Take Me To The River
Talking Heads
More Songs About Buildings and Food
Sire 6058—2
1978

standard tuning, key E minor

Intro      x2                   x5
G:||————————|————————||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
D:||————————|————————||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
A:||———R————|———R————||779710—97|—79710797||779710—97|—79710>9>|
E:||————————|————————||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
     Mute between first two E (7) notes and after first G (10)


Verse 1      x4
G:||—————————|—————————||————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||3—3——333|————————|————————|77977797|77977797|
E:||—————————|—————————||————————|3—3——333|55755575|————————|————————|


Chorus       x5
G:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||779710—97|—79710>9>|
E:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|


Verse 2      x4
G:||—————————|—————————||————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||3—3——333|————————|————————|77977797|77977797|
E:||—————————|—————————||————————|3—3——333|55755575|————————|————————|


Chorus       x3
G:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||779710—97|—79710>9>|
E:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|


Bridge (C# minor)
G:|—————4—6|————————|—————4—6|————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
D:|————6———|—————5—7|————6———|—————5—7|————————|————————|————————|————————|
A:|4>——————|0>——7———|4>——————|0>——7———|00300030|00300030|00300030|00300030|
E:|————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|


Chorus Reprise   x7
G:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||779710—97|—79710>9>|
E:||—————————|—————————||—————————|—————————|


Verse 3      x4
G:||—————————|—————————||————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||3—3——333|————————|————————|77977797|77977797|
E:||—————————|—————————||————————|3—3——333|55755575|————————|————————|


Chorus       x6
G:||—————————|—————————||
D:||—————————|—————————||
A:||779710—97|—79710797||
E:||—————————|—————————||


Outro        x4             x3
G:||—————————|—————————||—————————||—————————|————————|
D:||—————————|—————————||—————————||—————————|————————|
A:||779710—97|—79710797||779710!——||779710>——|9>——7>——|
E:||—————————|—————————||—————————||—————————|————————|



|| repeat between || as indicated
/ slide up
 slide down
> let note ring
! full stop mute
R rest
h hammer on
p pull off
1. dotted note
11 fret one, twice
11 fret eleven
x ghost note

Take Me to the River (ver 2) Bass Tabs

Introduction

Are you a bassist looking for an interesting and challenging piece to learn? Take Me to the River (ver 2) is a great choice! This classic tune, originally recorded by Al Green, has been covered by numerous artists and is a staple in many bassists’ repertoires. In this article, we’ll provide you with the bass tabs for this song, as well as some tips and tricks to make the learning process easier.

Verse

The verse of the song is relatively simple, consisting mainly of steady eighth notes played on the E string. The first note is an open E and then the rest of the line follows the chord progression. Here are the tabs:

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

Transition Words

This part of the song acts as the foundation for the rest of the piece, so make sure you are comfortable with it before moving on. You can practice by playing along with the recording or using a metronome to keep in time.

Chorus

The chorus is where the bassline starts to get a little more interesting. This section features a bouncy, syncopated rhythm that is sure to get your head nodding. Here are the tabs:

  E|-----------------------|-----------------------|
  B|-----------------------|-----------------------|
  G|-----------------------|-----------------------|
  D|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5|-----------------------|
  A|-----------------------|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5|
  E|-----------------------|-----------------------|

Transition Words

The key to playing this section is to pay attention to the rhythm and keep your timing tight. Try practicing with a metronome, starting at a slower tempo and gradually increasing the speed as you become more comfortable.

Pre-chorus

The pre-chorus is a short section that serves as a buildup to the chorus. It features a simple descending bassline that creates tension and anticipation for the upcoming chorus. Here are the tabs:

  E|---------------------|
  B|---------------------|
  G|---------------------|
  D|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|
  A|---------------------|
  E|---------------------|

Transition Words

Make sure to pay attention to the timing of this section, as it leads directly into the chorus. Take your time with it and practice slowly to ensure that you have the notes and timing down pat.

Bridge

The bridge is a change of pace from the rest of the song, featuring a slower, more laid-back groove. This section features some slides and syncopated rhythms, so it may take some extra practice to get the hang of. Here are the tabs:

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

Transition Words

Take your time with this section and focus on playing with a relaxed, laid-back feel. This will help you capture the essence of the bridge and ensure that you are playing it correctly.

Outro

The outro of the song features a repeating bassline that slowly fades out. It is a great opportunity to showcase your sense of dynamics and feel for the song. Here are the tabs:

  E|---------------------|---------------------|
  B|---------------------|---------------------|
  G|---------------------|---------------------|
  D|--------------5------|--------------5------|
  A|--------5--7------7--|--------5--7------7--|
  E|--0--7---------------|--0--7---------------|

Transition Words

As the song comes to an end, make sure to focus on your dynamics and play with a sense of restraint. This section should gradually fade out, creating a sense of closure for the listener.

Conclusion

Learning Take Me to the River (ver 2) is a challenging but rewarding experience for any bassist. By following the tabs provided in this article and practicing consistently, you can master this classic tune and add it to your repertoire. Remember to pay attention to your timing, dynamics, and feel for the song, and have fun with it!