One Of The Three - The James Band Archive

Alaskan Pipeline

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Alaskan Pipeline is track thirteen on the James album Pleased To Meet You released in 2001. It was one of the few tracks from the record that was not performed live during the Autumn 2000 tour when most of the new album was previewed. It was resurrected in 2010 at a US soundcheck before being a highlight on the 2011 and 2023 Orchestra tours. It also appeared on the orchestral album Be Opened By The Wonderful.

Details

LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
You might as well surrender now
You'll never hold that stance
With all my words, I can't find one
To help you understand
It's not too late, take up the cup
Put down your weapons and choose

But you say life's so unfair
All you say is life's so unfair
Oh, you can ill afford to hold to these views
Oh, you need something to blame
But it's you, yes, it's you, it's your truth

Someone made you
I don't know if you're sick
I comfort, you runaway
My sympathy, you twist it
You're reflex, gets in the way

You mother me, I son you
You act up, I can't get through
These footsteps so ancient
In your eyes, I'm your infant

Your ancient full circle
In my eyes, you're my infant
Dead ball in our court
We've got a dead ball in our court

You just say life's so unfair
Yes, you just say, "Life's so unfair"
You need something to blame
But it's you, yes, it's you, it's your truth

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Orchestral Version

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Song:Alaskan Pipeline
Released:2nd July 2001
Main Associated Album (or Single):Pleased To Meet You
First Heard Live:London Leicester Square Sound – 18th June 2001
Played at:
James - Alaskan Pipeline

Taken from the album Pleased To Meet You

Written and performed by James

Main Riff:

e--1--0--1---1--0--1---1--0--1--0-----------------------
B----------------------------------1--------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------

Backing Riff:

Dm F C Am
e-------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------
D-------3-----3-----3-----3-----5-----5-----2-----2-----
A---5-5---5-5---3-3---3-3---3-3---3-3---0-0---0-0-------
E-------------------------------------------------------

Song Structure:

The song begins with the two guitars playing the two riffs above over a plethora of ambient keyboards. The first bit is an instumental that follows a sort of verse/chorus pattern that is made more obvious when the vocal kicks in. During the "chorus" section the main riff drops out and leaves only the backing riff, which follows the chords of the song, hence I've detailed which part of the riff follows which chord. Chords for the intro are the same as for the first verse/chorus.
Then the song moves into the "chant" section. Again there is no lead part, only the backing which follows the chords. This then leads into another instrumental section like the first part, with the main riff back into action. Then another "chorus" and that's it.

Note: Durig the chorus it sounds really good to play the C's as rather than . Also play all F's as because for some reason the low bass note sounds horrible if you play the bar chord version <133211>.


Lyrics/Chords:

Dm F
You might as well surrender now

C Am
You'll never hold that stance

Dm
With all my words

F
I can't find one

C Am
To help you understand

Dm
It's not too late

F
Take up the cup

C Am
Put down your weapons and choose


Dm
But you say life's so unfair

C
Oh you say life's so unfair

Dm C
You can ill afford to hold to these views

Dm
You need something to blame

Am
But it's you

Dm
Yes, it's you

C Dm
It's your truth



Someone made you

I don't know
F
If you're sick

I comfort
Dm
You run away

My sympathy
F
You twist it

Your reflex
Dm
Gets in the way

You mother me
F
I son you

You act up

C Dm
I can't get through

These footsteps
F
So ancient

In your eyes

C Dm
I'm your infant

You're ancient
F
Full circle

In my eyes

C
You're my infant

Dm
Dead ball in our court

F C
We've got a dead ball in our court


Dm
We just say life's so unfair

C
Yes you say life's so unfair

Dm
You need something to blame

Am
But it's you

Dm
Yes it's you

C Dm
It's your truth



Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.

alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
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