Life Aint Fair And The World Is Mean - Sturgill Simpson

Life Aint Fair And The World Is Mean tabs

[Intro]
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E|--0--0--0--3--3--4--4--|
e|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------2----------------------------------|
D|-------------2h4--2------------2--2h4--2---------------------|
A|--0--3h4--0----------3h4------------------3h4--0-------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------3b4--0-----|
e|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------2---------------------------------|
A|-------------2h4--2------------2--4--2--5--2--4--2----------|
E|--0--3h4--0----------3h4----------------------------3b4--0--|
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------2-------------------------------|
D|------------------------1----------------------------------|
A|-------------0--1--2----------0h2--0-----------------------|
E|--0--3h4--0---------------------------3b4--0---------------|

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e|--------------------------|-------------------------|
B|--------------------------|-------------------------|
G|--0b2---------------------|--0b2--------------------|
D|-------2~--0h2p0------2~--|-------2~--0h2p0---------|
A|--------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-----------------3b4------|-----------------3b4--0--|
  PM-----|   PM-----|   PM-----|   PM-------|
e|-------0----------0----------0----------------|
B|----0--0-------0--0-------0--0----------------|
G|----1--1-------1--1-------1--1-------1--------|
D|----------------------------------------------|
A|------------2---------------------0-----2p0---| x2
E|--0--------------------0----------------------|
[Verse 1]
  PM------|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|
e|--------0----------0---|--------0----------0---|--------0----------0---|--------0----------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0----------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0---| x2
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0----------------------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|    PM-----|   PM--|           PM----|   PM-----|
e|--------0----------0---|------------------------|--------------------------|--------0----------0---|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|-----2--2-----------------|-----0--0-------0--0---|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|-----2--2-------2---------|-----1--1-------1--1---|
D|-----------------------|------------------------|-----2--2-----------------|-----------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--0----------0------------|-------------2---------|
E|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|-------------------3b4r0--|--0--------------------|
  PM------|  PM------|    PM------|  PM--------|    PM-|
e|--------0----------0---|--------0---------------|-----|------------------|
e|--------0----------0---|--------0---------------|-----|------------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|--4--|------------------|
D|-----------------------|------------------------|--4--|------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--2--|--2--1p0----------|
E|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|-----|----------3b4r0---|
e|-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------0--0--|
B|-------------------------------------------|--------0----------0-----0-----0---0--0--0--0--|
G|-----1----------1--------------------------|-----1----------1-----------1------1--1--1--1--|
D|-------------2-----------------------------|----------------------2------------------------|
A|--------0h2------------0h2--0--2--1p0------|-----------0h2---------------------------------|
E|--0---------------0-------------------3b4--|--0--------------------------------------------|
[Verse 2]
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|        PM--|
e|--------0----------0---|--------0----------0---|--------0----------0---|--------0---------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------0--0--|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1---------1--1--|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------0h2--------| x2
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM--|           PM-----|   PM--|           PM-----|   PM-----|
e|--------0----------0---|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------0----------0---|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-----------------|-----2--2-----------------|-----0--0-------0--0---|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1---------|-----2--2-------2---------|-----1--1-------1--1---|
D|-----------------------|--------------------------|-----2--2-----------------|-----------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2------------|--0----------0------------|-------------2---------|
E|--0--------------------|--0----------------3b4r0--|-------------------3b4r0--|--0--------------------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|    PM-----|
e|--------0----------0---|--------0---------------|------------------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|-----4--4---------------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|-----4--4---------------------|
D|-----------------------|------------------------|------------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--2--------2--0---------------|
E|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|-----------------3b4r0--------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM--|
e|--------0----------0---|--------------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-----------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1---------|
D|-----------------------|--------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2------------|
E|--0--------------------|--0----------------3b4r0--|
[Chorus]
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM--|           PM----|        PM--|    PM----|   PM-----|
e|-----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|
B|-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2--2-----------------|----0--0---------0--0--|----0--0-------0--0---|
G|-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2--2-------2---------|----1--1---------1--1--|----1--1-------1--1---|
D|-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2--2-----------------|-----------------------|----------------------|
A|--0--------------------|--0----------0------------|------------0h2--------|------------0---------|
E|-------------0---------|-------------------3b4r0--|--0--------------------|--0-------------------| 
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|
e|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|
   PM-------|   PM-----|    PM--------|   PM-------|    PM------|   PM-----|    PM------|   PM-----|
e|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|
B|------------------------|---------------------------|------2--2-------2--2--|-----2--2-------2--2--|
G|-----4------------4--4--|-----4-------------4-------|------2--2-------2--2--|-----2--2-------2--2--|
D|-----4------------4--4--|-----4-------------4-------|------2--2-------2--2--|-----2--2-------2--2--|
A|--2-----2p0-------------|--2------2p0----------2\1--|--0--------------------|--0-------------------|
E|---------------2--------|----------------2----------|--------------0--------|-------------0--------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|    PM-----|   PM-|
e|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|-------------------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|-----4--4------4---------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|-----4--4------4---------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--2----------------------|
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|-------------2----3b4r0--|
[Solo]
e|-----------3--0----------------------------------|
B|--------------------3--0-------------------------|
G|--------------------------1----------------------|
D|--------2----------------------------------------|
A|-----2-------------------------------------------|
E|--0---------------------------0--0--3--0--4--0---|
e|---------------------------5---------------------|
B|------------------------------5--5---------------|
G|----------------------4b6--------6r4--2----------|
D|--2----------2h4--2------------------------------|
A|--0--3h4--0--------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|------------2b3r--2b3r2p0-----0------------------|
D|--4p0--2p0-----------------2---------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
                             PM-----------|
e|----------------------5b7--7--7--7--7--7---------|
B|-------3--5--3-----3-----------------------------|
G|--2/4-----------4--------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
e|--5--3-------------------------------------------|
B|-----3--5--3-----3-------------------------------|
G|--------------4-----4\2p0-----0------------------|
D|---------------------------2-----2~--------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|--0b2-----------0--------------------------------|
D|-------2~--0h2----------2------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------3b4---------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|--0b2----------------------------------------------|
D|-------2~--0h2--0----------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------3b4--0--------------------------|
[Verse 3]
   PM--|   PM-----|     PM-----|                    PM--|   PM-----|            PM--|
e|--------------------|---------------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------|
B|-----0-------0--0---|-----0--0------------------|-----0-------0--0---|------------0------------------|
G|-----1-------1--1---|-----1--1------------------|-----1-------1--1---|------------1------------------|
D|--------------------|---------------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------|
A|----------2---------|-------------2--0----------|----------2---------|---------2-----2--0------------|
E|--0-----------------|--0----------------3b4r0---|--0-----------------|--3b4r0--------------3b4r0-----|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|
e|--------0----------0---|--------0----------0---|--------0----------0---|--------0----------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0----------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0---| x2
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0----------------------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|    PM-----|   PM--|           PM-----|   PM-----|
e|--------0----------0---|------------------------|--------------------------|--------0----------0---|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|-----2--2-----------------|-----0--0-------0--0---|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|-----2--2-------2---------|-----1--1-------1--1---|
D|-----------------------|------------------------|-----2--2-----------------|-----------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--0----------0------------|-------------2---------|
E|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|-------------------3b4r0--|--0--------------------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM--|          PM-|  Harm----|
e|-----------------------|--------------------------|-----|-----------|
e|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-----------------|-----|-----------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1---------|--4--|-----------|
D|-----------------------|--------------------------|--4--|-----------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2------------|--2--|--12b14----|
E|--0--------------------|--0----------------3b4r0--|-----|-----------|
[Chorus]
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM--|           PM----|        PM--|
e|-----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
B|-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2--2-----------------|----0--0---------0--0--|-------------------------|
G|-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2--2-------2---------|----1--1---------1--1--|-------------------------|
D|-----2--2-------2--2---|-----2--2-----------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
A|--0--------------------|--0----------0------------|------------0h2--------|-----2--0----------------|
E|-------------0---------|-------------------3b4r0--|--0--------------------|--0--------3b4r0--3b4r0--| 
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|
e|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|
   PM-------|   PM-----|    PM--------|   PM-------|    PM------|   PM-----|    PM------|   PM-----|
e|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
B|------------------------|---------------------------|------2--2-------2--2--|------2--2-------2--2--|
G|-----4------------4--4--|-----4-------------4-------|------2--2-------2--2--|------2--2-------2--2--|
D|-----4------------4--4--|-----4-------------4-------|------2--2-------2--2--|------2--2-------2--2--|
A|--2-----2p0-------------|--2------2p0----------2\1--|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|
E|---------------2--------|----------------2----------|--------------0--------|--------------0--------|
   PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-----|     PM-----|   PM-------|    PM-----|   PM-|
e|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0-------0--0---|-----0--0---------------|-------------------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1--1---|-----1--1-------1-------|-----4--4------4---------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|-----4--4------4---------|
A|-------------2---------|-------------2---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--2----------------------|
E|--0--------------------|--0--------------------|--0---------------------|-------------2----3b4r0--|
  PM------|   PM-----|    PM-|                       PM-----|   PM-------|    PM-----|   PM-|
e|----------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
B|-----0--0-------0--0--|--------------------------|-----0--0---------------|-----------------------|
G|-----1--1-------1--1--|----1---------------------|-----1--1-------1-------|-----4--4------4-------|
D|----------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-----4--4------4-------|
A|-------------2--------|-------------2--0---------|-------------2-----2p0--|--2--------------------|
E|--0-------------------|--0---3b4r0--------3b4r0--|--0---------------------|-------------2----3b4--|
[Outro]
e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--0-----------------------------------|
D|-----4--2----0------------------------|
A|----------------4--2----2--0----------|
E|------------------------------3b4--0--|
************************************
| x   Dead note
| h   Hammer-on
| p   Pull-off
| r   Release
| b   Bend
| br  Bend release
| ~   Vibrato
| PM  Palm mute
************************************


How to play "Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean" Chords

on acoustic guitar

This Tutorial walks you through the unmistakable live take debuted at the

Americana Music Festival—Tele-twang, palm-mute pulse, and a mischievous grin.

Take it slow, taste every hammer-on.


==================================

Song Overview

Key: E major (no capo).
Tempo: 104 BPM, quarter-note train-beat feel.  -->
Difficulty: Intermediate—steady right-hand muting and fast hammer-ons.
Live tuning: Standard (E A D G B E), nothing fancy.


Chords Used

E     0 2 2 1 0 0
A     X 0 2 2 2 0
B7    X 2 1 2 0 2
G     3 2 0 0 0 3  (for the cheeky 3 → 4 slide on the low E)

Easier swap-out → use B power-chord (X 2 4 4 X X) instead of full B7 if the

pinky stretch hurts.

Strumming Pattern
Verses ride a muted boom-chuck:

D d  D U   d U (cap = heavy bass, lower-case = light brush). Count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”.

Keep your palm just behind the saddle to get that dry thump.

Sections Breakdown

Intro Riff

   

E|--0--0--0--3--3--4--4--|
A|--0--3h4--0------------|  ← repeat twice

   Use ring finger for the 3 → 4 slide; let it pop like a snare.

Verses (E groove)

   Palm-mute the open E while fretting 2 on the A-string. Touch the D-string

   lightly with your middle finger to silence it—Simpson does.

Turn-arounds

   Open A chord for two beats, walk bass 0–2 on A-string, then B7 stab

   before dropping back to home E.

Chorus

   A   E   A   E   B7   A slide G → E.

   Snap the B7 on beat 2; it underscores the lyric punch line.

Solo

   Same fretboard real-estate as intro, but add quick 2h4 on D-string

   and a saucy 4b6 release on G-string. Push bends sharp—Laur Joamets-style.

Outro Lick

   

E|------------------------------0--|
B|------------------------------0--|
G|--0----0b2r0---------0--------1--|
D|------2~----2p0----2---2~----2--|
A|----------------4--2----------2--|
E|--------------------------3b4-0--|



Tips for Smooth Playing

Clamp your wrist low; the constant palm-mute demands stability.
Micro-shift thumb behind second fret during hammer-on runs to reduce stretch.
A dash of slap-back delay (≈120 ms) nails the club-PA ambience.
Practice the intro at 60 BPM, then bump in 10-BPM bites till it smiles.


Common Mistakes

Over-ringing open strings. Keep the fretting-hand heel handy to choke

unwanted sustain.
Weak bends. Pull the string toward ceiling, not parallel; you need a

half-step grunt.
Rushing the walk. Feel the lyric swagger; if it sounds hurried, drop

your metronome five clicks.


Song Facts
Released June 11 2013 as track #1 on the self-funded debut “High Top Mountain,”

the tune introduced Simpson’s neo-outlaw stance before anyone coined the tag. -->

He jokes that the “most outlaw thing” he ever did was marry, mocking Nashville’s

gun-slinging myth. Critics later framed the line as a manifesto against Music Row

conformity. -->

Dave Cobb’s raw production left every pick scrape intact; that honesty helped the

song become a fan-shouted request at shows, leading to the fiery Americana Fest

version tabbed above. The studio cut clocks 2 min 06, 4/4, 104 BPM, key E, but

live renditions jump closer to 118 BPM when Simpson’s grin widens.

Song Meaning (part by part)
Verse 1 sketches a broke troubadour reading industry rejection letters;

the steady E riff mirrors relentless miles.

Verse 2 pulls family into frame—coal-dust heritage and Paw-paw’s ethics

(he’ll resurface in later songs). -->

Chorus flips cynicism into empowerment: yes, the world’s mean, but your

response writes the next bar.

Solo isn’t lyrical filler—it’s a yodel of defiance, bent strings arguing

with fate.

Final Verse name-checks radio gatekeepers, ending on that shrugging E ring-out:

he’ll play anyway.

Comparisons to Previous Works
Where later records (“Metamodern Sounds”) drift cosmic, this cut stays

bar-room earthly—no phasers, just pick-dust. Yet the anti-establishment DNA

threads into “Call to Arms,” proving the first line of his career still colors

album #5.

Questions and Answers

Do I really need B7?
No—grab a power-chord if B7’s stretch stalls the groove.

How do I stop pick noise during palm-mutes?
Angle the pick 45° and use heavier 1.0 mm celluloid; it glides.

Can this riff fit electric bass?
Yes; mirror the E-string ideas an octave lower, sliding 3 → 4 on A-string.

Why does Simpson mute the D-string?
It cleans the E-chord, letting the walking line shine without mud.

Next song to practice?
“Long White Line”—same key, faster shuffle, builds right-hand stamina.






That’s the whole Guitar Lesson. Fire up the metronome, swing that Tele, and

remember: life ain’t fair—but a tight intro riff will always feel mighty mean.