Climb On The Cross Live chords by Shakey Graves

• Capo on 5th

These chords are based specifically on the live version he performs on the KUTX Austin channel with
Rayland Baxter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9BpWuyb1X4

It is tuned down half a step and strummed (the strumming pattern is simple and can be picked up from the video
The trickiest part is during the C of the chorus where he adds a few quick strums but playing along you should
easily pick it up.

Other versions he plays are not tuned down and just in standard. I haven't quite worked out the specific
picking pattern or the initial chord positions he uses so I've stuck to this one but for the most part they
are the same so this is a good, simple jumping off point for all versions.

The chords for the verse are (relative to the capo): Am (barre - 5th fret) - G (barre - third fret) G (open) -
Am (open). So he plays only two chords but descends the neck using barres and then open chords.

Fingering is thus:

Verse:

Am    577555
G     355433
G     320033
Am    x02210

Bridge:

D     xx0232
Dsus4 xx0233
Em    022000
C/B   332010

Pre Chorus:

Bm    x24432
Bm/Gb 224432
Bbm   x13321
Am    x02210
C6(9)/Gb 2x0210

Chorus:

G    320033
Em7  022030
C/B  332010


Shakey Graves - Climb on the Cross


Verse 1:
     Am       G                   G        Am
Well tell the televangelist she's out of a job
     Am                G               G         Am
Cause I look good on a cross and I can sure sing along
     Am          G         G          Am
Overrated, under-educated, simple and dry
     Am          G               G             Am
Who knew a man's fate was such a hard thing to find

Bridge:
            D               Dsus4      Em7        C/B
But now I'm spending all my money on a badge and a gun
               D                Dsus4             Em7       C/B
Cause shooting strangers in the back seems like a lot more fun
          D           Dsus4              Em7   C/B
I'll just walk around pretending I'm the only one

Pre-Chorus:
      Bm             Bm/Gb
Never listened to my teacher
        Bm            Bm/Gb    Bbm   Am
Trusted every word my preacher would say
       Bm              Bm/Gb    Bm         Bm/Gb Bbm  Am    C6(9)/Gb
Always thought the crosshair was simply the sun on my face

Chorus:
       G            Em           C/B                C/B
But if nothing dies tomorrow why remember yesterday
       G                Em                  C/B      C/B
When an hour or more of sleep might do you good
         G            Em                     C/B                    C/B
It's the wish I can't remember yeah it's the thing you'll never say
            G         Em            C/B      C/B
Oh, and I'd do it all again oh if I could

Verse 2:
              Am          G                   G               Am
So fight your family and friends and let them know you're the best
     Am          G          G           Am
Yeah tattoo "radical" right across your chest
Am          G              G        Am
No need for love, you were born to impress

Pre Chorus:
           Bm          Bm/Gb        Bm           Bm/Gb   Bbm   Am
Well, everybody always told me if I made a funny face it would stay
       Bm         Bm/Gb                Bm           Bm/Gb   Bbm  Am    C6(9)/Gb
So you better get hip, come and take a liking to me looking this way

Chorus and outro:
                      G               Em
Yeah, cause it's been years without a memory
     C/B                  C/B
Just ears, a nose, a face
              G                Em             C/B     C/B
Yeah, just to find out fucking up was in your blood
         G            Em
It's the wish I can't remember
         C/B                     C/B
It's the thing you'll never say
          G         Em                 C/B     C/B
And you'd do it all again, oh, if you could
            G         Em                C/B     C/B
Yeah, you'd do it all again, oh, if you could
        G          Em
Seems a year until tomorrow
     C/B                C/B
Or a week from yesterday
G              Em          C/B    C/B
Counting never did me any good
         G              Em          C/B                    C/B
It’s the wish I can’t remember, the thing you’ll never say
    G         Em             C/B     C/B
I’d do it all again,oh, if I could.

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

* C6(9)/Gb. I've seen this chord called other things but chord book calls it C6(9)/Gb.
It's fingering is: 2x0210.
Basically after playing Am, move the middle finger on to the second fret of the bottom E, making sure to mute
the A string.

** In other versions he seems to play C/B instead of Am at the end of Verse 2 leading into the next pre-chorus

*** I'm not sure if, on this version, he plays the Em on the bridge (he may go straight to C)