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Artist: Pixies
Song: Cactus
Verses x2 x2
G||---------|---------||---------|---------||---------|---------||
D||---------|---------||---------|---------||---------|---------||
A||---------|---------||---------|---------||---------|---------||
E||-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-||-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-||-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-||
x2
G||---------|---------||---------|---------|---------||
D||---------|---------||---------|---------|---------||
A||---------|---------||---------|-3-3-3-3-|-5-5-5-5-||
E||-3-3-3-3-|-0-0-0-0-||-5-5-5-5-|---------|---------||
open E between verses
Outro
G|--------|--------------||
D|-7------|-7--5---------||
A|--------|-------7--5---||
E|--------|--------------||
Taken from The BassMasta -- http://www.bassmasta.net
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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No Picture
Steph Badass |
#1 by Steph at Mar 31, 1971 at 2:22 PM EST |
| I know I'm probably wrong, but it could be a guy in jail who left his girlfriend (like you would have to) while he was in jail, she then runs off and he's not sure if SHE'S writing to him, if she went off with someone else or she could even be dead. | |
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No Picture
The Fever...The Average |
#2 by The Fever...The Focus x at Jan 8, 1974 at 2:22 AM EST |
| In reply to goodmorningmisterben: I say this because of Black's track record with depicting morally-warped characters, and *as previously suggested* the fact that this guy is in prison in the first place connotes that he is a questionable character, and dude - the guy is most likely obsessed! I mean, he wants her blood! Now when I say "pervy" I'm not speaking in sexual terms necessarily, but rather how his mind has become warped through his isolation from the one he has become obsessed with. I can see how using the term "cross-dressing" in the same sentence could've led you to think that differently though, now. However, the following comparison I made of his character to that of the guy (forget his name) in the Psycho movie was not of a person who is sexually perverted, but emotionally & mentally, through the internalisation of his deceased mother's memory. It just seemed to strike up a similar chord to me. Just making an observation & suggestion specific to this 'story', that's all - not a general analysis on a 'type of person'. I'm not by any means making a personal comment on whether or not a guy should or should not take this action, but in the context of the rest of this song, it seems quite suggestive to me. I maybe wrong, but it's just an interpretation as to what Black's trying to imply. | |
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No Picture
Ben Rhythm Player |
#3 by Ben at Apr 8, 1974 at 5:20 AM EST |
| I read what Black Francis said about this song - it is about a guy in prison. The references to the blood aren't about murder, though. The guy in prison misses his girlfriend and all he has is letters, when what he wants is something with her smell, something from her body, because "a letter in your writing doesn't mean you're not dead." So he says she should cut her hands on a cactus, wipe it on her dress and send him that instead of a letter; alternatively she should get hot in the desert and sweat in her dress, or spill food on it - anything to get a smell that reminds him of her. The Bowie cover is pretty cool, that whole album is good actually. I like to imaging Bowie sitting at home listening to the Pixies - kind of cements to me the importance of the Pixies in modern music. | |
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No Picture
Average |
#4 by Katharina Tief at Jun 4, 1975 at 7:11 AM EST |
| Has any one noticed that as the song goes on and Black Francis's desire for the person he's missing grows, his instincts grow more and more primal. First he just wants her smell, then he wants the dress to be covered in wine and food then finally he wants blood. | |
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No Picture
Basstard Professional |
#5 by Basstard at May 13, 1976 at 10:56 AM EST |
| i agree with everything Foureyedlame-o said, excpet for the word "rad" thats just WRONG, the word "rad" is plainly and simply just WRONG | |
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No Picture
chris the pirat Lead Player |
#6 by chris the pirate. arr at Jun 18, 1981 at 11:12 AM EST |
| I heard Bowie do this track live the other day - totally awesome cover version! Rocked harder than the original in terms of guitar distortion etc. - not that anything could be better than the Pixies version, of course. He also talked about the Pixies, how great they are, and how people should check them out because they are reforming. It was very cool to hear him say that, because there were so many lame baby boomers at the concert who were only there because they have heard of Bowie, not because they're really into his music - at least the man himself is still in touch with the scene, anyway. | |
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No Picture
Andres Wanna Be |
#7 by Andres Hernandez at Mar 29, 1985 at 4:48 PM EST |
| Holy shit I love this song. I do believe it deals with borderline obsession where you'll want to have/own a partical of clothing of that particular person. Wait, it seems quite healthy to me. | |
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No Picture
Old Jigi Average |
#8 by Old Jigi at Oct 28, 1985 at 8:19 PM EST |
| It's about missing someone so much you just wish you had something with their smell or scent on it in your possession | |
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No Picture
pharaoh shane Rhythm Player |
#9 by pharaoh shane at Nov 27, 1987 at 4:54 AM EST |
| It's actually spelling out "Catus" not "Pixies" | |
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No Picture
hnmhgn Average |
#10 by hnmhgn Chnhn at Dec 22, 1989 at 1:44 AM EST |
| I've also always thought it was "dine." | |
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No Picture
RTBM Professional |
#11 by RTBM at Nov 27, 1991 at 2:24 AM EST |
| yep gets very obbessesed. | |
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No Picture
Remi Average |
#12 by Remi Frenette at Jun 28, 1994 at 4:34 AM EST |
| could be about a guy who killed his girlfriend and lies even to himself about it. or caitsith01 is right. i also thought it was about a stalker till i looked at the lyrics | |
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No Picture
Justin Wanna Be |
#13 by Justin Thibeault at Mar 22, 1995 at 1:52 AM EST |
| I heard somewhere that the character in this song is in jail(sitting here wishing on a cement floor). not sure if thats true, but its still a great song and further prooves that the pixies do indeed rock. | |
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No Picture
John Average |
#14 by John Tinsley at Sep 12, 1995 at 2:29 AM EST |
| The sexiest love song ever written. | |
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No Picture
PunkrockScotty Wanna Be |
#15 by PunkrockScotty at Dec 16, 1995 at 4:56 PM EST |
| paranoidandroid, i heard the same thing also, seems there's murder or something involved "bloody your hands" "doesn't mean your'e not dead" "When your'e dying" i'm not sure what to make of it, but maybe someone more talented than me can make something of this lead | |
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No Picture
qaz1 Average |
#16 by qaz1 qaz1 at Jun 28, 2007 at 2:15 PM EST |
| I always thought it was dine, not dying. He's talking about spilling food and wine on the dress, so "dine" isn't much of a stretch. | |
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