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Silver Dagger
by: White Antelope
(aka Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes)
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Tuning: Standard
Capo on 6th fret
Tabbed by Connor O.
The song is an American traditional. This version in particular is based off Joan Baez's
interpretation. There are a couple videos of Robin doing this up on the web. There's
one in particular of him doing this song live in '11,
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5FSIy6JROY, let me know if the link doesn't work) where
you can see pretty well how he plays
it. I think this tab is a pretty close interpretation of how it sounds, anyways.
Before getting started, there are a few points to make. The strumming is pretty fast
paced, and was hard for me to learn at first. It's very similar to the strumming in Blue
Ridge Mountains, if you know how to play that one. Basically it's like:
down down (short break) up down up down down (short break) up down up down down........
He does a lot of hammer ons.
On the B & G strings simultaneously for the Am,
D string for C chord,
e string for D chord,
D string for Em.
If you get a good feel for the song the hammers will come easy for you. Just throw them
in when it sounds nice to you, doesn't have to be exact. Also, if you look at the video,
he does a cool thing in the intro with the G chord. He slides the A string from the 2nd
to 3rd fret. It's kind of hard to describe the timing but if you listen to the video and
play along you should be able to get the knack of it.
He does another thing with the D chord too. In each verse, he'll transition from G to D*
and play that through the emphasized word in each sentence. Then he'll pull off
completely and go to D quick, then transition to G. If you watch the video or listen to
the song you'll see what I mean.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/w/white_antelope/silver_dagger_crd.html ]
It's perfectly acceptable to just ignore all of this, haha, and play straight chords if
you want, it's up to you. These are just nice nuances that he does, and I'd like to
share as much in possible just in case somebody is looking up how he does them.
Chords used (in respect to capo):
Am C D D* Em G G*
e|-0-| |-0-| |-2-| |-2-| |-0-| |-2-| |-2-|
G|-1-| |-1-| |-3-| |-3-| |-0-| |-2-| |-2-|
B|-2-| |-0-| |-2-| |-2-| |-0-| |-0-| |-0-|
D|-2-| |-2-| |-0-| |-4-| |-2-| |-0-| |-0-|
A|-0-| |-3-| |-0-| |-0-| |-2-| |-2-| |-3-|
E|-x-| |-x-| |-x-| |-x-| |-0-| |-3-| |-3-|
Intro: G --->
--------> D* D G
Don't sing love songs, you'll wake my mother
D* D Em
She's sleeping here, right by my side
C Am
And in her right hand, a silver dagger
Em C D
She said that I, can't be your bride
D* D G
All men are false, said my mother
D* D Em
They'll tell you wicked, loving lies
C Am
And the very next evenin', they'll court another
Em C D
Leave you alone, to pine and sigh
D* D G
My daddy he's, a handsome devil
D* D Em
He's got a chain, 5 miles long
C Am
And on every link, a heart does dangle
Em C D
Of another maid, he's loved and wronged
D* D G
So court another, tender maiden
D* D Em
And hope that she, will be your wife
C Am
For I have been warned, and I've decided
Em C D
To sleep alone, all of my life
Repeats 1st verse and then ends
Sounds pretty close to the real thing, to me at least. Post in the comments or msg if it
doesn't sound right or if you need help or anything. Peace and love.
