XTC - "The Mayor of Simpleton" Bass Transcription
Tabbed by Tim Nevaker: tnevak2@gl.umbc.edu
[Verse]
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--5--4--------------------|-----5--4--5--------2--0--|
A|--------2--3--5--3--2-----|--------------2--3--------|
E|-----------------------5--|--3-----------------------|
1: Never been near a university...
2: I can't have been there when brains were handed round...
3: If depth of feeling is a currency...
G|-----------------------|-----------------------|--5---4---2-------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------------|--------------5---|
A|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------|
E|--3------3--3--3----3--|--5------5--5--5----5--|------------------|
G|------------------|
D|--4---2-----------|
A|----------5---4---|
E|------------------|
1: And some of your friends think that's stupid of me...
2: And some of your friends think it's really unsound...
3: Some of your friends are too brainy too see...
[Chorus]
G|-------------------2-----|-------------------------|
D|-------2--------4-----5--|-------------------2--0--|
A|--3-------3--5-----------|-------2--------3--------|
E|-------------------------|----3-----3--5-----------|
G|-------------------2-----|------------------------|
D|-------2--------4-----5--|------------------------|
A|--3-------3--5-----------|-------2--------3--5----|
E|-------------------------|----3-----3--5----------|
1: Well I don't know how to tell the weight of the sun...
2: Well I don't know how to write a big hit song...
3: And I can't unravel riddles problems and puns...
4: Well I don't know how many pounds make up a ton...
G|------------------------|------------------------|
D|------------------------|------------------------|
A|----------------2----5--|----------------2----5--|
E|--3--3----3--3----------|--4--4----4--4----------|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------------------2--2--|--0--0--------------------|
A|--------2--2--3--3--------|--------3--3--2--2--0--0--|
E|--5--5--------------------|--------------------------|
1,2,3,4: And I may be the mayor the simpleton...
G|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
D|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
A|------------------------|------------------------|--3--3----3--5--5----5--|
E|--0--0----0--2--2----2--|--3--3----3--5--5----5--|------------------------|
G|------------------------|-------------2--2----2--|--7---5---4-------|
D|--2--2----2--4--4----4--|--5--5----5-------------|--------------7---|
A|------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
E|------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
G|------------------------|---------------|
D|--5---------------------|---------------|
A|-------0--2--3--2--0----|---------------|
E|------------------------|--3--------3\--|
1,3: When their logic grows cold and all thinking gets done...
[Bridge]
G|------------------------|------------------------|---------------------|
D|------------------------|------------------------|---------------------|
A|------------------------|------------------------|--2------2--------2--|
E|--0--0----0--2--2----2--|--3--3----3--5--5----5--|---------------------|
G|-------4----------------|------------------|--7---5-4-----------------|
D|-----------7-5---4------|------------------|------------7-5---4-------|
A|--7----------------7----|------------------|--------------------7---5-|
E|------------------------|--3------3--------|--------------------------|
G|------------------|-------------------|--------------------------|
D|------------------|-------------------|--------------------2--2--|
A|--2------2--------|-------------------|--0--0--2--2--3--3--------|
E|------------------|--0------0--0------|--------------------------|
G|------------------------|------------------------|
D|--0--0----0-------------|------------------------|
A|-------------3--3----3--|--2--2----2--0--0----0--|
E|------------------------|------------------------|
2: I'm not proud of the fact that I never learned much...
[Coda]
G|------------------------|------------------|------------------------|
D|-------2--5-------2--5--|------------------|------------------------|
A|--3----------3----------|--5---3---2-------|-------0--2--3--2--0----|
E|------------------------|--------------5---|--3---------------------|
Repeat to end:
G|----------------|------------------------||---------------------|
D|----------------|-------2--5-------2--5--||--7------5------4----|
A|----------------|--3----------3----------||---------------------|
E|--3-------------|------------------------||---------------------|
2/4
G|---------------------|------------------|---------------------|----------|
D|---------------------|------------------|---------------------|----------|
A|----7------5------3--|-----------3---5--|----3----------------|----------|
E|---------------------|------5-----------|-----------5------3--|----2-----|
| Bass Tabs |
|
| Title |
The Mayor Of Simpleton |
| Artist |
XTC |
| Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
| YouTube ID |
L6FObPezIAk |
Interactive Bass Tab Guide
Interactive bass tabs provide a better experience than ASCII tabs. With playback, loop, print features and a responsive display that follows the screen of your device.
Use these buttons to control the digital tab player.
| Symbol | Function |
|---|
| Move cursor to the first bar |
| Play interactive tabs |
| Pause playback |
| Loop |
| Print the tab |
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| Page | Switch between page and horizontal view mode |
How to Read Bass Tab: A Beginner's Guide
1. Understanding the Basics
a. Strings:
Bass tab consists of horizontal lines representing the strings of the bass guitar.
The lowest-pitched string (usually the E string) is at the bottom, and the highest-pitched string
(usually the G string) is at the top.
b. Numbers:
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to play on a specific string.
For example, if you see "3" on the E string, it means you should press down the third fret on the lowest string.
2. Reading Bass Tab Example
In this tab:
- Play the note on the 1st fret of the E string.
- Play the open E string.
- Play the 3rd fret on the A string.
- Play the 1st fret on the A string.
G|-----------------|
D|-----------------|
A|---------3-------|
E|---1-1---1---3---|
3. Playing Techniques
a. Hammer-ons and Pull-offs:
Hammer-ons are represented by an "h" (e.g., 5h7 means play the 5th fret and hammer onto the 7th fret).
Pull-offs are represented by a "p" (e.g., 7p5 means play the 7th fret and pull off to the 5th fret).
b. Slides:
Slides are often indicated by an "/" or "\\" between two numbers (e.g., 5/7 means slide from the 5th fret to the 7th fret).
