“The New Year” by Death Cab for Cutie – Chords, Tabs, & How to Play

“The New Year”
Death Cab for Cutie

(Capo 3rd fret)

C
So this is the New Year,
And I don’t feel any different
The clanking of crystal
C                                                                  F
Explosions off in the distance, off in the distance…

F  –  G
F  –  G

C
So this is the New Year,
And I have no resolutions
For self-assigned pennance
For problems with easy solutions

F
So everybody put your best shirt and dress on
G
Let’s make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
F
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
G
As thirty dialogues bleed into one…

I wish the world was flat like the old days,
Then we could travel just by folding the map.
There’d be no airplanes or speed trains or freeways;
There’d be no distance that could hold us back…

F
G
There’d be no distance that could hold us back…

F
G
There’d be no distance that could hold us back…

F  –  G
F  –  G

C
So, this is the New Year…
So, this is the New Year…
So, this is the New Year…
So, this is the New Year…

** These chords and lyrics are interpretations and transcriptions, respectively, and are the sole property of the copyright holder(s). They are posted on this website free of charge for no profit for the purpose of study and commentary, as allowed for under the “fair use” provision of U.S. copyright law, and should only be used for such personal and/or academic work. **

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

Learn more songs

“Mexican Hat Dance” (Traditional cover)

By Jeremy Hammond:

I was just playing around and worked out a fun little arrangement for this traditional song that everyone will recognize.

** EDITOR’S NOTE: **

I couldn’t resist picking this as our Guest Sessions featured video of the week.  It’s a fun little song, and a fun little performance by one of our favorite contributors to the site.

We may know this popularly as the “Mexican Hat Dance,” but it is more formally known as “Jarabe tapatio.”  It was first compiled in Guadalajaran music professor Jesus Gonzalez Rubio as a medley of Mexican folk music.  It has since been honored by many as the national dance of Mexico.

This is your Guest Session electric cover song instrumental video.  We hope you’ll enjoy it!

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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“Thirteen” (Big Star Cover)

For Big Star chords, CLICK HERE!

By Chris Moore:

Hello and welcome to my first Laptop Sessions post of the new year!

Yes, 2009 will be even better than 2008.  I hope…

Seriously, though, I’m excited for all the improvements and updates that have already taken place, even in the brief five day period since New Year’s Day.  If you’re a regular visitor to this site, you should notice some of Jim’s handiwork on the front page of the site.  Go ahead, check again.  You’ll see the new scrolling pictures of our original albums (click and take a listen!!).  You’ll see the weekly calendar of sessions: Chris Moore Mondays, Jim Fusco Tuesdays, Original Wednesdays, Jeff Copperthite Thursdays, and Guest Sessions Fridays — learn ’em, love ’em!

And my personal favorite addition is our new Fusco-Moore original (well, technically, it’s just a Fusco original… :- ) loading bar with four squares.  There are some excellent features that we’ve built up over the past year, and I hope you’ll take the time to acquaint yourself with all the great material that’s available on the site.  Go ahead, explore…

For tonight’s session, I chose a pretty obscure one.  In fact, I haven’t even found a copy of the original version.  This is Big Star’s “Thirteen.”  I first heard this song when Elliott Smith’s acoustic version was released posthumously on New Moon.  This is an amazing song and Smith’s version, as far as I’m concerned, is the quintessential version.  The combination of his fingerpicking style and voice is a beautiful thing.

Just last night, I heard the Wilco cover of this song, recorded originally in 1997.  As Jeff Tweedy began to sing the lead, I instantly remembered the song.  Only, I didn’t know where I had heard it.  Thus, I rediscovered the beauty of the iPod.  I searched “Thirteen,” found my Elliott Smith version, and set out to learn the song myself.

It’s as simple as that.

That’s what we do around here.  Browse the archive for Jim Fusco Tuesdays — I’ll see you again soon!

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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“Suzanne” (Leonard Cohen Cover)

By Chris Moore:

Hi all!  I’m coming to you tonight on time for once, well before the midnight mark on my day to record an acoustic cover song music video.  Yes, it’s just after 5:00pm.  Now, you may be wondering, what act of God has caused Chris to post on time for once?

Well, the answer is quite simple.

I’m on my way out with Jim and Becky to follow up on an invitation from his cousin Sarah to have a holiday get-together.  I don’t know what that exactly entails, but I DO know that we will be watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.  That’s just what I need to jump-start this Christmas.  It’s been kind of difficult to get into the spirit of the season for a couple reasons.  Even our perfectly symmetrical (with only a little work from Jim with his hacksaw) Christmas tree hasn’t brought the Christmas spirit into my soul.

So, what better way to fix that problem than to watch one of my favorite yuletide films?

Also, I keep forgetting to grab my Christmas CDs from the shelf, so I haven’t been listening to holiday music.  I can’t wait to break out the Moody Blues, Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Barenaked Ladies, and America albums.  And, I didn’t mean to at first, but I pretty much listed them in order from my absolute favorites to my favorites.

Okay, I’m rushing this post because we really have to go.  I’m — big surprise — the only thing making us late right now, so it’s time to end this cheesy un-proofread post with a simple final paragraph…

This is my cover song version of Leonard Cohen’s classic sixties acoustic song “Suzanne.”  I’ve been listening to the 30 song PLUS “essential” Leonard Cohen songs the past two weeks, and this is certainly one of my favorites.  This song and the one I recorded a couple sessions ago, “No Way to Say Goodbye,” are so different from his later sound, but there’s plenty more Laptop Sessions left…  I’ll probably cover “Ain’t No Cure for Love” among others in the future.

For now, though, enjoy this early Leonard Cohen song and I’ll see you next session!

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

More Laptop Sessions covers