The Saddest Thing
-----------------
Transcribed by Steve Douglas (tod@lineone.net)
Last updated 11th April 1997

This song has two sad dreamy verses, a vaguely defiant bit in the
middle with a completely different structure, and two pragmatic
verses at the end.  It's a sort of "How sad that things have to be
this way, I'm pretty mad about it, but there's nothing I can do about
it, so I might as well accept it".

Although the music for the last two verses can be the same as the
first two, the timing of the words changes, which you don't really
notice until you write it down, and this has a subtle effect on the
mood of the song.  When you get good at it you can play a different
picking pattern for these last two verses.

Launch into the middle bit with great enthusiasm, you can't afford to
be faint-hearted with it, otherwise it sounds silly and doesn't work.

Finally, notice how the four blocks of Am and Em at the end are in
sixes not eights.  This 'afterthought' is a completely different tune
to the rest of the song.


[Verses]
  
  Am          A-  Am               Dm
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   1   -   -   -   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   -   -   1   |-   -   3   -   -   -   3   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -   |-   2   -   -   -   2   -   2|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   2   -   |0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -|
A|0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
          Its the sadd-       est  thing
                  All         the  things
  will                        not  weep   
  loud-                      -est  cry    



  Am          A-  Am               Em
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   -   -   1   |-   -   -   0   -   -   -   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -   |-   -   0   -   -   -   0   -|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   2   -   |-   2   -   -   -   2   -   2|
A|0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -   |2   -   -   -   2   -   -   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
      un- der the sun         a-   bove
              that I          have known
          or      make        a    scene                  just say  
      un- der the sun         a-   bove                   is   the  



  Am          A-  Am               Dm
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   1   -   -   -   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   -   -   1   |-   -   3   -   -   -   3   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -   |-   2   -   -   -   2   -   2|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   2   -   |0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -|
A|0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
          is  to  say         good-bye
          be-    -came        my   life
  thank-                     -you  life
  silent                      good-bye



  Am       A-     Am          *    Em
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   0   -   -   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   -   -   -   |-   -   -   0   -   0   -   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -   |-   -   0   -   -   -   0   -|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   2   -   |-   2   -   -   -   -   -   2|
A|0   -   -   -   -   -   -   0   |2   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
          to  the ones             you
          my      ve-              -ry          
          for     hav-             -ing    
         from the ones             you



  Am          A-  Am               Dm
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   1   -   -   -   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   -   -   1   |-   -   3   -   -   -   3   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -   |-   2   -   -   -   2   -   2|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   2   -   |0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -|
A|0   -   -   -   0   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
  love                             -
  own                              -
  been                             -
  love                             -



  Am                               Em
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   0   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   -   -   1   |0   -   -   0   -   -   0   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -   |-   0   -   -   0   -   -   0|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   2   -   -   2   -   -|
A|0   -   -   -   -   -   0   -   |2   -   -   2   -   -   2   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|
  -                                -
  -                                -                       [Middle]   
  -                                -                       and the
  -                                -


[Middle, between V2 and V3]

  EmAm Dm         Am               Em
  But  before you know you say goodbye

    Am    Dm        Am                E
  All the time, goodbye, it's time to cry, but I...



[End, and run-out]

  Am                       Em
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   |
B|-   -   -   1   -   -   |-   -   -   0   -   -   |
G|-   -   2   -   2   -   |-   -   0   -   0   -   |
D|-   2   -   -   -   2   |-   2   -   -   -   2   |
A|0   -   -   -   -   -   |2   -   -   -   -   -   |
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   |-   -   -   -   -   -   | (repeats x4)



  A-              Am  *   \
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   0   -|
B|-   -   -   0   1   3   1   -|
G|-   -   2   -   -   -   2   -|
D|-   2   -   -   -   -   2   -|
A|0   -   -   -   -   -   0   -|
E|-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -|