Fiona Apple's "Never is a Promise"
Notes: The verse section is based on her exact phrasings in the first
verse only. In subsequent verses, the chords remain the same, but she
freely changes the order and voicing of the exact notes. I transcribed this
from listening to a poor MP3 version through crappy speakers, so there
might be a few mistakes, but overall it sounds as good on guitar as it
does on piano.
Play the diads shown in each chord slightly louder and sharper.
Hammer-on : h
Pull-off : p
Arpeggio : {
Pianissimo : ()
Vibrato : ~
Triplets : ^
P.S. High-school music theory was 10 years ago, so I kinda improvised
the chord names.
(Finger-picked)
Fiona Apple, Tidal
Never is a Promise:
Intro
Am G F C Gm F C
---------|--------------------------------------------------------|
--1-----1|0-----0---------------1-----3---1-------1-------------1-|
------2--|----0---2-------0-------3---3---2-------0---------------|
----2----|--0---------3---0h2-----------------3-0-----------0-2---|
--0------|----------3---3-----3-----5-------3-----3-------3-------|
---------|3-------1---------------3-------1-------------3---------|
Am G F C2 Gm F C
------------------3-------1-----------------------------------------|
--1-----0h1-3---0-3-------1-------1------3---1-------1-------------1|
------2---------0-----------0--------3---3---2---2---0--------------|
----2---------0---------3-----0----------------3---0-2---------0-2--|
--0-------------------3---------3------5-------------3-------3------|
------------3-------1----------------3-------1-------------3--------|
C
-----------------|
--1---------1----|
-----------------|
--------0-2-----0|
------3-------3--|
----3------------|
Verse
*1 You'll ne-ver see ....
*2 You'll ne-ver touch ....
*3 You'll ne-ver live ....
Gmadd7 F Gmadd7 F
--------------------------1----------------^-^-----------------|
----------6-----6-1-----1-1---------------6-6-6-1--------------|
--3-----3-3-----3-2-----2-------2-3-----3-3-3-3-2-----2-2-----2|
------5-------5-------3-------3-------5-------------3-------3--|
----5-------5-------3-------3-------5-------------3-------3----|
--3---------------1---------------3-------------1--------------|
It's...
The...
I'll...
Gm F Gm F
-------------------------------------------^-^-----------------|
--3-------3-------1-------1-------3-------6-3---1-------1------|
--3-------3-----3-2-----2-2-----2-3-----3-3-3-3-2-----2-2-----2|
------5-5-----5-------3-------3-------5-------5-----3-----3----|
----5-------5-------3-------3-------5-------------3---------3--|
--3---------------1---------------3-------------1--------------|
I'll never glow....
End verse2 *[2]
End verse3 *[3]
E Dm E Dm
-----------^-^---------------------------^-^-----------------|
--0-------0-0-0-3-------3-----3-0-------0-0-0-3-------3-----3|
--1-----1-1-1-1-2-------2-----2-1-----1-1-1-1-2-------2-----2|
------2-2-2-2-2-0---0-3---0-3-------2-2-2-2-2-0---0-3---0-3--|
----2-------------0---------------2-------------0------------|
--0-----------------------------0----------------------------|
Your presence...
Gm F E Dm
-----------^-^---------1------------------------------------|
--3-------3-3-3-1------1-------0-----0-0-----0-3------------|
--3-------3-3-3-2-----2------2-1-----1-1-----1-2-----------2|
------5-5-----------3----3---------2-----2-----3---------3--|
----5-------------3--------3-----2---------2---5-------5----|
--3-------------1--------------0---------------------5------|
Bridge
But as the scenery......
Amsus2 Gsus2add6 Fsus4add7 C G/b
--0-------0---------------0---------------0----------------------|
--0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-----1-----------1----|
------2-2---2---2-----0-2---0---2-------2-------2----------------|
----2---------2-----0---------0-------3-----3-----------0-2-----0|
--0---------------------------------3---------3---3---3-------2--|
------------------3---------------1-----------------3------------|
Amsus2 Gsus2add6 Fsus4add7 C G/b
----------0---------------0---------------0----------------------|
--------0-0-------0-------0-------0-------0-----------------1----|
------2-----2---2-----0-2---0---2-------2-------2----------------|
----2---------2-----0---------0-------3-----3-----------0-2-----0|
--0---------------------------------3---------3---3---3-------2--|
------------------3---------------1-----------------3------------|
Amsus2 Gsus2add6 Fsus4add7 C G/b
----------0-------0-------0---------------0-----0----------------|
--------0-0-------0-------0-------0-------0-----0-----------1----|
------2-----2---2-----0-2---0---2-------2-----2------------------|
----2---------2-----0---------0-------3-----3-----------0-2-----0|
--0---------------------------------3-------------3---3-------2--|
------------------3---------------1-----------------3------------|
I understand...
*[2] My fever...
*[3]You'll say... (repeat bridge)
I realize...
Fsus2 Emadd6 Dmsus4 Fm+sus2
----------------------------------------------------------------------|
--1-------1-------1-------1-------1-------1-------1------------1------|
--0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0-------0----------0--------|
------3-3---3---3-----2-3---2---3-0---0-3---0---3----------3---------3|
----3---------3-----2---------2-----0---------0---4------4---------4--|
--1---------------0---------------------------------------------------|
Chorus
1,2,3 You say...
*[4]I don't...
C F Am G
--------------------------1---------------5----------------------|
--1-------1-------1-----1-1---------------5----------------------|
--0-------0-----0-2-----2-------2-5-----5-------5-4-----4-4-----4|
--2-----2-----2-------3-----3---------7-----7---------5-----5----|
--3---3-----3-------3---------3-----7---------7-----5---------5--|
----3-------------1---------------5---------------3--------------|
Third time repeat chorus *[4]
But *[5]
C F Am G
--------------------------1---------------5----------------------|
--------{--1--------------1---------------5----------------------|
--------{-0-----0-2-----2-2-----2-5-----5-5-----5-4-------4-----4|
--2-----{2----2-------3-----3---------7-----7---------5-5-----5--|
------3-------------3---------3-----7---------7-----5------------|
----3-------------1---------------5---------------3--------------|
(repeat intro)
Am F Am G Am .....
----------0--------------------------------------|----------
--1-----1-------1-------------------------0-----0|1---------
------2-------2---2-------2-------2-----2-----0--|----2-----
----2-------2-----------3-----0-3-----2-----0----|--2-------
--0-----------------0-3-------------3------------|0---------
------------------1---------------5-------3------|----------
*[5](Outro)
ne - - - ver ....
F Dm7 Am G
----------1-------1-----------------------5----------------------|
----------1-------1---1-------------------5---5---3--------------|
--------2-2-----2-2---2---2---2---5-----5-----5---4-------------4|
------3-----3-------0-----3---0-------7-----7---------5----------|
----3---------3---------------------7---------------5------------|
--1-------------------------------5---------------3--------------|
...a lie.
F G Am G F Em
----------1---------------3--------------------------------------|
--1-------1-------3---------------1-----1-0-----0----------------|
--------2-------2-4-----4-------------2-------0---2-----2-0-----0|
------3-----3---------5-------5-----2-------0---------3-------2--|
----3---------3-----5-------------0-----------------3-------2----|
--1---------------3-----------------------3-------1-------0------|
C B Dm Am
------------------0--------------------------(5)-----------------|
--------------3---1--------------------------(5)-----------------|
--0-------4---2---2---------(9p8~~~~)----------------------------|
--2-----2-1---3---2---------(9~~~~~~)--------(7)-----------------|
--3---3---2---5---0--------------------------(0)-----------------|
----3------------------------------------------------------------|
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