PEARL JAM - "yellow leadbetter" Tablature

Official PEARL JAM Tablature & Sheet Music »

=========================================++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, I sat down last night and spent a good few hours with just me, my
Washburn, a pad of paper and the CD player and transcribed this mother
as best as I could. What follows is just the intro, about 11 seconds of
the song. The rest is very similar so faking it with a little bit of improv
should get you through the song. The basic chord progression is Em-B-Bm-A.
The position for these chords are at the end of this message.

Yellow Ledbetter

Em B Bm A Em
|_______________9^7________9__________9___5_____________5^7^5__________________
|___________7___9^7_________7_________7______________5_______5_________________
|*__________7___9^7___9^7____8_______________6_________________6_______________
|___2__7^9______7_____9^7__________________________7_______________2___________
|*__2__7^9______7______________9__9________________________________2___________
|___0___________7_______________________________5__________________0___________
"Unsealed on a porch a....."(second time through this section)

_12__10_________
_12__10_________|
_______12__9___*|
_______12__9____|
_______________*|
________________|


The entire song follows this chord progression (Em-B-Bm-A-Em) except
for the tail end of the song where the lyrics are

"I don't wanna stay.." (repeated)

which is

__9___ __7___ __5___
__9___ __7___ __5___
__9___ __8___ __6___
__7___ __9___ __7___
__7___ __9___ __7___
__7___ __7___ __5___

Em B Bm A


The solo for this song is in D pentatonic in the 10th position. I was too
damn lazy to figure it out AND write it down. Maybe later!

************************
<>Transcribed by Mr. G<>
>< ><
************************




I got these lyrics awhile ago off of alt.music.pearl_jam. This is very close
to what is heard on the b-side to the Jeremy single. Good luck to all!

Yellow Ledbetter

Unsealed
On a porch a letter sat
Then you said i wanna leave it again

Once i saw him
On a beach of weathered sand
And on the sand i wanna leave it again

On a weekend wanna wish it all way
And they called an i said an i want what
i said an i call out again

And the reason oughta leave her calm i know
I said i know what i wear that a box or the bag

Oh yeah can you see them?
Out on the porch
Ah, but they don't wave
I see them
Round the front way, yeah
And i know and i know
I don't wanna stay

make me cry

I see
I don't know there's something else
I wanna drum it all away
An i said
I said i i don't know where there's a box or the bag


Oh yeah can you see them?
Out on the porch
Ah, but they don't wave
I see them
Round the front way, yeah
And i know and i know
I don't wanna stay
I don't wanna stay
I don't wanna stay




Yellow Leadbetter: Guitar Solo
By: Pearl Jam (Mike McCready)
Transcription By: Brad Campbell

Symbols:
/=slide up
\=slide down
h=hammer on
p=pull off
w=whammy bar
b=bend
[example: 3b(4)=bend the third fret UP to the fourth]
[example: b(4)3=release the bend (i.e bend 4th fret DOWN to third)]

The bars break corresponding to 4/4 time. I put them in to give people a
sense of rhythm for the song. Just keep in mind that every bar has four
beats, except the first bar, which is a one beat (two-note) pick-up I did
the solo from memory, so there will undoubtedly be some problems. I
didn't note every little slide, vibrato, pull-off, or hammer-on, but I
tried to note the major ones. Listening to the music while playing will
really help.

e:------|-----0--0--0--3b(4)--4--|b(4)3--0--2--2--0-------------|
B:0--0--|0h2---------------------|-------------------2--0-------|
G:------|------------------------|------------------------------|
D:------|------------------------|-------------------------4--2-|
A:------|------------------------|------------------------------|
E:------|------------------------|------------------------------|


e:-----------------------------|-------|9--7--9h7-----------------------
B:-----------------------------|-------|-----------9--7b(9)--9--b(9)7-5-
G:-----------------------------|-------|--------------------------------
D:4h2--2---2h4--2-----2-----2--|5b(6)--|--------------------------------
A:--------4--------4-----4-----|-------|--------------------------------
E:-----------------------------|-------|--------------------------------

Release the 5b(6) slowly throughout the 2nd bar
(The end of this staff is supposed to have a bar break)


e:------------------|---7-----7h9--------------------|
B:5h7--7w5--7h5-----|9-----9-------14-12-14-12-14-12-|
G:---------------6--|--------------------------------|
D:------------------|--------------------------------|
A:------------------|--------------------------------|
E:------------------|--------------------------------|

Try using hammer-ons and pull-offs to smooth out the "14-12" combinations


e:14b(15)b14-12----12h14-12-12-12\0--|------9h7-9--9--7----------------|
B:--------------14-------------------|9--9---------------9--7--9h7-----|
G:-----------------------------------|------------------------------9--|
D:-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A:-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E:-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|

The "14b(15)b14" means bend and release quickly


e:------------------------------|--------------------------7---|
B:7------------7h5-----5--7--5--|9b(10)b9--7\5--5h7--5--9-----9|
G:---9--6--9~-------6-----------|------------------------------|
D:------------------------------|------------------------------|
A:------------------------------|------------------------------|
E:------------------------------|------------------------------|


e:9--7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p7h9p|7h9p7h9p7h9\0|
B:---------------------------|-------------|
G:---------------------------|-------------|
D:---------------------------|-------------|
A:---------------------------|-------------|
E:---------------------------|-------------|




Please send questions, comments, recommendations to:
Brad Campbell
(jmcdanie@galileo.stmarys-ca.edu)








Y E L L O W L E D B E T T E R

By Pearl Jam

Tab By Neil Smith (nj2-smit@uwe.ac.uk)


Right. I have seen loads of requests for this everywhere, and all
the tab I have seen is quite a way out, so I thought I would post
my version. I have had this for ages, but not had the ability to
post :-( Thanks to all the people who replied to my test post, by
the way!

Some people have suggested that this is in an open tuning, but I
reject this on two counts. 1 - In a concert I have, you hear Mike
play a little bit of the riff in a gap (Mike is panned 1 way,
Stone the other), and Mike uses standard tuning for the following
song. Besides - Stone is more the alternate tuning buff, and this
sounds like a Mike composition, given his liking of blues and
Hendrix and stuff. 2 - This version sounds damn close - so I can't
be far out (I hope :-)

Enough guff, and on with the tab. This is all from ear, and all from
memory, so don't bet too much money on it :-) There are three basic
chords shapes to this song, which are fiddled around with to get the
tune.

The three shapes are these:

E B7 A7

0 x 6 4 5 4 7 9 7 8 7 7 5 7 5 6 5 5
------------- ------------- -------------
|-|-|-|-|-|-| |1-1-1-1-1-1| 7fr. |1-1-1-1-1-1| 5fr.
|-|-|-|-|-|-| |-|-|-|2|-|-| |-|-|-|2|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|-| |-|3|-|-|-|-| |-|3|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|1-1-1-1|
|-|-|-|-|2|-|
|-|-|4|-|-|-|
^
I use 4, although you
could quite easily use
finger #3.

You will note that the B7 and A7 chords leave your little finger
free to move about. With these chords in mind, it should not be
too tough to play this:

KEY: 4h6 - Play 4th fret, hammer onto 6th
9p7 - Play 9th fret, pull off onto 7th
6/7 - Play 6th fret, slide up to 7th
9\ - Play 9th fret, slide down
7b9 - Play 7th fret, bend to same pitch as 9th.
[7] - Note that is not really important, but you might want
to throw it in (Besides, it might 'happen' anyway :-)
V - Drop down with tremolo arm
w - Tap tremolo arm - i.e. drop note and quickly return
to same pitch.


E B7

-------------------------4---------------9p7-9---7-------9p7-----
-------------5-------------5-------------7[7]----7---7-------7---
--------[4]--4---------------4---------8---------8-----8-------8-
---------4h6---------X-X-----------------------------------------
---------------------X-X--------[9]------------------------------
-0-----------------------------6/7---------------7---------------


A7 E

Hammer on, pull off
vv

-7p5---------5-----------575----[0]-----------------/12--9-------
[5]--5-------------------5---5--[0]-----------------/12--9-12-9\-
-------6-6h7------------[6]----6---------------------------13-9\-
------------------------------[5]--------------------------------
[7]--------------------------------------------------------------
-5---------------------5---------0-------------------------------


This is the basic progression as I play it. The rest of the song
is just messing about with this idea. Just as a template, try this
for a more 'busy' version.

E B7

Hammer on, pull off
vvv vvv

------------------------/4---------------797-9---7-------797-----
------[5]----5-------------5-------------7[7]----7---7-------7---
------[4-4]--4---------X-----4---------8---------8-----8-------8-
---------4h6-----------X-----------------------------------------
--------------------------------[9]------------------------------
-0-----------------------------6/7-------7---7---7---------------


A7 E

Hammer on, pull off
vvv

-7p5---------5-----------575----[0]-----------------/12--9-------
[5]--5-------5---------5-5---5--[0]-----------------/12--9-12-9\-
-------6-6h7------------[6]----6---------------------------13-9\-
------------------------------[5]-----------------------------9\-
[7]----------7---------------------------------------------------
-5-----------5---------5---------0-------------------------------

Sometimes, he play harmonic rings at the end, like so (this is
the final E in the sequence)

[0]--------------------12(NH)----
[0]------------------12(NH)------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
-0-------------------------------


This, with a bit of improvisation gets you through the rhythm part
of virtually the entire song. The chorus is the same patterns, but
with a more regular strumming pattern. This continues until it gets
to the end of the 2nd chorus ("I don't want to stay - at all ..").
Here it's the same pattern, but with faster chord changes, like so:

E B A

-4-----------7-------------------5-------------------------------
-5-----------7-------------------5-------------------------------
-4-----------8-------------------6-------------------------------
-6-----------9-------------------7-------------------------------
-x-----------9-------------------7-------------------------------
-0-----------7-------------------5-------------------------------

This is strummed. After repeating this a few times, this pattern
is played: (When Vedder starts singing the Ohhh's)

E/Eb E B E/Eb E A

-4-----4---------x---------------4-----4---------x---------------
-4-----5--------[7]--------------4-----5--------[5]--------------
-4-----4---------8---------------4-----5---------6---------------
-6----[6]--------9---------------6----[6]--------7---------------
-x-----x---------9---------------x-----x---------7---------------
-0-----0---------7---------------0-----0---------5---------------

This part is much more quiet - the chords are only strummed once,
not repeated. On the E/Eb, the bass plays the Eb.

Then it's back to the intro and that's the entire song! At the
end, he does a bit more fidding, that you can work out, and a
few more natural harmonics, like so:

All these are natural
harmonic rings.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

[0]--------12----------5---------
[0]------12--12------5---5-------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
-0-------------------------------

SOLO
----

Bend 7th up to 9th, then quickly release
it back to the same pitch as the 7th.
vv
---------------------7-------------------------------------------
-----5-------------5---7b9---b9--br-5h7--------------5-----------
-4h6---------------------------------------------------7-5-------
-----------------------------------------------------------6-4-2-
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------


-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
4b5r-2---2h4p2-----------2---2---4b6-(Slow bend)-----------------
-------4-------------------4---4---------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------
/14p-12------14p12----------------------------------------------
-----------------13--11b13-W-9---11--w---w-w-w-w-w-w----/119--9-
------------------------------------------------------------11--
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Add 10 to these fret numbers (I'm running out of room !)
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

--------------------------------4b6r-2---2h4p2-----------2\------
-----12--12/14-------4-2-4-2-4-2-------4-------------------------
11/13--13--------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Add 10 to all following fret numbers (they are all single digit)

i.e. This is fret 11, then fret 11, then fret 14.
vvv
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---------4---2b4-----4-2-----------------------------------------
----/3-3---3-------------3-1-31--1-------------------1-------1---
-------------------------------4--114------------------4-1-4---4-
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Fading away slowly ....
vv
-----------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------2---2h4----2h4p2h4p2h4p2h4p2h4p2h4p
-3b4----------------1----2/3----3--------------------------------
--------------4-1-4---4------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------
-2h4p2h4p2h4\--------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------

LYRICS:

As I'm sure you've noticed, the lyrics are a tad hard to pick out,
so here is my personal, individual interpretation ... (It sounds
like he was pissed when he sang this, though :-)

On the sea there, on a porch that letter sat
And it said "I wanna leave it again"
Once I saw him on a beach of weathered sand
No-one to sail, I wanna leave it again - yeah.
On a we(e/a)k there, wanna wish it all a way-yeah
And it calls and I say and I don't wanna say and I call out again.
And the reason outgha leave her calm, I know
I said I know what I wear it in the box or the bag.

Ah-yeah. Can you see them out on the porch?
Yeah, but they don't wave.
I see them 'round the front way,
And I know and I know I don't wanna stay.

Make me cry [to solo]

I see - I don't know what it's onto now.
I want a goldmine far away, I said I
I don't - I don't know whether it is a box or a bag.

Ah-yeah. Can you see them out on the porch?
Yeah, but they don't wave.
I see them 'round the front way,
And I know and I know I don't wanna stay - at all.

I don't wanna stay. I don't wanna stay.
I don't wanna stay.
I don't - no ... Yeah

Ohh ... Ohh ...

----------------------------------------------------------------

That's it - any questions, comments, corrections, or if anybody
has any nice guitar amps that they want to give me ('cos I can't
afford one - sniff :-), feel free to mail me:

Cheers !

Neil. (nj2-smit@uwe.ac.uk)

Return to PEARL JAM Tablature »

Official PEARL JAM Tablature & Sheet Music »