Album: The Queen is Dead (1986)
Bassist: Andy Rourke
Another Smiths song that I've tabbed by myself because the others I found on the site were not
accurate enough. So here it is, complete version with variations.
Tabbed by Leo Chiurco
[Intro]
G|---------------------------------|
D|-4~------------------------------|
A|-----------------0-0-0-0---2-2---|
E|-------------------------------2-|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Verse 1] "Take me out ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~------2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~------2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|
D|-4~------------------------------|
A|-----------------0-0-0-0---2-2---|
E|-------------------------------2-|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus 1] "And if a double-decker bus ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-2~------2-2---------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------2-------2-4~------4~------|-----------------------------4~--|
E|-----------------------4-------4-|-5~----5-5~----5.--5.--5-5-7-----|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------4-----|
D|-------------1-2~--2.--2~--2-----|-----------------------4/6---6---|
A|-2~----2-2-4-----------------4-2-|-0~----0-0~----------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------4-2~----------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-2~------2~----------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------2-------4~--4.----4-4.----|-----------------------------4~--|
E|-----------------------4-------4-|-5~----5-5~----5.--5.--5-5-7-----|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------1-2~--2.--2~--------|------------------------/6~--4---|
A|-2~----2-2-4-----------------4-2-|-0~----0-0~----------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------4-2~----------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Verse 2] "Take me out ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~------2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2-2-------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0---------4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~------2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-6~------------------------------|
D|-4~------------------------------|
A|-----------------0-0-0-0---2-2-2-|
E|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus 2] "And if a double-decker bus ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-2~------2-2.--------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------2-------4~--------4-4.----|-----------------------------4~--|
E|-----------------------4-------4-|-5~----5-5~----5.--5.--5-5-7-----|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------4-----|
D|-------------1-2~--2.----2~------|-----------------------4/6---6\4-|
A|-2~----2-2-4-----------2-----4-2-|-0~----0-0~----------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------4-2~----------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-2~------2~----------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------2-----2-4~--4.----4-4.----|-----------------------------4~--|
E|-----------------------4-------4-|-5~----5-5~----5.--5.--5-5-7-----|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------1-2~--2.--2~--2-----|------------------------/6~--4---|
A|-2~----2-2-4-----------------4-2-|-0~----0-0~----------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------4-2---2~------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Outro] "There is a light ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~------2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0-0-------2-4-2~--2-----|
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4-2-|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------2---------------|
A|-4~--4---2~------4-4---2~--2---2-|-0~----0-0~--------2-4-2~--2---2-| (x4)
E|-------4-----4-2-----4-------4---|-------------4-2-------------4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
***********************************
| ~ Let ring
| / Slide up
| \ Slide down
| . Staccato
***********************************
Bass Tabs |
|
Title |
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out |
Artist |
The Smiths |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
3r-qDvD3F3c |
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).