Original Artist : John Butler Trio
Song : Zebra
Album : Sunrise Over Sea
Tuning : Open C (eCGCGC) | If you're having trouble, here's a tuning track
http://guitar.about.com/library/media/audio/tuningcgcgce.mp3 |
No capo (I play it with a slide sometimes, especially when performing solo )
The original is played on a 12 string, this is just a simplified 6 string version, but
it's essentially the same
Listen for the mutes and strumming pattern or just go with the flow
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C|---x---0--------x---0--------x---0-----0---0----------x---0-/-0--------------------------|
G|---x---5--------x---0--------x---0-----0---0----------x---3-/-5--------------------------|
C|---x---0--------x---7--------x---3-----3---3----------x---0-/-0--------------------------|
G|---5---5--------0---0--------0---0-----0---0----------5---3-/-5--------------------------|
C|---0---0--------7---7------7\3---3-----3---3----------0---0-/-0--------------------------|
/ = slide.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/john_butler_trio/zebra_tab_ver_8.html ]
I can be loud man, I can be silent
I could be young man or I could be old.
I can be a gentleman, I can be violent.
I could turn hot man or I can be cold.
I could be just like the calm before the storm both,
Waiting for all hell yeah to break loose.
I could be innocent or I could be guilty
Doesn't mean that I don't believe in no noose
So I'm singin'
I could be rich like a wandering Gypsy
I could be poor like a fat wallet lost.
I could be first man or I could come last
It's not who breaks the ribbon boy it's how you get across.
I could be red blue black and white sunset
Or darkest at day boy or brightest at night
I could be the sun man I could be the moon
I'm made up from the stars boy I shining so bright.
So I'm singin'
I could be asleep boy, or I could be awake
I can be alive or a be the walking dead
I can be ignorant, or I could be informed (Yes sir)
I could lead my life man or I could be led (That's right)
I can be anything I put my mind to boy
All I gotta do is give myself half a chance
I can bring love back into my life
And share it with the world if I got some balance
So I'm singin'
I'll upload a short mp3 to my UG profile as an example to help people along :)
If you have any questions, suggestions, tab requests or (god forbid) corrections -
please contact me at
Jackfrawley101@hotmail.com or
Mr.Pink101 on Ultimate-Guitar.com
