The Man Who Sold The World tab by Nirvana

892,808 views, added to favorites 19,743 times

Tuning: D# G# C# F# A# D#
Author folklore666 [pro] 269. , last edit by Tikken [a] 75,316 on Nov 23, 2017.
Album| Unplugged In New York
Year| Nov 18, 1993/released Nov 1, 1994
Official DVD of concert| released on Nov 20, 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fregObNcHC8

[Intro]
e|------------------|----------------------|----|
B|------------------|----------------------|----|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-----|-2~-|
D|------------------|----------------------|----|
A|------------------|----------------------|----|
E|------------------|----------------------|----|

[Verse]
A Dm
We passed upon the stair spoke of was and when
A F
Although I wasn't there he said I was his friend
C A
Which came as a surprise I spoke into his eyes
Dm C5
I thought you died alone a long long time ago

[Instrumental]
C5 C5

[Chorus]
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------2-3-5-------------------------------------|
D|------2-3-5--------------------0-2-3--------3----------|
A|-3-5---------------------0-1-3----------4-4---4--------|
E|--------------------1-3--------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------2-3-5------------------|
D|-------------0-2-3-------2-3-5-------------------0-2-3-|
A|------0-1-3---------3-5--------------------0-1-3-------|
E|-1-3-----------------------------------1-3-------------|

e|-------------------------|
B|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
G|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
D|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
A|--4--x-4-4-4-------------|
E|-------------------------|

[Instrumental]
e|------------------|----------------------|----|
B|------------------|----------------------|----|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-----|-2~-|
D|------------------|----------------------|----|
A|------------------|----------------------|----|
E|------------------|----------------------|----|

[Verse 2]
A Dm
I laughed and shook his hand and made my way back home
A F
I searched for foreign land for years and years I roamed
C A
I gazed a gazeless stare we marched a million hills
Dm C5
I must have died alone a long long time ago

[Chorus]
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------2-3-5-------------------------------------|
D|------2-3-5--------------------0-2-3--------3----------|
A|-3-5---------------------0-1-3----------4-4---4--------|
E|--------------------1-3--------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------2-3-5------------------|
D|-------------0-2-3-------2-3-5-------------------0-2-3-|
A|------0-1-3---------3-5--------------------0-1-3-------|
E|-1-3-----------------------------------1-3-------------|

e|-------------------------|
B|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
G|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
D|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
A|--4--x-4-4-4-------------|
E|-------------------------|

[Instrumental]
e|------------------|----------------------|----|
B|------------------|----------------------|----|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-----|-2~-|
D|------------------|----------------------|----|
A|------------------|----------------------|----|
E|------------------|----------------------|----|

[Chorus]
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------2-3-5-------------------------------------|
D|------2-3-5--------------------0-2-3--------3----------|
A|-3-5---------------------0-1-3----------4-4---4--------|
E|--------------------1-3--------------------------------|

e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------2-3-5------------------|
D|-------------0-2-3-------2-3-5-------------------0-2-3-|
A|------0-1-3---------3-5--------------------0-1-3-------|
E|-1-3-----------------------------------1-3-------------|

e|-------------------------|
B|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
G|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
D|--6--x-6-6-6-------------|
A|--4--x-4-4-4-------------|
E|-------------------------|

[Instrumental]
e|------------------|----------------------|----|
B|------------------|----------------------|----|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0-----|-2~-|
D|------------------|----------------------|----|
A|------------------|----------------------|----|
E|------------------|----------------------|----|

[Solo]
e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0--2-2-2-0--2/8/9/10--9-10\9-9-9-9-9\---|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|

Play through next 2 bars twice

e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0--2-2-2-0--2--4/10-10--10-10-10--10-10-10\9--|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------|
G|-9\7-7--7-7--7-7-7-7--7/9-9-9--9-9-9--9-9--9\-----------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------|
G|-2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0--2-2-2-0--2h3p2-0----2~~~-------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|

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

| / Slide up
| \ Slide down
| h Hummer-on
| p Pull-off
| ~ Vibrato
| x Dead note

***********************************
By helping UG you make the world better... and earn IQ
herbie182
good intro need a little work on verse

+1
herbie182 10
�
�
hak_hap
needs a little work in every single part except the intro... its not:
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------------------| G|-------------2-3-
5-------------------------------------| D|------2-3-5--------------------0-2-
3--------3----------| A|-3-5---------------------0-1-3----------4-4---4--------|
E|--------------------1-3--------------------------------| BUT INSTEAD:
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------------------| G|-------------2-4-
5-------------------------------------| D|------2-3-5--------------------0-2-
3--------3----------| A|-3-5---------------------0-1-3----------4-4---4--------|
E|--------------------1-3--------------------------------| you found the
difference?

-14
hak_hap [a] 300
�
�
neuroxik
Actually that 7th note IS an A (or Bb relative to tuning) so it goes 2-3-5 on 3rd
string, NOT what you proposed

+4
neuroxik [a] 587
�
�
bascomthomas
I'm not sure why this has so many downvotes because its correct...

0
bascomthomas [a] 145
�
�
marcomolteni01
i agree with the 4,4,3,4 part but not with the 4 instead of the 3

0
marcomolteni01 [pro] 52
�
�
chris_goatman
The song is in F (Well Fb if you tune down). The TAB is correct it should be the
first one is correct , it should be a Bb not B. The lead stays in key and doesn't
follow the chording through the Chorus. So you shouldn't be playing a C Major scale
over the C, but C Mixolydian with the Bb in place odlf the B in the scale.

0
chris_goatman 20
�
�
SolarisTron
I've never found a way to make the 4,4,3,4, sound good on an acoustic. How does he
do it?

0
SolarisTron 10
�
�
folklore666
Feel free to rate or comment :)

0
folklore666 [a] 269
�
�
hak_hap
I just did comment so thanks... did 9 years ago and I'm still right...feel free to
correct me. I don't care about the negative voting becaue I'm right. simple as
that.

-4
hak_hap [a] 300
�
�
james.rabaduex
dude,you're right about the scale, but kurt doesn't play the scale. he plays it as
shown on the tab above. that second to last note is supposed to be flat and go down
to the third fret. its how kurt cobain played it.

0
james.rabaduex 10
�
�
Atkboy4242
Oh, yep, found it. Otherwise, it's a good tab. I might print this out....

-2
Atkboy4242 [pro] 10
�
�
Nirvanafan60
I learnt this and it sounds fine thanks i got points for doing it for my school
solo performance good tab :)

+2
Nirvanafan60 [a] 320
�
�
seabass341
Very good tab. I have the book for the David Bowie version and it says to use A7
instead of A (which sounds better in my opinion). Other than that suggestion I'd
say it's perfect.

+3
seabass341 10
�
�
beasttz!
the chorus is weird

-5
beasttz! 10
�
�
jason7799
I cant hear what you guys are calling the chorus..do you need both speakers to hear
it or something? Cause I just hear the C5 chord being played through out.

0
jason7799 10
�
�
kevint4876
Isn't the "chorus" part being played on the bass?

+4
kevint4876 10
�
�
folklore666
@Kevint4876, yes for the first time while guitar plays C5 chord then the guitar
joins in the 2nd time around.

+2
folklore666 [a] 269
�
�
valnaut16
I believe its A at the end of the chorus not C

0
valnaut16 [a] 50
�
�
Izaak247
Amazing song. I might be wrong but i think the solo is abit off though this is
amazing thanks you

+1
Izaak247 [a] 200
�
�
Adriatic
good tab, Kurt uses F5 btw

+1
Adriatic [a] 213
�
�
Adriatic
chorus is ordered completely wrong though, Kurt plays chords (C5 F5 C#5) during the
chorus, bass and second guitar play the tabbed thing above but ordered like this
C5 C5 C5* F5 C#5
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--| b|-------------------------------------------------------------------------6-x-
6-6-6-| G|-------------2-3-5-------------2-3-5------------2-3-5--------------------
6-x-6-6-6-| D|------2-3-5--------------2-3-5------------2-3-5------------------0-2-
3---6-x-6-6-6-| A|-3-5----------------3-5---------------3-5------------------0-1-
3---------4-x-4-4-4-| E|-------------------------------------------------------1-
3-------------------------| who knows not me i never F5 C5 F5 C#5
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|----------------------------------------------------------6-x-6-6-6-|
G|--------------------------------2-3-5---------------------6-x-6-6-6-|
D|-------------0-2-3-------2-3-5-------------------0-2-3----6-x-6-6-6-| A|------0-
1-3---------3-5--------------------0-1-3----------4-x-4-4-4-| E|-1-
3-----------------------------------1-3--------------------------| your face to
face *thats where the chorus starts when its played twice in a row with the intro
in between

+3
Adriatic [a] 213
�
�
Shynash
This. Is. Gold.

+3
Shynash [pro] 10
�
�
hhuffman
Thanks Hak Hap! I audibly just shouted "that's what I thought!" excellent other
than that one note. Thanks for posting the tab

0
hhuffman [pro] 10
�
�
Dkoziel5
I play along with the live version and basically just play Kurt's part since there
are 3 guitars and only me. I skip the chorus notes and just play C5 and F5. Great
tab here, 5 stars easily.

+1
Dkoziel5 [pro] 10
�
�
vermillion.aeth
The intro is right it's just a little longer than that.

-1
vermillion.aeth 10
�
�
omer_cs
great tabs!

+2
omer_cs 10
�
�
nikos92bg1
Intro goes 2-2-2-0-2-3-2!

-3
nikos92bg1 [pro] 10
�
�
memelordjohnsto
The intro is a half-step down from what it should be. It should be played on the D
string like this: e|-----------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------------------------
G|----------------------------------------------- D|-----------6-6-6-4-6h7p6-
4--------------------- A|-----------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------

-4
memelordjohnsto 10
�
�
memelordjohnsto
memes amirite

-1
memelordjohnsto 10
�
�
Cormacsmall
How has nobody said that the guitar needs to be tuned down a half step (one fret
lower)? It can still be played if you just play everything one note lower.

0
Cormacsmall 10
�
�
roddie44
It is tuned down, isn�t it?

0
roddie44 [pro] 10
�
�
taoglas99
This is dead on Folk, thanks for sharing it with us :)

+1
taoglas99 10
�
�
lock2604
David Bowies version is standard tuning

0
lock2604 20
�
�
curio_city
thanks so much

+1
curio_city [pro] 10
�
�
sethj888
solid work brohamican-inhand

0
sethj888 [pro] 10
�
�
amyannlucky
my first love could've passed for Kurt's twin, hung himself at 18, this was his
favorite song.

0
amyannlucky [pro] 10
�
�
marcowag
one of the best MTV unplugged of all time

0
marcowag [pro] 10
�
�
lamb2001
I'm learning this song because itgets me yhrough my youghest days so why not lrarn
it haha thanks for writing this if it wasnt for u i wouldvr probably died lol

-1
lamb2001 [pro] 10
�
�
mikeymike650
Pretty close

0
mikeymike650 [pro] 10
�
�
bluemeadows82
Pretty spot on plus a few fills I was unknowingly skipping. Ty. Great effort

+1
bluemeadows82 20
�
�
mikaelahmosk
wait a minute, isn't this a Bowie song?

-1
mikaelahmosk [pro] 10
�
�