Fretplay.com : Tabs : C : Coldplay

Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 23:51:41 -0700
Subject: c/coldplay/sparks.crd

Song:  Sparks
Author: Chris Martin
Artist:  Coldplay
Album:  Parachutes
Interpreted by:  Jay Ray (jay_e_ray@hotmail.com)
Tuning change by:  Matthew Thomas (* on April 30, 2002)
Original Tab by:  Tom Piddock 


This is my own original interpretation of the main acoustic guitar part.  I 
think I've got it pretty close, although the other guitar(s) in the song 
may have colored my choice of chord voicings.  The strumming should favor 
the bass strings with the high E not being sounded much at all.  Listen to 
the album for the chord changes.  They're pretty self-evident.

* Many thanks to Matthew Thomas who emailed me and recommended dropping the 
tuning of the high E-string down to a D.  This more closely matches the 
sound that Chris Martin gets on the recorded version.  Matthew mentioned 
that Chris uses this method often to get a more exotic sound from regular 
chord shapes, as heard on Yellow, Shiver, Spies, etc.

Tuning: EADGBD (* submitted by Matthew Thomas on April 30, 2002)
Capo:   6th fret

Chords used:

--------E---A---D---G---B---D----------
Em(1) --0---2---2---0---0---0----------
F#m ----x---4---4---0---0---0----------
Gm -----x---5---5---0---0---0----------
Am -----x---7---7---0---0---0----------
Em6 ----x---4---2---0---0---0----------
Cmaj7---x---3---2---0---0---0----------
G ------3---2---0---0---0---0----------
Em7 ----0---2---0---0---0---0----------
Am7 ----x---0---2---0---1---0----------
Em(2)  -x---x---2---0---0---0----------



The intro starts with an easy Em shape right up the fretboard.  It's also 
used during the choruses:

Em(1)---F#m---Gm---Am---Em6---Cmaj7---


Then you go into the part that's the second part of the intro and is also 
used for the verses and the ending:

G-------------Em(1)--Em7
(play 4 times in the intro)

Verse 1:

G-------------Em(1)--Em7
Did I ________away

G--------------Em(1)--
I know _______ say

Em7-------Am7
You say, ohhhh

Am7-------------G
You see_______ know


Verse 2:

G-------------Em(1)--Em7
But I ________this

G--------------Em(1)--
I'll always___ out

Em7-------Am7
For _____ you

Am7-------------G
Yeah _________ do


Chorus:

G----
I say

Em(1)---F#m---Gm---Am---Em6---Cmaj7---
yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Cmaj7 --
I say

Em(1)---F#m---Gm---Am---Em6---Cmaj7---
yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


G-------------Em(1)--Em7
(play 4 times)

Verse 3:

G-------------Em(1)--Em7
My heart ____ yours

G--------------Em(1)--
It's you _____ hold

Em7-------Am7
On- _____ to

Am7-----------G
Yeah, _______ do


Verse 4:

G-------------Em(1)--Em7
And I ________wrong

G--------------Em(1)--
But I ________ dowwnn

Em7-------Am7
_________ oh, no

Am7-------------G
Yeah _________ will


Chorus:

G----
I said

Em(1)---F#m---Gm---Am---Em6---Cmaj7---
yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Cmaj7 --
I cried

Em(1)---F#m---Gm---Am---Em6---Cmaj7------------
oouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutttt, yeah I saw

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ---
Sparks, ____yeah, I saw

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ---
Sparks, ____yeah, I saw

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ---
Sparks, ____yeah, I saw

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ------
Sparks, _________singing out

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ---
La-la _________________

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ---
La-la _________________

G---------Em(1)--Em7 ---
La-la _________________

G-----------------Em(1)--Em7--Em(2)--Em7--G
La -- la -- la -- la --- la ---la----la---