Talking Heads – The Book I Read (Bass Tab)

Video Lesson

Versions (4)

Auto-scroll

Album: Talking Heads '77 Bassist: Tina Weymouth figured it out by listening to every live version of this song i could find online, with these being the most helpful: version https://youtu.be/RN4szMYpoUQ (also tabbed out the variations from this recording because theyre really nice) pay attention to the length of notes, tina's playing is very sharp and "sticky" [Intro]

G|----------------|
D|-7--7--5--5---5-|
A|-------------7--| x3
E|----------------|

G|-------------------|
D|-7--7--5.--5.----5-|
A|-------------5.-7--|
E|-------------------|

[Verse 1] "I'm writing 'bout the..."

G|-----------------------|
D|-7~--5.-0.----------3--|
A|-----------3~--3.-5.-0-| x3
E|-----------------------|

"When I found out you wrote the..."

G|----------------------|
D|-7~--5.-0.------------|
A|-----------3.--3-4-5~-|
E|----------------------|

[Chorus] "Take my shoulders as they..."

G|-------------5--7h5h7~-|
D|----5.--7--------------|
A|------7.--5------------| x3
E|-5---------------------|

"Ooh-ooh, oh-oh..."

G|---5.--------5.-----5.-------|
D|-5---3--0~-5---3~-5---3-2-0~-|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|

[Verse 2] "Oh, I'm living in the future..."

G|------------------------|
D|-7~--5.-0.----------3---|
A|-----------3~--3.-5.--0-| x3
E|------------------------|

"I'm running a race..."

G|----------------------|
D|-7~--5.-0.------------|
A|-----------3.--3-4-5~-|
E|----------------------|

[Chorus] "Feel my fingers as they..."

G|-------------5--7h5h7~-|
D|----5.--7--------------|
A|------7.--5------------| x3
E|-5---------------------|

"Ooh-ooh, oh-oh..."

G|---5.--------5.-----5.-------|
D|-5---3--0~-5---3~-5---3-2-0~-|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|

[Bridge] "Na na na na..."

G|----|-----------------------|
D|-7~-|---3-5-3-x4-----3---x4-|
A|----|-5----------3-5--5-----| x6
E|----|-----------------------|

"Ooh-ooh, oh-oh..."

G|-----0--------5.--------5.-----5.-------|
D|-0-3--3-x4--5---3--0~-5---3~-5---3-2-0~-|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|

[Verse 3] "Oh, I'm living in the future..."

G|------------------------|
D|-7~--5.-0.----------3---|
A|-----------3~--3.-5.--0-| x3
E|------------------------|

"I'm running a race..."

G|-----------------------|
D|-7~--5.-0.-------------|
A|------------3.--3-4-5~-|
E|-----------------------|

[Chorus] "Feel my fingers as they..."

G|-------------5--7h5h7~-|
D|----5.--7--------------|
A|------7.--5------------| x3
E|-5-----------------=---|

"Ooh-ooh, oh-oh..."

G|---5.--------5.-----5.-------|
D|-5---3--0~-5---3~-5---3-2-0~-|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|

[Bridge] "Na na na na..."

G|---------------------|-----------------------|
D|---------------------|---3-5-3-x4-----3---x4-|
A|-0h3~-5.-5.-5.-5.-5.-|-5----------3-5--5-----| xa lot
E|---------------------|-----------------------|

[Variation 1] (3:23)

G|--------------3.-3.-|
D|---3-5-3--0h3~------|
A|-5------------------| x2
E|--------------------|

G|-----------------|
D|-----3-----5-3-0-|
A|-3-5--5--3-------| x2
E|-----------------|

[Variation 2] (4:18)

G|----------------------------------|
D|-------3.---------------3.--------|
A|-3-4-5----3-4-5~--3-4-5-----------|
E|---------------------------5-4-3~-|

[Outro] "Ooh-ooh, oh-oh..."

G|---------------5.--------5.-----5.----------|
D|---3-5-3-x4--5---3--0~-5---3~-5---3-2-0~----|
A|-5---------------------------------------0~-|
E|--------------------------------------------|

************************************ | . Staccato | h Hammer-on | ~ Let ring ************************************