AMERICAN WOMAN
The Guess Who
from the album ?American Woman? (1970)
transcribed by Steve Garner (s_garner@hotmail.com)
This is the correct way to play the acoustic intro to American Woman.
The open-G tuning allows the open 4th and 5th strings to be played with
your thumb while you fret the other notes, giving the intro its droning,
bluesy sound. Use your 2nd and 3rd fingers to fret the notes on the 2nd
and 3rd strings, while using your first finger to reach over and do the
hammer-ons on the 4th string. Remember to keep a constant steady pattern
going with your thumb on the 4th and 5th strings.
TUNING: Open-G (low to high: DGDGBD)
Opening harmonic:
D|-----------|
B|-------|
G|-------|
D|-------|
G|-------|
D|-----------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|---6--6--5--5--4--4--3----------------------------------|
G|---7--7--6--6--5--5--4----------------------------------| (x5)
D|------------------------0-0h2--0-0--0-0h2--0-0----------|
G|---------------------0--0-0----0-0--0-0----0-0----------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|---3--3---8-----6--3------------------------------------|
G|---4--4---9-----7--4------------------------------------| (x2)
D|----------------------0-0h2--0-0--0-0h2--0-0------------|
G|---0--0---0--0--0--0--0-0----0-0--0-0----0-0--0---------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------10--12--12--12--------|
B|---3--3---8-----6--3--------------10--12--12--12--------|
G|---4--4---9-----7--4------------------------------------| (x5)
D|----------------------0--0--0--0------------------------|
G|---0--0---0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0---0---0---0---0--0--0--|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|---6--6--5--5--4--4--3----------------------------------|
G|---7--7--6--6--5--5--4----------------------------------| (x3)
D|------------------------0-0h2--0-0--0-0h2--0-0----------|
G|---------------------0--0-0----0-0--0-0----0-0----------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|---6--6--5--5--4--4---3---------------------------------|
G|---7--7--6--6--5--5---4---------------------------------|
D|----------------------0---------------------------------|
G|----------------------0---------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
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comments, corrections: s_garner@hotmail.com