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Black

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Pearl Jam - Black
Tab by Frequencybebop
[Verse 1]
ESheets of empty Asus2canvas, untouched Esheets of clayAsus2  
Were Elaid spread out beAfore me as her Ebody once did
EAll five horAsus2izons revolved Earound her soul Asus2as the earth to the sun
ENow the air I Atasted and breathed has Etaken a turn
[Pre-chorus 1]
COh, and all I taught her was everythiEmng
COh, I know she gave me all that she Emwore
[Chorus]
And now my Dbitter hands,
Chafe beCneath the clouds
Of what was Emeverything
All the Dpictures have
All been wCashed in black
Tattooed everytEmhing
[Verse 2]
EI take a Asus2walk outside, I'm surErounded by some Asus2kids at play
EI can feel their Alaughter, so Ewhy do I sear
[Pre-chorus 2]
COh, and twisted thoughts that spin 'round my Emhead, I'm spinning, oh
I'm Cspinning, how quick the sun can drop aEmway
[Chorus]
And now my Dbitter hands
Cradle Cbroken glass
Of what was everEmything
All the Dpictures have
All been wCashed in black
Tattooed everEmything
All the Dlove gone bad
Turned my Cworld to black
And tattooed all DI see,
All that CI am,
All that I'll Embe
[Bridge]
  D  CYeah  EmUh huh  DUh huh  CUh
I Emknow someday you'll have a beautiful life,
I Dknow you'll be a star in soCmebody else's sky
But Emwhy, why, Dwhy can't it Cbe,
COh can't it be miEmneD  C  
Emooh, ah Dyeah, aah Cooh
C(Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodooEm)
Em(Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodooD)
[Outro] (x7)
DDoodoo-doo-doo-doodoodooC  
CDoodoo-doo-doo-doodoodooEm  
EmDoodoo-doo-doo-doodoodooD  

The story behind the song

"Black" is a powerful track from Pearl Jam's 1991 debut album, Ten. The music for this fan-favorite originated as an instrumental demo by guitarist Stone Gossard. The demo eventually made its way to vocalist Eddie Vedder, who added lyrics to Gossard's composition. Despite its popularity, the band resisted releasing "Black" as a single, feeling its personal nature was not suited for that format.

AI-written from these sources:Black (Pearl Jam song) — Wikipedia ↗Pearl Jam — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Black

by Pearl Jam

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Pearl Jam - Black

Tab by Frequencybebop

[Verse 1]

E Asus2 E Asus2

Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay

E A E

Were laid spread out before me as her body once did

E Asus2 E Asus2

All five horizons revolved around her soul as the earth to the sun

E A E

Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn

[Pre-chorus 1]

C Em

Oh, and all I taught her was everything

C Em

Oh, I know she gave me all that she wore

[Chorus]

And now my bitter hands,

Chafe beneath the clouds

Of what was everything

All the pictures have

All been washed in black

Tattooed everything

[Verse 2]

E Asus2 E Asus2

I take a walk outside, I'm surrounded by some kids at play

E A E

I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear

[Pre-chorus 2]

C Em

Oh, and twisted thoughts that spin 'round my head, I'm spinning, oh

C Em

I'm spinning, how quick the sun can drop away

[Chorus]

And now my bitter hands

Cradle broken glass

Of what was everything

All the pictures have

All been washed in black

Tattooed everything

All the love gone bad

Turned my world to black

And tattooed all I see,

All that I am,

All that I'll be

[Bridge]

D C Em D C

Yeah Uh huh Uh huh Uh

I know someday you'll have a beautiful life,

D C

I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky

Em D C

But why, why, why can't it be,

C Em D C

Oh can't it be mine

Em D C

ooh, ah yeah, aah ooh

C Em

(Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo)

Em D

(Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo)

[Outro] (x7)

D C

Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo

C Em

Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo

Em D

Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo

About Black Chords by Pearl Jam

Learn how to play Black by Pearl Jam with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Black chords”, “Black guitar chords”, or “Pearl Jam Black chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Black chords and for experienced players who want accurate Black lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, Asus2, A, C, Em, D.

FAQ — Black by Pearl Jam

How do I play "Black" by Pearl Jam on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Black" by Pearl Jam on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Black" by Pearl Jam free?

Yes. The chords for "Black" by Pearl Jam are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Black" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Black" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Black"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Black" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Black" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Black" by Pearl Jam with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Pearl Jam below.

What key is "Black" in?

The chords for "Black" show the original chord names (including E, Asus2, A, C, Em, D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.