Eugene Cifras

I suspect Sufjan plays this song on the ukulele, so another tuning might simplify this song. I only play
guitar, so I tabbed it out using a nylon string guitar. A lot of the inversions used are quite specific,
therefore I tabbed out the right grips to use for this song. In some parts of the song there are some subtle
patterns that can be learnt better if I tabbed them out too.
 
 
 
 
Chords and patterns for the verses:
 
   E    F#  B/D# B/F#  A   G#m  E/B   B   F#/A# C#7sus4 E/G#
e|-4----6--------------9----7--------------------------------------|
B|-5----7----7----7----10---9--------------7-----7-------5---------|
G|-4----6----8----8----9----8----9----8----6-----4-------4---------|
D|-2----4----9----9----7----6----9----9----8-----4-------2---------|
A|-----------6----9--------------11---9----------4-----------------|
E|-------------------------------7----7----6-------------4---------|
 
Pattern 1: [Badd9/D# B/D#]
  Badd9/D#  B/D#
e|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|------6----8--------------|
D|--------9-------9---------|
A|---6---------------6------|
E|--------------------------|
 
Pattern 2: [B    E/B  B]
    B              E/B B
e|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|----------4-----4h5--4----|
D|--------4---4---4-4--4----|
A|------4---------4h6--4----|
E|---7------------7-7--7----|
 
 
 
Chords and patterns for the bridge:
   B   F#/A#  Gm    F#   E   B/D# F#/C# E/G#
e|-11----9-----7----6----4----------6------------------------------------------|
B|-12----11----9----7----5----7-----7----5-------------------------------------|
G|-11----11----8----6----4----8-----6----4-------------------------------------|
D|-9-----8-----6----4----2----9-----4----2-------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------6-----4------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------4-------------------------------------|
 
Pattern 1: [B    E/B  B]
    B              E/B B
e|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|----------4-----4h5--4----|
D|--------4---4---4-4--4----|
A|------4---------4h6--4----|
E|---7------------7-7--7----|
 
 
 
 
 
 
VERSE 1
 
E         F#            B/D#      B/F#
  Light struck from the lemon tree
A         G#m        F#               E             [ B     E/B  B ]
  What if I’d never seen hysterical light from Eugene?
 
E/B      B    F#/A#        [Badd9/D#  B/D#]  C#7sus4
  Lemon yoghurt, remember I pulled at your shirt
                                 E/G#
  I dropped the ashtray on the floor
                      [B        E/B  B]
  I just wanted to be near you
 
 
VERSE 2
 
E          F#            B/D#       B/F#
  Emerald Park, wonders never cease
A              G#m          F#                      E           [B      E/B   B]
  The man who taught me to swim, he couldn't quite say my first name
E/B       B        F#/A#  [Badd9/D# B/D#]    C#7sus4
  Like a Father he led community water on my head
                        E/G#
  And he called me “Subaru”
                        [B     E/B  B]
  And now I want to be near you
 
 
BRIDGE
 
B     F#/A#   G#m   F#        E        B/D#           F#/C#
  Since I was old enough to speak I've said it with alarm
B      F#/A#  G#m      F#            E
  Some part of me was lost in your sleeve
            B/D#         F#/C#
  Where you hid your cigarettes
                   E/G#
  No I’ll never forget
                    [B          E/B    B]
  I just want to be near you
 
 
VERSE 3
 
E          F#             B/D#      B/F#
  Still I pray to what I cannot see
A          G#m        F#                E             [ B    E/B   B ]
  In the sprinkler I mark the evidence known from the start
E/B         B            F#/A#               [Badd9/D# B/D#]     C#7sus4
  From the bed near your death, and all the machines that made a mess
                    E/G#
  Far away the falcon flew
                   [B           E/B  B]
  Now I want to be near you
 
 
VERSE 4
 
E         F#           B/D#        B/F#
  What’s left is only bittersweet
A         G#m         F#                  E           [B        E/B   B]
  For the rest of my life, admitting the best is behind me
E/B         B        F#/A#              [Badd9/D# B/D#]  C#7sus4
  Now I’m drunk and afraid, wishing the world would go away
                               E/G#
  What’s the point of singing songs
                         B              E/B  B
  If they’ll never even hear you?
 
 
Enjoy!
X