Strange Chords by R.E.M.

Strange chords by R.E.M.

Guitar chords with lyrics

STRANGE  (Wire)    (Version 1)

(Solo taken from Wayne Ellis’ version)


{intro:   G/ G/ G/ C x 4 }


 G                                C
There’s ..
 G                                  C
There’s ..
 G                                          C
Michael’s ..
 G                                     C
There’s ..

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -


 E                               Esus4
There’s ..
 E              Esus4
Keep ..
 E                                Esus4
There’s ..
 E                                Esus4
There’s ..


G/ G/ G/ C   (x 2)


 G                                C
There’s ..
 G                                  C
There’s ..
 G                                          C
Michael’s ..
 G                                     C
There’s ..


 E                               Esus4
There’s ..
 E              Esus4
Keep ..
 E                                Esus4
There’s ..
 E                                Esus4
There’s ..


{Solo:}

  G5                  C5      G5                   C5
E---------------------------|---------------------------|
B-------3-0-----3-p0---5----|--------3-0-----3-p0---5---|
G-2p0----------------0---4b-|-0-2p0---------------0--4b-|
D-----0---------------------|------0--------------------|
A---------------------------|---------------------------|
E---------------------------|---------------------------|

 G5                  C5      G5                  C5
E---------------------------|---------------------------|
B--------3-0----3-p0---5----|--------3-0----3-p0---5-0--|
G-0-2p0--------------0---4b-|-0-2p0--------------0-----4|
D------0--------------------|-------0-------------------|
A---------------------------|---------------------------|
E---------------------------|---------------------------|



 E                               Esus4
There’s ..
 E              Esus4
Keep ..
 E                    Esus4
No ..
 E                                Esus4
There’s ..


G/ G/ G/ C   (x 8)


End on G.



STRANGE   (Version 2)

Transcribed by Wayne Ellis  (ellis_w_wayne@bt-web.bt.co.uk)

Intro

  G               C     G               C
E---------------------|---------------------|
B---------------------|---------------------|
        guitar1
G---------------------|---------------------|
D-----------------5-5-|-----------------5-5-|
A-5--5--5-5--5-5--3-3-|-5--5--5-5--5-5--3-3-|
E-3--3--3-3--3-3------|-3--3--3-3--3-3------|
                      |                     |
E---------------------|---------------------|
B-------------------5-|---------------------|
        guitar2
G-4--4--4-4--4-4--5-5-|-4--4--4-4--4-4--5-5-|
D-5--5--5-5--5-5--5-5-|-5--5--5-5--5-5--5-5-|
A-5--5--5-5--5-5--3-3-|-5--5--5-5--5-5--3-3-|
E----3----3----3------|----3----3----3------|
  U  D  U D  U D  D D   D  U  D U  D U  D D


  G5   G6 G5    G6 G5   G6  G5  C5      G5   G6 G5    G6 G5   G6 G5  G6
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
        guitar1
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-----------------------------0-5-5-0-|-----------------------------0-5-5-0-|
A-5--5-7--5-5-5-7--5-5-5-7--5-0-3-3-0-|-5--5-7--5-5-5-7--5-5-5-7--5-0-3-3-0-|
E-3--3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3---------|-3--3-3--3-3-3-3--3-3-3-3--3---------|
                                      |                                     |
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
        guitar2
G-----------------------------0-5-----|-------------------------------------|
D-----------------------------0-5-----|-------------------------------5-----|
A-5--5----3h5---5--3h5---5------------|-5--5----5---5-5--5---5-5----0-3-----|
E-3--3----3-----3--3-----3------------|-3--3----3---3-3--3---3-3------------|

Verse 1

   G5                     C5             G5                     C5
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
        guitar1
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-----------------------0-----5-------|-----------------------0-----5-------|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-3-0-----|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-3-0-----|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
                                      |                                     |
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
        guitar2
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-------------------------5----0------|-------------------------5----0------|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3----0------|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3----0------|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
                               X                                     X
Theres something ..

   G5                     C5             G5                      C
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|--------------------------5--5-------|
G-------------------------------------|--------------------------5--5-------|
        guitar1
D-----------------------0-----5-------|--------------------------5--5-------|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-3-0-----|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0--3--3-------|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
                                      |                                     |
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
        guitar2
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-------------------------5----0------|--------------------------5--5-------|

A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3----0------|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0--3--3-------|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
                               X                                 X  X

Michaels nervous ..

Chorus

  E5                  A5   E5                 A5    E5                  A5   E5
                A5
E------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
B------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|  guitar1
G---------------------2--|---------------------2--|---------------------2--|---------------------2--|
D-2---2-2---2--2--0---2--|-2---2-2---2--2--0---2--|-2---2-2---2--2--0---2--|-2---2-2---2-----0---2--|
A-2---2-2---2--2--0---0--|-2---2-2---2--2--0---0--|-2---2-2---2--2--0---0--|-2---2-2---2-----0---0--|
E-0---0-0---0--0---------|-0---0-0---0--0---------|-0---0-0---0--0---------|-0---0-0---0------------|
 rake                    |                        |                        |                        |
E------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
B------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|  guitar2
G---------------------2--|---------------------2--|---------------------2--|---------------------2--|
D-2---2-----2-----0---2--|-2---2-----2-----0---2--|-2---2-----2-----0---2--|-2---2-----2---------2--|
A-2---2-----2-----0---0--|-2---2-----2-----0---0--|-2---2-----2-----0---0--|-2---2-----2---------0--|
E-0---0-----0------------|-0---0-----0------------|-0---0-----0------------|-0---0-----0------------|

There’s something going on  ...
’Do Do’ Interlude

   G5                     C5             G5                      C
E----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
B----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
G------------------------5-5-5--0--|------------------------5-5-5--0--|guitar1
D------------------------5-5-5--0--|------------------------5-5-5--0--|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5----3-3-----|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5----3-3-----|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3------------|
                                X  |                               X  |
E----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
B----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
G--------------------------5-------|----------------------------------|guitar2
D--------------------------5-------|--------------------------5-------|
A--5--5--5--5----5--5------3-------|--5--5--5--5----5--5------5-------|
E--3--3--3--3----3--3--------------|--3--3--3--3----3--3------3-------|

   Do Do Do Do   Do Do     Do Do      Do Do Do Do   Do Do     Do Do

Verse 2

Palm Mute Guitar 1 heavily, giving it a sharp staccato sound.

   G5                     C5             G5                     C5
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|        guitar1
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-----------------------------5-0-----|-----------------------------5-0-----|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-3-0-----|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-3-0-----|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
                                X     |                               X     |
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|        guitar2
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-------------------------5---5-------|-------------------------5---5-------|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3---3-------|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3---3-------|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|

Theres something ..

   G5                     C5             G5                      C5
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|        guitar1
D-----------------------------5-0-----|------------------------------5-0----|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-3-0-----|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0--3-3-3-0----|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|
                                X     |                                X    |
E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|        guitar2
G-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D-------------------------5---5-------|--------------------------5---5------|
A--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3---3-------|--5--5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0--3---3------|
E--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|--3--3--3--3-3--3--3-3---------------|

Michaels ..

Chorus

  E5               A5      E5               A5      E5               A5      E5
             A5
E------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
B------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|  guitar1
G------------------2-----|------------------2-----|------------------2-----|------------------2-----|
D-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|
A-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|
E-0--0-0--0--0-----------|-0--0-0--0--0-----------|-0--0-0--0--0-----------|-0--0-0--0--0-----------|
                         |                        |                        |                        |
E------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
B------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|  guitar2
G------------------2-----|------------------2-----|------------------2-----|------------------2-----|
D-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--2--0--|
A-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|-2--2-2--2--2--0--0--0--|
E-0--0-0--0--0-----------|-0--0-0--0--0-----------|-0--0-0--0--0-----------|-0--0-0--0--0-----------|

There’s ..
Guitar Solo

  G5                  C5      G5                   C5     G5                  C
5      G5                  C5
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B-------3-0-----3-p0---5----|--------3-0-----3-p0---5---|--------3-0----3-p0---5----|--------3-0----3-p0---5-0--|      guitar1
G-2p0----------------0---4b-|-0-2p0---------------0--4b-|-0-2p0--------------0---4b-|-0-2p0--------------0-----4|
D-----0---------------------|------0--------------------|------0--------------------|-------0-------------------|
A---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
                            |                           |                           |             secret secret |
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|      guitar3
G---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
D---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
A----------5-4-0------------|----------5-4-0------------|----------5-4-0------------|----------5-4-0------------|
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
                            |                           |                           |                           |
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|      guitar2
G---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
D-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|
A-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5-0-3-3-|
E-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|

Chorus

  E5               A5      E5               A5      E5               A5      E5
             A5
E------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
B------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|  guitar1
G--------------0--2------|--------------0--2------|---------------0--2-----|---------------0--2-----|
D-2---2-2---2--0--2------|-2---2-2---2--0--2------|-2---2-2---2-2-0--2-----|-2---2-2---2-2-0--2-----|
A-2---2-2---2-----0------|-2---2-2---2-----0------|-2---2-2---2-2----0-----|-2---2-2---2-2----0-----|
E-0---0-0---0------------|-0---0-0---0------------|-0---0-0---0-0----------|-0---0-0---0-0----------|

There’s ..

I hear no guitar 2 on this chorus.

’Do Do’ Outro

  G5                    C5    G5                    C5    G5
C5    G5                    C5
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|      guitar1
G----------------------0----|---------------------0-----|---------------------0-----|---------------------0-----|     (play twice)
D-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|
A-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|
E-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|
                            |                           |                           |                           |
E---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
B---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|      guitar2
G----------------------5----|---------------------5-----|---------------------5-----|---------------------5-----|     (play twice)
D-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|-----------------------5-5-|
A-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|
E-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|
                          X                           X                          X                           X
  Do Do Do Do  Do Do   Do Do Do etc........

The second time this section is played, the notes played on ’the beats’ in
each bar (there are 4) are emphasised.

  G5                    C5      G5
E---------------------------|---------------------------|
B---------------------------|---------------------------|       guitar1
G----------------------0----|---------------------------|
D-----------------------5-5-|-0-------------------------|
A-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|-0-5-----------------------|
E-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|---3-----------------------|
                            | X                         |
E---------------------------|---------------------------|
B---------------------------|---------------------------|       guitar2
G----------------------5----|---------------------------|
D-----------------------5-5-|---------------------------|
A-5-5--5--5-5--5--5-5---3-3-|---5-----------------------|
E-3-3--3--3-3--3--3-3-------|---3-----------------------|
                          X
                                 Do Do Do Do .....

Notes

TAB Key

        b - bend a semitone
        X - mute with palm of hand
        U - upstroke
        D - downstroke

This is mainly a 2 guitar song. Guitar1 is in the right stereo channel
and guitar24 is in the left. Guitar2 has a cleaner sound than guitar1.

This song is a straight forward boogie kind of thing in the key of G. The
verses centre around G and C, and the chorus’ centre around E5 and A5. I was a
bit of a ’train spotter’ and tried to include all the rhythmic variations (as
well as ascii tab allows) because it sounds boring just played with a
straight shuffle feel.

The guitar solo has guitar1 picking out the melody, guitar2 playing the backing
chords and guitar3 playing a short, descending, ’walking bassline’ sequence.
Guitars 1 and 3 can be included as one part quite easily but the way all the
notes are left ringing I would say there are 2 guitars on the record here.

The timings between the 2 guitars, as written above, should be pretty accurate
but check the record for details.

The choruses and ’Do Do’ sections are filled out with an Organ (and handclaps)

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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