The song's pretty rough (especially live) so there's a little improvising and
stuff going on each time he plays it; the riff below is right bit to be honest the
harder and rougher you play this song the better it sounds so go nuts, I guess.
Main Riff
Em G
E|--------------------------------3-----------------------------|
B|--------------------------------3-----------------------------|
G|--------------------------4--4--4-----------------------------|
D|--2--2--7--7--7--7--7--5--5--5-----10--10--9------------------|
A|--2--2--------------------5--5----------------10--12--12--10--|
E|--0--0--------------------3--3--------------------------------|
To sound right it relies a lot on really hitting the low E when you strike the Em
and the G; when you play the G for a third time you want to hit the higher strings
as shown above to make it really sound like the record. With regards to the little
riff bit you can play pretty fast and loose with these notes and it sounds 'right'
if you throw in bits of palm muting or hammer on pretty much at random as long as
the chords and the basic riff notes stay tight.
Main Riff x 4
Verse 1
D C
Digging all day and digging all night
Em
To keep my foxhole out of sight
D C
Digging into dinner on a plate on my knees
Em
The smell of damp webbing in the morning breeze
D C
Fear in my stomach, fear in the sky
Em
I eat my dinner with a weary eye
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/b/billy-bragg/352350.html ]
D C
After all this it won't be the same
Em
Messing around on Salisbury Plain
Break: G D C D x 2
Prechorus:
Em D
Pick up your feet, fall in, move out
C D
We're going to a party way down South
Em D
Me and the Corporal out on a spree
C D
Damned from here to eternity
Chorus:
Em Bm D C [Play the chorus chords twice
I can already taste the blood in my mouth without vocals and then
twice with them]
Em Bm D C
We're going to a party way down south
Main riff x 4
Verse 2
D C
I hate this flat land, there's no cover
Em
for sons and fathers and brothers and lovers
D C
I can take the killing, I can take the slaughter
Em
But I don't talk to Sun reporters
D C
I never thought that I would be
Em
Fighting fascists in the Southern Sea
D C
I saw one today and in his hand
Em
Was a weapon that was made in Birmingham
Break
Prechorus
Chorus
Main Riff x4
Bridge:
Em G
I wish Kipling and the Captain were here
D C
To record our pursuits for posterity
Em G
Me and the Corporal out on a spree
D C
Damned from here to eternity
Main Riff x 8
End with Em/D/C/G/strum Em.
