#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------------# #This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the # #song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research.# #----------------------------------------------------------------------------# Song title: Joe's Garage Original Album: Joe's Garage Act I Other Album: YCDTOSA Vol. 3 Words and Music by Frank Zappa Copyright © 1979 Munchkin Music, ASCAP, Worldwide Published by Frank Zappa Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfrets.net) NOTES: The song uses the classic I, IV, V pattern in the verses. On "Act I", it's in the key of E (E, A and B) but just to keep things fresh, Frank decided to play the song in the key of D (D, G and A) in the version that appears on YCDTOSA Vol. 3. Also, the live version is somewhat abbreviated and misses out the 3rd and 4th verses, their guitar figures and the OUTRO. The transcription here is the whole song in the keys of D and E, but I left out the storyline you get on Act I. (You do get all the guitar parts, though, transcribed for both keys...) INTRO: [x2] INTRO figure (key of D) D G A |---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------| |*-------------------------------------*| |*---5h7p5h7p5h7--5h7-5--7h9-7--7h9-3\-*| |--5--------------------------------8\--| |---------------------------------------| INTRO figure (key of E) E A B |---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------| |*---2h4p2h4p2h4--2h4-2--4h6-4--4h6----*| |*-2--------------------------------5\-*| |---------------------------------------| |---------------------------------------| VERSE: D G A E A B It wasn't very large, there was just enough room to cram the drums D G A E A B In the corner over by the Dodge, it was a fifty-four With a mashed-up door D G A E A B And a cheesy little amp With a sign on the front said "Fender Champ" D G A E A B And a second-hand guitar, it was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar Guitar Figure 1 (key of D) G A |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |--5s7//-///--5s7//-///--5s7//-///--5s7--| |--5s7//-///--5s7//-///--5s7//-///--5s7--| |--3s5//-///--3s5//-///--3s5//-///--3s5--| Guitar Figure 1 (key of E) A B |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------| |--7s9//-///--7s9//-///--7s9//-///--7s9--| |--7s9//-///--7s9//-///--7s9//-///--7s9--| |--5s7//-///--5s7//-///--5s7//-///--5s7--| VERSE: We could jam in Joe's Garage, his mama was screamin' his dad was mad We was playin' the same old song, in the afternoon, 'n sometimes we would Play it all night long, it was all we knew, 'n easy too So we wouldn't get it wrong, all we did was bend the string like... Guitar Figure 2 (key of D) |-----------------------------------------| |-6b7--6--6b7--6--6b7--6--6b7-6-6b7-6-6b7-| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| Guitar Figure 2 (key of E) |-----------------------------------------| |-8b9--8--8b9--8--8b9--8--8b9-8-8b9-8-8b9-| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| VERSE: Hey! Down in Joe's Garage We didn't have no dope or LSD But a coupla quarts a beer would fix it so the intonation Would not offend yer ear And the same old chords goin' over 'n over became a symphony We could play it again 'n again 'n again 'cos it sounded good to me Guitar Figure 3 (key of D) |-13b14--13--13b14--13--13b14--13--13b14-13-13b14-13-13b14-| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| Guitar Figure 3 (key of E) |-15b16--15--15b16--15--15b16--15--15b16-15-15b16-15-15b16-| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| |----------------------------------------------------------| VERSE: We could jam in Joe's Garage, his mama was screamin' "TURN IT DOWN!" We was playin' the same old song, in the afternoon 'n sometimes we would Play it all night long, it was all we knew, 'n easy too So we wouldn't get it wrong even if you played it on a saxophone SAXOPHONE PART (transcribed for guitar): Guitar Figure 4 (Key of D) |-----------------------------------------0-0-0-0-5-5-5-5-9---| |---------------------------------2-2-2-2---------------------| |-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-----------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| Guitar Figure 4 (Key of E) |-----------------------------------------2-2-2-2-7-7-7-7-11--| |---------------------------------4-4-4-4---------------------| |-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-----------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| VERSE: We thought we was pretty good, we talked about keepin' the band together 'N we figured that we should 'cause about this time we was gettin' the eye From the girls in the neighborhood. They'd all come over 'n dance around like... [Clapping/cheerleader sort of sounds...] VERSE: So we picked out a stupid name, had some cards printed up for a coupla bucks 'N we was on our way to fame, got matching suits 'n Beatle Boots 'N a sign on the back of the car 'N we was ready to work in a GO-GO Bar... ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR LET'S SEE IF YOU'VE GOT SOME MORE! Guitar Figure 5 (two guitars) (key of D) |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |---3-4-5-5-5-3-----3-4-5-5-5-3-----3-------------------------| |-5-------------5-5-------------5-5---5-3-3-3-3--3-3--7--5--5-| | | | | |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |---5-6-7-7-7-5-----5-6-7-7-7-5-----5-------------------------| |-7-------------7-7-------------7-7---7-5-5-5-5--5-5--9--7--7-| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| Guitar Figure 5 (two guitars) (key of E) |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |---5-6-7-7-7-5-----5-6-7-7-7-5-----5-------------------------| |-7-------------7-7-------------7-7---7-5-5-5-5--5-5--9--7--7-| | | | | |---------------------------------------5-5-5-5--5-5--9--7--7-| |---3-4-5-5-5-3-----3-4-5-5-5-3-----3-------------------------| |-4-------------4-4-------------4-4---4-----------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------------------------------| VERSE: People seemed to like our song, they got up 'n danced 'n made a lotta noise An' it wasn't 'fore very long, a guy from a company we can't name Said we oughta take his pen 'n sign on the line for a real good time But he didn't tell us when these "good times" would be somethin' That was really happenin'. So the band broke up an' it looks like... We will never play again... Guess you only get one chance in life To play a song that goes like... Guitar Figure 6 (key of D) |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |---4-2-4-2---4-2-4-2---4-2-4-2---4-2-4-2-| |-0---------5---------0---------5---------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| Guitar Figure 6 (key of E) |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------| |---4-2-4-2---4-2-4-2---4-2-4-2---4-2-4-2-| |-0---------5---------0---------5---------| OUTRO: D G A E A B Well the years was rollin' by, Heavy Metal 'n Glitter Rock D G A E A B Had caught the public eye. Snotty boys with lipstick on D G A E A B Was really flyin' high 'n then they got that Disco thing D G A E A B 'N New Wave came along 'n all of a sudden I thought the time D G A E A B Had come for that old song we used to play in Joe's garage D G A E A B And if I am not wrong, you will soon be dancin' to the... CHORDS: (Key of D) D xx0232 or 557775 G 320033 or 355433 A x02220 or 577655 (Key of E) E 022100 or 779997 A x02220 or 577655 B x24442 or 799877