"KANGA-ROO"

(A. Chilton)


"Kanga-Roo" Chord Chart

One of Jeff's standard covers, performed more or less every show, is this Big Star classic from their third and final LP. It was also one of two Big Star songs covered on the very first (and breathtaking) This Mortal Coil album It'll End In Tears (which also featured Liz Frazier from the Cocteau Twins singing her astonishing version of Tim Buckley's "Song To The Siren"). Jeff's versions of this song can be heard on any number of live recordings, as well as on the Peyote Radio Theatre e.p., and (I think) at least one of his CD singles.

First pass at a tab of this is now down below! *smile*

D           G
I first saw you
D                G
You had on blue jeans
D                   G
Your eyes couldn't hide
D    G
Anything
  Gm       Em      A7
I saw you leaving, oh

   D                       G
I saw you staring out in space

D           G
I next saw you
D               G
You was at the party
D                   G
Thought you was a dream
D       G
Oh so flirty
Gm    Em             A7
I     came against

D             G
Didn't say excuse
D                G
Knew what I was doing
D               G
We looked very fine
D                G
'Cause we were leaving

D            G
Like Saint Joan
D             G
Doing a cool jerk
D      G
Oh, I want you
D            G
Nothing can go wrong

"Kanga-Roo" Tab

A simple version of the verse riff:

D --0---0-0---0-------||---8--|--5--|--7---------------
A --5---4-5---2-(rpt)-||---8--|--5--|--7---------------
F#--0---0-0---1-------||---8--|--5--|--7---------------
D --0---0-0---0-------||---8--|--5--|--7---------------
A --5---4-5---2-------||---8--|--5--|--7---------------
D --0---0-0---0-------||---8--|--5--|--7---------------

(You can do this first part, the "I first saw you..." bit, without the octaves if you like, just playing the notes on the second string.  I like emphasising the octave on the fifth string, myself.)


There's a kind of two-chord middle 8 thing, which also appears at the end of most versions I have heard:

D ------0----|------0---------------------------
A ------9----|------8---------------------------
F#------8----|------8---------------------------
D ------0----|------0---------------------------
A ------9----|------8---------------------------
D ------0----|------0---------------------------


The manic jam at the end is a series of variations on the following:

D -------------------------------------------
A -------------------------------------------
F#---0---6--7---6--7---6--7----6-------------
D ---7---0--0---0--0---0--0----0-------------
A ---0---------------------------------------
D ---0---------------------------------------

D -------------------------------------------
A -----------------------------9-------------
F#---0---6--7---6--7---6--7----0-------------
D ---7---0--0---0--0---0--0----0-------------
A ---0---------------------------------------
D ---0---------------------------------------


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