Steely Dan

Green Earrings(Tabs)

Steely Dan

Key: A

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/ = slide 
h = hammer on 
p = pull off 
b = bend 
r = release bend 
vib = vibrato 


Intro 
------ 

Riff: (played over A7sus4) 

E------------------------------------------- 
B------------------------------------------- 
G------------------------------------------- 
D----------------------------7----5--------- 
A---7-9-10---9-7-9---7-5---7----5-------5--- 
E-------------------------------------8----- 


then 

B/E  A/D     A/D  G/C     B/E  A/D    A/D  G/C 


verse 1: 
-------- 

The main riff uses a 'chord' made up of 3 notes, built by stacking 
up two intervals of a fourth. This chord/triad is played three times 
in each bar, and the shape is moved down a semitone (one fret)  
for the second strum, then back up for the third. You need to play 
the first two chords staccato (no sustain), but leave the third to 
sustain. 

This basic pattern is used throughout the verse, with the position of 
the 'triad of fourths' moving up and down the neck. On the original, 
this part is played by guitar and doubled on the clavinet. 

I've written a m11 chord (in brackets) above the tab to indicate the 
overall harmony for the parts of the verse that use this 'triad of  
fourths', but I havn't changed the chord name for each down/up shift  
of a semitone as that would have made the tab too cluttered. 

Note that for the other chord changes, the chord names again reflect the 
overall harmony, and not only what the rhythm guitar plays. 


There's a short 5-note riff that comes in during the verse in a couple 
of places. This riff is: 

E------------------------- 
B------------------------- 
G------------------------- 
D----8-9-10-----7--------- 
A------------7------------ 
E------------------------- 

It's played by the guitar and bass - I've indicated where it comes 
with Riff at the appropriate place in the lyrics. 


Main riff: 
---------- 

  (Am11) 

E---8-7-8------8-7-8-----8-7-8------8-7-8--- 
B---8-7-8------8-7-8-----8-7-8------8-7-8---  
G---7-6-7------7-6-7-----7-6-7------7-6-7--- 
D------------------------------------------- 
A------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------- 


  (Am11) 

E---8-7-8--------8-7-8-------8-7-8--------8-7-8--- 
B---8-7-8--------8-7-8-------8-7-8--------8-7-8---  
G---7-6-7--------7-6-7-------7-6-7--------7-6-7--- 
D------------------------------------------------- 
A------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------- 

   Cold,   daring  Riff  no   flies on me 



  (Am11) 

E---8-7-8--------8-7-8---------8-7-8---------8-7-8--- 
B---8-7-8--------8-7-8---------8-7-8---------8-7-8---  
G---7-6-7--------7-6-7---------7-6-7---------7-6-7--- 
D---------------------------------------------------- 
A---------------------------------------------------- 
E---------------------------------------------------- 

  Sorry,   angel Riff I must take  what I see 



     (Gm11)            (Am11) 

E------------6-5-6----------8-7-8--------- 
B------------6-5-6----------8-7-8--------- 
G------------5-4-5----------7-6-7--------- 
D----------------------------------------- 
A----------------------------------------- 
E----------------------------------------- 

 Green Earrings       I remember   

  

      Gm7   Am7  Gbsus2/Bb     Bm7  (Bm11) 

E------6----8------9--------9---10--10-9-10--- 
B------6----8------9--------9---10--10-9-10--- 
G------5----7------8--------8---9---9--8-9---- 
D--------------------------------------------- 
A--------------------------------------------- 
E--------------------------------------------- 

 The rings  of   rare       de-sign   



     (Cm11)             A/B          G/A 

E--------11-10-11--------9------------7------- 
B--------11-10-11--------10-----------8------- 
G--------10-9--10--------9------------7------- 
D------------------------9------------7------- 
A--------------------------------------------- 
E--------------------------------------------- 
           
 I remember         that look in your eye  



      (Am11) 

E----------8-7-8------8-7-8-----8-7-8---- 
B----------8-7-8------8-7-8-----8-7-8---- 
G----------7-6-7------7-6-7-----7-6-7---- 
D---------------------------------------- 
A---------------------------------------- 
E---------------------------------------- 

 I don't mind     


B/E  A/D      A/D  G/C      B/E  A/D    A/D  G/C 



verse 2: 
-------- 

As above - except the rhythm guitar varies the main riff: 

E--8--7--8---11-12-----8--7--8---7-8--x-x--8--7--8---11-12----8-7-8- 
B--8--7--8---9--10-----8--7--8---7-8--x-x--8--7--8---9--10----8-7-8- 
G--7--6--7---11-12-----7--6--7---6-7--x-x--7--6--7---11-12----7-6-7- 
D------------------------------------------------------------------- 
A------------------------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Use this idea throughout the verse, with ad lib rhythmic variations. 

(The 5-note riff is played only by the bass in this verse, except for 
the one right at the end, after 'I don't mind', which is played by bass  
and guitar) 


(Am11) 
Greek medallion Riff sparkles when you smile 

(Am11) 
Sorry angel Riff I get hungry like a child 

     (Gm11)       (Am11) 
Green Earrings, I remember 

    Gm7   Am7  Gbsus2/Bb   Bm7  (Bm11) 
The rings of   rare     design 

    (Cm11)      A/B          G/A 
I remember that look in your eye 

(Am11) 
I don't mind, I don't mind Riff 



Instrumental: 
-------------- 

I've written out some of the great rhythm guitar playing separately 
for this Instrumental section. The line of tab above the chords is  
the melody line (lead guitar), and the tab below the chords is the  
rhythm guitar part. For this rhythm part, let the notes ring and  
sustain as long as possible as the different chords are spelled out. 

The chord names are based mainly on the clavinet part and give the  
'overall' harmony. For the Bm7 chords you could try a Bm9 shape 
(e.g 797779 or 7 9 7 7 10 9) as an alternative. 


E-------------5--------------------------------5-------------- 
B--7------------6-5------------7-----------------6-5---------- 
G------------------------------------------------------------- 
D------------------------------------------------------------- 
A------------------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------------------- 

   Bm7          F#m9           Bm7                 Aadd2      

E------------9-----------4-------------------9------------0--- 
B--------9h10---------4h5--5-------9h10p9h10--10----------0--- 
G-------9------------4------------9---------------------2----- 
D----12------------7----------(12)--------------------2------- 
A--9-------------4-------------9--------------------0--------- 
E------------------------------------------------------------- 




E-------------------------------------------------------- 
B--5-------------------8-6---------4-3---4---3-------4b5- 
G--------------------5-----------------5----------3------ 
D------------------7------------------------------------- 
A-------------------------------------------------------- 
E-------------------------------------------------------- 

  Dm9                     Cm9         Bbmaj7 Ebmaj7   Aadd2 

E------------12-12----------------------------------------- 
B------12h13-------13-----------8---------------------0---- 
G------12-------------12------------------------------2---- 
D----15-----------------------8---8------7---5--------2---- 
A--12-----------------------6------------------------------ 
E---------------------------------------------------------- 


The last note of the lead guitar part (melody line) is bent up  
very slowly. 



(short drum break for a bar or so) 


First Guitar Solo: 
------------------- 

This is another great solo by Denny Dias. To keep the runs sounding 
fluid you have to use all your fingers - the fourth finger in particular 
is used a lot (the first slide should be played with the 4th finger). 



       Fm9     

E---12/11--8p7-10--6--8---6--6--6/8\6---6------------------------------ 
B--x--------------------9-------------8---8--6--6/8----6------------6-- 
G-x------------------------------------------------------7---5--7-8---- 
D----------------------------------------------------------8----------- 
A---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
E---------------------------------------------------------------------- 


  Bb/Eb                               Ebm9     

E-------6-8-7-6---10-8-6---6----------------------------6/8--6------ 
B---7-8---------8--------8---6-8-7-6--6----------6--9-6--------x---- 
G----------------------------------------6-------------------------- 
D-------------------------------------------8----------------------- 
A------------------------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------------------------- 


    Ab/Db                      E/F#        

E---6/4-----------4-----------------------------4-4/6--------------- 
B--------4--4h5h6---4---------------------4-5-7-------7-9--9-9/11--- 
G----------------------6-5------3-4-6---6--------------------------- 
D--------------------------6---------------------------------------- 
A------------------------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------------------------- 


                                F/G   

E--------------------------9----8/10--8--10-----8p7-------5-------- 
B--11/12--12-12/14--12--12------------------10-------8-------6----- 
G------------------------------------------------------9-------7--- 
D------------------------------------------------------------------ 
A------------------------------------------------------------------ 
E------------------------------------------------------------------ 



E---3-------1-------3----5-- 
B------5-------3-------5---- 
G--------5-------3---------- 
D--------------------------- 
A--------------------------- 
E--------------------------- 



B/E  A/D     A/D  G/C      B/E  A/D    A/D  G/C 


Second Guitar Solo: 
-------------------- 

The 2nd guitar solo is played over the main riff (Am11). 
The rhythm guitar uses the same patterns as verse 2. 

 (Am11) 

E--------------------5------------------------------------------- 
B--------------------5------------------------------------------- 
G----------------5---7b8r7p5------5--------------------5-------- 
D-----5-5--5-7-7--------------7-7---7-5h7-7p5--7-7-5-7----5-7--- 
A-5h7----------------------------------------------------------- 
E--------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                                 
                                             

E---------------------------------------------- 
B----------------8---------------------8-8-8--- 
G------------7s9-------------------7s9--------- 
D----7-7-7-7-----------7-7-7-7-7-7------------- 
A---------------------------------------------- 
E---------------------------------------------- 

                         ^^^^^^^^^     
                   There are actually a lot more notes here than  
                   I've written out, so just repeat the note very  
                   fast (listen to the original to get the idea). 


 (Am11) 

E------------------------------------------------------- 
B-----------------8-8-8-8--7-5-7p5---------------------- 
G-------------7s9-------------------7-5-7p5------------- 
D---7-7-7-7-7--------------------------------7p5-7-7p5-- 
A------------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------------- 


 (Am11) 

E-----5--5vib----------------------------------5----5----3------ 
B----x--------8-7-8vib---5-5vib--------------------------------- 
G---x---------------------------7-5vib-------------------------- 
D--x-----------------------------------7--5--7---7----7----5---- 
A--------------------------------------------------------------- 
E------------------------------------------------------------3-- 


After the solo, the song returns to the verse at the point where  
the main riff moves down to Gm11:  



     (Gm11)       (Am11) 
Green Earrings, I remember 

    Gm7   Am7  Gbsus2/Bb   Bm7  (Bm11) 
The rings of   rare     design 

    (Cm11)      A/B          G/A 
I remember that look in your eye 

(Am11) 
I don't mind, I don't mind 


B/E  A/D     A/D  G/C      B/E  A/D    A/D  G/C 


Outtro: 
-------- 

Repeat the main riff over an A bass and fade. 




	        

Written by Walter Becker/Donald Fagen

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