heliocentric@breathe.com
11 February 2001, 2.27pm

SCRAPE AWAY by THE JAM

Written by Paul Weller

From the LP 'Sound Affects' (Polydor, 1980)

Chords used:

Dm9:  10-x-10-10-10-12
F:    x-8-10-10-10-x and/or 133211
Bb:   688766
A:    577655
Dm:   10-12-12-10-10-10

The main bass riff is:

  n.c.
--------------------
--------------------
-------------------- (x1)
--------------5-----
--0--5--7--8-----8--
--------------------

then

--------------------
--------------------
-------------------- for all of the song
-----------5-------- except the chorus
--5--7--8-----8-----
--------------------


Then when the guitar comes in - it plays something like this:

          riff 1 (N.C.)
------  --------------------------------------
------  --------------------------------------
------  --------------------------------------
------  --0--5--0--0--5--0--------------------
--5p0-  --------------------0--5--0--0--5--0--
------  --------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
--0--5--0--0--5--0-------------------------
--------------------0--5--0--0--5--0-------
-------------------------------------------

then during the verse (riff 2) is played like this:

  N.C.
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
--0--5--0--0--5--0---------------------
--------------------0--5--0--0--5--0---
---------------------------------------
 (palm mute)

(riff 2)
Your twisted cynicism - makes me feel sick -
(riff 2)
Your open disgust for 'Idealistic naive'
(riff 2)
You've given up hope - you're jaded and ill -
(riff 2)
The trouble is your thought's a catching disease.

Dm9                    F
Ooh - you need to get away -
Dm9                        F
Ooh - you need a change of pace -
               Dm9
Because you're all dried up and you don't believe,
           F
You reckon I'm dreaming when I say I still feel real,
            Dm9
You say you work for yourself and it's the only way,
      F                                              (riff 1)
But I look at you talking and to me you just scrape away.

(riff 1)

(riff 2)
What makes once young minds get in this state?
(riff 2)
Is it age, or just the social climate?
(riff 2)
You're talking like some fucking hardened MP,
(riff 2)
You're saying power's all, it's powers you NEED!


  Bb5                   (A bass)
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
--8-------------------------------
--8-------------------------------
--6-------------------------------
  Ooh - you need to get away -

  Bb5                        Dm
-----------------------------10---
-----------------------------10---
-----------------------------10---
--8--------------------------12---
--8--------------------------12---
--6-------------------------------
  Ooh - you need a change of PACE.

 Dm  F     Dm  F     Dm  F     F   Dm
-10------------10----10------------10--
-10--10----10--10----10--10----10--10--
-10--10----10--10----10--10----10--10--
-12--10----10--12----12--10----10--12--
-12---8-----8--12----12---8-----8--12--
---------------------------------------

              Dm  F            Dm  F     Dm  F
--------------10-------------------10----10------
--------------10--10-----------10--10----10--10--
--------------10--10-----------10--10----10--10--
--------------12--10-----------10--12----12--10--
--------------12---8------------8--12----12---8--
-------------------------------------------------
Saying powers all    you need

Hey

Dm9                    F
Ooh - you need to get away -
Dm9                        F
Ooh - you need a change of pace -
               Dm9
Because you've given up on hope - you're emotionless -
       F                                                    Dm9
You've no need for love, it's just hate, hate, hate, hate.
      F                                                 (riff 1)
But I look at you shaking and it's you who is scraping away.

                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away.
                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away
                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away
                    (tacet)
You who is scraping away

                          p.h.
                         -(9)-
                         -----
                         -----
                         -----
                         -----
                         -----
You who is scraping away

                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away
                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away
                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away

You who is scraping away


You who is scraping away
               (feedback)
You who is scraping away
                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away

                    (riff 1)
Aw! You is scraping away
                         (riff 1)
You is scraping scraping away
                         (riff 1)
You is scraping scraping away
                    (riff 1)
You who is scraping away
                    (the guitar starts imrpovising around riff 1)
You who is scraping away
                        (and carries on improvising til here)
Aw you that's scraping away

A -----------------------0--------
    You who is scraping away
                          (feedback)
You who is scraping away

e --0-0--0--

(french dialogue)

  N.C.
-------------------------------------------------
-------6-----6-----6-----------------------------
--7-------7-----7-----7/9----10-10--9--9---\7---- (repeat til fade)
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------

This tab is nowhere near perfect but is pretty close.