Sober Driver Chords & Tabs
Song: Sober Driver
Band: Dengue Fever
Great song, fun song—to sing and to play—although it’s not all that well known.
Here’s what I’m hearing. It sounds 100% to me. Keep in mind, some parts are a bit tricky.
INTRO/INTERLUDE:
|---------------------------------------|
|-------10-------9------8-----7-----6---|
|-------10-------9------8-----7-----6---|
|-11h12----10h11---9h10---8h9---7h8-----| x2
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
VERSE (listen for rhythm):
(notes: SEGMENTS 1 & 2 played staccato. It means each note is very short.
They are also somewhat palm-muted.
SEGMENTS 3 & 4, meanwhile, are played more legato; they can ring.)
SEGMENT 1:
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|--------9------------------|
|-------10-----10-----------| x4
|-12---12---12----12-11-10--|
|---------------------------|
SEGMENT 2:
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|--------8------------------|
|-------10-----10-----------| x2
|-12---12---12----12-11-10--|
|---------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/d/dengue_fever/sober_driver_tab.html ]
SEGMENT 3:
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-------10-------10-------10-------10-------10--|
|----12-------12-------12-------12-------12-----|
|-12-------12-------12-------12-------12--------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
SEGMENT 4:
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|-------10-------10--------9-------9-------9-|
|----12-------12-------------12------12------|
|-11-------11-------11----------11------11---|
|--------------------------------------------|
Then play through VERSE a second time. All four segments are the exact same,
except SEGMENT 3. For the second time through (EACH time the verse is played), SEGMENT 2
plays like this:
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|-------10-------10-------10--12--14--12--10-----|
|----12-------12-------12---------------------12-| (then onto SEGMENT 4)
|-12-------12-------12---------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
CHORUS:
Am C F E
You call me up because I’m sober and you wanted me to drive
Am C F E
I’m getting tired of being treated as just a free ride
Am C F E
I’ve finally figured out that you’re just a thorn in my side
(no chords)
That’s withered, dull and dry
Then VERSE (twice), then CHORUS again, then INTRO/INTERLUDE before VERSE run-
through (with no lyrics), and finally CHORUS once more.
End on Am.