Boulevard of Broken Dreams

In response to a request received regarding my posting of the accompanying video for this song, I figured I'd post my unofficial chord chart. In comparison to some B.S.O. stuff this song is fairly tame, as you don't see a lot of altered chords, and the chords that do appear remain mostly diatonic to the song's key. Nevertheless, it's still a great song in my opinion, and can be somehwat difficult to figure out because of the presence of 2 guitars and a keyboard. The guitars also don't play exactly the same part, and there are alot of open strings ringing, even on chords that aren't in open position.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The song starts off in the key of E major. (Note that Brian plays the lead guitar parts in this song and leaves the backing rhythm duties to Tommy Byrnes, opposite of the title track "The Knife Feels Like Justice".)

INTRO
B(or D)-A-E-B(or D)-A-E-B

Brian plays a descending solo run in E major with plenty of bends.

VERSE/CHORUS
E-C#m-G#m-F#m
E-C#m-F#m-D-Dsus4-D-Dsus2-D
E-F#m-G#m-A-B-C#m
A-F#m-B-E

Although these chord forms are pretty straightforward, by adding some open strings (1,2, and/or 6) to these shapes (say for instance the G#m, F#m, and A chords) you can easily add in some extended tones to create chords like G#m#5, F#m11, and Aadd9. These add some depth to the song and can help "fill out" the rhythm if you're playing with other instruments (i.e. a 2nd guitar).

At this point repeat the intro. line's first two chords once only and segue into the 2nd VERSE/CHORUS. At the end of that section the lead guitar plays a short fill in E major pentatonic at the 5th position.

BRIDGE
Bm-A-E-A-B(or D)-A
E-A-Am-F#m-B

The bridge is where things start changing. The Bm chord is substituted from the parallel key of E minor (instead of E major). Same thing with the Am chord which when viewed together with the A major chord preceeding it is a IV-iv change seen alot in jazz (i.e. White Christmas). The bridge ends with another lead fill in E major over the B chord.

At this point another VERSE/CHORUS is played and then come the solos.

BREAKDOWN/SOLOS
D-Bm-F#m-Em
D-Bm-Em-C
D-Em-F#m-G-A-Bm
G-Em-D

For this part (Breakdown/solos) the song modulates (changes keys) from E major to D major. The keyboard/organ solo is played by the great Chuck Leavell (of Rolling Stones fame) over the 1st 8 bars up to the C chord. Then Brian Setzer plays the guitar solo in the key of D major over the rest of the progression. Take a look at this progression compared to the VERSE/CHORUS progression. Note that it's the same just played a whole step lower in the Key of D (instead of E). Pretty cool trick when you think about it.

After this, the BRIDGE is played again, with another lead fill at the B chord. Then the band plays one more VERSE/CHORUS, and vamps out on a repeating line of A-F#m-B-E with an added B(or D) chord after each E.

The End.

Again feel free to post comments, and or corrections.

Davy Jones wrote:

VERSE/CHORUS
E-C#m-G#m-F#m
E-C#m-F#m-D-Dsus4-D-Dsus2-D
E-F#m-G#m-A-B-C#m
A-F#m-B-E


Again feel free to post comments, and or corrections.

...uh your G#m...I play a E/G#.
I believe it's called an E-chord with the G# bass note.
Like this I guess:

---4------
---5------
---4------
---6------
---7------
---4------

All the 4's I play with my index finger.

(If Brian would read this, he must be laughing his *ss off! )

COOL STUFF! Does anyone know the riff to Barbwire Fence? I know half but I just was curious.

Yeah I know it!!
....don't have the tabs.
I can play the harmonics too.
Honest!!

I'll try to get it on youtube soon!

Davy Jones wrote:

BRIDGE
Bm-A-E-A-B(or D)-A
E-A-Am-F#m-B

My ears tell me the bridge is a little bit different:

Bm - F#m - E - A
E - A - Am - F#m - D


Anders

To Patrick & gretschoholic:

Who be ye to dare question Davy Jones???

...Just kidding!

Thanks for your input. I appreciate the thoughts of other players, as I think it helps everyone become better by hearing diff. interpretations of songs. As for your specific recommendations, they are very close to the original chords I posted (one or two notes diff. on all by either a whole or half step interval) so, you both may be right. The way the video is shot, it's hard to see the band playing the specific chords that are in dispute, b/c of the interspliced scenes at the nightclub. However, if you watch the last verse/chorus section of the song, it doesn't appear that Brian changes grips between the F#m and the next chord (E/G# or G#m), which led me to believe that the G#m shape was played.

But anyway, Potato-Patatoe Tomato-Tamatoe, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off!

By the way, Patrick, nice job on Sleepwalk. That's a cool Gibson guitar too.

Davy Jones wrote:

The way the video is shot, it's hard to see the band playing the specific chords that are in dispute, b/c of the interspliced scenes at the nightclub.

That's the problem I think.
It's just a clip.
Brian might have used a broomstick in the video and the music will be still the same.
I guess the only way to be sure is if he would play it live. But I don't think he will this year...

Oh and thanks for your comment on my Setzer cover. The Gibson is just fine yeah!

Niblos wrote:

COOL STUFF! Does anyone know the riff to Barbwire Fence? I know half but I just was curious.

Well I'm here on Youtube!
This is how I figured it out.
I might be wrong...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm8tM9mi7lc

Ah geez I really appreciate this!!! This helps a lot. I had a few parts down but not the whole thing, WOW!

I maybe should have shot it from another angle. (and get me a decent camera) It's hard to see what I'm doing here.