Paper Ships

by Dead Man's Bones • Lesson #2 • Nov 10, 2013

About this lesson

Here’s a guitar lesson teaching you how to play Paper Ships by Dead Man’s Bones. I’ll walk you through the chord shapes, progression, and strumming needed to play all sections of the song. A great song from an amazing album — one I listen to every single October. Good luck with it!

Notes and tabs

Guitar chords used

Here is how to play the guitar chords used in this song. It is fairly standard using chords in the key of G, but you have some interesting chords being Cm and B7, which aren’t super common. Just the same, this is a great chord to learn those chords.

e-|----3----2----0----2----3----0-----
B-|----0----0----1----3----4----0-----
G-|----0----2----0----4----5----0-----
D-|----0----1----2----4----5----2-----
A-|----2----2----3----2----3----2-----
E-|----3------------------------0-----
       G    B7   C    Bm   Cm   Em

Playing the pre-chorus

One quick trick here – when you switch from the Bm to the C chord, apply your pinky on the 3rd fret of the highest string. This will sound better with the melodic voicing of the song.

e-|---2------------3--------2---------------3-------
B-|---3------------1--------3---------------1-------
G-|---4------------0--------4---------------0-------
D-|---4------------2--------4---------------2-------
A-|---2------------3--------2---------------3-------
E-|-------------------------------------------------
      Bm           C        Bm              C
     "So I hold my poems...    for ladies unknown..."

Playing the chorus

Similar to above, there is a little trick you can use here that makes the Cm to G transition easier. Instead of playing the G in open position, play it as a barre chord on the 3rd fret. Because you’ll already have the 3rd fret barred for the Cm, this makes the transition much easier.

e-|-----3---------------3--------3------------3----
B-|-----4---------------3--------4------------3----
G-|-----5---------------4--------5------------4----
D-|-----5---------------5--------5------------5----
A-|-----3---------------5--------3------------5----
E-|---------------------3---------------------3----
        Cm              G        Cm           G
     "Until my hands go weak... ohh..... I'll be..."

Chord progressions

INTRO
| G . . . | B7 . . . | C . . . | G . . . | x4

VERSE
"Sailed on a ship of paper..."
| G . . . | B7 . . . | C . . . | G . . . | x4

PRE-CHORUS
"So I hold my poems..."
| Bm . . . | C . . . | Bm . . . | C . . . |

CHORUS
"Until my hands go weak, oh..."
| Cm . . . | G . . . | Cm . . . | G . . . |
| Cm . . . | G . . . | Em . . . | C . . . |
| Cm . . . | G . . . |

Other Favorite Dead Man’s Bones Videos

In the Room Where You Sleep — single take, one room performance with the kids choir all in costume. The album version of this song is well done, but the feeling of this live one just can’t be beat.

Name in Stone - my favorite of all their songs. Another single take recording from a LA Cemetery. Haunting and strangely celebratory, as many of their songs are. I love it.

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Paper Ships

About this lesson

Notes and tabs

Guitar chords used

Playing the pre-chorus

Playing the chorus

Chord progressions

Other Favorite Dead Man’s Bones Videos

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Browse Related Lessons

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Looking for More Song Lessons?

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Beginner Chord Guide

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Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

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Blank Tabs

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Recent Lessons