Big Star - My Life Is Right

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From: marc@owlnet.rice.edu (Marc Bennett Hirsh)
Subject: CRD: "My Life Is Right" (Big Star)

And here we have another great unknown pop gem from the band whose
entire career was based on obscurity. Notes:

1) The Eb in the verses isn't realy a chord, it's just a walkup note.
    All you have to do is play the 1st fret on the D string. That's
    it. I'd put it in TAB, but it'd be lonely, since it's the only
    bit in that area that requires it. So just remember: Eb=1st fret,
    D string. Got it? Good.
2) There is some very cool acoustic 12-string guitar stuff going on
    underneath the "You give me light" part, but I can't get it
    exactly. Here is a rough approximation:

    E---------------|---0----|-----------------|-----|
    B---------------|---2----|-----------------|-----|
    G-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2----|-4p2p0---------2-|-(2)-|
    D-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-|--------|-------4p2p0---2-|-(2)-|
    A-0-0-0-3h4-----|--------|-------------3p0-|-(0)-|
    E---------------|--------|-----------------|-----|
      q e e e e e e   e q.^h   e3e3e e3e3e q q   (w)

    This isn't exact, and that's last bit sounds like "Unskinny Bop"
    by Poison (yeah, I know, it's really "I Know A Little" by
    Skynyrd), so I don't like it. But this is as good as I can do
    with this bit.
3) "My life's fun is wild?" Bell didn't really say that, did he?
    Well, it's the best *I* can do with it. Any better suggestions are
    welcome.
4) There is a piano in here, mostly doing the chords.
5) The vocal harmonies are a large part of this (and almost every Big
    Star) song. The most amazing bit comes during the "So right" part.
    The backing vox (singing "right") go from G to F# over the G-D
    change, and then they go back up from F# to G over the D-A
    change, making the A chord an amazing dominant 7th. This is, of
    course, a very basic expanation of what is going on here. I'm
    sure it's a lot more complicated, but this'll get you started.


"My Life Is Right" (Chris Bell/??? Eubanks)
Performed by Big Star
From the album _#1_Record_ (available on CD with the also-godlike
    _Radio_City_)
Transcribed without express permission by Marc Hirsh

(piano only)
D      Em       G        D Eb
Once I walked a lonely road
(guitar enters)
Em       C               G
I had no one to share my load
D        Em                  G  D Eb
Then you came and showed the way
Em    C                   G
Now I hope you're here to stay

            A
You give me light
           A
You are my day
            G
You give me light
           D   A
And that's right
            A
You give me light
           A
You are my day
            G
You give me light
           D   A
And that's right
   G   D
So right
   D   A
So right
   G   D
So right

D      Em      G        D  Eb
Lonely days of uncertainty
Em        C                     G
They disappear when you're near me
D             Em      G             D    Eb
When I'm with you, my life's fun is wild
Em        C               G
And now I long to see you smile

            A
You give me light
           A
You are my day
            G
You give me light
           D   A
And that's right
            A
You give me light
           A
You are my day
            G
You give me light
           D   A
And that's right
   G   D
So right
   D   A
So right
   G   D
So right
   D  A    G   D
My life is right
   D  A    G   D
My life is right
   D  A    G   D
My life is right

D      Em       G        D Eb
Once I walked a lonely road
Em       C               G
I had no one to share my load
D        Em                  G  D Eb
Then you came and showed the way
Em    C                   G
Now I hope you're here to stay

            A
You give me light
           A
You are my day
            G
You give me light
           D   A
And that's right
            A
You give me light
           A
You are my day
            G
You give me light
           D   A
And that's right
   G   D
So right
   D   A
So right
   G   D
So right
   D  A    G   D
My life is right
--
Marc Hirsh (marc@owlnet.rice.edu)

    \ /
     ^ --"It's easy to be nuts. Try being me."
     V     (_The_Fisher_King_)