Guitar chords and vocal line

These, to the best of my knowledge (which I admit is not
infallible) are the chords to the song. As the guitar
is fairly low in the mix I’ve picked out bass notes and
written down the corresponding guitar chord for any
parts which I wasn’t 100% but the end result should
definitely be recognisable from the recorded version.
Use an acoustic guitar if possible and don’t forget that
on the CD it is playing alongside drums, violin, bass
and Martin’s vocals. Pay attention to the number of
beats for which each chord lasts (written in brackets)
– concentrate on getting your strumming right and you’re
halfway there…

Hope I’ve done Mr Ramsey and co. justice. If he
(Mr. Ramsey) or you think not and have any improvements
to make then feel free to contact me at

Here we go…

[(4)] [(2)] [(2)]
[(4)] [(2)] [(2)]
[(4)] [(4)]
[(4)] [(4)]
For this next bit the C, Bb and A should be barre
chords

[(2)] [(1)] [(1)] [(2)][(2)]
play the final E in the next line as shown here:
(tab format)
E…..0……
B…..0……
G…..7……
D…..7……
A…..5……
E…..0……

[(2)] [(2)] [(2)] [(2)]
G ([(2)]2) F [(1)](2) E [(1)](2) E ([(2)]2) (7th f[(2)]ret)

Enter Vocals: – chords in brackets

(Dm)Walking my personal Calvary mile to a (C)do it

yourself cruci(Am)fixion It;s a (Dm) Kingdom of clowns

wearing martyrdom’s frown, I (C) fight for my hammer and

(Am) nails. We’re an (C) endless procession of lost

dispossessed unbel(Dm)ievers Whose (C) prayers go unheard

and unanswered, unheard and unanswered like junk mail for

Je(A)sus.

note – final A is barred

Try embelishing the chords i.e. hammering on/off various
notes to add more feeling into the song.

Subject: s/skyclad/history_lessens.tab
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 15:45:10 +0100 (BST)

Song: History Lessens (yes it IS spelt with an ‘e’)

Track from Skyclad’s seventh studio album “Irrational Anthems”
released by Noise records (1996).

TABbed and typed up by Nick Ricioppo 13th April 1998
N.Ricioppo@selc.hull.ac.uk

NOTES:
x – muted, unfretted string
~ – vibrato
p – pull off
h – hammer on

Riff 1: (4 times)

e||----------------------------------------------------------------||
B||----------------------------------------------------------------||
G||---4----4-4-----------------------2----2-2----------------------||
D||---4----4-4-----4--2-----------2--2----2-2------4--2------------||
A||---2----2-2-----------5--4--5-----0----0-0------------5--4--5--4||
E||----------------------------------------------------------------||

Riff 2: (3 and a half times) – Martin “Look what you get…”

strum loosely

e|----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-4------4-------9-9-9-9-9--9------------------------------------|
D|-4------4-------9-9-9-9-9--9------7------7-------111111111111-9-|
A|-2------2-------7-7-7-7-7--7------7------7-------111111111111-9-|
E|----------------------------------5------5-------9-9-9-9-9-9--7-|

Martin “Where are they………?”
A5 let ring

e|----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7----------------------------------------------------------(7)-|
A|-7----------------------------------------------------------(7)-|
E|-5----------------------------------------------------------(5)-|

CHORUS:

------

Play Riff 2 (4 times) – Martin “What did we learn..”

then;

Riff 3: (4 times) – Martin “Life’s an education.. “

e|---------------------------------.--------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------.--------------------------------|
G|-2--------2-------------2--------.-4--------4--------4-4-4--------|
D|-2--------2-------------2--------.-4--------4--------4-4-4--------|
A|-0----0-0-0----X-X-X-X--0--4--5--.-2----X-X-2----X-X-2-2-2-2-2----|
E|---------------------------------.--------------------------------|

Riff 4: (2 times)

e|---------------------------------.--------------------------------||
B|---------------------------------.--------------------------------||
G|---------------------------------.--------------------------------||
D|----2-4---2-4---2-4---2-4--2-4---.---0-2---0-2---0-2-0---0--------||
A|--2-----2-----2-----2----2-------.-0-----0-----0-------4---2------||
E|---------------------------------.--------------------------------||

CHORUS:

------

Riff 5: (2 times)
strum loosely

e|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
G|---------------7-9----9-9-9-9---.---------------7-4----4-4-4-4---|
D|-9----9-9-9-9--7-9----9-9-9-9---.-7----7-7-7-7--7-4----4-4-4-4---|
A|-9----9-9-9-9--5-7----7-7-7-7---.-7----7-7-7-7--5-2----2-2-2-2---|
E|-7----7-7-7-7-------------------.-5----5-5-5-5-------------------|

For Second part of Chorus;
play Riff 2 (2 times)

Play Riff 1 (4 times) – Martin “Marching in time..”

BRIDGE:

------

(part 1)

e|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|

(part 2)

e|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------.-6-----------6--4~~~------------|
D|--------------------------------.----6---------------------------|
A|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|

repeat part 1
repeat part 2
repeat part 1
then;

[(B5)]

e|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|

then play Bridge pt. 2

turn on Phaser

e|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|
G|-2----------------------------6-.7----6--4--------------------(4)|
D|-2----------------------------6-.7----6--4--------------------(4)|
A|-0----------------------------4-.5----4--2--------------------(2)|
E|--------------------------------.--------------------------------|

then;
Riff 2: (2 times) – Guitar on its own with Phaser still on

enter rest of band
play Riff 2 (2 times) to play first half of Chorus

play Riff 3 (4 times) – Martin “The path of least resistance..”

play Riff 4 (2 times)

play Chorus

Play Riff 4 (4 times) – Martin “Marching in time..”

e|--------------------------------|
B|-4-4-4-4------------------------|
G|-4-4-4-4------------------------|
D|-2-2-2-2------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|

Lyrics:

Look what you get from following leaders,
who lead from the rear – where are they now?

Chorus
What did we learn from history lessons?
How to sit quiet at the back of the class.
With so many things open to question,
it’s too late to cry – there’s no-one to ask.

Life’s an education – a multiple equation,
everyone finds their own solution in the end.
“To be or not to be” is a very lengthy questionm
has anybody got a sharpened pencil they can lend?

CHORUS –

Marching in time down a production line,
what did that teach you about life in a dole queue?

The Law of Relativity – (life’s relative misery),
The Law of Probability – (it’s probably contrived),
Newton’s Law of Gravity – (we face a grave reality),
The law that runs the jungle – (only the strong survive).

Look what you get from following leaders,
who lead from the rear – where are they now?

The path of least resistance – a bland text book existence,
don’t expect to find the answers printed at the back.
The only sound advice that’s carried me through life –
when the cards are stacked against you –
play the joker in the pack.

CHORUS –

Marching in time down a production line,
what did that teach you about life in a dole queue?

There you go! Hope you enjoy it

Any comments, questions or requests(!?)
to N.Ricioppo@selc.hull.ac.uk