#This file is the author’s own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#——————————————————————————##
From: Harlan L Thompson
FRUIT TREE- Nick Drake
TUNING: D A D G D G (capo 2nd fret) or C G C F C F (capo 4th fret)
OPENING RIFF, RIFF 1 (2 times)
RIFF 2
Fame is but a fruit tree, so very unsound
RIFF 2
It can never flourish till its stalk is in the ground
RIFF 2
So men of fame can never find a way
RIFF 2 RIFF 1
Till time has flown far from their dying day
Forgotten while you’re here, remembered for a while
A much updated ruin, from a much outdated style
Life is but a memory, happened long ago
Theater full of sadness for the long forgotten show
Seems so easy just to let it go on by
Till you stop and wonder why you never wondered why
BRIDGE:
Eb Gmaj9/D
Safe in the womb of an everlasting night
Eb Gmaj9/D
You find the darkness can give the brightest light
Eb Gmaj9/D
Safe in your place deep in the earth
Eb Gmaj9/D
That’s when they’ll know what you’re really worth
Forgotten while you’re here, remembered for a while
A much updated ruin, from a much outdated style
REPEAT VERSE 1
Fruit tree, fruit tree
Noone knows you but the rain and the air
Don’t you worry
They’ll stand and stare when you’re gone
Fruit tree, fruit tree
Open your eyes to another year
They’ll all know
That you were here when you’re gone
OPENING RIFF (very rough guess):
G ———0————-0————-0————-|
D ——-3—3———3————-4—4———–|
G —–0——-0—–0————-2——-2—2—–| (repeat)
D -0-3———–3-2——-3-2-3-0———–0——-|
A —————————————————|
D ———————————————–0—|
RIFF 1 (simplest version):
G ———0———————————|
D ——-0—4——-4——-4—————|
G —–0——-2—2—2—2—2—2———| (repeat)
D -0h2———–0——-0——-0———–|
A ——————————————-|
D ———–0——-0——-0—————|
RIFF 2:
G
———–0—————–0—————–0—————–0———-
D
———0—0————-0—0————-0—0————-0—0——–
G
——-3——-3———3——-3———3——-3———3——-3——
D
—–0———–0—–0———–0—–0———–0—–0———–0—-
A
—————————————————————————-
D
-0-5—————5-4—————4-3—————3-2——————
FINAL SECTION (play like riff 2, but longer between changes):
Dsus4addBb/G: 5 0 0 3 0 0 Dsus4addBb/F#: 4 0 0 3 0 0 Dsus4addBb/F: 3 0
0 3 0 0
Dsus4addBb/E: 2 0 0 3 0 0 Dsus4addBb/Eb: 1 0 0 3 0 0 Dsus4addBb: 0 0 0
3 0 0
OTHER CHORDS: Eb: 1 0 1 0 1 0 Gmaj9/D: 0 0 0 2 4 0
NOTE: This is pretty rough- I can’t hear much under those strings. I
was particularly unclear on the intro. I hope someone can fix this up a bit.
(from Five Leaves Left, 1969)
