AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE: THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONITE

  For a long time this was my favorite song on the album.  It reminded me of staying at a friend's house in the middle of nowhere because it has this sort of lonely community feel to it, which is where I was at the time.  The lyrics are fairly whimsical, loosely based on The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and as I've said I won't get into too much interpretation with Stipe's lyrics, this is definitely one of the tunes I'll shy away from.  To me, it's a bit depressing and is simply about someone who doesn't want to be reached.  The band rarely plays the song live ... in fact, perhaps they never played it ... the band doesn't seem to think that the song fits anywhere.  I personally think it could've been pretty cool live, but by the time they were playing live again, they had a monster to deal with.  According to Buck, the track is "a little too lightweight."
  Some notes on the chorus.  The official lyric sheets throw the word "me" in the line.  However, because of Stipe's accent, the word "When" sometimes sounds with a long 'e.'  Particularly because of the short 'a' in "Call."  Also, when you sing the second part, try dropping the hard 'C' sound at the beginning of "Call" ... it all falls into place.  In the bridge, I spelled out the word 'Wreaked' to be pronounced like 'wrecked' as it can have either pronunciation.





THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONITE

Dee, dee, dee, dee

Dee, dee, dee, dee

This here is the place where I will be stayin’
There isn't a number, you can call the pay phone
Let it ring a long, long, long, long time
If I don't pick up, hang up, call back let it ring some more

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa
If I don't pick up, pick up, the sidewinder sleep, sleep, sleeps in a coil

Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her

Oh

There’s scratches all around the coin slot
Like a heartbeat baby, tryin’ to wake up
But this machine can only swallow money
You can't lay a patch by computer design
With just a lot of stupid, stupid signs

Tell her, oh, oh, whoa
Tell her she can kiss my ass and laugh and say that you were only kidding
That way she'll know that it's really, really, really, really me, me

Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her

Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her

Oh

Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me
Today I need something more sub-stub-sub-sub-substantial
My can of beans or black-eyed peas, some Nescafe and ice,
A candy bar, a falling star, or a reading from Dr. Seuss

Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her

Oh

The cat in the hat came back

Wreaked a lot of havoc on the way
Always had a smile and a reason to pretend
But their world has flat backgrounds and little need to sleep but to dream
The sidewinder sleeps on his back

Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her

I can always sleep standing up

Call when you try to wake her

Oh
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
Call when you try to wake her up

Call when you try to wake her

I can always sleep standing up

Call when you try to wake her

Oh
Call when you try to wake her up
Call when you try to wake her
I can always sleep standing up

Call when you try to wake her

I can always sleep standing up

Call when you try to wake her

We've gotta moogie, moogie, move on this one


   This is a fairly easy one ... just some barred chords and a little riff ... overall it sounds better if you play the chords the entire time.  During the chorus, remember to strum the chords up and staccato ... 

THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONITE

Tune up 1/2 step for album

Chorus: Chords

e|-2---3---0---0------0---0---|

B|-3---3---1---1------1---0---|

G|-2---0---0---2------0---0---|

D|-0---0---2---2------2---2---|

A|-----2---3---0------3---2---|

E|-----3---0---0-x3---0---0---|

Chorus: Fill

e|--2-2-3------------0---0----|

B|-3-3---5-3-5-----1--1---0---|

G|------------x3----0---0-----|

D|---------------------2------|

A|----------------------------|

E|----------------------------|

Verse:

e|--8----8----8----8----8----5---8---|

B|-10----8---10----8---10----5---8---|

G|-10----9---10----9---10----5---9---|

D|-10---10---10---10---10----7--10---|

A|--8---10----8---10----8----7--10---|

E|--8----8----8----8----8----5---8---|

Bridge:

e|---2---2---0---0--------2---2---0---0--0------|

B|----3---3---1---1--------3---3---1---1-0------|

G|--4---4---2---2--------4---4---2---0---0------|

D|-4---4---2---2---x2---4---4---2---2----2------|

A|---------------------------------------2------|

E|---------------------------------------0------|

End after Chorus with D