How to Play “She Talks to Angels Chords” by The Black Crowes on Guitar

“She Talks to Angels” is a song by the American rock band The Black Crowes, released in 1990 as the third single from their debut album Shake Your Money Maker. The song is a ballad about a woman who is addicted to drugs and claims to communicate with angels. The song was written by the band’s lead singer Chris Robinson and his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson.

The song is notable for its acoustic guitar arrangement, which features an open E tuning with the G string tuned up to G#. This tuning creates a rich and resonant sound that suits the mood of the song. The song also uses a capo on the second fret, which transposes the chords to F# minor. The song consists of four basic chords: E, F#m7add11, D, and A. The E chord is played with a hammer-on on the G string, which adds some melodic variation. The F#m7add11 chord is played by barring the fourth fret and adding the pinky on the seventh fret of the B string. The D and A chords are played in their standard shapes.

Chords

[Intro]
E
 
[Verse 1]
                              E
She never mentions the word "addiction"
 
In certain company
                              E
Yes, she'll tell you she's an orphan
 
After you meet her family
 
[Interlude]
| B   | A   | E   | E   | x2
 
[Verse 2]
                                 E
She paints her eyes as black as night now
 
Pulls those shades down tight
                                   E
Yeah, she gives a smile when the pain come
 
The pain gonna make everything alright
 
[Chorus]
                  B       A
Says she talks to angels
                  E
They call her out by her name
                      B        A
Oh yeah, she talks to angels
                       E
Says they call her out by her name
 
[Verse 3]
                                 E
She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket
 
She wears a cross around her neck
                         E
Yes, the hair is from a little boy
 
And the cross is someone she has not met
 
Not yet
 
[Chorus]
                  B       A
Says she talks to angels
                  E
They call her out by her name
                      B        A
Oh yeah, she talks to angels
                       E
Says they call her out by her name
 
[Bridge]
A                  E
She don't know no lover
A                 E
None that I ever seen
A                        E
Yeah, to her that ain't nothin'
        A
But to me, it means
         E
Means everything
 
[Verse 2]
                                 E
She paints her eyes as black as night now
 
Pulls those shades down tight
                                   E
Yeah, she gives a smile when the pain come
 
The pain gonna make everything alright
 
[Chorus]
                  B       A
Says she talks to angels
                  E
They call her out by her name
                      B        A
Oh yeah, she talks to angels
                       E
Says they call her out by her name
 
[Outro]
                   B     A
Oh, ooh, oh, oh, angels
                   E
They call her out by her name
                          B      A
Oh, oh, oh, she talks to angels
 
They call her out
B          A
Yeah, ee, eah, eah, eah
 
Call her out
B                    A
Don't you know that they
              E
Call her out by her name?

Intro

The intro of the song is played by fingerpicking the chords E and F#m7add11, with some embellishments on the high strings. The intro also features some natural harmonics on the 12th and 7th frets, which create a bell-like sound. The intro is repeated twice before the first verse begins.

Verse

The verse of the song follows the same chord progression as the intro, but with a different picking pattern. The verse is sung by Chris Robinson, who delivers a soulful and emotional vocal performance. The lyrics describe the troubled life of the woman who talks to angels, and how she hides her addiction from others. The verse ends with a short interlude that repeats the intro chords once.

Chorus

The chorus of the song changes the chord progression to B, A, E, and F#m7add11. The chorus is sung by Chris Robinson with backing vocals from Rich Robinson and other band members. The lyrics reveal that the woman claims to talk to angels, who call her out by her name. The chorus also implies that she has a religious faith that helps her cope with her situation. The chorus ends with a repeat of the intro chords.

Bridge

The bridge of the song is played over an A chord, with some variations on the bass notes. The bridge is sung by Chris Robinson, who expresses his feelings for the woman and how he wishes he could help her. The bridge also suggests that he is in love with her, but she does not reciprocate his feelings. The bridge ends with a repeat of the verse chords.

Outro

The outro of the song repeats the verse chords until the end, with some variations on the picking pattern. The outro also features some ad-lib vocals from Chris Robinson, who sings some improvised lines that echo the theme of the song. The outro fades out gradually until only the acoustic guitar remains.

Conclusion

“She Talks to Angels” is a beautiful and haunting song that showcases the talent and creativity of The Black Crowes. The song combines a folk-inspired acoustic guitar arrangement with a bluesy and soulful vocal delivery. The song also tells a compelling story of a woman who struggles with addiction and finds solace in her faith. The song is one of the band’s most popular and acclaimed songs, and has been covered by many artists over the years. If you want to learn how to play this song on guitar, you can find some tabs and tutorials online. You can also listen to the original recording or watch some live performances on YouTube .