LoveYourSong.com

When a band can sound this good with one mic and no overdubbing it’s probably safe to say they’d be good live. I love the the playful harmonies in this song and the raw, un-tampered with sound of Aberfeldy and their minimalist recording style.

Tab:

Guitar 1, Intro

 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
(12)(10)-|-------------12--10-----(10)-(8)-|-------------10--8--(8)----------|
---------|---------------------------------|------------------------(10)(8)--|
---------|-12------------------------------|-10------------------------------|
---------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
-8-------------------------------|-8----------------------(12)(10)-|
-------------10--8---------------|-------------10--8---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

| 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
|-------------12--10-----(10)-(8)-|-------------10--8--(8)----------|
|---------------------------------|------------------------(10)(8)--|
|-12------------------------------|-10------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
-8-------------------------------|-8-------------------------------|
-------------10--8-------10------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

Guitar 2, Intro

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------12--12----------12------|---------10--10----------10------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-10--------------10--------------|-8---------------8---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------10--10----------10------|---------10--10----------10------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-8---------------8---------------|-8---------------8---------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------12--12----------12------|---------10--10----------10------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-10--------------10--------------|-8---------------8---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------10--10----------10------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-8---------------8---------------|-8-------------------------------|

The first guitar part during the verses is just a variant on the intro. I think I’ve given you enough to figure that out.

Guitar 2, Main Verse Rhythm Figure:

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------12--12----------12------|---------12--12----------10------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-10--------------10--------------|-10--------------8---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|-------------------------10------|
---------10--10----------10------|---------10--10------------------|
---------------------------------|-----------------8---------------|
-8---------------8---------------|-8-------------------------------|

Guitar 1, Chorus:

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
-8-------------------------------|-7-------------------------------|
---------10----------------------|---------8-----------------------|
-----------------10--------------|-----------------9---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
-8-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------10----------------------|-8-------------------------------|
-----------------10--------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|-----------------10--------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

Guitar 2, Chorus:

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------10--10----------10------|---------10--10----------10------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-8---------------8---------------|-8---------------8---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------12--12----------12------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------10--10----------10------|
-10--------------10--------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|-8---------------8---------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------10--10----------10------|---------10--10----------10------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
-8---------------8---------------|-8---------------8---------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a | 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a |
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
---------12--12----------12------|---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|---------10--10------------------|
-10--------------10--------------|-----------------10------7-------|
---------------------------------|-8-------------------------------|-8

I admit that I was completely ignorant to the fact that A-Ha was still recording music (I haven’t kept up on my Norwegian synth-pop like I should have). I haven’t heard anything from them since Take on Me. But when I heard I Wish I Cared I was floored by it’s expressiveness. A complete diversion from their original glory tunes. It is wonderful that they are still innovating and still creating wonderful work.

Since this song does not feature guitars I’ll simply post the chords.

Chords:

Verse:
E - A - D - E

Pre-Chorus:
A - E/G# - D - E - F#m - A - E

Chorus:
D - A - E

Lyrics:
To hold me closer or set me free
To trust completely or let it be
You don’t know my destiny
You can’t see what I can see

Hey - I wish I cared
Hey - I wish I cared

To love me truely or let me go
In between I don’t want to know
This is how it has to be
No more us and no more we

Hey - I wish I cared
Hey - I wish I cared

Once again, on the station
See your face in a crowd
Comes again the sensation
You can’t hear yourself think
With their voices inside your head

Hey - I wish I cared
Hey - I wish I cared
I wish I cared
Yes I really do
I wish I cared
(Hey) I wish I cared
Yes I really do
I wish I cared
(Hey) I wish I cared
I wish I cared

For me a song must have value in and of itself, independent of any other factor. This includes the writer, producer, and performer. I don’t care if a song was was performed by “the greatest talent in the year 2007″ or produced in the top-of-the-line studio in Nashville. Popularity, promotion, airplay, and hype only serve to get the song to my ears. They don’t make it great.

I have found great songs in commercials, in EP’s, at the local open mic show, and even found one of my all-time favorites on quick-and-dirty demo CD a band left in a hotel lobby. Sure, great songs are also found on Billboard’s top 40. But for anyone to limit their musical selection to those pieces businessmen and marketers have forced upon them seems a travesty to me.