[Intro]
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|----------------------------------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Verse]
("It's Been Ten Years And A Thousand Tears And Look At The Mess I'm In...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
("I Sit And I Pray, In My Broken Down Chevrolet, I'm Singing To Myself...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|---------6-6-6-6--4-4-4-4---------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|----------------------------------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Chorus]
("Take Away, Take Away, Take Away This Ball And Chain...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
("Take Away, Take Away, Never To Return Again...") ("Take Away This Ball And Chain")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4--------------------------|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Verse]
("Well I've Searched And I've Searched To Find The Perfect Life...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
("But Where Ever I Have Gone, I Was Sure To Find Myself There..")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|---------6-6-6-6--4-4-4-4---------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|----------------------------------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Chorus]
("Take Away, Take Away, Take Away This Ball And Chain...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
("Take Away, Take Away, Never To Return Again...") ("Take Away This Ball And Chain")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4--------------------------|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Solo]
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Verse]
("Well I Passed The Bar On My Way To My Dingy Hotel Room...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
("Well I'll Wake There In The Morning Or Maybe In The County Jail..")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|---------6-6-6-6--4-4-4-4---------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|----------------------------------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Chorus]
("Take Away, Take Away, Take Away This Ball And Chain...")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
("Take Away, Take Away, Never To Return Again...") ("Take Away This Ball And Chain")
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4--------------------------|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|
[Outro]
G|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|---------|
D|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|---------|
A|-4-4-4-4------------------4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4--------------------------|-4-------|
E|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-2-2---------|---------4-4-4-4--2-2-------------|---------|
| Bass Tabs |
|
| Title |
Ball and Chain |
| Artist |
Social Distortion |
| Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
| YouTube ID |
g85EJbJuEm0 |
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 |
| Zoom |
| 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).
