"Ballad Of Ballina" by The Bollox
Tabbed by: Matt Benecke
The Bollox is the Irish Punk side project of Jason Devore from Authority Zero.
Scope out the band's websites:
http://thebolloxmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thebolloxmusic
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bollox
Tuning: Standard
Intro (0:00 - 0:23)
Guitar 1 (Electric) Plays Riff 1 1x then Riff 1b 2x
Guitar 2 (Acoustic) Plays Riff 1a 1x
(NOTE: All chords in Riff 1a are palm-muted)
Riff 1
*Pick scrape from bridge to neck
e|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------///////////////-----|
D|--7----9-9s11-9---7----7----9-9s11-12---///////////////-----|
A|------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
Riff 1a
A5 D5 A5
v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x----------|
D|--7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x--|
A|--7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-7-7-7-x--|
E|--5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x---------------------------------5-5-5-x--|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D5
^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7--|
D|--7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7--|
A|--7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5--|
E|--5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-5-5-x--------------------------------|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Riff 1b
A5 D5
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
e|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--|
D|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5----------------------------------|
Intro Lyrics
HERE WE GO!
Verse 1 (0:23 - 0:33)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b (Modified) 2x
Riff 1b (Modified)
A5 D5
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------7~!---|
D|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7~!---|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5~!---|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-------|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(NOTE: Palm mute the A5 and then allow the D5 to ring out cleanly
with distorted feedback for the remaining measures)
Verse 1 Lyrics
Oh the priest and the nun
They went on the run
For the vows that they had taken
They had now forsaken
So they jumped up on a train
and watched the pouring rain
As it fell from the sky, fell from the sky
Prechorus 1 (0:34 - 0:55)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 2 2x
Riff 2
E5(VII) D5
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
e|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--|
D|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
E5(VII) A5(XII)
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
e|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
D|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
A5(XII)
v v v v v v v
e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|-14-14-14-14-14--|
D|-14-14-14-14-14--|
A|-12-12-12-12-12--|
E|-----------------|
(NOTE: You might want to play these chords as octaves instead of as
full power chords.)
Prechorus 1 Lyrics
When they got to Dublin city
Oh the sights they were so pretty!
And the sun it started shining
As he stared into her eyes
Chorus 1 (0:55 - 1:16)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/t/the_bollox/ballad_of_ballina_tab.html ]
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b 4x with the following modifications:
--Palm mute with an emphasis on the third beat
--Release the palm mute according to the song
--When beginning each A5 section, play a few harmonics on the 7th
fret of the B string as shown below:
e|-----------|
B|-7+-7+-7+--|
G|-----------|
D|-----------|
A|-----------|
E|-----------|
(NOTE: This will be called Riff 1b*)
Chorus 1 Lyrics
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Interlude 1 (1:17 - 1:26)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b (Modified) 2x
Verse 2 (1:27 - 1:38)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b (Modified) 2x
Verse 2 Lyrics
Ah, back in Ballina
The word was spreadin' fast
The tongues they were waggin'
The first stone was cast
The parish up in arms
The bishop came to say
I'm sorry for your troubles, but I must be on my way
Prechorus 2 (1:38 - 1:59)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 2 2x
Prechorus 2 Lyrics
When they got to Dublin city
Oh the sights they were so pretty
And the sun it started shining
As he stared into her eyes
Chorus 2 (1:59 - 2:20)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b* 4x
Chorus 2 Lyrics
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Solo (2:21 - 2:41)
Guitar 1 Plays Solo Riff 1x
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------10-10--12-12--12--12-12--10-|
A|----------10-10--12-12--12-12-10-10---10h12-12-----------------------------|
E|-10h12-12------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------13-10-10-13--13-13s15---15/17-17-17-17/15-15--13---13-15-15---|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-10---10~------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-15/17-15-13-13---13--------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------14-14--12----------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------14-12-10--12/14/12--10-----------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------12~-----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse 3 (2:42 - 2:58)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b (Modified) 3x
Verse 3 Lyrics
As the years rolled by
Their love it didn't die
No their love it grew and grew
Not a soul had had a clue
That the priest and the nun
That went on the run
Had lived a life of sin
Had lived a life of sin
Ah the priest and the nun
That went on the run
They had lived a life of sin
Had lived a life of sin
Prechorus 3 (2:58 - 3:18)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 2 2x
Prechorus 3 Lyrics
When they got to Dublin city
Oh the sights they were so pretty
And the sun it started shining
As he stared into her eyes
Chorus 3 (3:19 - 3:45)
Guitar 1 Plays Riff 1b* 4x
(NOTE: End on an additional D5)
Chorus 3 Lyrics
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
(I will be, I will be true!)
Tab Legend
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| v Downstroke
| ^ Upstroke
===============================================================================
Ballad Of Ballina Lyrics
Oh the priest and the nun
They went on the run
For the vows that they had taken
They had now forsaken
So they jumped up on a train
and watched the pouring rain
As it fell from the sky, fell from the sky
When they got to Dublin city
Oh the sights they were so pretty
And the sun it started shining
As he stared into her eyes
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Ah, back in Ballina
The word was spreadin' fast
The tongues they were waggin'
The first stone was cast
The parish up in arms
The bishop came to say
I'm sorry for your troubles, but I must be on my way
When they got to Dublin city
Oh the sights they were so pretty
And the sun it started shining
As he stared into her eyes
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true (I will be true)
As the years rolled by
Their love it didn't die
No their love it grew and grew
Not a soul had had a clue
That the priest and the nun
That went on the run
Had lived a life of sin
Had lived a life of sin
Ah the priest and the nun
That went on the run
They had lived a life of sin
Had lived a life of sin
When they got to Dublin city
Oh the sights they were so pretty
And the sun it started shining
As he stared into her eyes
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
Oh my love, I promise you
Oh my love, I will be true
(I will be, I will be true!)
