Picture This - Blondie

Jonathangus · February 2022

Trying to work out the chord in the middle part of the chorus ("If it weren't for your job at the garage, etc.") All the online tabs have it as A, but I'm hearing an A minor (which would make sense for the key of C). The first part of the solo is over an A maj / D maj progression, but I'm pretty sure the ones in the chorus (and again in the outro) are minor. Are my ears crap?

Also, in the intro and first verse, it goes through an F - G - Ab sequence - or should it be F - G - G#? Does it matter?

viz · February 2022

The chord is A major, though she does sing a minor 3rd on it, which is a clash and could be what’s making you hear A minor. The only A minor chord that I can find is the held one at the end of the guitar solo.

Ab vs G#: Like you say, it really doesn’t matter but Ab is better because whether you look at it as the 3rd note in the F minor scale or the 6th note in the C minor scale that it morphs into, it’s an Ab. They basically play the scale from F to C: F G Ab Bb C.

Jonathangus · February 2022

Ah, so my ears are only partially crap, then. Thanks @viz .

maw4neu · February 2022

Great tune and a lovely little lead guitar part . . . the A to D section is OK but I tend to fudge my way through the second part of the lead with D F and G noodles with a few open strings thrown in for good measure . . .

springhead · February 2022

Not sure if this will help but it's a lovely watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bRxRqfXRB4&t=1500s

From about 23:30 Frank demonstrates the verse part and plays his lovely solo, on what looks to be a '53 goldtop.

Debbie's singing on this is fabulous too.

Jonathangus · February 2022

Ooh, good spot, @springhead . I've watched a bunch of live videos, but the camera's pretty much glued on Debbie.

Fuengi · March 2022

Wonderful song. So evocative.

My dad had this album on tape in the 70's and it was very much part of our family holidays driving through France and Spain.

guitarjack66 · March 2022

Fuengi said:

Wonderful song. So evocative.

My dad had this album on tape in the 70's and it was very much part of our family holidays driving through France and Spain.

Your Dad has good musical taste.

Fuengi · March 2022

guitarjack66 said:

Fuengi said:

Wonderful song. So evocative.

My dad had this album on tape in the 70's and it was very much part of our family holidays driving through France and Spain.

Your Dad has good musical taste.

He does. Captain Fantastic was also a staple, plus a Beatles compilation album I can't quite remember but it introduced me to all the songs of theirs you ought to know.

My eight year old also loves all this stuff now.

maw4neu · March 2022

At the end of the solo where he plays that dreamy little bit which is D F G he finishes on an A minor played high on the neck
X X 14 14 13 X followed by X X X 12 12 12 . . . . or that's how it appears on the YouTube Video . . . Either way it is a wonderful song to listen to and play . . . I think its a quickie though at 2 mins 30 ish . . . proving that good things come in small doses :-)

pedroC60 · March 2022

Your post inspired me to have a go at this. Found this on YT.. might help

shufflebeat · May 2022

Picture This and 11:59 are always my first calls when playing Spotify Roulette with my daughter in the car. She's in her early 20's and keeps me connected with the modern equivalent.

CaseOfAce · May 2022

I wonder how Chris Stein (?) came up with that jump to G# in the verses...there you are plugging away on C major and Fmaj7 and it's all very pretty... did he intend to play a G major and he landed wrong - and it caught the ear - and Debbie Harry was able to hang something off of it.
Lovely bit of songwriting.

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