BARENAKED LADIES - "Shoe Box" Tablature

From: Inflate123@aol.com
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 20:13:43 -0500
Subject: CRD: Shoe Box by Barenaked Ladies


Found this floating around on the newsgroups a few weeks ago, so I'll submit
on this fellow's behalf in case it didn't get through.

SHOE BOX
By Barenaked Ladies
From "Born On A Pirate Ship" (US: Reprise 2/4-46128 - buy it, it's good!)

Just got the Shoe Box EP and I'm pleased to pass on the important rhythmic
bits of BNL's new single as I hear them. I would normally do this in full tab
but there's no tricky solo or anything, and I think just a listen or three to
the song and the chords will probably get most fans through okay. All the
chords sound right to my ears, but if you've got better suggestions, fire
away.


** VERSE 1
D E G
A key in the door, a step on the floor

Gm A D
A note on the table and a meal in the micro

E G
Note says "I'm in bed, please make sure that you're fed

Gm A D
If you're taking a shower, you can borrow my bathrobe

E G
And when I'm asleep, I dream you move in next week"

Gm A
I crumple the note and save it to put inside my


** PRE-CHORUS
D A
Shoe box (shoe box)

Bm A G
Shoe box of lies

** VERSE 2
D E G
It's under my bed, it's never been read

Gm A D
It's in with my school stuff and my mom never cleans there

E G
From my first little fib, when I still wore a bib

Gm A D
To my latest attempt at pretending I'm someone

E G
He's not seventeen, and doesn't know what you mean

Gm A
When talk turns to single malts or stilton or my

**CHORUS
D A
Shoe box (shoe box)

Bm A G
Shoe box of lies

D A
Shoe box (shoe box)

Bm A G
Shoe box of lies

**BRIDGE
G A G A G
Did somebody tell you this is how it's supposed to be?

A Bm G D A
Or are you just finding you don't want any more from me?


("one-note solo" over chorus-like D-A-Bm-G progression x2)

** VERSE 3
D E G
Was it something I said or was it something you read

Gm A D
That's making me think that I should never have come here

E G
I can offer you lies, I can tell you goodbye

Gm A D
I can tell you I'm sorry, but I can't tell the truth, dear

E G
And what if I could-would it do any good?

Gm A
'Cause you'll never get to see the contents of my

** CHORUS
D A
Shoe box (shoe box)

Bm A G
Shoe box of lies

D A
Shoe box (shoe box)

Bm A G
Shoe box of lies

** BRIDGE
G A G A
You're so nineteen-ninety, and it's nineteen-ninety-four

G A Bm G D A
Leave this world behind me 'cause you don't want me anymore


(vamp D-A-Bm-G progression with "Lie-ee-yie" all the way home and end on a
Dsus4)
<><><>
There are two versions of "Shoe Box" being shipped to radio stations, so the
version you hear first may start with the chorus riffs twice (the single
remix) or it may begin just with Steven Page's vocals (that's the album
version).

I haven't figured out whether the song should be played with open or barre
chords, so right now I'm using a mix of both, depending on the part of the
song, until I see what feels comfy. The bulk of the song is played in
straight 4/4 downstrokes, though during the third verse and part of the
outro, they're off-beat upstrokes, which sounds kinda cool. My chord choices:

D: 000232 or X5777X
E: 022100
G: 355433 or 320003
Gm: 355333
A: X02220 or 577655
Bm: X24432
Dsus4: 000233
Asus4: X0223X
(The guys do sound like they're sneakin' in a fast Dsus4 and an Asus4 during
the chorus, so those of you who wanna put 'em in there for the full effect,
go to town...)

Let me know what you think and feel free to send corrections...

Dan Amrich (not the King of Bedside Manor)
DanAmrich@aol.com