ANI DIFRANCO - "Both Hands" Tablature

"Both Hands"
From the album Ani DiFranco (1990)
Righteous Babe Records
Words and music by Ani DiFranco
Transcribed by Amanda Lepre

Hi.

This is my first tablature.

I know that Ani doesn't exactly use standard tuning for all of her songs,
but I prefer using standard tuning. Of course, I can't always get away
with playing with standard tuning for ALL of her songs... there's some
songs that just don't sound good. But Both Hands I can get away with by
giving out the simple chords in standard tuning. Possibly she did write
it that way. I don't know.

Both Hands is one of her easiest songs to play (along with Shameless).
So if you're a beginner and you like Ani DiFranco, I suggest you learn
this song first.

Key Signature: 0 Flats, 0 Sharps - C Major
Time Signature: Common
Chords used: C Major, G Major, A Minor
Tempo: about 150 beats per minute


If you don't know how to play the guitar, that's great. Because I learned
how to play by reading chords and tablatures, not by some instructor.
Use the chart below to finger the chords.

C G Am

x 3 2 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 0 3 x 0 2 2 1 0
=========== =========== ===========
| | | | o | | | | | | | | | | | o |
fret 1 ----------- ----------- -----------
| | o | | | | o | | | | | | o o | |
fret 2 ----------- ----------- -----------
| o | | | | o | | | | o | | | | | |
fret 3 ----------- ----------- -----------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |


Here is the basic strumming pattern.


C G Am G

| | | ||
| |\ |---| |---| | o / | o / | o / *||
4 | | | | | | | / | / | / ||
4 | | | | | | | / o | / o | / o *||
/. / / / / / | | | ||


G
(repeat as necessary)
|| ||
||* | |\ |---| |---| *||
|| | | | | | | ||
||* | | | | | | *||
|| /. / / / / / ||



Play the same rhythm and sing the melody over it.

C G
I am walking out in the rain
Am
And I am listening to the low moan
G
of the dial tone again
C G
And I am getting nowhere with you
Am G C G (hold)
I can't let it go, and I can't get through


**continue with the same chords and pattern**


The old woman behind the pink curtain
and the closed door
On the first floor
She's listening through the air shaft
To see how long our swan song can last
And both hands
Now use both hands
Oh no, don't close your eyes
I am writing graffiti on your body
I am drawing the story of
How hard we tried.

I am watching your chest rise and fall
Like the tides of my life
and the rest of it all
And your bones have been
my bedframe and your
Flesh has been my pillow
I am waiting for sleep
To offer up the deep
With both hands

Oh, both hands.

In each other's shadows we grew
less and less tall
And eventually our theories
couldn't explain it all
And I'm recording our history now
on the bedroom wall
And when we leave the landlord'll come
And he'll paint over it all

I am walking out in the rain and
I am listening to the low moan
Of the dial tone again
And I am getting nowhere with you
And I can't let it go
And I can't get through

Both hands
please use both hands
Oh no, don't close your eyes...
I'm writing graffiti on your body
I'm drawing the story of
How hard we tried.

**************************
And there you have it. I doubt I made any mistakes, and if I did...
Well, it's my interpretation. I'm not perfect.

Thanks.

-A. Lepre