The Secret Life Of Arabia Bass Tab

Album: Heroes (1977)

Such a groovy bassline!
Listen closely and follow the rhythm marks to get the timing.

Tabbed by Leo Chiurco

Bass kicks in at around 0:19

[Chorus 1] "Secret, secret ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1~--------------------------0---|---------------------0---1---2---|
E|---------------------------------|-3~------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-3~------------------3-----------|---------------------------------|
E|-------------------------3---4---|-5~---------/9-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Verse 1]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----3---0-5-------------------|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------1---3---5---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----3---0-5-------5---0---5---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------2-----3---|-5-----3-------------------------|
A|---------2---3---5---------------|-------------5---2-----3-----4---|
E|-3-3-5---------------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5-5-0-3---|-5-----3---0-5-------3---0---5---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Chorus 2] "Secret, secret ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------------5~----------5-------|
A|---------------------------------|-------5---------------------5---|
E|-6-----6.----6-------3---0---1---|-3-------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-3-----3.----3-------3-------3---|-4-----4.----4-----------3---4---|
E|-------------------------3-------|---------------------5-----------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Verse 2]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5-----0---|-5.----3---0-5---------------3---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------3---5-------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----3---0-5~------------------|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------0---1---2---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------2-----3---0-3-0-|-5-------------------------------|
A|-----2---3---5-------------------|-------2-----3-------5---0---3---|
E|-3-3-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----3---0-5-------3---0---5---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Chorus 3] "Never here, never seen ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------8-----7-----6---|-5-------------------------------|
A|-------5-----8-------------------|-------5-------------------------|
E|-6-------------------------------|-----------x-3-----------3---5---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------7-------7-------|
A|-3-----3.--------------0-----5---|-------4-----7---------------7---|
E|-------------0---1---------------|-5-------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Verse 3]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------3---x-5-------3-----------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----------------------5---3---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------3---x-5---3---------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-------------------5---3-------|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|-----------------------------5---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------3---2-----------|
A|-----2---3---5-------2---3---5---|-----2---3---5-----------5---3---|
E|-3-3-------------3-3-------------|-3-3-----------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----3---x-5-------3---0---3---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Chorus 4] "You must see the movie ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-----1.--1-1-------1-----------|---------------------------------|
E|-------------------------1---2---|-3-----3.--x-3-------3---5---3---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------5.--5.------|---------------------9-----------|
D|----------------/7-----------5---|-7-----7.--7-7--/11------12--9\--|
A|-3-----3.--x-3-------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Verse 4]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5-----3---|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5-----3---|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5-----3---|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5-----3---|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5-----3---|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5-----3---|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5---------|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5---------|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---------|-5-----3---------3-----5---------|
E|-----1---3---5---------------5---|-------------5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +     

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-1-------------1---------------|-1---------------------1-----3---|
E|-----3---1---3---------3-----1---|-------3-----1---3---------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Verse 5]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------3---5---3---|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----3---0-5-------------------|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|----------------/7---5---3-------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5---0-3---|-5-----5---5-5---------------5---|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|---------------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------2-----3-----3---|-5---------------------2---------|
A|-----2---3---5-------------------|-------2-----3---5---------------|
E|-3-3-----------------------------|-----------------------------3---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-------------3-----5-----3---|-5-5-------------5-----3---------|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|-----1---3---5---------------3---|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

[Final Chorus] "Never here, never seen ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1-----1.--x-1-------1---3---5---|------------------------/7---5---|
E|---------------------------------|-3-----3.--x-3-------3-----------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|------------------------/3---5---|-----------x-7-------------------|
A|-3-----3.--x-3-------3-----------|----------------/9---7---5---3---|
E|---------------------------------|-5-----5.------------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +

G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-5-5-----------------------------|
E|-----1---3---5-------------------|
   1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +   

************************************

| .  Staccato
| h  Hammer-on
| /  Slide up
| \  Slide down
| x  Dead note

Bass Tabs
Title	The Secret Life Of Arabia
Artist	David Bowie
Tablature Type	ASCII Tab
YouTube ID	fYaZgEBEBzc

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).

Similar Songs

City Life

Moonage Daydream

Rebel Rebel

The Jean Genie