Stephanie Says tab by The Velvet Underground

Tabs

Stephanie Says'
by the Velvet Underground.
Off the so-called "lost" VU album between their 2nd self-titled &
Loaded.
Tabbed by Geoff Dugwyler

The song has two guitar parts: the distinct picked guitar chords, and a
much quieter guitar playing those chords to match the picking. It's
recommended you use barre chords to play both. Can play C majorC at the 8th fret,
E minorEm at the 7th (1st inversion), A minorAm at the 5th, and G+G at the 3rd. Just
playing the chords without the picking still sounds good, too.

If you have a xylophone, the song is in C majorC major and life is easy.
Only play what would normally be the white keys on the piano --
CDEFGAB -- and whatever you do will sound perfect. The melody itself
shouldn't be too hard to figure out if you want to match it exactly.

Also, make sure to get about 3 friends to back you up singing "Stephanie
says," "hang up the phone," etc. at just the right moments (these friends
preferably being John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Doug Yule [omit Doug
Yule if you don't like him]).

INTRO / MAIN riff

   C majorC    E minorEm   A minorAm   G+G
e ---------8-------7-------5-------3-
BB -------8-------8-------5-------3---
G+G -----9-------9-------5-------4-----
D MajorD --10-------9-------7-------5-------
A augmentedA -----------------------------------
E MajorE -----------------------------------


CHANGE 1 riff

   C majorC    E minorEm   A minorAm       DmDm          G+G
e
---------8-------7-------5------5----------10--------10-------3------3---
BB
-------8-------8-------5------5---------10--------10--------3------3-----
G+G
-----9-------9-------5------5--------10--------10---------4------4-------
D MajorD
--10-------9-------7--------------12--------------------5----------------
A augmentedA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
E MajorE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHANGE 2 riff

- Exact same as Change 1 riff, but 2 measures longer on G.
 (You can either continue picking here, or change up to strumming --
very
  hard to tell what they do on the recording.)


CHORUS (strummed)

  C majorC     FF      C majorC          FF
But she's not afraid to die; the people all call her Alaska

  C majorC            FF           C majorC        G+G
   Between worlds so the people ask her, cause it's all in her
mind

  C majorC        G+G
  it's all in her mind


BRIDGE

   Then ask it    is it good or bad
  DmDm          G+G       C majorC    E minorEm   A minorAm   C majorC
e
-----------5------------------3--------------8-------7-------5-------3-
BB
--------6--------6----------3------3-------8-------8-------5-------3---
G+G
-----7---------7----------4------4-------9-------9-------5-------4-----
D MajorD
--7---------------------5-------------10-------9-------7-------5-------
A augmentedA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E MajorE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

     It's such an    icy feeling
  DmDm           G+G
e --------------10----------------------10------------
BB -----------10----------10----------12----------12---
G+G --------10----------10----------12----------12------
D MajorD -----12----------12----------12----------12---------
A augmentedA --12----------------------10------------------------
E MajorE ----------------------------------------------------


OUTRO (strummed)

C majorC       FF
 It's so cold in Alaska   x3

(then repeated intro/main riff, but slower, and end on a strummed C majorC)



Song order
==========

Intro x2
Main riff     Stephanie says
  "       that she wants to know
Change 1     why she's given half ...
Main riff     Stephanie says
  "       when answerin' the phone
Change 2     what country shall I ...

Chorus       But she's not afraid to die ...

Main riff x2
Main riff     Stephanie says
  "       that she wants to know
Change 1     why is it though she's the door ...
Main riff     Stephanie says
  "       but doesn't hang up the phone
Change 2     what sea shell say is calling ...

Chorus       But she's not afraid to die ...

Bridge      Then ask it is it good or bad ...

Outro       It's so cold in Alaska ...

Main riff, played at a slowed tempo.

... and end on a strummed C.

Other versions of Stephanie Says

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Stephanie Says by The Velvet Underground