Prisoner of Society
by The Living End
Difficulty Profile
Skill LevelOverall
AdvancedRhythm
AdvancedLead
ExpertBass
ExpertWhy "Prisoner of Society" Works Harmonically
Beyond standard guitar tabs and chord charts, discover the exact music theory mechanics, modal interchange, and voice leading choices that give The Living End's classic its unforgettable emotional power.
Furious Rockabilly Hybrid Picking and B7 Dominant Turnarounds at 168 BPM
Chris Cheney fused 1950s rockabilly twang with ferocious 1990s punk energy. Moving through an Em - C - G - D progression at 168 BPM over Scott Owen upright slap-bass, Cheney utilizes hybrid picking (flatpick plus fingers) to snap biting high double stops, turning the progression around with a classic rockabilly B7 dominant chord.
Harmonic Progression (Roman Numerals)
i - bVI - bIII - bVIIStep-by-Step Movement
- •Em (i): Rebellious, energetic tonic minor chord driving the furious Australian punk tempo.
- •C (bVI): Submediant chord providing anthemic emotional lift in the chorus climb.
- •G (bIII): Relative major chord providing melodic optimism and crowd-chant resonance.
- •D (bVII): Subtonic chord maintaining unstoppable forward momentum.
- •B7 (V7): Dominant seventh chord with major leading tone (D#) injecting classic 1950s rockabilly snap.
Voice Leading & Counterpoint
- ›The hybrid-picked intro riff combines low E bass notes with snapping double stops on strings 2 and 1.
- ›The B7 chord introduces D# natural, pulling the energetic punk cadence back into the minor tonic.
- ›The guitar solo incorporates high-speed single-string tremolo picking and chromatic walking runs.
Fretboard Mechanics
Use a Gretsch hollowbody with TV Jones FilterTron pickups and an analog slapback delay (120ms with 1 repeat). Snap your middle and ring fingers under the top strings for authentic rockabilly bite.
Fusing genres (punk rock energy with rockabilly hybrid picking and dominant 7th turnarounds) creates an unmistakable signature sound that stands out from standard three-chord punk.
The minor scale driving the furious punk chord progressions.
Supplies the flatted 5th (Bb) for Cheney chromatic rockabilly runs.
The minor mode providing the punk rebellion and urgency.
B7 rockabilly turnaround chord shape.
High-speed downstroke punk chords.
Musical Analysis
🎹 Key & Tonality
⏱️ Song Structure
💡 Understanding E Minor:
E Minor has a darker, more introspective character. The Minor with Rockabilly & Punk fusion mode creates tension and emotion. This key is perfect for expressing melancholy or aggressive themes in rock music.
Drives the ferocious punk-rock verses and minor-key riff sequences
Bedrock for Chris Cheney's high-speed rockabilly blues double stops and solo licks
The flatted 5th (Bb) injects aggressive rockabilly bite into chromatic turnaround runs
Understand minor chord construction and voicings
Primary Chords Used
Scale Patterns in E Minor
E Natural Minor (Aeolian)
Notes: E - F# - G - A - B - C - D
Application: Drives the ferocious punk-rock verses and minor-key riff sequences
Interactive Fretboard Map
Chord Progressions & Movement
Main Progression
High-octane punk-rockabilly cadence. Chris Cheney fuses furious power-chord energy with 1950s rockabilly swing, moving between Em, C, G, and D with rapid chromatic passing chords and double-stop fills.
💡 Theory Insight:
These borrowed chords from the parallel minor key add darker, more dramatic colors to the progression. This modal interchange gives rock and metal its signature swagger.
Chord Shapes In This Section:
Em
C
G
D
Harmonic Functions & Roles:
- Em (i)Rebellious, energetic tonic minor chord driving the furious Australian punk tempo
- C (bVI)Submediant chord providing anthemic emotional lift in the chorus climb
- G (bIII)Relative major chord providing melodic optimism and crowd-chant resonance
- D (bVII)Subtonic chord maintaining unstoppable forward momentum
Key Techniques
Rockabilly Hybrid Picking & Double Stops
ExpertHolding a flatpick between thumb and index finger to strike bass notes while using the middle and ring fingers to snap simultaneous double stops on higher strings at 168 BPM
Uses chords:
Progression:
Em - G - A - B7
Technique Tips:
- •Chris Cheney plays a Gretsch 6118 Anniversary hollowbody guitar with TV Jones Classic Filter'Tron pickups
- •Use a short slapback tape delay (120ms with single repeat) to reproduce authentic rockabilly echo
- •Start practicing hybrid picking slowly at 100 BPM to build independent finger strength
Rapid Tremolo Picking & Chromatic Runs
AdvancedHigh-speed continuous alternate picking on single strings at 168 BPM combined with chromatic fret-hand walking lines up and down the neck
Progression:
Solo over rockabilly turnaround
Technique Tips:
- •Use a heavy, stiff pick (1.0mm or heavier) to prevent pick drag during high-speed tremolo
- •Rest the palm lightly near the bridge for stability, but don't mute the high E string
- •Count triplets and sixteenth notes steadily to prevent rushing ahead of the beat
Practice Exercises
Scale and technique exercises in the key of E Minor. Switch instrument sounds (Acoustic Steel, Nylon, Clean Electric, Piano) and practice at your own tempo.
Intro Slap-Bass Pulse & Monster Rockabilly Riff
Iconic Rockabilly Hybrid-Picked Riff Study
Scott Owen's upright bass slaps out the frantic intro before Chris Cheney's Gretsch explodes into iconic rockabilly hybrid-picked double stops at 168 BPM.
- •Pick-and-finger hybrid attack on the high double stops
- •Sharp staccato snapping on upbeat sixteenths
- •B7 dominant turnaround sets up the punk-rock explosion
Verse 1 High-Speed Punk Chug
High-Speed Punk Palm-Muting Chug Exercise
'Well we don't need no one to tell us what to be!' - rapid downstroke palm-muted power chords driving beneath Cheney's defiant Australian vocals.
- •Tight palm muting on the downbeats
- •Rapid shifts across 6th and 5th string power chord roots
- •Accented syncopated pushes on beat 4-and
Chorus Aussie Punk Anthem
Chorus Stadium Punk Cadence Study
'Cause I'm a prisoner of society! Another casualty of society!' - full unmuted punk chords ring out with explosive gang-vocal energy.
- •Full-power chord assault across all measures
- •Hit the B7 chord hard on the turnaround to inject rockabilly tension
- •Keep the tempo steady without rushing the 168 BPM pace
Rockabilly Guitar Solo Masterclass
Chris Cheney Blistering Rockabilly Solo Study
One of the greatest guitar solos in Australian rock history: Chris Cheney unleashes a masterclass of high-speed rockabilly licks, tremolo picking, double-stop bends, and chromatic cascades.
- •High-speed alternate tremolo picking on the high E string
- •Double-stop bends on frets 12 and 14 across G and B strings
- •Chromatic descending walk down from fret 15 to fret 12
Bridge Breakdown & Bass Slap Solo
Breakdown Dynamic Comping & Upbeat Chops
Scott Owen takes a show-stopping upright slap-bass solo while Cheney provides clean, syncopated Gretsch rhythm accents and ambient feedback.
- •Sparse staccato chord punches on the upbeats
- •Subtle Bigsby vibrato arm dips create spooky rockabilly pitch waver
- •Dynamic build from quiet ticking to thunderous roar
Outro Climax & Tremolo Finale
Outro Climax & Bigsby Tremolo Cadence
Furious final chorus repetition culminating in Cheney's screaming high tremolo picking and a thunderous unison stop.
- •Maximum punk assault and rapid pick speed
- •Climb high onto the neck with frenetic tremolo picking
- •Tight unison stop on the final low Em chord
Equipment & Tone Setup
🎸 Guitar
Recommended Model:
Pickup Type:
Bridge Filter'Tron pickup for cutting rockabilly twang and high-gain feedback rejection
⚡ Amplifier & Settings
Recommended Amp:
Tone Stack Dial-In:
Gain: 7
Treble: 8
Middle: 6
Bass: 5
Presence: 7
🎛️ Effects Pedals
Overdrive / Distortion:
Marshall high-gain tube crunch boosted by an Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
Reverb / Delay:
Subtle studio spring reverb
Modulation / Other:
Analog tape slapback delay (120ms with 1 repeat) and Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
Recommended Learning Path
Power Chords & High-Speed Punk Rhythm
⏱️ 1-2 weeks
- •Learn Em, C, G, and D power chord shapes
- •Practice downstroke palm muting at 120 BPM before accelerating to 168 BPM
- •Master the transition from verse muting to chorus strumming
Rockabilly Hybrid Picking & B7 Turnarounds
⏱️ 3-4 weeks
- •Learn the pick-and-finger hybrid picking technique on the intro double stops
- •Practice the B7 dominant turnaround with clean fret-hand placement
- •Build pick-hand stamina to sustain high-tempo sixteenth notes
The Masterclass Solo & Full Song Performance
⏱️ 4-6 weeks
- •Transcribe and perform Chris Cheney's blazing rockabilly guitar solo
- •Master high-speed tremolo picking without pick drag or tension
- •Perform the complete 3:52 track with unyielding punk energy
Practice Notes & Routine
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- •Using all flatpick on the intro riff instead of hybrid picking, losing the percussive snap on the upper strings
- •Tensing the pick-hand forearm during the fast 168 BPM verse downstrokes, leading to muscle fatigue
- •Sloppy muting on the high double stops, causing open strings to buzz
- •Rushing the tempo during the guitar solo instead of locking into Scott Owen's slap-bass groove
⏱️Targeted Practice Routine
0/4 Completed (0%)Check off each segment during your session to track your practice progress:
- 10 mins: Hybrid picking warm-up drills combining pick downstrokes with middle finger snaps
- 10 mins: Slow metronome practice of the intro riff at 110, 135, and 168 BPM
- 10 mins: Tremolo picking alternate stroke exercises on single strings
- 10 mins: Full speed solo transcription study focusing on clean note transitions
🎯 Key Focus Areas
- •Pick-and-finger hybrid picking independence and tone balance
- •Pick-hand wrist economy during high-speed 168 BPM punk downstrokes
- •Clean execution of rockabilly chromatic runs and double-stop bends
⏱️ Metronome Drills
- •Start the intro double-stop riff at 110 BPM with a metronome to ensure timing accuracy
- •Increase tempo in 5 BPM increments once 4 consecutive flawless cycles are played
- •Set click to beats 2 and 4 to develop authentic rockabilly swing and pocket