Secret O' Life by James Taylor (TAB by Noel Kerns, Noel.Kerns@ericsson.com) Capo @ 3rd Fret Make sure to view/print this file with a proportional space font, or the chord #'s won't line up with the lyrics! I'm going to type the lyrics and enter a chord number above the places in the song at which that chord should be changed to. I'm not going to bother to try to figure out the names of all these chords, I just listen to records and figure them out, so I never really know their official names anyway. Also, bear in mind this is a fingerstyle song, so this isn't just strumming. I don't have the time or the inclination to attempt to list the actual string plucking order. For that, you'll just have to listen to the record. Likewise, JT uses a lot of pulloffs, so listen for those as well. I've looked it over for mistakes, I don't THINK there are any, but if you see any, lemme know by e-mail. Hope you enjoy it... Intro: #1 #2E #1 #2E... #1 #2E #1 #2E The secret o' life is enjoying the passage of time... #1 #2E There ain't nothin' to it, #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 Any fool can do it, #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill, #11 #12 #22 But since we're on our way down, #11 #13 We might as well enjoy the ride, #1 #2E #1 #2E The secret of love is in opening up your heart, #1 #2E It's okay to feel afraid, #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 But don't let it stand in your way, #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 'Cause anyone knows that love is the only road, #11 #12 #22 And since we're only here for a while, #11 #13 We might as well show some style, #1 #14 #15 #16 Give us a smile, isn't it a lovely ride, #17 #19 #7 #18 See me sliding down, I'll be gliding down, ##11 #20(let it ring...) #1 #2E Try not to try to hard, it's just a lovely ride. #1 #2e #1 #2E Now the thing about time is that time isn't really real, #1 #2E It's all on your point of view, #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 How does it feel for you, #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 Einstein said that he could never understand it all, #11 #12 #22 Planets spinning through space, #11 #13 The smile upon your face, #1 #14 #15 Welcome to the human race, #16 #17 #19 #7 #18 Some kind of lovely ride, I'll be sliding down, I'll be gliding down, #11 #20(ring.......) #1 #14 #15 Try not to try to hard, it's just a lovely ride. #16 #17 #19 #9 #10 Isn't it a lovely ride, Oh yeah, I'll be sliding down, gliding down, #11 #20(ring.......) #1 #2E #1 #2E Try not to try to hard, it's just a lovely ride. #1 #2E #1 #2E #21 Well the secret o' life is enjoying the passage of time... - James Taylor The Chords________________________________________________________________________ #1 ____________________ x The basic picking pattern for the intro (and other __|__|__|__|__|__|__| sections), by string #, 1 being the high E: __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|4_|__|__|__| #1 #2 __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| 5-3-2-1-3-2-3-4-1-5-2 5-3-6-3-2 __|__|__|__|__|__|__| #2 ____________________ x __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| __|__|__|__|4_|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__|x #3 ____________________ __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|1_| __|__|__|__|_4|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__|x #4 ____________________ __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|3_|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|4_|__| #5 ____________________ x __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| #6 ____________________ x __|__|__|__|__|__|__|x __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| #7 _________1__________ __|__|__|1_|__|__|__|(root) __|3_|__|1_|__|__|__| __|__|__|1_|__|__|__| __|__|2_|1_|__|__|__| __|__|__|1_|__|__|__| #8 _______________1____ __|__|__|__|__|1_|__|x __|_4|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|2_|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| #9 ____________________ x __|__|__|_2|__|__|__| This chord is close to impossible trying to bar __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| with the first. The best way to play it is to __|__|__|_3|__|__|__| forget about the 4th string and just use the __|__|__|_4|__|__|__| first finger on the first string @ 2nd fret, __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| and don't use the 4th string. That's what JT does, I believe. #10 _______________1____ __|__|__|4*|__|1_|__|x __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| *The 4th finger is optional, but makes for a __|__|__|__|2_|1_|__| fuller sounding chord. __|__|__|__|3_|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| #11 _______________1____ __|__|__|__|__|1_|__|(root) __|__|__|3_|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|2_|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| #12 ____________________ (Open E string Bass) __|__|__|__|__|__|__|x __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|_2|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|3_|__|(pulloff to open, listen to the record, you'll get it.) #13 ____________________ __|__|__|__|__|3_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|1_| __|__|__|__|__|__|2_| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| #14 ____________________ __|__|__|__|__|_1|__| __|__|__|__|__|_2|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|_4|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| #15 ____________________ x __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| Just pull the the first finger off from chord #14. __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|4_|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| #16 ____________________ x __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__|(root) __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| #17 _________1__________x __|__|__|1_|__|__|__| __|3_|__|1_|__|__|__| __|4_|__|1_|__|__|__| __|__|2_|1_|__|__|__| __|__|__|1_|__|__|__| #18 _______________1____ __|__|_4|__|__|1_|__|x __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|2_|1_|__| Alternative F#7. Easier, but not correct! __|__|__|__|3_|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| #19 _________1__________ __|__|__|1_|__|__|__|x __|__|__|1_|__|__|__| __|__|2_|1_|__|__|__| __|__|3_|1_|__|__|__| __|__|__|1_|__|__|__| #20 ____________________ __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| __|__|__|__|3_|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|4_|__| #21 ____________________ __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|1_|__| __|__|__|_3|__|__|__| (Strum this one, let it ring to silence) __|__|__|__|__|2_|__| __|__|__| 4|__|__|__| #22 ________________2___ __|__|__|__|__|__|__|x __|__|__|__|__|_3|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|_1| __|__|__|__|__|__|__| __|__|__|__|__|__|__|