BIG SUGAR Guitar Tabs

Okay, all you G.J. wannabees, this is the page for you! This is an ongoing attempt at cataloguing guitar
tabs for Big Sugar tunes. However, you might find the tabbing a little sparse - most of Gordie's songs are
tuned to open chords, and are pretty improvisational. He uses a lot of standard blues licks, lots of capo
and lots of slide. The major things to remember if you want to play like Big Sugar are: 

     get to know your pentatonic scales, especially minor pentatonic scales (the basis of most blues) 
     most of the songs in standard tuning use drop D tuning (tune your bottom E string down to a D) 
     for that authentic Big Sugar sound, tune to an open chord, and use a slide and capo 
     if you don't want to worry about whether a chord is major or minor, just play power chords (root
     and fifth) 
     a lot of what Big Sugar does is something you cannot tab - you have to play by feel; also, the
     rhythms are heavily influenced by Garry Lowe's reggae bass patterns - if you REALLY want to
     learn to play like Gordie, tune to an open chord, grab a decent capo and a slide, and just jam along
     to the record! 

Obviously, if anyone gets creative and wants to completely tab out all of HEMI-VISION, along with the
rest of the first two albums and stuff like "When You Dance I Can Really Love", "Shot In The Dark", "In
My Time Of Dying", "Dear Mr. Fantasy", "A Night In Tunisia" or "Leadbelly (Dub)" [ha,ha,ha!], feel
free to send the results to me for posting with full acknowledgement.
Many thanks go out to Ryan Edwardson for figuring out the chords for all of HEMI-VISION and for
'Sleep In Late', as well as to Garvan Keeley for transcribing 'Ride Like Hell', and Kirk Montgomery for
the tab to 'Dear Mr. Fantasy'. Enjoy! 

[Sleep In Late] [Ride Like Hell] [Dear Mr. Fantasy] [Diggin' A Hole] [Gone For Good] [If I Had My
Way] [Skull Ring] [Joe Louis / Judgement Day] [Tommy Johnson] [La Stralla] [Tired All The Time]
[Empty Head] [Opem Up Baby] [Rolling Pin] 


SLEEP IN LATE

 It's in A minor pentatonic.. pretty simple blues stuff. You'll have to feel for the time, 
and a lot of these are slide licks and faint nuance hammer moves, a couple 
slight ones I by-passed since they are just 'feel moves'. 

e----------------------------------------------------------------------
b---------------10--8--------------------------------------------------
g------5--7--9---------9--7--5-----5-5-5---------7--9(3X)--7-5---------
d--7----------------------------7--5-5-5---5--7----------------7-------
a------------------------------------------------------------------5--7
E----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chordal progression is determined by the bass, with guitar accompaniment 
intermittently. Feel free to play these as traditional root/5th root/6th 
strumming, or make them into 7ths, or what ever, it's up to you.


A D E A (4times)

B C C# F# D# E

A D E A (2 times)

Middle stuff.. just mess around with A minor pentatonic chordal shapes to 
fit the rhythm, etc... or spend a few hours working it out, ( I have 
better things to do ;-)

B C C# F# D# E#

A D E A (3 times)
                                              top


RIDE LIKE HELL

Tune 6th string to d, and fire away

It is damn hard to convey any sense of timing when typing out tab, sorry.

intro
----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
-2---2---2---2--|-2---2---2---2--|-2---2---2---2--|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
-0-3-0---0-3-0--|-0-3-0---0---0--|-0-3-0---0-3-0--|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4--|
-------3--------|-------3--------|-------3--------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
----------------|-----------3-0--|----------------|----------------|

first solo
--------------------------|------------------------------------------
--------------------------|------------------------------------------
--------------------------|------------------------------------------
----5-3-5-3---5-3-5-3-----|----5-3-5-3---5-3-5/6\5-3-----------------
--------------------------|--------------------------5----------------
5-----------5---------5--0|-5----------5-----------------------------

---------------------------|---------------------------------------
-----10-----------10-------|----------10-------------10------------
-----10-----------10-------|----------10-------------10------------
-/12-----10----10----12-10-|12-10-12-------10----10-----12---------
------------12-------------|------------------12-------------------
0--------------------------|---------------------------------------

tremolo pick......................................slide
--------------------------|---------------------------------------
--------------------------|---------------------------------------
--------------------------|---------------------------------------
--------------------------|-----------------------x\--------------
-----0---2---5-------2--5-|10-----9------8--------x\--------------
5-------------------------|-----------------------x\--------------

                                                      tremolo pick

harmonics on the third string while sliding down

----------------|----------------|-------------------|----------------|
----------------|----------------|-------2-2-2-2-1-0-|----------------|
-2---2---2---2--|-2---2---2---2--|-------2-2-2-2-1-0-|---12\7\5\4\3\2\
-0-3-0---0-3-0--|-0-3-0---0---0--|-------------------|----------------
-------3--------|-------3--------|-2-3-4-------------|----------------|
----------------|-----------3-0--|-------------------|----------------|

                                              top


Dear Mister Fantasy (Winwood, Capaldi, Wood)
                     by Traffic

Intro:  A   G   D   lick--->into A chord of VERSE 1

        lick
        e|-----------------------------|   where:
        B|-----------------------------|        3-3-3 = triplet
        G|-----------------------------|        b = 1/4 or slight accent bend
        D|-----------------0-----------|        h = hammer-on
        A|----------0---3b---3b--0-----|
        E|------0h3--------------------|
                3-3-3
note: 
    Chords are played in standard position (A: X02220, G: 320033, D: XX0232)
as you pick arpeggios up and down the strings.  There is also a "tickle" of 
the 3rd fret on the high e string during the D chord (making it Dsus4 for a 
split second) during the verses.  Listen to the song and you'll hear what I
mean. 

VERSE 1:

A                    G
Dear Mister Fantasy, play us a tune,

D                        A      lick
Something to make us all happy.

A                    G
Do anything, take us out of this gloom,

       D                          A      lick
Sing a song, play guitar, make it snappy.


VERSE 2:

A                       G
You are the one who can make us all laugh,

    D                            A      lick
But doing that, you break out in tears.

A                                G
Please don't be sad, if it was a straight mind you had,

   D                                 A
We wouldn't have known you all these years.

BRIDGE:
        F#m     A
        OH..... AH....  3x

        F#m     G       E7      lick
        OH..... AH....  AH...

VERSE 1

SOLO 1 over D major scale  

VERSE 1

VERSE 2

SOLO 2 over D major scale 

G--A   (repeat and fade out)

Traffic DEAR MF By: vian@acsu.buffalo.edu

                                              top

*Diggin' A Hole*
lead riff

e--------------------------|-----------------------|----------------
b--------------------------|-----------------------|-8-8-8-8-8\----
g--------------------------|-----------------------|-9-9-9-9-9\---
d----------5---------------|-----------------------|---------------------
a-----5-7----7-5-----------|-3-5-7-7-5-3---3-5-3-0-|---------------------
e-5-8-------------8(9)-5-5-|-----------------------|---------------------

Key: A minor

A A A A A A A A A A...

D D A  D D A

E C A  X2

A A A A A A A A A A A ....

riff: A C D E G E D C AA A A  x4

A A A A A A A A A A A ....

E C A

D D A  D D A    

E C A  X2

D

E D A (tied me up...)

Riff

A A A A A A A A A A etc

E C A 

D D A  D D A

E C A  X2

D

A A A A A A A A A A A ....

riff a bunch of times

A A A A A A A A A A A .....
                                              top


*GONE FOR GOOD*

Key: D minor

D smashing and feedbacking

G C G

G C D 

D C B C D

G C G

G C D

D C B C D

D C B C G

D C B C D

D C B C G

BRIDGE:

G G A G Gd

D Gb G G A G D

D Gd G G A G Gd

D Gd G G Gd D

And i swear (scale down to D)

D G C G

D C B C D

G C G

D C B C D

D C B C G

D C B C D 

D C B C G

D C B C D

D C B C G
                                              top


*IF I HAD MY WAY*

G G G G G G G G .... C

G C G C# D C G

G G G G G G G G .... C

G C G C# D C G  X2

Bridge and transition
(you want it, you work it out :)

G C G C G C G C G C G C# D C

G C G C G C G C

Solo, harmonica
                                              top


*Skull Ring*

tune guitar down 1/2 step.

e|-----1-hold------1-hold-----------------|
b|-----1-hold------1-hold------1--2--3--|
g|-----------------------------2--------------|
d|--0-----------0----------------------------|
a|--------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------|

the devil in the kitchen
the snake in the grass
sat naked at the table
fill his glass

e|-------------------------------(bass)-------------------------------
-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------(bass)-------------------------------
--------------1---------------------------|
g|-------------------------------(bass)-------------------------------
-------0h2--2--2--0--------------------|
d|--5--5--5--5--0--0--0--0--(bass)--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5------------
--------------3/--0-----3--0--|
a|--5--5--5--5--3--3--3--3--(bass)--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5--3=5-------
---------------------3--------|
e|--3--3--3--3--1--1--1--1--(bass)--5--5--5--5--3--3--3--3------------
---------------------------------|

e|--------0--0=1--1--0--0=1--1--0--0=1--1--0--0-----------------------
--------(bass)--
b|--------1--1=3--3--1--1=3--3--1--1=3--3--1--1-----------------------
--------(bass)--
g|--------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------(bass)--
d|----------------------------------------------------------5--5--5--5
--0--0--0--0--(bass)--
a|----------------------------------------------------------5--5--5--5
--3--3--3--3--(bass)--
e|----------------------------------------------------------3--3--3--3
--1--1--1--1--(bass)-- ...basement...

e|-------------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------------|
g|-------------------------------------------------|
d|--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5--------------------|
a|--7--7--7--7--5--5--5--5--3=5-hold--5\--|
e|--5--5--5--5--3--3--3--3--------------------|

e|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
---------------------------x--x-------------------|
b|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
---------------------------x--x-------------------|
g|--x--x--5--3--0----------------x--x--5--3--0----------------x--x--5-
-3--0----------------x--x--5--3--0-hold--|
d|--x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--x--x--5--3--0--0
--3=4=5--x--x--5--3--0-hold--|
a|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
---------------------------x--x-------------------|
e|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
---------------------------x--x-------------------|

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
b|--/5--5--5--5--5--6--5--0-------------------------------------------
-----
g|--/5--5--5--5--5--5--5--0--/12--12--12--12\--/12--12--12--12\--
d|--/5--5--5-----------------0--/12--12--12--12\--/12--12--12--12\--
a|--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
 (repeat)

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------x--x------------------------
b|--/5--5--5--5--5--6--5--0--5/\--3--0--------------------------------
-------x--x------------------------
g|--/5--5--5--5--5--5--5--0--5/\--3--0--------------------------------
-------x--x--5--3--0--------------
d|--/5--5--5----------------0---------------------------0--3--0-------
---------x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--
a|--------------------------------------------1--3--4------------4--3-
-1-------x--x-----------------------
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
------3--1--x--x-----------------------

e|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
--------------------------
b|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
--------------------------
g|--x--x--5--3--0----------------x--x--5--3--0----------------x--x--5-
-3--0----------------
d|--x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--x--x--5--3--0--0
--3=4=5--
a|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
---------------------------
e|--x--x---------------------------x--x---------------------------x--x
---------------------------

e|-------------4--x--5--x--12--|
b|--x--3--x--5--x--7--x--12--|
g|--x--1--x---------------------|
d|--------------------------------|
a|--------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------|

 (chill for da funky sax)
 (sax trill)

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------- b|----/3-(and hold
it a 1/2 step up)-3--3--3--3\-(down to
normal)-3--2/-------------------------------
g|----/3------------------------------------3--3--3--3\---------------
---------3--2/---0-------3--0--------------
d|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------3--------0--3=4=5--
a|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------|
b|----/3-(hold it a 1/2 step
up)-3--3--3--3\-(normal)-3=1=3=1=3=1=3=1=3=1=3=1=3=1=3=1=3=1--|
g|----/3------------------------------3--3--3--3\---------------------
-----------------------------------------------------|
d|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------|
a|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
b|--/5--5--5--5--5--6--5--0-------------------------------------------
---- g|--/5--5--5--5--5--5--5--0--/12--12--12--12\--/12--12--12--12\--
d|--/5--5--5-----------------0--/12--12--12--12\--/12--12--12--12\--
a|--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
 (repeat)

e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------x--x---------------------------
b|--/5--5--5--5--5--6--5--0--5/\--3--0--------------------------------
---------x--x---------------------------
g|--/5--5--5--5--5--5--5--0--5/\--3--0--------------------------------
---------x--x--5--3--0----------------
d|--/5--5--5---------------0---------------------------0--3--0--------
-----------x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--
a|--------------------------------------------1--3--4-------------4--3
--1--------x--x---------------------------
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------3--1--x--x---------------------------


e|--1=3--1----------x--x---------------------------
b|-----------5/\--3/--x--x---------------------------
g|-----------5/\--3/--x--x--5--3--0----------------
d|---------------------x--x--5--3--0--0--3=4=5--
a|---------------------x--x---------------------------
e|---------------------x--x---------------------------
 (repeat)

e|--1=3--1------------------------|
b|-----------5--3------------------|
g|-----------5--3---5--3----------|
d|-------------------5--3----5--3--|
a|----------------------------5--3--|
e|-----------------------------------|

 (power chord up the neck using f, then trail down noisily as the
 guitar explodes)

tab by chris james

                                              top


*JOE LOUIS / JUDGEMENT DAY*

E E E G E G A A A G
it just goes on and on.... but ya' gotta love that dirty hollowbody 
sound.. yummy!
                                              top


*TOMMY JOHNSON*

Key: Aminor ... stick to the root, 4th, and 5th.. pretty basic blues stuff.
                                              top


*LA STRALLA*

Key: D minor

VERSE:

D A G# G

G A A# B

E F F# G

D

LICK

CHORUS:

F# B A# A

A B C# D D# E

E B E B E B
                                              top


*TIRED ALL THE TIME*

Key: G minor

RIFF: G A# C F D C G    

BASIC 12 BAR BLUES STYLE, SO JUST WORK WITH THE ROOT, 4TH, AND 5TH
                                              top


*EMPTY HEAD*

e|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
b|------------------------------------------------------------------| 
g|-----------0--------------0---------------0----------------------| 
d|-----------0--------------0---------------0---------------0/--1--| 
a|-----0--2-----------0--2-----------0--2------------0--2---------| 
e|--3------------0--3----------0--3------------0--3---------------|

(let ring thru 1st verse)

i check the mail
and i watch my phone
i used to wonder, was my baby at home

e|---------------------------------------3=5--3---------------------| 
b|-------------------------------------------------3--5--3----------| 
g|---------------------------------0------------------------3=2--0--| 
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0---------------------------------2| 
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2-------------------------------------| 
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--------0-------------------------------|

(let ring)

and i used to wonder
what i might have done
and i saw comfort in anyone

e|-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------|
g|---------------------------------0---------|
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0---------|
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2------------|
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--------0------|
    i'm layin' in an empty bed tonight

e|-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------|
g|-------------------------------------------|
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0/1------|
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2------------|
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---------------|
    i wish i had an empty head tonight


e|--------0----0----0-----|
b|--3----0----1----0------|
g|--2----2----0----oh1---|
d|--2----2----3----oh2---|
a|--0----0----3----oh2---|
e|--0----0----0----0------|
 there's no such thing as the only one
(repeat)



e|--------0----0-----------------------------------|
b|--3----0----1-----------------------------------|
g|--2----2----0----4----4----4----4----4----4---|
d|--2----2----3----2----2----2----2----2----2---|
a|--0----0----3----2----2----2----2----2----2---|
e|--0----0----0------------------------------------|
  there's no such thing as the only one
(slide down the neck noisily)

e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------|
g|------0--------------0---------------0----------------------|
d|------0--------------0---------------0--------------0/--1--|
a|--2-----------0--2-----------0--2------------0--2---------|
e|---------0--3----------0--3------------0--3---------------|

(let ring)

so please tell me baby
what's gettin' wrong with you
you don't treat me halfway nothin' like you used to do

e|-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------|
g|---------------------------------0---------|
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0---------|
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2------------|
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--------0------|
    i'm layin' in an empty bed tonight

e|-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------|
g|-------------------------------------------|
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0/1------|
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2------------|
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---------------|
    i wish i had an empty head tonight

e|--------0----0----0-----|
b|--3----0----1----0------|
g|--2----2----0----oh1---|
d|--2----2----3----oh2---|
a|--0----0----3----oh2---|
e|--0----0----0----0------|
  there's no such thing as the only one
(repeat for a total of 3 times)

e|--------0----0------------------------------------|
b|--3----0----1------------------------------------|
g|--2----2----0----4----4----4----4----4----4---|
d|--2----2----3----2----2----2----2----2----2---|
a|--0----0----3----2----2----2----2----2----2---|
e|--0----0----0------------------------------------|
  there's no such thing as the only one

guitar solo for 1 sequence-- tab coming soon

e|----------------------------------------------------------------|
b|----------------------------------------------------------------|
g|--------0--------------0---------------0----------------------|
d|--------0--------------0---------------0---------------0/--1--|
a|----2-----------0--2-----------0--2------------0--2---------|
e|-----------0--3----------0--3------------0--3---------------|

(let ring)

i check the mail
and i watch my phone
i used to wonder, was my baby at home

e|-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------|
g|---------------------------------0---------|
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0---------|
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2------------|
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--------0------|
    i'm layin' in an empty bed tonight

e|-------------------------------------------|
b|-------------------------------------------|
g|-------------------------------------------|
d|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7-----0/1------|
a|--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--2------------|
e|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---------------|
    i wish i had an empty head tonight

e|--------0----0----0-----|
b|--3----0----1----0------|
g|--2----2----0----oh1---|
d|--2----2----3----oh2---|
a|--0----0----3----oh2---|
e|--0----0----0----0------|
  there's no such thing as the only one
(repeat for a total of 3 times)

e|--------0----0------------------------------------|
b|--3----0----1------------------------------------|
g|--2----2----0----4----4----4----4----4----4---|
d|--2----2----3----2----2----2----2----2----2---|
a|--0----0----3----2----2----2----2----2----2---|
e|--0----0----0------------------------------------|
  there's no such thing as the only one

(go wild for final solo)

tab by chris james
                                              top


*OPEM UP BABY*

A whole lot of C's, throw in some D#'s
                                              top


*ROLLING PIN*

A G F# F E

E F# G A

A G F# F E

E F# G A

A C D C A

E F# G A

A G F# F E

A G F# F E

SLIDE TO E

REPEAT ABOVE

HARMONICA, SLIDE

A G F# F E

E F# G A

A G F# F E

E F# G A

A C D C A

E F# G A

A G F# F E

A G F# F E

What makes - vocals

GUITAR SOLO (follow previous patterns)

A C D D# E

E F# G A 

A G F# F E

E F# G A

A C D C A

E F# G A

A G F# G E

A G F# F E

Yaa - hee - hee - vocals

A G F# F E