The Original
INCUBUS - THE ORIGINAL
From the album 'If not now, when?'
Fantastic alternative-pop song from an incredibly innovative rock band, really wanted to
pick this piece apart, so I'm sharing the tab with you.
Opening electric guitar theme (repeated) This is way I think Mike will have played it,
he seems to love these hand-spanning chords.
A1
E|-------------------------------------------|
B|--------5---------5--------------------5---|
G|-----2---------2-------2-----2------2----X5|
D|--5--------5--------5-----5-----5----------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|
(After playing that 5 times, play this part below, for the final, sixth time of the introduction)
A2
E|-------------------------------------------|
B|--------5---------5--------------------0---|
G|-----2---------2-------2-----2------2------|
D|--5--------5--------5-----5-----5----------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|
Continue to play the above before Brandon's vocals kick in, that is:
A1 X3
A2 X1
This theme reoccurs over the chord progression many times throughout the verse, there
are variations on the theme in terms of entry, I won't patronise you by noting that here.
Piano Chord progression - I did the whole thing with lyrics, because people are kind of
romantic like that..
C G
I only go where I'm wanted
F Dm
you go only where you want
C G FDM
I aim to be more like you
C G
there is a ghost in my house
F DM
rattling handles on every door
C G FDM
show us an open window or two
DM C F
would you, ho-oh-old?
C
Doors are starting to close
G F
and you drew a rose my, my
DM C G F DM
your mind it is original, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahh
C G
you're a skeleton key, opening me,
F DM C
my, my; your mind it is original,
G F
girl you're the original
AM F
always were
G C
and always will be
[Guitar solo using natural harmonics, as usual, Einzeiger is still incredibly hard to
tab, due to heavy use of delay and sh7tcool technique - It sounds like he's improvising
but I may be wrong]
*If you wish to improvise, then the changes are the same as the verse progression.
C G
The flowers of adaptation
F DM
unfold and lovingly alarm
C G FDM
you effortlessly ring that bell
C G
your stripes are yours and yours only
F DM
the bow ideal of rare birds
C G F DM
and now I am under your spell
DM CF
oh, under your spell
C
Doors are starting to close
G F
and you drew a rose my, my
DM C G F DM
your mind it is original, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahh
C G
you're a skeleton key, opening me,
F DM C
my, my; your mind it is original,
G F
girl you're the original
AM F
always were
G DM
always weer-eerr
AM F
always were
G DM
always weer-eerr
AM F
always were
G DM
always weer-and will beeee
BRIDGE electric guitar:
This lovely little guitar part is filled with distortion and fuzz (that migrates to the
right pan on the recording], and sound beautiful, play it after the previous section and
into the final choruses.
B1
E|-----------8--7--------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|--5--------5--4--------------------|
D|--5--------------3-----------------|
v
A|--3-----------3-----------------|
v
E|-----------------1--------0--3--|
B2
E|-----------8--7--------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|--5--------5--4--------------------|
D|--5--------------3-----------------|
v
A|--3-----------3-----------------|
E|-----------------1-----------0-----|
B3
E|-----------8--7--------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
b
G|--5--------5--4-------*77777777-|
D|--5--------------------------------|
v
A|--3-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|
*slowly and gradually bending a full bend, into the chorus
Play these chronologically at first, and then play B1 and B2 in that order through the chorus.
C
Doors are starting to close
G F
and you drew a rose my, my
DM C G F DM
your mind it is original, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahh
C G
you're a skeleton key, opening me,
F DM C
my, my; your mind it is original,
G F
girl you're the original
AM F
always were
G C
and always will be
Any feedback are appreciated, this isn't the most thorough tab, but I've laid down the
main themes of the song, and I hope you enjoy this tab and chord chart. xo