What's the Matter Here? 10,000 Maniacs - My Tribe (1987 album) Verse: G | That young boy without a name G | anywhere, I'd know his face. G (Em*) | * If solo acoustic, Em sounds better In the city, than just playing 4 bars of G, but G (Em) | ?do as you see fit.? The kid's my favorite. I?ve C | seen him, seen him. D G | Oh, I see him every day. G | G | G | I?ve seen him run outside looking for a place to hide G (Em) | G (Em) | from his father, the kid half naked made me C | D G | say to myself, ?Oh, what's the matter here?" G | I am... Chorus: C D | G (Em) | tired of the ex-c-u-s-e-s everybody uses, he's their C D | G | kid, (so) I stay out of it, but.. C D | G (Em) | who gave you the right to do C this? Verse: G We live on Morgan Street, just ten feet between. (Em) And his mother, I never see her, but her C screams and curses, D G I hear them every day. G G Threats like: "If you don't mind I will beat on your behind," (Em) "Slap you, I?ll slap you silly." Made me C say-ay-ay-ay, D G ?Oh, what's the matter here?!" I?m.. Chorus 2: C D G (Em) tired of the exc-u-s-e-s everybody uses, he's your C D G kid, (so) do as you see fit, but C D G (Em) get this through that I don't approve of what you C D G did to your own flesh and blood. Solo: (over) G |C D | Chorus 3: C D G (Em) I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses, he's your C D G kid, so do as you see fit, but C D G (Em) get this through that I don't approve of what you C D G did to your own flesh and blood. Interlude: Em G C G "If you don't sit in your chair straight, I?ll Em G C G take this belt from around my waist and Em G C G don't you think that I won't use it!" (chorus chords continued through end) C D G (Em) Answer me and take your time, what could be the awful crime he C D G could do at so young an age? And if I?m the C D G (Em) only witness to your madness offer me some words to balance C D G out what I see and what I hear. Ohhh, these C D G (Em) cold and cruel things that you do, I sup(pose) C D G you do them because he belongs to you. And, in-st(ead) C D G (Em) of love and the feeling of warmth, you offer him these cuts and sores that C D G don?t heal with time or with age. C D G And, I want to say I want to (switch to chorus chords played like verse endings) C say-ay-ay-ay D G ?Oh, what?s the matter here?!? But, I don?t dare C say-ay-ay-ay D G ?What?s the matter here?!? No, I don?t dare C say-ay-ayyyyyyyy-ayyyyyyyyyy D G (1 strum, let ring) -AYYYYY! it. (End) Notes: I am shocked that this song isn?t available on major tab sites, so here?s a version to get you started. This song can be played more accurately with a Capo on the 2nd fret. However, I think it sounds great if played lower (matches my male vocals way better anyway). Also, I found myself getting lazy and playing the C as a Cadd9 (x32030) and the Em as Em7 (022030). Since the other chords are D (x00232) and G (320033), this makes sense in switching as you can just leave you ring finger on the B (2nd) string the entire time. Similarly, the Em can be played as Em7 for the same reason. I made up the ?interlude? section from memory without the CD to verify--so you may be able to workout a better chord progression. If you do, please share the information. Chords - suggested variants in parens ?()?: G = 320003 (320033) D = x00232 C(add9) = x32010 (x32033 or x32030) Em(7) = 022000 (022033 or 022030) * note the 3 is always played on 2nd string if suggested chords used. And, I say ?suggested? because I play a regular C in the verses and use the add9 variant in the chorus when the pace picks up. I think this tab is more than helpful towards getting you started and playing this great song. You can play around with the chords to suite your own taste/flavor or to try to match 10,000 Maniacs more precisely. Enjoy! -Chris
Source: http://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/0-9/10000_maniacs/whats_the_matter_here_crd.html