Disclaimer: The following tab is intended for private enjoyment and educational purposes and should not be read as an encouragement for members of the general public to play the song live. The lyrics and music of "One Of The Best Ones" are the intellectual property of Bruce Cockburn, his management, and record companies, etc,.
One Of The Best Ones is such a great song, I was surprised it hadn't been tabbed already. I didn't get "super-anal" and set out every single note. There are lots of places where I've left it open, giving you just the chord. Strum or pick through the chord and fill up the measure. Check with 'ole Bruce himself if you need some pointers.
This is my first go at tabbing a song. It wasn't too bad, and kinda fun, actually. It's my small gesture to try to give back to a site that's given filled up a lot of my leisure time with fun guitar playing! Enjoy, take care, and please get back to me with any suggestions/corrections.
The song is in standard tuning.
A C#m
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-5-------4-5---7-|---------5---4---|-----------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|---------------5-|-----------5-----|-----------------|
||-6-------4-6---8-|---------6---4---|-----------4-----|-----------------|
||-----------------|---------------6-|------4h6--------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A C#m
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-5-------4-5---7-|---------5---4---|-----------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|---------------5-|-----------5-----|-----------------|
||-6-------4-6---8-|---------6---4---|-----------4-----|-----------------|
||-----------------|---------------6-|------4h6--------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E Esus2 E Esus2
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|---------0-------|
||-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|---------0-------|
||-1---------------|-2---------------|-1---------------|---------2-------|
||-2---------------|-2---------------|-2---------------|---------2-------|
||-2---------------|-2---------------|-2---------------|---------2-------|
||-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|---------0-------|
E
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|
||-2p1-------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|
F#m
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E C#m7 Asus2 A/G#
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-4---------------|-0---------------|---------0-------|
||-0---------------|-5---------------|-0---------------|---------0-------|
||-1---------------|-4---------------|-x---------------|---------x-------|
||-2---------------|-6---------------|-7---------------|---------7-------|
||-2---------------|-4---------------|-7---------------|---------7-------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-5---------------|---------4-------|
F#7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E C#m7 Asus2 Bsus2
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-------------4-5-|---4-------------|-0---------------|-2---------------|
||-5-------5-7-----|-------5---------|-0---------------|-2---------------|
||-------------4-6-|---4-------4---2-|-2---------------|-4---------------|
||-6-------6-7-----|-------6-------2-|-2---------------|-4---------------|
||-----------------|-4---------6-----|-0---------------|-2---------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
(repeat last line 4x, when going into bridge stay on Asus2 for last 2 measures)
Asus2 E/G#
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-6---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-7---------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
F#m7 E
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-1---------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-2---------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-2---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
Asus2 E/G#
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-6---------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-7---------------|-----------------|
||-----------------|-----------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
F#m7
, . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , . , .
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
||-2---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
(Verse) Guess I'd get along without you If I had no choice It's taken me this long to find you Done a lot of getting ready for this Some things we learn so slow But look at you, you've got plenty behind you (Chorus) There's lots of ways to hit the ground Not many answers to be found We're faced with mysteries profound And this is one of the best ones (Verse) There are eight million mysteries In the naked body Can't even sight on some distant horizon Like the nine billion names of God Don't bring you any closer To anyone you can simply set eyes on (Chorus) But in the same way it's as real Don't always recognize what I feel But of the dancing scenes that life reveals This is one of the best ones (Bridge) Say what you will There's no snake oil or pill Can make love less painful or fine There's no theatre Even of the absurd Can express what goes on in this meeting of hearts and minds (Verse) Guess I'd get along without you If I had no choice But please never make it so I have to Paid a lot of dues to get here And after all this life I'm a loser if I don't live with you (Chorus) There's lots of ways to hit the ground Not many answers to be found We're faced with mysteries profound And this is one of the best ones