Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2018 17:27:59 -0600
From: Austin Emerson Lucas
Subject: XTC - Burning with Optimism's Flames (Album Version) Bass Guitar Tab
Message-ID: <20180129182804.GNAIB.3654.root (at) pamxwww10-z01>

Hi John, over the course of 1-2 weeks I've been working on this tablature attached in this eMail. How did I do?

I've been working on tablature for other XTC songs, too.

- Austin Emerson Lucas

Burning with Optimism's Flames Bass Tab by Austin Emerson Lucas

This is for the album version. Due to the nature of some XTC songs, I have to
tab second by second; sometimes, parts in one part of the song aren't repeated
later.

This is an interpretation which I hope is close although I may have a few
parts off. Please don't feel obliged to follow this tab 100%, you may find
something slightly off in it. I don't believe I have the timing correct for
everything, for example, but I have gone over the tablature multiple times to
assess that the parts are as on target as I could hear.

Note: If you want the same bass tone as heard in this song, I feel as though
Colin played a 30" bass in this song. You'll also have to (for the most part)
play the strings between where a middle pickup and a bridge pickup would be.
This isn't a blanket statement to all basses but should help. Colin also often
played only with one finger though I think he changed later on.

* = Mute String
/ = Slide Up
\ = Slide Down
h = Hammer On

Main Riff:

0:00 - 0:14

Never seen her glowing
all that bright she's throwing;
like some aurora
from her head it's growing,

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7---

Then it goes to this (pick the G note, let it ring:)

0:14 - 0:17

reaching to the ground and all around
like a Navaho blanket.

G--------
D--------
A--------
E-6\-3---

0:17 - 0:22:

Never heard her singing,
now she's gently ringing;
like copper wind chimes;
what on earth is bringing

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7---

0:22 - 0:27:

up this stream?
The cat who got the cream is licking her lips
and smiling like her Cheshire cousin.

G--------
D--------
A--------
E-6\-3---

Pre-Chorus:

0:27 - 0:33:

She claims she's found a way to make her own light;
all you do is smile, you banish

G-----------------------------------
D-----------------------------------
A-----------------------------------
E-6--6--6\1--1--1/6--6--6\1--1--1---

0:33 - 0:37:

  the      night;

G-----------------------------------
D-----------------------------------
A-----------------------------------
E-1-3-3--1-3-3--1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---

0:37 - 0:59

Chorus:

She says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away;

G--------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------3*3---
A--------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1--1--------

she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, away away;

G----------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1---1---1*1---

she says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away;

G----------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1---1*1*--6-7---

0:57 - 0:58

she says she's

G------------------
D------------------
A-------------8/---
E-8---8-8---8-*----

(play the F note, A8, quietly.)

Post-chorus:

bur-ur-ur-urning, ah, ah, ah, urning, bur, ur, ur, urning, ur, ur, ur, ahhhhhhh.

 0:58 - 1:11

G----------------------------------------------------------------
D----10/14-13-*--------13-12-*--------13-12-*--------11-10-*-----
A-10-*--------14\-9/12-*-----13\-9/12-*-----13\-8/10-*-----11\---
E----------------------------------------------------------------

Main Riff, 1:11-1:21:

Now you see I'm smiling,
back to juvenile'ing;
I learnt her lesson
in like flint and styling;

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7---

Main riff end, 1:21 - 1:24:

all the world is neatly curled around my littlest finger.

G--------
D--------
A--------
E-6\-3---

Main riff, 1:24 - 1:29:

I can't stop this grinning,
so assume I'm winning;
threw pessimism
in the air it's spinning

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7---

1:29 - 1:34:

crashing to the floor and nevermore
will it lure me away with sweets
and shiny things just like a magpie.

G--------
D--------
A--------
E-6\-3---

Pre-chorus (1:34 - 1:40.)

She claims she's found a way to make her own light;
all you do is smile, you banish

G-----------------------------------
D-----------------------------------
A-1--1---1-*------------------------
E----------1--1---1/6--6---6\1--1---

1:40 - 1:44:

  the     night.

G-----------------------------------
D-----------------------------------
A-----------------------------------
E-1-3-3--1-3-3--1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---

Chorus Variation 1 at 1:44 - 1:57:

She says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away;
she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, away away;

G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------3*3---
A---------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1---1-------- (play this variation twice)

Chorus Variation 2, 1:57 - 2:05

she says she's burning with optimism's flames, away away;

G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1-1---1--3-3---

she says she's

G------------------
D------------------
A-------------8/---
E-8---8-8---8-*----

(again, play the F note, A8, quietly.)

Then the chorus end plays again (2:05 - 2:17.)

bur-ur-ur-ur-urning, ah, ah, ah, ah, she's bur, ur, ur, ur, urning, ah, ah, ah, ahhhhhhh

G---------------------------------------------------------------
D-------14-13-*--------13-12-*--------12-11-*--------11-10-*----
A-10/13-*-----14\-9/12-*-----13\-9/12-*-----12\-8/11-*-----11---
E---------------------------------------------------------------

Next, play the main riff again (2:17 - 2:29)

Now every bird and bee, just fuel the fire for me;

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7---

and play a variation of the main riff (down 2 notes) from 2:29 - 2:36:

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, yes yes yes yes yes yes.

G-----------------------------
D-----------------------------
A----8-*----------8-*---------
E-6-*--6-5-3-5-6-*--6-5-3-5---

2:36 - 2:42

now every closing door, just fans the flames some more;

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7---

2:42 - 2:49

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, yes yes yes yes yes yes.

G-----------------------------
D-----------------------------
A----8-*----------8-*---------
E-6-*--6-5-3-5-6-*--6-5-3-5---

2:49 - 2:55

G----------------
D----------------
A---10-*---0*----
E-8-*--8-7-*-7--- (the last time, slide up to the next note in the next part.)

Next, main riff variation 2 (up 5 notes, 2:55-3:00:)

G----------------------
D----------------------
A-----15-*-------------
E-13-*---13-12-10-12---

End it from 3:00 - 3:02 by sliding down to the next part.

Next, play the pre-chorus (3:02 - 3:11)

She claims she's found a way to make her own light;
all you do is smile, you banish

G---------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------
E-6--6---6\1--1---1/6--6---6\1--1---1---

  the     night.

G-----------------------------------
D-----------------------------------
A-----------------------------------
E-1-3-3--1-3-3--1-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---

Chorus Variation (3:11/3:12 - 3:32)

She says she's burning with optimism's flames, awa-ha-a-ay;

G-----------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------3--2-2--0-0-*--------
A-----------------------------------------------------3--*-----
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1--0-*----------------6/--- slide up to 8 to play the chorus again)

she says she's burning up all her guilts and shames, yaeh;

G---------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0--1--1--1--3-3---

3:25 - 3:32

she says she's burning with optimism's, optimism's fla-hey;

G---------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------3*-3-*---
A---------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-8---1--3---3--3---3--1---1--1---0-1--1-1-*--------

(3:31-3:32)

She says she's

G----------------
D----------------
A----------------
E-8---8-8--8-/---

Chorus End Variation (3:32 - 3:58)

Bur, ur, ur, ur, ur-ning, ah, ah, ah, ah; uh, uh, uh, uh.....

Bur, ur, ur, urning, ah, ah, ah, ohhhhh!

G-----------------------------------------------------------
D-------14-13-*-----13-12-*--------13-12-*--------11-10-*---
A-10/13-*-----14\-9-*-----13\-9/12-*-----13\-8/10-*-----8---
E-----------------------------------------------------------

3:58 - End:

Now I'm thinking okay
I'm turning night into day yea-haa yatidatatidadat.

G------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-8---8-10---10-10h12---12-13---13-15\-8-8-8-/-17-\-8-8-8-/-19-\-8-8-8-/-20-19-17-15-8-/---10h11--10h11---

The last few parts after ending on the C note on the 8th fret (sliding up
included) may be eliminated for a live performance; they're here for
completion's sake.

- Austin Emerson Lucas

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:29:08 +0100
From: Florian Decros <flodecros (at) gmail dot com>
Subject: Bass tabs for Black Sea
Message-ID: <CAPtZtiMEot5AHL_+cxMcr+04FpjkfeJhrP8+8hK7B15ycOk_KA (at) mail dot gmail dot com>

Hi !
Here's the bass tablatures for the 11 (great) songs from the classic "Black Sea". A lot of repetitive bass lines, but also some tricky parts. Sorry if there's any mistakes, and I hope you'll enjoy those basslines as much as I do.
Cheers,
Florian.

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 23:33:03 -0600
From: jh3 (at) cencom dot net (JH3)
Subject: Burning With Optimism's Chords
Message-Id: <9601180533.AA05936 (at) ns dot cencom dot net>

I seem to recall someone asking about this one recently...
Maybe they only meant it as a figure of speech. Oh well,
what's done is done.

+----------------------------+
BURNING WITH OPTIMISM'S FLAMES
by Andy Partridge

+----------------------------+
Here's the opening riff thingie:

---8----8--8----8--8----8--8----8--8-
---8----8--8---10--8----8--8---10--8-
---9---10--9----9--9---10--9----9--9-
--10---10-10---10-10---10-10---10-10-
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
For the sake of simplicity, let's just
call this "C"; though the C6 referred to
here in the verse is the same XX10-9-10-8.
-----------------------------------------

C
Never seen her glowing all that bright she's throwing
Like some aurora from her head it's growing

C6              Gm (355333)
Reaching to the ground and all around like a Navajo blanket

C
Never heard her singing now she's gently ringing
Like copper windchimes what on Earth is bringing

C6             Gm
Up this stream the cat who got the cream is licking her lips
and smiling like her cheshire cousin

A#                F                           A#
...She says she's found a way to make her own light

              F                 G       Gmaj7 (3544XX)
All you do is smile, you banish the night...

-----------------------------------------------------
The parts that Dave does on the G and High-E strings when
Andy sings "Away! Away!" look sort of like this, but
they only sound authentic if you keep your middle finger
on the fretboard the whole time...and play fast, of course.

E ----1---3---5---7---8----10----12--
B -----------------------------------
G --2---3---5---7---9---10----12-----

E -----17----13----15----12----13----10----12-
B --------------------------------------------
G --17----14----15----12----14----10----12----

(Good luck with that.) Then there's the bridge lead part,
which I think is just 0-8-0-10-0-12-0-14 on the high-E
string, done as a rapid-fire succession of pull-offs.
----------------------------------------------------

Chorus:

C              G            F
She says she's burning with optimism's flames -- away, away

C              G          F
She says she's burning up all her guilts and shames -- away, away

C              G            F
She says she's burning with optimism's flames -- away, away

C              G              F#                          E
She says she's bur- bur- bur- bur- burning... up- up- up- up....

G              F#                          E
Bur- bur- bur- bur- burning... up- up- up- up....

(repeat verse and chorus)

Second verse:

C
Now you see I'm smiling back to juvenile-ing
I learnt her lesson in like flint and styling
C6          Gm
All the world is neatly curled around my littlest finger

C
I can't stop this grinning so assume I'm winning
Threw pessimism in the air it's spinning
C6          Gm
Crashing to the floor and nevermore will it lure me away with sweets
And shiny things just like a magpie

A#              G                          A#
She says she's found a way to make her own light (etc.)

--------------------------------------------------

Middle bit (C6: X35555; Bb6: X13333):

C6  (though it sounds like a Cmaj7 might be nice here...)
Now every bird and bee just fuels the fire for me

Bb6  (same here, with Bbmaj7 and also Bb6: X1303X.)
No no no no no no... Yes yes yes yes yes yes

C6
Now every closing door just fans the flames some more

Bb6
No no no no no no... Yes yes yes yes yes yah yah yaaaaah...

--------------------------------------------------
Then there's the sort-of lead break, another "found a
way to make her own light" part, another chorus, which builds
into the double-time bit at the end, which goes C, D, Em...
and then the big final chord: C5 (X35555). (Don't forget to
use the whammy bar.)

As for the middle bit, I've noticed that Andy plays a lot
of 6th chords, but I think that's laziness more than anything
else; it's easier to play a 6th than a "pure" A-barre chord,
since you can just let your forefinger cover all four of those
high strings. Back then, you recall, he was setting 'em up so
they'd be relatively easy to play live.

So, until next time, it's...

--John H. Hedges III, Inc.