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You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
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Written by: Paul Simon
From: "Graceland" (1986)
Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: Standard
I use a capo on the 3rd fret for playability. Without a capo one would have
to transpose this tab +3 steps to match the original key of F major. The tabs
below show how to play the chords with or without a capo in the original key.
I made a short demo recording so one can hear what this is supposed to
sound like:
https://soundcloud.com/maguri/paul-simon-you-can-call-me-al-demo
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transpose: - +3
capo: 3rd fret -
play: D F
key: F F
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CHORDS
transpose: - transpose: +3
capo 3rd fret capo: -
E-A-D-G-B-e E-A-D-G-B-e
Em7 0-2-0-0-0-0 Gm7 3-x-0-3-3-1
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[Main Riff]
(Intro / Chorus / Interlude / Outro) capo 3rd fret
D A Em7 D A D D A Em7 D A D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----3---2--2--0-|----3---2--2-2h3|----3---2--2--0-|----3---2--2-2h3|
G|----2---2--2--0-|----2---2--2-2--|----2---2--2--0-|----2---2--2-2--|
D|----4---2--2--0-|----4---2--2-2h4|----4---2--2--0-|----4---2--2-2h4|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
| h Hammer-on
(Intro / Chorus / Interlude / Outro) no capo (transpose this chord sheet +3)
F C Gm7 F C F F C Gm7 F C F
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----6---5--5--3-|----6---5--5-5h6|----6---5--5--3-|----6---5--5-5h6|
G|----5---5--5--3-|----5---5--5-5--|----5---5--5--3-|----5---5--5-5--|
D|----7---5--5--3-|----7---5--5-5h7|----7---5--5--3-|----7---5--5-5h7|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
| h Hammer-on
[Verse] capo 3rd fret
There is a little lick or riff in the verse, which is played on an
electric guitar. Using a capo, it is possible to integrate this
lick into the accompaniment. Here’s a suggestion:
D Em7 Asus4 A D Em7 Asus4 A [ D ]
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|--2--0----------|--0-------------|--2--0----------|--0-------------|
B|--3--3--3---3---|--0--3--3---2---|--3--3--3---3---|--0--3--3-3-2-3-|
G|2-------2---2---|-----0--2---2---|2-------2---2---|-----0--2-2-2---|
D|0---------------|--------2-------|0---------------|--------2-------|
A|----------------|2-------0-------|----------------|2-------0-------|
E|----------------|0---------------|----------------|0---------------|
[Chorus] capo 3rd fret
If you want to include the riff into your guitar accompaniment, this
might be a good solution:
D A Em7 A D A Em7 A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----3---2--2--0-|----0------2--3-|----3---2--2--0-|----3---2--2--3-|
G|2---2---2--2--0-|----0------2--2-|2---2---2--2--0-|----0---2--2--2-|
D|0-------2-------|----0------2----|0-------2--2--0-|----0---2--2----|
A|--------0-------|2-------0-------|--------0-------|2-------0-------|
E|----------------|0-0-------------|----------------|0---------------|
[Chorus] no capo
F C Gm7 C F C Gm7 C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----1---0--0----|----1---0--0--1-|----1---0--1----|----1---0--0--1-|
B|----1---1--1--3-|----3---1--1--1-|----1---1--1--3-|----3---1--1--2-|
G|----2---0--0--3-|----3---0--0--2-|----2---0--0--3-|----3---0--0--2-|
D|----3---2-------|----0---2-------|----3---2-------|----0---2-------|
A|3-------3-------|--------3-------|3-------3-------|--------3-------|
E|1-1-------------|3-3-------------|1-1-------------|3-3-------------|1
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[Intro]
(guitar and synth)
| D A Em7 | D A D |
(full band)
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
[Verse]
D
A man walks down the street
Em7 Asus4 A
He says, Why am I soft in the middle now?
D
Why am I soft in the middle?
Em7 Asus4 A
When the rest of my life is so hard!
D
I need a photo-opportunity
Em7 Asus4 A
I want a shot at redemption
D
Don't want to end up a cartoon
Em7 Asus4 A
In a cartoon graveyard
[Bridge]
D
Bonedigger, Bonedigger,
Em7 A
Dogs in the moonlight
D Em7 A
Far away from my well-lit door
D
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly
Em7 A
Get these mutts away from me!
D Em7 A
You know, I don't find this stuff amusing anymore
[Chorus]
D A
If you'll be my bodyguard
Em7 A | D A | Em7 A |
I can be your long lost pal
D A
I can call you Betty
Em7 A
And Betty, when you call me
| D A | Em7 A |
You can call me Al
[Verse]
D
A man walks down the street
Em7 Asus4 A
He says, Why am I short of attention?
D
Got a short little span of attention
Em7 Asus4 A
And whoa, my nights are so long!
D
Where's my wife and family?
Em7 Asus4 A
What if I die here?
D
Who'll be my role-model?
Em7 Asus4 A
Now that my role - model is
[Bridge]
D
Gone, gone
Em7 A
He ducked back down the alley
D Em7 A
With some roly-poly, little bat-faced girl
D
All along, along
Em7 A
There were incidents and accidents
D | Em7 A |
There were hints and allegations
[Chorus]
D A
If you'll be my bodyguard
Em7 A | D A | Em7 A |
I can be your long lost pal
D A
I can call you Betty
Em7 A
And Betty, when you call me
| D A | Em7 A |
You can call me Al ... Call me Al ...
[Solo] (pennywhistle) = verse + bridge
| D | Em7 Asus4 A | D | Em7 Asus4 A |
| D | Em7 Asus4 A | D | Em7 Asus4 A |
| D | Em7 A | D | Em7 A |
| D | Em7 A | D | Em7 A |
[Interlude]
(guitar and synth)
| D A Em7 | D A D |
(full band)
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
[Verse]
D
A man walks down the street
Em7 Asus4 A
It's a street in a strange world
D
Maybe it's the Third World
Em7 Asus4 A
Maybe it's his first time around
D
He doesn't speak the language
Em7 Asus4 A
He holds no currency
D
He is a foreign man
Em7 Asus4 A
He is surrounded by the
[Bridge]
D
Sound, the sound
Em7 A
Cattle in the marketplace
D | Em7 A |
Scatterlings and orphanages
D
He looks around, around
Em7 A
He sees angels in the architecture
D
Spinning into infinity
Em7 A
He says, Amen! and Hallelujah!
[Chorus]
D A
If you'll be my bodyguard
Em7 A | D A | Em7 A |
I can be your long lost pal
D A
I can call you Betty
Em7 A
And Betty, when you call me
| D A | Em7 A |
You can call me Al ... Call me...
[Verse] (scat vocals)
D Em7 Asus4 A
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na na...
D Em7 Asus4 A
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na na na na ...
D Em7 Asus4 A
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na na...
D Em7 Asus4 A
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na na na na ...
[Bridge]
D | Em7 A |
Mmmh, mmmh
D | Em7 A |
Mh, mh
D | Em7 A |
Mmmh, mmmh
D | Em7 A |
Mh, mh
[Break]
(bass solo)
| N.C. | % |
[Chorus] (instrumental)
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
| D A | Em7 A |
[Outro] (chorus)
D A | Em7 A |
If you'll be my bodyguard ...
| D A | Em7 A |
D A | Em7 A |
I can call you Betty ...
| D A | Em7 A |
D A | Em7 A |
If you'll be my bodyguard ...
| D A | Em7 A |
D A | Em7 A |
I can call you Betty ...
| D A | Em7 A |
(repeat and fade)
Source: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/paul_simon/you_can_call_me_al_chords_1745615