RATS
by Sonic Youth

Tab by Chris Lawrence (silvercircle@shaw.ca)

w/ historic thanx to FDSWayze and Jason Pratt


TUNINGS
-------
Lee:	D#A#D#BC#F# (check tuning guide)
Kim:	DADABB (with capo at 1st fret: D#A#D#A#CC)


LAYOUT: A - B - C - A - B - C - A (SOLO) - A (VERSE) - B - C


A SECTION				00:00-00:41
               
Lee comes in with a big open chord from both left and right guitars:

F#---0---
C#---0---  sustain w/ string skronk
B----0---
D#-------
A#-------
D#-------

When he starts singing, the left guitar drops out, and the right guitar plays the
bottom D#A#D# strings open, with occasional harmonics @ the 12th fret of the C#
string in particular.

During live versions, he would basically play open strings and toss in a lick:

F#-------------------------------- 
C#-------------------------------- w/ optional harmonics
B---------------------------------
D#-------0--0------0----2---------
A#-----0---------0--------3~~-0---
D#---0-----0---0-----0--------0---

Kim makes aggressive, trebley, fuzzy, buzzy noise with a metal slide through the entire
song. It's possible she has a particular approach for each section that I could try to
articulate, but I don't think so. She might play more open strings during the verse
since she's in D# with Lee, and then higher sliding during the pre-chorus and chorus.

B SECTION				00:41-01:09
               
Lee goes between these two chord shapes, listen for the rhythm:

F#---5----4---
C#---5----4---
B----5----4---
D#---5----0---
A#---5----0---
D#---5----0---

In this section, his right guitar is much quieter, and may just be playing
the lower notes in the chord shapes. This is also where the acoustic guitar
enters in the left speaker.

Kim continues making improvised noise with her slide and heavy effects.

C SECTION				01:09-01:22
             
Lee's guitars are all slightly different at this point:

F#---3----5----
C#---3----5----   this is the electric / he uses his thumb on the bottom
B--------------
D#---3----5----
A#---3----5----
D#---3----5----

F#---0----0----  
C#---0----0----   this is the acoustic / listen for rhythm + picking
B--------------  
D#---3----5---- 
A#---3----5----  
D#---3----5----

This is the right guitar lead lick:

F#-------0--------------0--------------           ---------
C#---12-----12-12-12\14---14-14-14/12--           ---14/---
B-------------------------------------- play x 4  ---------
D#-------------------------------------           ---------
A#-------------------------------------           ---------
D#-------------------------------------           ---------

Kim continues making improvised noise with her slide and heavy effects.

A SECTION				01:23-01:43

Lee's left guitar drops out, and the right adds more harmonic flourishes during this verse:

            1:36
F#-----------*7*----------*4*-*5*--*7*---
C#---------------------------------------
B---------------*7*----------------------
D#---0---------------0-------------------
A#---0---------------0-------------------
D#---0---------------0-------------------

B SECTION				01:43-02:10

C SECTION				02:11-02:24

A SECTION (SOLO)			02:24-02:48

Lee's left guitar plays a lead part after banging the open low strings:

            2:29
F#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C#-------12--12-12-12--12--12-12\14-12---10/9-9--9/7-9-10-9-7----------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------9-9/10-/11-11--11b-13--14-14-14-16/---
D#---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A#---0--------------------------------------------------------- ALL NOTES w. SLIGHT VIBRATO ---------
D#---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the end of that rise, he starts in again on the B string before just skronking out and picking 
a quick scratchy flurry, then resolving to the open strings and the main lick:

F#--------------
C#--------------
B---------------
D#---0----2-----
A#---0------3~~-
D#---0----------

During this section, his right guitar just hits aggressive harmonics and open strings, 
letting them ring out, into the next verse.

A SECTION (VERSE)			02:48-03:16

B SECTION				03:16-03:43

Lee's right guitar plays a different figure:

F#----------------------
C#----------------------
B-----------------------
D#---5-----5\8b--0------  w/ distortion + reverb
A#---5-----5\8b--0------
D#---5-----5\8b--0------

C SECTION				03:43-04:25

End on low D#A#D#.


Last updated: 09/13/24

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