Band: The Mars Volta
Song: Back Up Against The Wall
Album: Bedlam in Goliath
Notes:
I thought I'd tab this wicked song.
It's my favourite yet. Not because of it's length, but because if I were to play a TMV
live, this would be it (well... Day of The Baphomets or a Fully Blown hour version of
Gemini would be awesome too...)
Intro: 0:00-0:07
| E | |
| B | 8p7~ 7~ 8p7 10~ |
| G | 7~ 7~ 7~ |
| D | 7~ |
| A | |
| E | |
1st Verse: 0:07-0:27
| E | |
| B | |
| G | 12 12 9 9 7 7 |
| D | 9 9 12 12 9 9 7 7 | x8 |
| A | 9 9 10 10 7 7 5 5 |
| E | 7 7 |
Play on the Offbeats. First time played the first chord is struck once.
1st Chorus: 0:27-0:37
| E | | | | | | | | | |
| B | | | | | | | | | |
| G | | | | | | | | | |
| D | 2 2 2 2 | x4 | 5 5 5 5 | x4 | 2 2 2 2 | x4 | 5 5 5 5 | x2 | 7 7 7 7 | x2 |
| A | 2 2 2 2 | | 5 5 5 5 | | 2 2 2 2 | | 5 5 5 5 | | 7 7 7 7 |
| E | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 5 5 5 5 |
Just general strumming. Nothing Fancy.
2nd Verse: 0:37-0:52
| E | |
| B | |
| G | 12 12 9 9 7 7 |
| D | 9 9 12 12 9 9 7 7 | x6 |
| A | 9 9 10 10 7 7 5 5 |
| E | 7 7 |
Again the first time played, the first chord is struck once.
2nd Chorus: 0:52-1:02
| E | | | | | | | | | |
| B | | | | | | | | | |
| G | 1 1 1 1 | | 4 4 4 4 | | 1 1 1 1 | | 4 4 4 4 | | 6 6 6 6 |
| D | 2 2 2 2 | x4 | 5 5 5 5 | x4 | 2 2 2 2 | x4 | 5 5 5 5 | x2 | 7 7 7 7 | x2 |
| A | 2 2 2 2 | | 5 5 5 5 | | 2 2 2 2 | | 5 5 5 5 | | 7 7 7 7 |
| E | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 5 5 5 5 |
Second Chorus I like to beef it up a little.
Solo: 1:02-1:12
| E | |
| B | |
| G | 9 9 9 9 9 12 12 12 12 12 |
| D | 12b 12b 12b 12b 12b 15b 15b 15b 15b 15b |
| A | |
| E | |
I prefer to play here, but can play on the B+G strings if you feel more comfortable.
| E | |
| B | (0) |
| G | 16 14 16 14 (0) |
| D | b15h14 14tr 17p14tr 17p14tr 17p14h17p14tr |
| A | |
| E | |
| E | 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17\ |
| B | 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17\ |
| G | |
| D | |
| A | |
| E | |
3rd Verse: 1:12-1:20
| E | |
| B | |
| G | 12 12 9 9 7 7 |
| D | 9 9 12 12 9 9 7 7 | x4 |
| A | 9 9 10 10 7 7 5 5 |
| E | 7 7 |
Tempo speeds up drastically as each bar progresses.
3rd Chorus: 1:20-1:30
| E | (0 0 0 0) | | (3 3 3 3) | | (0 0 0 0) | | (3 3 3 3) | | (5 5 5 5) |
| B | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 5 5 5 5 |
| G | 1 1 1 1 | | 4 4 4 4 | | 1 1 1 1 | | 4 4 4 4 | | 6 6 6 6 |
| D | 2 2 2 2 | x4 | 5 5 5 5 | x4 | 2 2 2 2 | x4 | 5 5 5 5 | x2 | 7 7 7 7 | x2 |
| A | 2 2 2 2 | | 5 5 5 5 | | 2 2 2 2 | | 5 5 5 5 | | 7 7 7 7 |
| E | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 0 0 0 0 | | 3 3 3 3 | | 5 5 5 5 |
Last Chorus, I like to play it in Barre Chords.
Ending Chord: 1:30-1:33
Staccato hit and stop dead.
And that the end to the shortest "full-length" TMV song ever!
Enjoy...