What He Wrote Chords

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Difficulty:	intermediate
Tuning:	E A D G B E
Key:	Am
Capo:	no capo

Author dan-the-man278 [a] 128.

5 contributors total, last edit on Oct 27, 2022

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Chords

E7/B

E/G#

Strumming

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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        WHAT HE WROTE - Laura Marling
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tabbed by: Dan Glover (dan-the-man278)
Email: dangloverenator@googlemail.com
 
So, this is my version - I don't know if it is exactly how she plays it, but it
sounds close enough for me. All picking, don't strum. Picking pattern below.
 
Notes:
- Some (or even all) of the A minor chords can be replaced with normal Am
fingering (x02210) - up to you.
- The G in brackets (G) is a very quick passing note.
- For the Am, G and maybe F chords, it may be easier to use your thumb on the bottom string.
- She plays various fills involving the top two open strings, and occasionally the
open G string as well. Listen and improvise.
 
Chords:
   Am G  C  Dm E7/B F   E/G#
e|-x--x--x--x---x---x--x-----x-|
B|-x--x--5--6---3---x--x-----x-|
G|-5--4--x--x--(1)--2--x- O -1-|
D|-7--5--5--7---2---3--2- R -x-|
A|-7--5--3--5---2---3--2-----2-|
E|-5--3-------------1--4-----4-|
 
Basic picking pattern (all eighth notes, 3 in a bar):
   Am         (G)      C                   Dm
e|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|-------------------|-------5-----5-----|-------6-----6-----|
G|-------5-----------|-------------------|-------------------| etc
D|----------7-----5--|----5-----5-----5--|----7-----7-----7--|
A|----7--------------|-3-----------------|-5-----------------|
E|-5-----------3-----|-------------------|-------------------|
 
 
[Intro]
Am G C Dm C E7/B Am
 
Am      (G) C
Forgive me Hera,
Dm        C
I cannot stay
    Dm        C
He cut out my tongue
         E7/B       Am
There is nothing to save
 
 
Am      (G) C
Love me, oh Lord
    Dm        C
He threw me away
    Dm            C
He laughed at my sins
       E7/B        Am
In his arms I must stay
 
   Am     G
He wrote
      F
I am broke
Am      G       Am
Please send for me
 
Am       G
But I am broken too
F
and spoken for
Am G          Am
 Do not tempt me
 
Am      (G)  C
Her skin is white
         Dm          C
and I'm light as the sun
    Dm         C            E7/B            Am
So holy light shines on the things you have done
 
F          G           E/G#       Am
So I asked him how he became this man
F          G             E/G#         Am
How did he learn to hold fruit in his hands?
     C                      Dm
And where is the lamb that gave you your name?
C                         E7/B          Am
He had to leave, though I begged him to stay
 
F          G          E/G#       Am
Left me alone when I needed the light
F          G             E/G#        Am
Fell to my knees, and I wept for my life
   C                        Dm
If he had have stayed, you might understand
C                                           E7/B     Am
If he had have stayed, you never would have taken my hand
 
Am        G
He wrote
F
I'm low
Am     G        Am
Please send for me
 
Am       G
But I am broken too
F
and spoken for
Am G          Am
 Do not tempt me
 
     C                      Dm
And where is the lamb that gave your name?
C                         E7/B          Am
He had to leave, though I begged him to stay
 
F              G          E/G#        Am
Begged him to stay in my cold wooden grip
F              G           E/G#         Am
Begged him to stay by the light of this ship
C                          Dm
Me fighting him, fighting light, fighting dawn
         C                           E7/B        Am
And the waves came and stole him and took him to war
 
Am        G
He wrote
F
I'm broke
Am     G        Am
Please send for me
 
Am       G
But I am broken too
F
and spoken for
Am G          Am
 Do not tempt me
 
Am      (G) C
Forgive me Hera,
Dm        C
I cannot stay
    Dm        C
He cut out my tongue
         E7/B       Am
There is nothing to save
 
Am      (G) C
Love me, oh Lord
    Dm        C
He threw me away
    Dm            C
He laughed at my sins
       E7/B        Am
In his arms I must stay
 
Am       G
We write
F
That's all right
Am  G      Am
I miss his smell
 
Am       G
We speak
F
when spoken to
Am  G             Am
And that suits us well
 
Am    G       Am
That suits us well
Am    G       Am
That suits me well
X

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What He Wrote – Laura Marling

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9 comments

I think in the actual recording, she has her guitar tuned as DADFAd and she only uses 2 fingers, that she moves over the fret board, one on the lowest string (the "e-string" (now the d-string) and one on the "g-string". (now the F string) Once you figure out where she's putting her fingers, it's much simpler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okc42xI7Tig But good tab!

Thanks for the chords. I play E7 instead of G/B, sounds good!

These work great on open E too (I play slide)- thank you!