Waiting On A Friend Bass Tab - The Rolling Stones

WAITING ON A FRIEND (Bassline)
As recorded by The Rolling Stones
(From the 1981 Album TATTOO YOU)

Words and Music by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Transcribed by Slowhand

Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Bill Wyman - Bass'

  [Intro]
  Q=106
  4/4
   Gtr I
   Wx7
G|--------|
D|--------|
A|--------|
E|--------|

   H    Q  E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|-------------|---------------|------------------|---------------|
D|-------------|---------------|------------0-----|---------------|
A|-----------0-|-3-------3-----|----------------2-|-3-------3-----|
E|-------------|-------------1-|-(1)-0-1----------|-------------1-|

   +E  E Q  Q  E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|-----------------|---------------|------------------|---------------|
D|-------------0---|---------------|--------------0---|---------------|
A|---------------3-|-3-------3-----|------------0---2-|-3-------3-----|
E|-(1)-------------|-------------1-|-(1)--------------|-------------1-|

                      [1st Verse]
   +E  E Q  E E E E    H    Q  E E   E E Q  E Q  E   Q.   E E Q  E
G|------------------||------2--0---|---------------|---------------|
D|------------------||-----------0-|----------3--4-|-5-------------|
A|------------0-1-2-||-0-----------|-3-3----5------|--------5----3-|
E|-(1)-0-1----------||-------------|---------------|----------3----|

                   [Bridge]
   Q  Q  E E E E    H    E E E E   +E  E E E +E  E E E   E E Q  E E E E
G|---------------||--------------|---------------------|----------------|
D|-------0-2-3-4-||-5------------|-----------------5---|----------------|
A|-3-------------||------5-5-----|---------0-(0)-5---0-|-3-3----------3-|
E|---------------||------------3-|-(3)-3---------------|----------3-----|

   +Q   Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   Q  E E E Q  E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|-----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
D|-----------0-2-3-|-5-------------|---------------|---------------|
A|-(3)-------------|---------5-----|----------5----|-3-----------3-|
E|-----------------|-------------3-|-3----3-3----5-|---------3-----|

                      [2nd Verse]
   +E  E E E E Q  E    Q.   E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E   Q  Q  E Q  EG
G|------------------||------2-(2)-2-0---|--------------|--------------|
D|------------------||----------------0-|-3-------3--4-|-5------------|
A|-(3)-3---3-3-3--2-||-0----------------|--------------|-------5-5--3-|
E|------------------||------------------|--------------|--------------|

                   [Chorus]
   Q  Q  E E E E    Q  E E E E E E   Q  E E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E +E  E
G|---------------||----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|---------2-3-4-||-5--5-----------|--------------5---|-----------------|
A|-3-------------||--------5-5-----|------0-(0)-5-----|-3-------------0-|
E|---------------||--------------3-|-3--------------5-|---------3-(3)---|

   Q  E E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E E E +E  E E E   E E Q  E E E E
G|------------------|---------------|---------------------|----------------|
D|--------------3-4-|-5-------------|-----------------5---|----------------|
A|-3----3-(3)-5-----|-------5-5-----|---------------5---0-|-3-3----------3-|
E|------------------|-----------3-3-|-(3)-3---3-(3)-------|----------3-----|

                        [3rd Verse]
   +E  E E E +E  E Q     Q.   E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E   Q  Q  E Q  E
G|--------------------||------2-(2)-2-0---|--------------|--------------|
D|--------------------||------------------|-3-------3--4-|-5------------|
A|-(3)-3---3-(3)-3-2--||-0----------------|-------5------|-------5-5----|
E|--------------------||------------------|--------------|------------5-|

                   [Chorus]
   Q  Q  E E E E    Q  E E E E E E   E E Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E +E  E
G|---------------||----------------|----------------|-----------------|
D|-------0-2-3-4-||-5--5-----------|----------------|-----------------|
A|-3-------------||--------5-5-----|------------5-0-|-3-----0-------0-|
E|---------------||--------------0-|-3-3----0-3-----|---------3-(3)---|

   Q  E Q  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  Q  Q  E E E   Q  E E E E E E
G|---------------|---------------|-----------------|----------------|
D|-----------3-4-|-5-------------|-------------5---|----------------|
A|-3--0-3--5-----|---------5-----|-----------5---0-|-3----3---3-----|
E|---------------|-------------3-|-(3)-3--5--------|--------------1-|

   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D|----------------0---|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
A|--------------0---3-|-3-------3-----|--------------0-1-2-|-3-------3-----|
E|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|

                        [Sax Solo]
   +E  E Q  +E  E E E    E E Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E +E  E
G|--------------------||----------------|--------------------|-----------------|
D|--------------------||----------------|--------------------|---------5-(5)-3-|
A|--------------0-1-2-||-3-3------3-----|--------------0-1-2-|-3---------------|
E|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------||--------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-----------------|

   E E Q  E E E E   E E Q  E Q  E   +E  E Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E +E  E
G|----------------|---------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-3--------------|----------5--3-|-(3)---3----------|---------5-(5)-3-|
A|----------5---3-|-3-3-----------|-----3------5-5-3-|-3---------------|
E|----------------|---------------|------------------|-----------------|

   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  E E E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|--------------------|----------------|--------------------|---------------|
D|-(3)---3--(3)-------|----------------|--------------------|---------------|
A|-----5--------0-3-0-|-3----3-5-3-----|--------------0-1-2-|-3-------3-----|
E|--------------------|--------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|

   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D|--------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
A|--------------0-1-2-|-3-------3-----|--------------0-3-2-|-3-------3-----|
E|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|

                                                          [4th Verse]
   +E  E H    E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E E E +E  E E E    Q.   E +E  E E E
G|----------------|---------------|---------------------||------2-(2)---0---|
D|----------------|---------------|---------------------||------------0---4-|
A|------------3-2-|-3-------3-----|---------------3-3-2-||-0----------------|
E|-(1)-0-1--------|-------------1-|-(1)-0-1-1-(1)-------||------------------|

                                                        [Bridge]
   Q  E E +E  Q  E   Q  E E E E E E   +Q   Q  E E E E    Q  E E E E E E
G|-----------------|----------------|-----------------||----------------|
D|-3----------3--4-|-5----------5---|-------------3-4-||-5--5-----------|
A|------5-(5)------|--------0-5---3-|-(3)-------3-----||----------5-----|
E|-----------------|------3---------|-----------------||--------------3-|

   +E  E E E E E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E   E E E E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|-------------------|--------------|-------------------|---------------|
D|---------------5---|--------------|-------------0-2-3-|-5-----------5-|
A|-------------5---0-|-3-----0----0-|-3-3---3-(3)-------|-------5-5-----|
E|-(3)---3-4-5-------|---------3----|-------------------|---------------|

                                                      [5th Verse]
   +E  E +Q   E E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E   Q  E Q  E Q     Q.   E +E  E E E
G|--------------------|--------------|--------------||------2-(2)---0---|
D|-(5)-5-(5)--5-5-----|--------------|--------------||------------0---4-|
A|----------------5-4-|-3-----0----0-|-3----3--3-2--||-0----------------|
E|--------------------|---------3----|--------------||------------------|

                                                          [Chorus]
   Q  E E +E  E +E  E   Q  E E E E E E   Q  E E E E E E    Q  E E E E E E
G|--------------------|----------------|----------------||----------------|
D|-3----------3-(3)-4-|-5--5-----------|----------0-2-3-||-5--5-----------|
A|------5-(5)---------|------5-5---5---|-3----0---------||----------5-----|
E|--------------------|----------3---3-|----------------||--------------3-|

   Q  E E E E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E   E E E E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|----------------|--------------|-------------------|---------------|
D|------------5---|--------------|---------------3-4-|-5-------------|
A|----------5-----|-3-----0----0-|-3-3---3-(3)-5-----|---------5-----|
E|-3--3-4-5-----5-|---------3----|-------------------|-------------3-|

                   [Outro]
   Q  E Q  E E E    Q  Q  E E E E   Q  E E +E  E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E
G|---------------||---------------|------------------|--------------|
D|---------5-----||---------------|--------------0---|------------3-|
A|------5----5-0-||-3-----0-----0-|------------0---3-|-3-----0-3----|
E|-3--3----------||---------3-----|-1--0-1-(1)-------|--------------|

   E E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|------------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D|--------------0---|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
A|------------0---2-|-3-------3-----|--------------0-1-2-|-3-------3-----|
E|-1-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|

   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   E E Q  E E E E   Q  E E E Q  E
G|--------------------|---------------|----------------|---------------|
D|----------------0---|---------------|------------0---|---------------|
A|--------------0---2-|-3-------3-----|----------0---2-|-3----0-0-3----|
E|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|-1--------------|-------------1-|

   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E Q  E   E E Q  E Q  E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|--------------------|--------------|---------------|---------------|
D|----------------0---|---------5--3-|-3-3------3----|---------------|
A|--------------0---2-|-3-----5------|-------------0-|-3-------3-----|
E|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|--------------|---------------|-------------1-|

   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   E E E E E E E E
G|--------------------|---------------|--------------------|-----------------|
D|----------------0---|---------------|--------------0-0---|-----------------|
A|--------------0---2-|-3-----5-3-----|------------------2-|-3-3---3-3-3-----|
E|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|-------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)-------|---------------1-|

   Q  Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E   Q  Q  E E E E
G|---------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
D|---------------|-----------5-3-|-(3)---3--(3)-----3-|-----------5-3-|
A|---------0-1-2-|-3-------3-----|-----5--------5-5---|-3-------3-----|
E|-1-------------|---------------|--------------------|---------------|

   E E Q  E E E E   Q  Q  E E E E   E E Q  Q  E E   Q  E E E E E E
G|----------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
D|-----3--3---3-3-|-----------5-5-|-5-3-3-------3-|----------5---5-|
A|-5-3------------|-3-----3-3-----|---------------|-3----3-3-------|
E|----------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|

   E E Q  +Q.   E     Q  Q  E E E E   +E  E Q  +E  E E E  5x
G|----------------||----------------|---------------------||
D|---3-3--(3)---3-||o---------------|--------------------o||
A|----------------||o-3-------3-----|--------------0-1-2-o||
E|----------------||--------------1-|-(1)-0-1--(1)--------||

[Lyrics]
Watching girls go passing by
It ain't the latest thing
I'm just standing in a doorway
I'm just trying to make some sense
Out of these girls go passing by
The tales they tell of men
I'm not waiting on a lady
I'm just waiting on a friend

A smile relieves a heart that grieves
Remember what I said
I'm not waiting on a lady
I'm just waiting on a friend
I'm just waiting on a friend

Don't need a whore
I don't need no booze
Don't need a virgin priest
But I need someone I can cry to
I need someone to protect
Making love and breaking hearts
It is a game for youth
But I'm not waiting on a lady
I'm just waiting on a friend

************************************
Duration Legend

W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; a - acciaccatura;
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted;
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for.  Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests.
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration).

|  (n)  -  note tied to previous
************************************

Bass Tabs
Title	Waiting On A Friend
Artist	The Rolling Stones
Tablature Type	ASCII Tab
YouTube ID	rvcqZyMS0iY

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
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	Play interactive tabs
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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).

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