Eugene Chords

by Sufjan Stevens
65,599 views, added to favorites 1,708 times
Capo on 4th, which one can see he uses in live versions.Was this info helpful?
Difficulty: intermediate
Tuning: E A D G B E
Key: B
Capo: 4th fret
Author garsag [a] 337. Last edit on Dec 23, 2023
We have an official Eugene tab made by UG professional guitarists.
Check out the tab

Chords

C
D
G/B
F
Em
C/G
G
D/F#
D/A
D7
Bm6

Strumming

There is no strumming pattern for this song yet. Create and get +5 IQ
All chords relative to capo.
 
Chords used:
 
[Verse 1, 2, 4 & 5]
    C*    D*   G/B    F    Em*   C/G    G    D/F#   Em   D/A   C/G*
e|--x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x--|
B|--5-----7-----0-----10----8-----1-----0-----3-----0-----3-----1--|
G|--0-----0-----7-----0-----0-----0-----0-----2-----0-----x-----x--|
D|--5-----7-----5-----10----9-----2-----0-----0-----2-----4-----2--|
A|--3-----5-----x-----8-----7-----x-----x-----0-----2-----5-----3--|
E|--x-----x-----7-----x-----x-----3-----3-----2-----0-----5-----3--|
 
[Verse 3]
    G*   D7    Em*    D    Bm6    C
e|--7-----5-----3-----2-----x-----x--|
B|--0-----0-----0-----3-----3-----1--|
G|--7-----5-----0-----2-----0-----0--|
D|--5-----4-----2-----0-----4-----2--|
A|--x-----x-----x-----x-----2-----3--|
E|--x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x--|
 
Chords from the the two first and two final verses are also used in the 3rd verse.
The song uses a consistent fingerpicking pattern throughout, which goes like this:
                         C*
e|------------|       e|-------------------|
B|--------x---|       B|--------5-------5--|
G|----x-------|       G|----0-------0------|
D|------x-----| e.g.  D|------5-------5----|
A|--x---------|       A|--3-------3--------|
E|------------|       E|-------------------|
 
There is also a little transition from the G/B to F in the verses, I do this by playing the G/B three times,
then the 4th time putting my index finger on the 5 fret on the A string (relative to capo) and slide it up to
the F position.
 
After the 2nd line and at the end of each verse, there is a sort of conclusive riff, which is tabbed below.
The 1st version comes after the 2nd line in each verse, while the 2nd version comes at the end of each verse.
 
Version 1:              Version 2:
    G        C/G  G          G        C/G  G
e|-------------------|   e|-------------------|
B|--------0--0h1--0--|   B|-------------------|
G|------0----0----0--|   G|--------0--0----0--|
D|----0------0h2--0--|   D|------0----0h2--0--|
A|-------------------|   A|----2------2h3--2--|
E|--3--------3----3--|   E|--3--------3----3--|
 
[Verse 1]
C*    D*              G/B
Light struck from the lemon tree
F       Em*         D*            C*           G   C/G G
What if I’d never seen hysterical light from Eugene?
C/G   G       D/F#        Em             D/A
Lemon yoghurt, remember I pulled at your shirt
D/A                          C/G*
I dropped the ashtray on the floor
C/G*                G     C/G G
I just wanted to be near you
 
[Verse 2]
C*      D*            G/B
Emerald Park, wonders never cease
F           Em*            D*                    C*           G   C/G G
The man who taught me to swim, he couldn't quite say my first name
C/G    G         D/F#          Em          D/A
Like a Father he led community water on my head
D/A               C/G*
And he called me “Subaru”
C/G*                 G     C/G G
And now I want to be near you
 
[Verse 3]
G*    D7    Em*    D      C*         Bm6           D*
Since I was old enough to speak I've said it with alarm
G*   D7      Em*    D            C*
Some part of me was lost in your sleeve
          Bm6           D*
Where you hid your cigarettes
                 C
No I’ll never forget
C                 G     C/G G
I just want to be near you
 
[Verse 4]
C*      D*             G/B
Still I pray to what I cannot see
F      Em           D*               C*             G  C/G G
In the sprinkler I mark the evidence known from the start
C/G      G             D/F#                 Em                 D/A
From the bed near your death, and all the machines that made a mess
D/A                 C/G*
Far away the falcon flew
C/G*             G     C/G G
Now I want to be near you
 
[Verse 5]
C*     D*           G/B
What’s left is only bittersweet
F            Em    D*                  C*      G       C/G G
For the rest of my life, admitting the best is behind me
C/G     G         D/F#                Em              D/A
Now I’m drunk and afraid, wishing the world would go away
D/A                         C/G*
What’s the point of singing songs
C/G*                  G     C/G G
If they’ll never even hear you?
X
By helping UG you make the world better... and earn IQ
Create correction
Please rate this tab
 
×
Eugene – Sufjan Stevens
How to play
"Eugene"
Font
Transpose
8 comments
danielhassea
This song is so hauntingly beautiful i shiver everytime i play it
+3
y0ner
a lot easier than I expected. Thanks for doing all the hard work!!
+2
karawoodbury
this is great! thanks for all the info you included!
+2
Related tabs