R.E.M. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Intro: | D A | G | D A | G | (the "A" chord is just played once)
A D Bm G A D A G
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
A D Bm G A D Bm E
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed
G A
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream
G A
Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen
D A D G A A G A
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
D A D G A A G A D
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
A D Bm G A D A *Fill1 G
I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, tv, movies, magazines
A D Bm G A D Bm *Fill2 E
Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"
G A
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
G A
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
D A D G A A G A
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
D A D G A A G A
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
Chords over solo: Bm A (x3)
A A G A
Solo:
(grad. release)
e-----------------------------|-------------------------------|-
B-----------------------------|--------------7----------------|-
G---7b-----(7)----(7)------6--|--6--4--7---------4---4--4--4--|-
D-----------------------------|-------------------------------|-
A-----------------------------|-------------------------------|-
E-----------------------------|-------------------------------|-
(grad. bend)
e------------------------|-------------------------------|-
B------------------------|-------------------------------|-
G---4------7b---(7)--4---|--7b------------------7--------|-
D-------7----------------|-------------------------7--7--|-
A------------------------|-------------------------------|-
E------------------------|-------------------------------|-
e---------------------|----------------|-------------|------------------------|
B------------------7--|----------------|---7---------|------------------------|
G------4---4---7------|--4---7h6---7---|----------4--|-9b----(9)--7-----------|
D--7------------------|----------------|-------------|---------------9--(9)\7-|
A---------------------|----------------|-------------|------------------------|
E---------------------|----------------|-------------|------------------------|
e------------------------|------------|-
B------------------------|------8b----|-
G------------------------|------7b----|-
D--5------------7b--(7)--|------------|-
A------------------------|------------|-
E------------------------|------------|-
A D Bm G A D A *Fill1 G
"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
A D Bm G A D Bm *Fill2 E
Butterfly decal, rearview mirror, dogging the scene
G A
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
G A
You said that irony was the shackles of youth
D A D G A A G A
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
D A D G A A G A
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
D A D G A A
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
G A
I couldn't understand
D A D G A A
You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh
G A
I couldn't understand
D A D G A A
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
G A
I couldn't understand
D A D G A A G A
I never understood, don't fuck with me, uh-huh
End on D.
Fill 1:
e------------------
B------------------
G----9b---(9)------
D--------------7---
A------------------
E------------------
Fill 2:
e-----------------
B-----------------
G-----------------
D------5h4--------
A-------------7---
E-----------------
Rhythm Fill 1:
w/ amp tremolo
e-------------------------
B-------------------------
G-----2-------------------
D-----2-------------------
A-----0-------------------
E-------------------------
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The above is solely MY INTERPRETATION of this great song, in a format aimed at learning guitarists.
No attempt has been made to copy or reproduce the artist's or publisher's sheet music for the song,
if such exists.
It can be used for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. To play the song as it should be played, you should
purchase the official sheetmusic for the song. You should also purchase and listen to the song to learn
the rhythm and timing of the song - this is essential if you wish to play the song with any degree of accuracy
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