Breaking The Girl - Red Hot Chili Peppers
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
This is the best transcription of this song you'll find on the 'net. This is close
to how Frusciante plays it - especially the Chorus. 12-string acoustic, tuned down
a half-step. No Capo. And most importantly: hit the strings as hard as humanly possible.

Original tab by Louis L.


[VERSE 1]

I am a man cut from the
rarely do friends come and then
she was a girl soft but
we were the two our lives re-
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-2--2--2-------2--2--2--2--4--5--5-------5--5--5--5---7--7--7--------7--7--7--|
G|-2--2--2-------2--2--2--2--4--5--5-------5--5--5--5---7--7--7--------7--7--7--|
D|-2--2--2-------2--2--2--2--4--5--5-------5--5--5--5---7--7--7--------7--7--7--|
A|-0--0--0--4p0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--6p0--0--0--0--0---0--0--0--10p0--0--0--0--|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

know
go
estranged
arranged
e|-------9---9---9---9---9---9--------------------------------------------------|
B|-7--9--10--10--10--10--10--10-------------------------------------------------|
G|-7--9--9---9---9---9---9---9--------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--9--11--11--11--11--11--11-------------------------------------------------|
A|-0--0--0---0---0---0---0---0--------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


[PRE-CHORUS]

C G Am
Feeling so good that day
C G F
A feeling of love that day


[Chorus]

Twisting and turning your feelings are burning your
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--12--12--12--12---------------------------|
D|-5--5--5--5--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--7---9---9---9---9---------------------------|
A|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x---x---x---x---x---------------------------|
E|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--8--8--8--8--10--10--10--10---------------------------|

breaking the girl
e|-10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10---|
B|--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---|
G|--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---|
D|--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---|
A|--7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---|
E|--0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|

She meant you no
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--12--12--12--12---------------------------|
D|-5--5--5--5--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--7---9---9---9---9---------------------------|
A|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x---x---x---x---x---------------------------|
E|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--8--8--8--8--10--10--10--10---------------------------|

harm
e|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8--------|
B|-10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10-------|
G|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8--------|
D|-10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10-------|
A|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8--------|
E|-x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x--------|


Think your so clever but now you must sever your
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--12--12--12--12---------------------------|
D|-5--5--5--5--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--7---9---9---9---9---------------------------|
A|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x---x---x---x---x---------------------------|
E|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--8--8--8--8--10--10--10--10---------------------------|

breaking the girl...
e|-10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10---|
B|--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---|
G|--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---|
D|--9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---9---|
A|--7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---7---|
E|--0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|

He loves no one
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--9--9--9--9--12--12--12--12---------------------------|
D|-5--5--5--5--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--7---9---9---9---9---------------------------|
A|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x---x---x---x---x---------------------------|
E|-5--5--5--5--7--7--7--7--8--8--8--8--10--10--10--10---------------------------|

else
e|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8--------|
B|-10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10-------|
G|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8--------|
D|-10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10-------|
A|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8--------|
E|-x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x--------|


[VERSE 2]

Raised by my dad
Girl of the day
He was my man
That was the way
She was the girl
Left alone
Feeling the need
To make me her home


[PRE-CHORUS 2]

C G Am
I don't know what, when or why
C G F
The twilight of love had arrived


Repeat Chorus with this fill at the end, right before the "pots and pans" break:

e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-6--6--6--6--5--5--5--5-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--7--7--7--6--6--6--6-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7-------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

"Pots and pans" break: (play this 8 times)
e|-----------------8-----------------------------15--15--15---------------------|
B|--5--x--x--x--x--5--x--x--x--x--5--x--x--x--x--15--15--15---------------------|
G|--5--x--x--x--x--5--x--x--x--x--5--x--x--x--x--15--15--15---------------------|
D|--7--x--x--x--x--7--x--x--x--x--7--x--x--x--x--14--14--14---------------------|
A|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--15--15--15---------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


[Outro] is the same as the Chorus with this fill played over top, fading out:

e|-12-----12------12------12----------------------------------------------------|
B|-13-13--13--13--13--13--13--13---12---13---12---13---12---13---12---13--------|
G|----14------14------14------14---13---14---13---14---13---14---13---14--------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|



************************************

| x Dead note
| p Pull-off

************************************
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Breaking The Girl - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Tab by: Subway-To-Venus
Tuning: Half-Step Down

Okay firstly i have to say that i just created an account on this page to tab this song
because all the other tabs aren't even close to the chords john plays ^^

Dealing with a John Fru-Chili Song, i suggest you to play it thumb-based.
(look it up on any youtube-john-vid, he plays the E-String with his thumb)
It will be much easier for you to play it (after you learned how to play thumb-based -
quite diffucilt :D) and of course it sounds a lot more like the original and thats
what we want to achieve :)

So here it is:

O yeah and of course i can't express the rhythm he plays in this tab, but you can easily
it out by listening to the song combining it with this tab.
(which is, in my opinion, the best way how to really learn playing the guitar - by
it out on yourself)

Intro:

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-5-5-6^5-5-7-7-7-8^7-7-9-10-10-10-------|
G-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-9--9--9--------|
D-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-11-11-11-------| 4x
A-------3^0----------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------------------|

Verse:

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-5-5-6^5-5-7-7-7-8^7-7-9-10-10-10-------|
G-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-9--9--9--------|
D-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-11-11-11-------|
A-------3^0----------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------------------|
I am a man cut from the know

continue playing that part until the Pre-Chorus

Pre-Chorus:

e-0-0-0-0-0-0-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------------|
B-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1------------|
G-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2------------|
D-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2------------|
A-3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2------|
E-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x------------|

Feeling so gooood that dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ^^

e-0-0-0-0-0-0-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------------|
B-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-3-3-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1------------|
G-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2------------|
D-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-0-0-0-0-0-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3------------|
A-3-3-3-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3------------|
E-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x------------|

A feeling of looove that dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy (btw He really mutes
the E-String here)
Chorus:

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------|
G-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-9-9-9-9-9-12-12-12-12-12-12--|
D-5-5-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-6-6-7-7-7-7-7-7-9--9--9--9--9--9---|
A--------------------------------------------------------|
E-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10-10-10--|

Twisting and turning your feelings are burning you're

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------|
G-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--------|
D-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--------|
A-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-5-5--------------------------------|
E-------------------------8-8-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-7-7--------|

Breaking the giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirl.... (This part sounds
right but it's
really
uncomfortable to
play, i'll soon
update it to the
correct version ;)

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------|
G-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-9-9-9-9-9-12-12-12-12-12-12--|
D-5-5-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-6-6-7-7-7-7-7-7-9--9--9--9--9--9---|
A--------------------------------------------------------|
E-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10-10-10--|

Sheeeeeeeee meeeeant yoouuuuu nooooooooo

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6----|
G-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5----|
D-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7----|
A-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8----|
E--------------------------------------------------------|

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarm

Keep on playing that stuff until the Vers stars again.

Verse 2:

The same as in Verse 1

Pre Chorus 2:

The same as in Pre-Chorus 1

Chorus 2:

Almost the same as in Chorus 1,
exept the small but very important
variation during the last
"He loves no one else" which
opens the Interlude:

e--------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------|
G-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-7-7--------|
D-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6--------|
A-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-7-7--------|
E--------------------------------------------------------|

elseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Interlude:

This Part is quite difficult
because you have to mute the
E-String with your thumb while
you slam the rest of the
strings (mute the unused rest too),
otherwise this part wouldn't
sound as good as in the song.


e------------------------------------15-15-15----------|
B------------------------------------15-15-15----------|
G-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-14-x-x-x-x-x-14-14-14----------|
D-x-x-x-x-x-5-x-x-x-x-x-14-x-x-x-x-x-15-15-15----------|
A-0-0-0-0-0-7-0-0-0-0-0-x--0-0-0-0-0-x--x--x-----------|
E-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--x-x-x-x-x-x--x--x-----------|

Continue this part until the Chorus starts again :) (no way xD)


Okay you almost made it:
play the third Chorus as
usual until the end of
the song (Outro=Chorus)
and after that
you managed to play: Breaking The Girl

Congratulations :)) , i hope this one helped you
more than the other wrong stuff
and feel free to comment ^^

See you soon, your Subway-To-Venus
Song info
Breaking The Girl
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2001
  • Rock
  • Funk Metal
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