Tabs (Ver. 2)
The Tragically Hip - Ahead by a Century
=======================================
Tabbed by Owen Tosh
[email protected]
http://42.servehttp.com
This song is easy to strum along to - the one tough part is the intro, which is
throughout the song. Read my notes on the fingerings if you find it difficult. If
rather
learn it, just play 
D MajorD and 
E MajorE (see the simple tab below to know when to play them).
🏷Legend:
V = downbeat
^ = upbeat
EADGBe
A augmentedA = X02220
Esus4Esus4)
Cadd9Cadd9 = X32030 (or 
Cadd2Cadd2)
D MajorD = X00232
Dsus2Dsus2)
D MajorD)
E MajorE = 022100
E4 = 002100 (Eadd4 or Amaj7sus2)
E4* = 002X00 (an alternate of Eadd4)
G/BG/B = X20033
The Intro
=========
The simple melody, broken down (with the simple chords):
E MajorE
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e |-2-----------0-------5-------2-|-----5-------------------------|
BB |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
G+G |-------------------------------|-----------------1---2---1-----|
D MajorD |-------------------------------|-------------2---------------2-|
A augmentedA |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E MajorE |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
But if you want to strum and play the melody, you'll need the chords. When you strum,
harder on the area where the melody is carried (i.e. on the higher strings during the D MajorD
and on the middle ones during the E4 and A2 stuff) and it'll come through.
E4*
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e |-2-----------0-------5-------2-|-----5-------0---0---0---0---0-|
BB |-3-----------3-------3-------3-|-----3-------0---0---0---0---0-|
G+G |-2-----------2-------2-------2-|-----2-----------1---2---1-----|
D MajorD |-0-----------0-------0-------0-|-----0-------2---2---2---2---2-|
A augmentedA |-0-----------0-------0-------0-|-----0-------0---0---0---0---0-|
E MajorE |-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
The trick to the D MajorD part is the fingering. When playing the first D, use your index
to bar the G, B, and e strings on the 2nd fret, and your middle finger on the BB string on
3rd fret. This way, you can lift your index finger off the E MajorE string to play the D2, and
your pinky finger over to the 5th fret to reach the D* chord.
The Song
========
Intro x4 (see above notes)
D MajorD
First thing we'd climb a tree
D MajorD
And maybe then we'd talk
D MajorD
Or sit silently
Cadd9Cadd9
And listen to our thoughts
D MajorD
Illusions of some day
Cadd9Cadd9
Casting a golden light
D MajorD
No dress rehearsal
This is our life
Intro x2
Cadd9Cadd9
And that's when the hornet stung me
D MajorD
And I had a feverish dream
Cadd9Cadd9
With revenge and doubt
D MajorD
Tonight we smoke them out
A augmentedA
You are ahead by a century
G/BG/B
You are ahead by a century
G/BG/B
You are ahead by a century
Intro x4
D MajorD
Stare in the morning shroud
D MajorD
And then the day began
D MajorD
I tilted your cloud
Cadd9Cadd9
You tilted my hand
D MajorD
Rain falls in real time
Cadd9Cadd9
Rain fell through the night
D MajorD
No dress rehearsals
This is our life
D MajorD
Cadd9Cadd9
But that's when the hornet stung me
D MajorD
And I had a serious dream
Cadd9Cadd9
With revenge and doubt
D MajorD
Tonight we smoke them out
A augmentedA
You are ahead by a century
G/BG/B
You are ahead by a century
G/BG/B
You are ahead by a century
A augmentedA
You are ahead by a century
G/BG/B
You are ahead by a century
G/BG/B
You are ahead by a century
D MajorD
And disappointing you's getting me down
Intro x6
Other Notes
===========
During the verses, feel free to play around with a D2 during the long D MajorD part.
The strumming pattern of the verses goes something like this:
Beat: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Emphasis: * * * * * *
Rhythm: 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 1 2
Other versions of Ahead By A Century
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Ahead by a century intro by The Tragically Hip
