I Hung My Head tab by Sting

Sting - I Hung My Head
Album - Mercury Falling



This is a minor correction to Earthman's original submission
(clivem@earthman.demon.co.uk). His original transcription is good,
but the G arpeggio didn't sound right to me. There is clearly a
half-step interval to reach the high note of this arpeggio. A small
change, but since the ear tracks the high notes easily, it just
won't sound right without it. I haven't microanalyzed the rest
as I did with this section, since it sounds good otherwise. This
change is my interpretation, and the only musical modification
to the original transcription.

A word on fingering...I like the option to hammer the high notes
of each arpeggio, it sounds nice and may actually be the way it's
played on the record. Perhaps it's no coincidence that the
fingering naturally allows this. I've included the chord
diagram/fingering for the intro section. "ch=" refers to the
chord diagrams, "f=" refers to fingering. In essence each measure
has two chord "shapes", a starting shape and a target shape that
allows the high note of the arpeggio to ring properly. Because of
the choice of notes and use of open strings you have ample time
to walk from one shape to the other within each measure. It
also makes it a lot of fun to play. Apart from the fingering
of these rough shapes, shown above the intro, I've included
the exact fingering below the intro section to indicate the
"walking" of the fingers, particularly in the G arpeggio. Depending
on personal preference and whether you hold the neck in "proper"
acoustic fashion with the thumb directly in back of the neck, or
in the modern sloppy style we all love, these fingerings can be
altered a bit, but I believe they are easiest as shown.


Summary of changes to original transcription:

- changed G arpeggio
- added chord diagrams and fingering indicators to intro section
- removed lyrics and added time indicators (Time = means that section
 starts at approximately that time on the record, in mm:ss)

All other transcription and commentary below is original to Earthman.
Thanks to him, and to Sting for being an amazing talent, even though
it just makes you want to kick him. ;) Enjoy adding this to
your acoustic repertiore, and busting it out.

-------------------


This song is in 9/8 time, but having said that the guitar part is
straight eighth notes all the way through, so it's not tricky at all
once you get used to the groove of it.



Capo on 1st fret. All fret positions relative to capo.
Chord names shown as sounded with capo.



Intro:


ch= x0220x  20222x  xx0230  x20032  244xxx 2042xx   xx0230  x402x2
f=  23   1 234    13   1 32  134   1 42     13   4 1 2

  Bb         Eb         G         Eb
F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|------------------|----3-------------|
Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------1-2---------|--2---------2---2-|
Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------4---4-|0---------0-------|
Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---|
F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------|

f=  2 3  4  3 1 3  1 3  2  3 1 3 1 3 4 1 2 1 4  4  1 3  2  1 4 1

Repeat.



Verse 1:
  Bb         Eb         G         Eb
F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|------------------|----3-------------|
Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------1-2---------|--2---------2---2-|
Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------4---4-|0---------0-------|
Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---|
F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------|
  Time = 00:22


  Bb         Eb         G         Eb
F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|------------------|----3-------------|
Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------1-2---------|--2---------2---2-|
Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------4---4-|0---------0-------|
Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---|
F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------|
  Time = 00:32


  Cm         Fadd4/A      Fadd4       Bb
F |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
C |------2-3---------|------2-3---------|------2-3---------|------0-2---2---2-|
Ab|----4-------4---4-|----4-------4---4-|----4-------4---4-|----2-------------|
Eb|--4---------------|--2---------------|--2---------------|--2---------------|
Bb|2---------2---0---|------------------|------------------|0---------0---2---|
F |------------------|4---------4---2---|0---------4---0---|------------------|
  Time = 00:43