Tabs
Artist : They Might Be Giants are John Flansburgh & John Linnell
Track : MEET JAMES ENSOR
Album : JOHN HENRY
Joined by : Brian Doherty (Drums), Tony Maimone (bass),
Kurt Hoffman (horns)
Transcribed By : David A. Dean ([email protected])
Guitar(s) : Acoustic (Steel String) & Electric
Effects : Some distortion or overdrive on electric guitar
Notes : Use Acoustic except where specified as electric.
Im using a rhythm bar below the tab to show where &
how long to play notes. The ryhthm is based on 4/4.
The Chords used along with explanations for mechanics
and the rhythm bar are at the bottom of the file.
Also, I'm Using the number in parenthesis in the song
structure to tie to lyric hints in the various
verses. ig. 2)Shows which lyric hint goes with
phrase at 2.
Rhythm Notes : Im using a rhythm bar below the tab to show where &
how long to play notes. The ryhthm is based on 4/4.
Explanations for the mechanics used throughout
and the rhythm bar are at the bottom of the file.
# This file is all the transcriber's own work.
# If you find corrections are needed, please notify me.
- MEET JAMES ENSOR -
They Might Be Giants
Words and Music by John Linnell/John Flansburgh
The song structure is :
1) Phrase1
2) Phrase2
3) Phrase2
4) Phrase1
5) Phrase2
6) Phrase2
7) Outro
(Phrase1 - Begin)
E minorEm 
F# minorF#m 
G+G 
A augmentedA G+G 
C majorC 
D MajorD
E----------------------------------|-----3-3---3-3---0---x-2-2---2---|
B--0-------2-------3-----5---------|-----0-0---0-0---1---x-3-3---3---|
G--0-------2-------4-----6---------|-----0-0---0-0---0---x-2-2---2---|
D--2-------4-------5-----7---------|-----------------2---x-0-0---0---|
A--2-------4-------5-----7---------|-2-------2-------3---x-----------|
E--0-------2-------3-----5---------|-3-------3-----------------------|
|--1---&---2---&---3---&-a-4---&-----1---&-a-2-e-&---3---&-a-4---&---|
1)"Meet James Ens - or" "Belgium's.."
4)"Meet James Ens - or" "Belgium's.."
(Phrase1 - End)
G+G E minorEm C majorC E minorEm D MajorD G+G
E--3-3-3-3---------------0---------|-0-------2---------3-3-3-3-------|
B--0-0-0-0-------0---0---1---------|-0-------3---------0-0-0-0-------|
G--0-0-0-0-------0---0---0---------|-0-------2---------0-0-0-0-------|
D--0-0-0-0-------2---2---2---------|-2-------0---------0-0-0-0-------|
A--2-2-2-2-------2---2---3---------|-2-----------------2-2-2-2-------|
E--3-3-3-3-------0---0-------------|-0-----------------3-3-3-3-------|
|--1-e-&-a-2---&-a-3-e-&-a-4---&-----1---&---2---&---3-e-&-a-4---&---|
1)"Dig him up" "Appreciate" "Be-"
4)"Raise a glass" "Understand" "He"
(Phrase2 - Begin)
C majorC D MajorD 
B minorBm E minorEm 
Esus2Esus2 E minorEm
E--0-----0-----0---2-----2-----2---|-2-----2-----2---7-----7-----7---|
B--1-----1-----1---3-----3-----3---|-3-----3-----3---8-----7-----8---|
G--0-----0-----0---2-----2-----2---|-4-----4-----4---9-----9-----9---|
D--2-----2-----2---0-----0-----0---|-4-----4-----4---9-----9-----9---|
A--3-----3-----3-------------------|-2-----2-----2---7-----7-----7---|
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|--1---&-a-2---&---3---&-a-4---&-----1---&-a-2---&---3---&-a-4---&---|
2)"-Fore" "Junk Stores" "Junk"
3)"World" "Transformed" "Crowd" "Round"
5)"Lost" "Friends" "Didn't" "He"
6)"World" "Forgot - ten" "World" "A-Long" "The"
(Phrase2 - End)
B minorBm E minorEm Esus2Esus2 E minorEm 
A minorAm D MajorD
E--2-----2-----2---7-----7-----7---|-0-----0-----0---2-----2-----2---|
B--3-----3-----3---8-----7-----8---|-1-----1-----1---3-----3-----3---|
G--4-----4-----4---9-----9-----9---|-2-----2-----2---2-----2-----2---|
D--4-----4-----4---9-----9-----9---|-2-----2-----2---0-----0-----0---|
A--2-----2-----2---7-----7-----7---|-0-----0-----0-------------------|
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|--1---&-a-2---&---3---&-a-4---&-----1---&-a-2---&---3---&-a-4---&---|
2)"Lived" "Mother" "Torments" "The"
3)"Pressed" "Win - dow" "First.... To"
5)"Lived" "Mother" "Re - pea - ted" "The"
6)"Crowd" "Win - dow" "Back" "Homes"
(Outro - Begin)
E minorEm F# minorF#m G+G A augmentedA (Electric - distorted)
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B--0-------2-------3-----5---------|---------------------------------|
G--0-------2-------4-----6---------|-9---9-7-9---7-9<--9-7-9---9-9-7-|
D--2-------4-------5-----7---------|---------------------------------|
A--2-------4-------5-----7---------|---------------------------------|
E--0-------2-------3-----5---------|---------------------------------|
|--1---&---2---&---3---&-a-4---&-----1---&-a-2---&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-|
7)"Meet James Ens - or"
E minorEm F# minorF#m G+G A augmentedA (Electric - distorted)
E----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B--0-------2-------3-----5---------|---------------------------------|
G--0-------2-------4-----6---------|-9---9-7-9---7-9<--9-7-9---9-9-7-|
D--2-------4-------5-----7---------|---------------------------------|
A--2-------4-------5-----7---------|---------------------------------|
E--0-------2-------3-----5---------|---------------------------------|
|--1---&---2---&---3---&-a-4---&-----1---&-a-2---&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-|
7)"Meet James Ens - or"
(Repeat this measure 4 times)
G+G C majorC (Electric - distorted)
E------3-3---3-3---0---x-2-2---2---|---------------------------------|
B------0-0---0-0---1---x-3-3---3---|---------------------------------|
G------0-0---0-0---0---x-2-2---2---|-9---9-7-9---7-9<--9-7-9---9-9-7-|
D------------------2---x-0-0---0---|---------------------------------|
A--2-------2-------3---x-----------|---------------------------------|
E--3-------3-----------------------|---------------------------------|
|--1---&-a-2-e-&---3---&-a-4---&-----1---&-a-2---&-a-3-e-&-a-4-e-&-a-|
7)"Belgium's" "Paint - er"
(Outro - End)
G+G E minorEm C majorC E minorEm D MajorD G+G
E--3-3-3-3---------------0---------|-0-------2---------3-3-3-3-------|
B--0-0-0-0-------0---0---1---------|-0-------3---------0-0-0-0-------|
G--0-0-0-0-------0---0---0---------|-0-------2---------0-0-0-0-------|
D--0-0-0-0-------2---2---2---------|-2-------0---------0-0-0-0-------|
A--2-2-2-2-------2---2---3---------|-2-----------------2-2-2-2-------|
E--3-3-3-3-------0---0-------------|-0-----------------3-3-3-3-------|
|--1-e-&-a-2---&-a-3-e-&-a-4---&-----1---&---2---&---3-e-&-a-4---&---|
7)"Dig him up" "Appreciate" "Man"
MECHANICS USED:
h - Hammer on
p - Pull off
b - bend string up
r - release bend
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
v - vibrato (sometimes written as v~~)
wv - wide vibrato (sometimes written as wv~~)
t - right hand tap
T - left hand tab
x - play note with heavy damping (if no note accompanies this
symbol, the last note played on the string is implied)
- natural harmonic; played at 5th, 7th, 12 frets
[n] - pinched harmonic; left hand fretting right hand pinching
(n) - grace note
bbbbb - slow bend up 2bbbb4 - strike the 2 then slowly bend to
the 4 over the time on rhythm bar.
rrrrr - slow release down 4rrrr2 - strike the 4 (bent 2) then slowly
release to 2 over the time on rhythm bar.
''''' - Sustained Note 4''''' - Strike and sustain the 4 over the
time on the rhythm bar.
''''b - Sustained/bend up 2'''b4 - strike and hold the note at 2
waiting to bend the note at the time
indicated on the rhythm bar.
''''r - Sustained/release down
4'''r2 - strike and hold the bent note at 4
waiting to release the note at the time
indicated on the rhythm bar.
Mechanics examples:
Bends
--2bbb4------ It takes half a beat to bend consistently up to 4
-----9b11---- 9 is bent up quickly to 11 on the beat
--2''b4------ 2 is struck & held, then bent up sharply to 4 on &
-------------
--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---&---
Releases
--9rrr7------ It takes half a beat to gradually release down to 7
--9''r7------ Bent 9 struck & held, released down sharply to 7
on the &.
--9'''9rrr8'''8rrr7'''7rrr6--- The Bent 9 is slowly released
while the string is struck at the
points indicated on the rhythm bar.
--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---&---
Slides
--3/--5------ 3 is struck, then slides up, & is struck again at 5
--3///5------ 3 is struck once only, then slides up to create 5
-/9---------- The 9 is slid into very fast from 1 or 2 frets lower
-\7---------- The 7 is slid into very fast from 1 or 2 frets higher
--(8)/10----- 8 is struck, then slides up very fast to create 10.
--0/-8------- The open string is struck, then the fretting finger
is placed on the fingerboard (without picking),
then slides up to the 8 then the 8 is struck again
--T5/10------ The fretting finger taps onto the 5th fret and slides
up creating the note at the 10th fret.
-------------
--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---&---
Hammer ons
--3h5-------- 3 is struck, then hammers onto 5 1/16 note away
--3hhh5------ 3 is struck then hammers onto 5 1/8 note away
--1-e-&---2---&---3---&---4---&---
RHYTHM BAR --1--&--2--&--3--&--4-- :
The rhythm bar that appears below the tab lines shows where and
how long to play notes, like standard musical, notation to show
more accurately what's being played. 9b11 could be a fast bend
for only a sixteenth note, or it could take an entire beat.
The Rhythm bar should help to give an indication of timing.
The physical length of a measure will vary to accomodate mechanics,
2 digit fret numbers, etc. but the note should appear directly
under the point on the rhythm bar where it should be played. for
example 10b12r10p8 looks like it takes a long time, but may only
take 3/16s to play. 10b12r10p8
1--e--&
1--e--&--a--2-- - Sixteenth notes (4/4 time)
1--&--1--2--&--2 - A augmentedA compound time like 12/8. Each beat a triplet.
1----e----a-2-- - Triplet over the beat (4/4 time)
|____3____|
An example in 4/4 time:
|--1---&---2---&---3---&---4---&--a---1---e---a--2---&---
|___3___|
/ | | \ \ \
There's a Knock at the door
