Love Of The Common Man Acoustic Tab

916 views, added to favorites 54 times
This is a great song that deserves to have an accurate tab done . The versions available to date on UT are crap. This will be my last transcription for the Ultimate Guitar. Just too many crappy tabs.Was this info helpful?
Tuning:	E A D G B E
Capo:	no capo
Author unregistered_5681186 1,288. Last edit on Mar 9, 2023
Song: Love of the Common Man
Artist: Todd Rundgren
Tabbed By: bmchrestoff (2/1/20  to 2/9/20)
 
 
 
IMPORTANT PERFORMANCE NOTES: 1) This transcription is based primarily on his 10-12-12 solo performance
                                at the Cleveland Agora and a radio show performance in Denmark called
                                "Live @ Roodshow" from 2011 I believe
 
                             2) The chords used in this transcription are the exact chords and grips that
                                Todd uses in his acoustic version of this classic song. Some are a bit
                                trickey (the C#m/E comes to mind) but most are easy to master
 
                             3) A Great song and a great example of Todd's use of "Rundgren Chords"
                                aka "slash" chords where the root or bass note of the chord is altered
                                to give a very suttle and interesting nuance to the chord
 
                             4) This version also includes the solo that Todd sometimes includes in his
                                performance of this song
 
                             5) Todd does change things up a bit from show to show, especially the solo,
                                but what you have here is essentially how he performs the song acoustically
 
                             6) The artificial harmonics in the Intro are from the actual recording. Todd
                                does NOT use those in his acoustic performance...... but I do. To me they
                                are essential to the song
 
                             7) Todd has used a 6 and a 12 string acoustic guitar to perform this song live
                                depending on his mood.Take your pick
 
 
Chords Used in This Song:
 
C#m/A      X 0 6 6 5 0
B/A        X 0 4 4 4 0
A          X 0 2 2 2 0
C#m/E      0 7 6 9 9 9
B/E        0 7 9 8 7 7
C#m        X 4 6 6 5 4
B          X 2 4 4 4 X
Asus2      X 0 2 2 0 0
Dmaj7      X X 0 2 2 2
Amaj7      X 0 2 1 2 0
Emaj7      0 2 2 4 4 4
F#m        2 4 2 2 2 2
G#m        4 6 4 4 4 4
C#m7       X 4 6 4 5 4
E/G#       4 X 2 4 0 0
A          X 0 7 6 5 0
A          5 0 7 6 5 0
B/A        X 0 9 8 7 X
E/A        X 0 9 9 9 X
E/G#*      X X 6 4 5 X
F#m*       2 X 2 2 2 2
 
 
 
    [Intro]
                AH  AH            AH  AH
e|---0---0---0------12--0---0---0-----5-----------|
B|---5---4---2--12------5---4---2--5--------------|
G|---6---4---2----------6---4---2-----------------|
D|---6---4---2----------6---4---2-----------------|
A|---0---0---0----------0---0---0-----------------|
E|---X---X---X----------X---X---X-----------------|
 
 
   [Verse 1]
 
e|------------9-9------------7-7----------4-4-----X-X--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
B|------------9-9------------7-7----------5-5-----4-4--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
G|------------9-9------------8-8----------6-6-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
D|------------6-6------------9-9----------6-6-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
A|------------7-7------------7-7----------4-4-----2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
E|------------0-0------------0-0----------X-X-----X-X--------X-X--X-X--X-X--X-X---------|
    I've been bu............rn............ed      in     my prime
 
 
e|------------9-9------------7-7----------4-4-----X-X--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
B|------------9-9------------7-7----------5-5-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
G|------------9-9------------8-8----------6-6-----4-4--------1-1--1-1--1-1--1-1---------|
D|------------6-6------------9-9----------6-6-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
A|------------7-7------------7-7----------4-4-----2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
E|------------0-0------------0-0----------X-X-----X-X--------X-X--X-X--X-X--X-X---------|
         The simple things in life seem so hard to learn   sometimes
 
 
 
e|-----------2----0-0---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------4-4------X-X------0-0-0---0-0-0-----2--------X-X-------|
B|-----------2----2-2---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------5-5------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4-------|
G|-----------2----1-1---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------6-6------4-4------1-1-1---1-1-1-----2--------4-4-------|
D|-----------0----2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------6-6------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4-------|
A|-----------0----0-0---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------4-4------2-2------0-0-0---0-0-0-----4--------2-2-------|
E|----------------------0-0-0---0-0-0-----------------------------------------------2--------X-X-------|
    And it takes so   long                     Catch it while you can              Too late tomorrow
 
 
 
e|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0----------|
B|-----------5-------4-------2---2-2-2----------|
G|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2----------|
D|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2----------|
A|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0----------|
E|-----------X-------X-------X---X-X-X----------|
      And    ev......ery.....one
 
 
   [Verse 2]
 
e|------------9-9------------7-7----------4-4------2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
B|------------9-9------------7-7----------5-5------4-4--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
G|------------9-9------------8-8----------6-6------4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
D|------------6-6------------9-9----------6-6------4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
A|------------7-7------------7-7----------4-4------2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
E|------------0-0------------0-0----------X-X------X-X--------X-X--X-X--X-X--X-X---------|
         Said we            all          know what comes of that  
 
 
 
e|------------9-9------------7-7----------4-4-----X-X--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
B|------------9-9------------7-7----------5-5-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
G|------------9-9------------8-8----------6-6-----4-4--------1-1--1-1--1-1--1-1---------|
D|------------6-6------------9-9----------6-6-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
A|------------7-7------------7-7----------4-4-----2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
E|------------0-0------------0-0----------X-X-----X-X--------X-X--X-X--X-X--X-X---------|
             Living in your pockets and  talking  through your hat 
 
 
e|-----------2----0-0---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------4-4------X-X------0-0-0---0-0-0-----2--------X-X-------|
B|-----------2----2-2---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------5-5------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4-------|
G|-----------2----1-1---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------6-6------4-4------1-1-1---1-1-1-----2--------4-4-------|
D|-----------0----2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------6-6------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4-------|
E|-----------0----0-0---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------4-4------2-2------0-0-0---0-0-0-----4--------2-2-------|
E|----------------------0-0-0---0-0-0-----------------------------------------------2--------X-X-------|
    But it won't  take  long                 To turn your head   around            Too late tomorrow
 
 
 
e|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0-----------------2----------X-X-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4------|
B|-----------5-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4------|
G|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4------|
D|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----2--2-2-2--2-2-2------|
A|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0-----------------4----------2-2-----2--2-2-2--2-2-2------|
E|-----------X-------X-------X---X-X-X-----------------2------------------0--0-0-0--0-0-0------|
      Cause  ev......ery.....one            needs the love of the common man
 
 
 
e|------4-4------X-X------0-0-0---0-0-0-----2--------X-X---------------------------------|
B|------5-5------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
G|------4-4------4-4------1-1-1---1-1-1-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
D|------6-6------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
A|------4-4------2-2------0-0-0---0-0-0-----4--------2-2---------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------2--------X-X---------------------------------|
    To turn your head around                Too late tomorrow
 
 
e|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0--------------|
B|-----------5-------4-------2---2-2-2--------------|
G|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2--------------|
D|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2--------------|
A|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0--------------|
E|-----------X-------X-------X---X-X-X--------------|
      Cause  ev......ery.....one    
 
 
     [Bridge}
 
e|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0--------|
B|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------5--4-5-4-5-4-5-4------2---2-2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2--------|
G|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------1---1-1-1---1-1-1---1-1-1--------|
D|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------6--6-6-6-6-6-6-6------2---2-2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2--------|
A|-------6-6-----6--6-6---------------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0--------|
E|-------4-4-----4--4-4----------------------------------------------------------------------|
        Everyone is waiting,        just anticipating   on  you
 
 
 
e|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---X---X-X-X-----------------|
B|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------5--4-5-4-5-4-5-4------2---2-2-2---4---4-4-4-----------------|
G|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------1---1-1-1---4---6-6-6-----------------|
D|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------6--6-6-6-6-6-6-6------2---2-2-2---4---4-4-4-----------------|
A|-------6-6-----6--6-6-----------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---6---4-4-4-----------------|
E|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------------------------------------5---5-5-5-----------------|
        Won't you make a showing everybody knows what to do
 
 
e|------4----4----4----4-----4-4------4------0-----0-----0---0---0---0-------0-----0-----0---0---0-----|
B|------5----5----5----5-----4-4------4------5-----4-----2---2---2---2-------5-----4-----2---2---2-----|
G|------4----4----4----4-----4-4------4------6-----4-----2---2---2---2-------6-----4-----2---2---2-----|
D|------6----6----6----6-----4-4------4------6-----4-----2---2---2---2-------6-----4-----2---2---2-----|
A|------4----4----4----4-----7-7------7------0-----0-----0---0---0---0-------0-----0-----0---0---0-----|
E|------4----4----4----4-----4-4------4----------------------------------------------------------------|
Take a dive from your ivory tower And fall on ev...ery...one will catch you, ev....ery...one
 
 
     [Solo]
        /                   /                 /
e|----s-------h-----------s-------h---------s----------------------------h--p------h--p------h---------|
B|--5---7---7---9---9---5---7---9---9---5-5---7---7---9-9--7-7--5--5---4--5--4---4--5--4---4--5--------|
D|--6---8---8---9---9---6---8---9---9---6-6---8---8---9-9--8-8--6--6---4--4--4---4--4--4---4--4--------|
D|--7---9---9---9---9---7---9---9---9---7-7---9---9---9-9--9-9--7--7---4--6--4---4--6--4---4--6--------|
A|--0-------0-----------0-------0-------0-0---------------------0--0---0---------0---------0-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
           p     /
e|-------2--0----s----------------------------------0--0--0-0---2--2-2---0--0------4----4---X-X---0-0----|
B|---h-0-2--0--5---7---7---9---5---7---9---0-0-0-0--5--5--5-5---2--2-2---2--2------4----5---4-4---2-2----|
G|--0--2-2-----6---8---8---9---6---8---9---9-8-9-8--6--6--6-6---2--2-2---1--1---4--4----4---4-4---1-1----|
D|--0--2-0-----7---9---9---9---7---9---9---9-9-9-9--7--7--7-7---2--2-2---2--2---2--2----6---4-4---2-2----|
A|--0--0-------0------------------------------------0--0--0-0---X--X-X---0--0---2--2----4---2-2---0-0----|
E|--------------------------------------------------5--5--5-5---2--2-2----------0--0---------------------|
 
 
e|--2-2--X-X---X---0---0---0-0-0-------------|
B|--2-2--4-4---5---4---2---2-2-2-------------|
G|--2-2--4-4---6---4---2---2-2-2-------------|
D|--2-2--4-4---6---4---2---2-2-2-------------|
A|--X-X--2-2---0---0---0---0-0-0-------------|
E|--2-2--------------------------------------|
 
 
     [Bridge 2}
 
e|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0--------|
B|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------5--4-5-4-5-4-5-4------2---2-2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2--------|
G|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------1---1-1-1---1-1-1---1-1-1--------|
D|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------6--6-6-6-6-6-6-6------2---2-2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2--------|
A|-------6-6-----6--6-6---------------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0--------|
E|-------4-4-----4--4-4----------------------------------------------------------------------|
        Everyone is waiting,        just anticipating   on  you
 
 
 
e|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---X---X-X-X-----------------|
B|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------5--4-5-4-5-4-5-4------2---2-2-2---4---4-4-4-----------------|
G|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------1---1-1-1---4---6-6-6-----------------|
D|-------4-4-----4--4-4-----------6--6-6-6-6-6-6-6------2---2-2-2---4---4-4-4-----------------|
A|-------6-6-----6--6-6-----------4--4-4-4-4-4-4-4------0---0-0-0---6---4-4-4-----------------|
E|-------4-4-----4--4-4---------------------------------------------5---5-5-5-----------------|
        Won't you make a showing everybody knows what to do
 
 
 
e|------4----4----4----4-----4-4------4------0-----0-----0---0---0---0-------0-----0-----0---0---0-----|
B|------5----5----5----5-----4-4------4------5-----4-----2---2---2---2-------5-----4-----2---2---2-----|
G|------4----4----4----4-----4-4------4------6-----4-----2---2---2---2-------6-----4-----2---2---2-----|
D|------6----6----6----6-----4-4------4------6-----4-----2---2---2---2-------6-----4-----2---2---2-----|
A|------4----4----4----4-----7-7------7------0-----0-----0---0---0---0-------0-----0-----0---0---0-----|
E|------4----4----4----4-----4-4------4----------------------------------------------------------------|
Take a dive from your ivory tower And fall on ev...ery...one will catch you, ev....ery...one
 
 
[Verse 3]
 
e|------------9-9------------7-7----------4-4-----2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
B|------------9-9------------7-7----------5-5-----4-4--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
G|------------9-9------------8-8----------6-6-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
D|------------6-6------------9-9----------6-6-----4-4--------2-2--2-2--2-2--2-2---------|
A|------------7-7------------7-7----------4-4-----2-2--------0-0--0-0--0-0--0-0---------|
E|------------0-0------------0-0----------X-X-----X-X--------X-X--X-X--X-X--X-X---------|
    I would   b...e...    so pleased      to spend          some time
        To hear a little   talk about    what's been on your mind
 
 
e|-----------2----0-0---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------4-4------X-X------0-0-0---0-0-0-----2--------X-X-------|
B|-----------2----2-2---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------5-5------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4-------|
G|-----------2----1-1---4-4-4---4-4-4-----------6-6------4-4------1-1-1---1-1-1-----2--------4-4-------|
D|-----------0----2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------6-6------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4-------|
A|-----------0----0-0---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------4-4------2-2------0-0-0---0-0-0-----4--------2-2-------|
E|----------------------0-0-0---0-0-0-----------------------------------------------2--------X-X-------|
   'Cause it don't take long                 to turn my head      around           if it comes easy
 
 
 
e|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0-----------------2----------X-X-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4-----|
B|-----------5-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4-----|
G|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4-----|
D|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----2--2-2-2--2-2-2-----|
A|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0-----------------4----------2-2-----2--2-2-2--2-2-2-----|
E|-----------X-------X-------X---X-X-X-----------------2------------------0--0-0-0--0-0-0-----|
      Cause  ev......ery.....one            needs the love of the common man
 
 
 
e|------4-4------X-X------0-0-0---0-0-0-----2--------X-X---------------------------------|
B|------5-5------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
G|------4-4------4-4------1-1-1---1-1-1-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
D|------6-6------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
A|------4-4------2-2------0-0-0---0-0-0-----4--------2-2---------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------2--------X-X---------------------------------|
    To turn the world around                Too late tomorrow
 
 
 
e|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0-----------------2----------X-X-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4-----|
B|-----------5-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4-----|
G|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----4--4-4-4--4-4-4-----|
D|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2-----------------2----------4-4-----2--2-2-2--2-2-2-----|
A|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0-----------------4----------2-2-----2--2-2-2--2-2-2-----|
E|-----------X-------X-------X---X-X-X-----------------2------------------0--0-0-0--0-0-0-----|
      Cause  ev......ery.....one            needs the love of the common man
 
 
 
e|------4-4------X-X------0-0-0---0-0-0-----2--------X-X---------------------------------|
B|------5-5------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
G|------4-4------4-4------1-1-1---1-1-1-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
D|------6-6------4-4------2-2-2---2-2-2-----2--------4-4---------------------------------|
A|------4-4------2-2------0-0-0---0-0-0-----4--------2-2---------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------2--------X-X---------------------------------|
    To turn the world around                Too late tomorrow
 
 
e|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0----------2--2-2----X--X--X--0---------------------|
B|-----------5-------4-------2---2-2-2----------2--2-2----4--4--4--2---------------------|
G|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2----------2--2-2----4--4--4--1---------------------|
D|-----------6-------4-------2---2-2-2----------2--2-2----4--4--4--2---------------------|
A|-----------0-------0-------0---0-0-0----------4--6-4----2--2--2--0---------------------|
E|-----------X-------X-------X---X-X-X----------2--2-2-----------------------------------|
      Cause  ev......ery.....one            Oh oh oh...oh....oh....oh....oh...
 
 
 
 
************************************
 
| x   Dead note
| h   Hammer-on
| p   Pull-off
 
 
************************************
X
By helping UG you make the world better... and earn IQ
Create correction
Please rate this tab
Love Of The Common Man – Todd Rundgren
How to play
"Love Of The Common Man"
Font
1 comment
Thanks for doing this and for posting it. Not sure why it doesn't show up with the other versions. I only found this thru google. Clearly the most accurate and consistent with the noted performances. Big "Thumbs Up"