Taylor Swift (ft. The Civil Wars) – Safe and Sound (Tab)

Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars – Safe and Sound (Tab)

Some suggested I do an instrumental cover of this one and my immediate – and correct – reaction was, “Hell no!” But the more I thought about it the more I fancied the challenge of marrying the guitar and vocal parts together on the uke. Because of that, I didn’t make too many compromises in the arrangement. So it’s pretty tricky.

I’m using a few different picking-hand techniques:

Intro and verse: I’m picking with thumb on the C-string, index on the E and middle on the A.

Toni-i-i-i-ight bit: One finger per string with thumb on g, index on C etc.

Chorus: I’m using my thumb for the notes on the g and C; and flicking up with my index finger for the E and A strings.

Middle: Mostly flicking up with the index finger with some strumming on the full chords.

You also need a bit of thinking ahead on the fretting hand. I’ve included some fingering in suggestions in bar 5 and they apply to the similar moves that happen through the song.

Remember to the notes in brackets more softly so they fade into the background.

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32 Comments

  1. Liluke November 8th, 2012 6:15 pm

    Omg. You are my hero. O/.O/ I have looked everywhere for this! Thank you!

  2. Isaac Fox November 9th, 2012 12:32 am

    Thank you so much for this, is there an option to include the notation for it in future tabs? I’d like to put it into finale and transpose it around:)

  3. Matthew Kelly November 9th, 2012 5:55 am

    Thank god you changed your mind, I absolutely love this song. Exams are over so now all my time can be spent practising this. Thanks Woodshed, you are king.

  4. Woodshed November 9th, 2012 9:58 am

    Liluke: Thanks! Where do I collect my medal?

    Isaac: Sorry, I avoid notation so I’m not horning in on standard notation that’s officially released.

    Matthew: Congrats on getting through the exams. Good luck with the practicing.

  5. Ivey November 9th, 2012 2:23 pm

    Fantastic! Thanx for sharing your talents Sir Al!

  6. gilles le gat November 9th, 2012 4:00 pm

    bravo;))

  7. KT November 10th, 2012 1:49 am

    Sounds great, I can’t wait to try it out. Idk if i have the skills tho

  8. Woodshed November 10th, 2012 12:22 pm

    Ivey: Thanks! I’m blushing!

    gilles: Thank you!

    KT: Good luck with it.

  9. JSM November 11th, 2012 4:32 am

    Awesome stuff there…
    I was wondering, can u make a tab for the song both of us by bob feat taylor swift?? I’ve been searching them on the internet but i cant find one…. TQ.
    P.S. Your AWESOME :]

  10. jerika November 11th, 2012 9:38 pm

    So good!

  11. Woodshed November 12th, 2012 2:16 pm

    jerika: Glad you like it!

  12. jackalope November 12th, 2012 6:55 pm

    your fingering is so graceful, man, it’s like watching a beautiful dance. but please, no more taylor swift songs! (this one is ok, but only because The Civil Wars helped her)

  13. Woodshed November 13th, 2012 9:09 am

    jackalope: I promise no more!

  14. Tasha November 28th, 2012 9:36 am

    Thank you so much! ^^

  15. Woodshed November 28th, 2012 9:39 am

    Tasha: You’re very welcome!

  16. Iris December 11th, 2012 10:18 am

    You’re awesome!
    It Sounds amazing!
    Thanks for your sharing!!

  17. Woodshed December 11th, 2012 12:34 pm

    Iris: Thanks very much!

  18. joanna March 14th, 2013 7:52 pm

    Wow. Amazing. Awesome. One day i will be able to play this haha!

  19. joanna March 14th, 2013 7:52 pm

    More taylor swift songs! :D

  20. Woodshed March 15th, 2013 8:13 am

    joanna: Thanks! Good luck with it.

  21. Harry March 26th, 2013 8:33 pm

    I was wondering what uke you were using?

  22. Woodshed March 27th, 2013 8:42 am

    Harry: A KoAloha Sceptre.

  23. Bekah December 24th, 2013 7:40 pm

    Beautiful! Thank you for making this, you’re super talented!!

  24. Woodshed December 25th, 2013 10:59 am

    Bekah: Thanks very much! Glad you like it.

  25. SuperS January 21st, 2014 12:22 am

    Wow! I never new this song on the ukulele could sound this beautiful. I was looking for a song to play for our school talent show next year and hopefully I will be able to play this song! Sounds so beautiful!

  26. Woodshed January 21st, 2014 8:17 am

    SuperS: Thanks! Good luck in the talent show.

  27. Schwartz February 12th, 2015 2:37 am

    My friend and I want to play this song together, and she’s on guitar. She asked me what key the song is in, and I have no clue. Anyone know?

  28. Woodshed February 12th, 2015 7:50 pm

    Schwartz: It’s in Bb. If your friend puts a capo on the fifth fret the tabs can be played on the top four strings of her guitar.

  29. Nile May 5th, 2015 2:17 pm

    wow its so amazing….hope there will be a tutorial

  30. Woodshed May 5th, 2015 2:24 pm

    Nile: Sorry, I don’t do tutorials.

  31. Ricky September 20th, 2016 4:21 pm

    all of your videos are amazing You’ll be the greatest guy ever if you did tutorials as well

  32. Woodshed September 21st, 2016 9:44 am

    Ricky: Thanks! Sorry, not going to happen!

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