Frank Black and the Catholics
The Man Who Was Too Loud 
© 1998 Frank Black
© 1998 spinART records
tabbed by:  jmeronk@ix.netcom.com
 

This song is truly a masterpiece of composition.  It can really be broken into two halves as follows:

The first intro verse is in F, the second verse is in C. The song goes back to F
for the first solo, and into A# for the first break.  

The song stays in A# for the third verse, followed by the fourth verse in F. The
song returns to A# for the second solo, and into the last break in D#, landing
firmly on A# for the last chord.  

After all this, Frank threatens to start it all again in F, but decides he has
had enough.  All without sounding the least bit complicated or contrived. This
tune is a real rollercoaster to play, but not extremely difficult if you can
remember what key to go into next. Have fun!


Use standard barre chords for all except:

F*  G*  A*  C*  D*  E* Dsus Dm A#Maj7 A#6 Gsus  Gm D#Maj7 D#6
x---x---x---x---x---x--------5---5----5---8-----10---10---10----8-
x---x---x---x---x---x----8---6---3----3---11----13---11---8-----8-
2---4---6---9---11--1----7---7---3----3---10----12---12---8-----8-
3---5---7---10--12--2----7---7---3----3---8-----12---12---8-----8-
3---5---7---10--12--2----5---5---x----x---8-----10---10---x-----x-
x---x---x---x---x---x----x---x---x----x---x-----x----x----x-----x-

VERSE 1
F*        G*       A*       C*  
though he loved to rock and roll
D*        E*   F*
all these many years
   F*     G*       A*     C*        D*                Am
he cared about the old people's and little children's ears
F         G    A          C
though he was a guitar man
     D      E            F
he reflected and he vowed
F     G     A       C
never will I ever be 
   G*   G*    A*
no n'er n'er again
    G       G      
the man who was too loud

C  C(add?)  C  C(add?)*

VERSE 2
C              C(add?)
Johnny's not a poor man
C                     G
no, he never gets him down
Am             F              G     F
now that he is free he is not proud
C                 C(add?)
he don't need the power
C              G
just to make a sound
Am            Fm                  G
he is not the man that he used to be
            F               G
oh, no, the man who was too loud 

SOLO 1 (solo at the bottom)
F G A C D E F
F G A C F5 F5 A

BREAK
A#(pos 6)   Dsus Dm
I will play soft-ly
G           Dsus Dm     A#Maj7 A#6 G
I will play soft-ly, so soft-  ly  now
F                A#              G    C
'cause I was the man who was too loud 


VERSE 3  
A#         C        Dm       F  
it's not because he don't respect
    G       A     A#  
the popular music star
    A#     C       Dm   F          A#          A#      Dm
you know I saw him open up for the king of the surf guitar
A#     C        Dm       F
do not think he does not like 
    G        A      A# 
the cheering of the crowd
A#        C         Dm           F    
no, he is glad that they came to see
    A#      A#      D (note: NOT Dm)
the man who used to be 
    A#      A#      
the man who was to loud

F  F(add?)  F  F(add?)*

VERSE 4 
F (pos 8)   F(add?)
Johnny is a rich man
F     F5 E5    D#5  D5 C
yeah, he still gets a- round
Dm            A#             C     A#
he is glad to be the cat who meowed
F                 F(add?)
he don't need the power 
F (stop)        C  
just to get his sound
Dm            A#m                 C
he is not the man that he used to be 
           A#             C  
oh no, the man who was to loud

SOLO 2
A# C Dm F G A A#
A# C Dm F A#5 A#5 Dm

BREAK 2
D#(pos 11)  Gsus Gm
I will play soft-ly
C(pos 8)    Gsus Gm     D#Maj7 D#6 C
I will play soft-ly, so soft-  ly  now
A#               D#              C    
'cause I was the man who was too loud 
F                 D#.......... A# 
I was way too loud        yeah!

VERSE 5
F*        G*       A*       C*   D*
though he loved to rock and roll

ah, better not...


Solo 1 (tabbed by ratbert99x@aol.com):

E-------------------------------------------------------------0--1--0-
B--1--1-1--0--0-0----------------1--1--0-0-----------0--1--3----------
G------------------2-2----------------------2--0--2-------------------
D-----------------------2--2-2----------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------

 ----------0----------------1--0-----------
 -3--1--3-----3--1----------------3--1-----
 -------------------2--0----------------2--
 ------------------------------------------
 ------------------------------------------
 ------------------------------------------

   *C  C(add?) rhythm
G---------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------
A-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--
E-8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8---
 
   *F  F(add?)
G----------------------------------------------------
D-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12---
A-8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8----
E----------------------------------------------------