"Pretending to Care"
 Todd Rundgren
 From the album "A Capella" (1985)
 Transcribed by Brian Canfield

 I love this song (especially after hearing that live rendition last year), and I've been
 meaning to transcribe it into something playable. Even though there's no instruments per se,
 the wall of voices can still be translated into chords (like Lin Sprague did for "Johnee Jingo").


 Intro:

 G/C   C/F   F/Bb   Bb/Eb

 Eb/Ab   G7   E/F#   Fmaj9


 Verse:

 Bm/E             Cmaj7
Today I am your chariot horse

 Bm/E               A7
Tomorrow I'm your albatross

   C             D
Suspended by the finest thread

 Bm7               C
No one could ever see

   Bm/E                   Cmaj7
And when there's breathing in your ear

 Bm/E                  A7
You put your faith in all you hear

   C                   D
But just how deep those feelings go

 Bm7              C
I have no way to know

 Bm7         C
I'll never know

 F        Bb
If I was blind

 Gm7                  Dm7
Would you still be my eyes

Gm  Am   Bb        C    Am
Or hide everything you see

 F/A      C/Bb        Bb       F/Bb       F         Bb
(A-C-F)   (G-C-E)   (F-Bb-D)   (F-A-C)
 Pre      tend       ing         to      care about me

 Gm7         Dm7
When all the time

 Gm      Am    Bb       C    Am
You're just wishing I'd fade away

  F/A      C/Bb        Bb       F/Bb      Csus4     C
 (A-C-F)   (G-C-E)   (F-Bb-D)   (F-A-C)
 You       can't      bring     your     self      to

 Bm/E              Cmaj7    (etc..as before)
Say out loud the reasons why
You won't admit you realize
The promise you've been living by
Is just an empty shell
You'll come to bear it like a cross
Then start to tear it like frayed gauze
Though I'm ashamed to be afraid
I just can't help myself
Can't help myself

--------------------------------------

The song sounds good on an acoustic guitar, or a piano. I mostly indicated straight chords..the only
part where I did specific voicings was for the part where Todd sings, "Pretending to care about me.."

You can play the chords however you want, I've indicated mostly barre chords..

Chords used in the verse:

Bm/E =  x79777
Cmaj7 = x35453
A7 =    575655
C  =    x35553
D  =    x57775
Bm7 =   x24232

Chords used in the chorus:

F =  133211
Bb = 688766
Gm = 355333
Am = 577555
Dm7 = x57565

 F/A      C/Bb        Bb       F/Bb
 x0756x   6x555x     x1333x   x1321x
 Pre      tend        ing      to

Csus4 = x35563

Questions/Comments: dontpoll@aol.com