--6--6-----4--4--4--4---2--2--2---|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-4-----4-----4--4--4----6--6--6--7--7--7--7-----|-4-----4-----4--4--4-----2--2--2--2---0--0--0---|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
*back to clean
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
verse 2:
"we built a cabin and we built a castle" "I just don't believe it was worth all the hassle you know "
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11---------------------------------------------|-11---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-0----------------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
"we lived in cities and we lived in caves" "I guess I'd like to go back to the middle again"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11---------------------------------------------|-11---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-0----------------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
"back to the middle and don't you remember" "our head is a cage and the parrot it won't shutup"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11----11----11----11----13-------14-------14---|-11----11----11----11----13-------14-------14---|
A augmentedA|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
*distortion
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|-13---13--13-13-13-13-13---13-16-16-14-14-13-13-|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|-11---11--11-11-11-11-11---11-14-14-12-12-11-11-|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-6-----6-----6--6--6----8--8--8--9--9--9--9-----|-6-----6-----6--6--6-----4--4--4--4---2--2--2---|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-4-----4-----4--4--4----6--6--6--7--7--7--7-----|-4-----4-----4--4--4-----2--2--2--2---0--0--0---|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13--8--8--8--8--9--9--9--|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
*get a little bendy and rowdy here*
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-13---13---13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13--|-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13---9--9--9--8--8--6--6--|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-11---11---11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11--|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11---7--7--7--6--6--4--4--|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|-6-----6-----6--6--6----8--8--8--9--9--9--9-----|-6-----6-----6--6--6-----4--4--4--4---2--2--2---|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-4-----4-----4--4--4----6--6--6--7--7--7--7-----|-4-----4-----4--4--4-----2--2--2--2---0--0--0---|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
*clean*
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
verse 3:
"back to the middle and dont you remember" "now and then we would take out a ladder and"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11---------------------------------------------|-11---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-0----------------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
"see if we wanna climb to the heavens or" "shift our gaze climb down to never go"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
"back to the middle and dont you remember" "every winter we would wish it were warmer and"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|-11---------------------------------------------|-11---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-0----------------------------------------------|-0----------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
"every summer I would knit you a sweater" "scratch words in the dirt to remember that"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|
outro:
"we're up here right now not forever we'll be pulled right back down to the middle again"
e|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
BB|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G+G|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
D MajorD|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|-14----14----14----14----14-------12-------11---|
E MajorE|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0--------0-|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--0-----0------0---|
Modest Mouse - Back To The Middle
https://www.youtube.com/watch v=5ZtKm5BHPhY
Shoutouts to Isaac for writing this one, thought I'd finally tab one out
as a payback for all the tabs I've used over years :)