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"I Want You Back" - Jackson 5
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Tabbed By : T-Top
This is taken from Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection; I recently read that this recording was played by Motown house bassist Wilton Felder (I had always been shocked that Jermaine could play like this). This bass line is so fun to play. I especially love the extra flair added to the bass in the chorus at 1:40 - awesome.
The recording I got off iTunes is off-pitch; the key is somewhere between Ab and A. I have transcribed it in A, since it makes some fingerings easier. I think the quick open A sixteenth note in the middle of the descending chorus line sounds great. Wilton probably played some parts higher on the neck than I've written to get better tone (and maybe in Ab), so experiment.
Since the funky rhythm is what makes this bass line, I've written it in "piano roll" format to give the rhythm. Below each tab, the * indicates beat 1, and the ^ indicates beat 2, 3, or 4 of the measure. Each text character is one sixteenth note of time.
I believe I have every note right; fixed the a Capalla section - please post if anything sounds off.
Intro 2x:
G|--------------------------------
D|-------------240-----------0-123
A|0----------24------------24-----
E|--------------------------------
* ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ ^
G|--------------------------------
D|4-------------------2-----------
A|----4---5--0----2------0--------
E|--------------------------------
* ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ ^
Chorus (with lead-in riff):
G|----------------------------------------
D|----7-7-7--76--644-----------------2--23
A|--79-9-------------7-5705--54--422---4--
E|----------------------------------------
^ ^ * ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ ^
G|--------------------------------
D|4-------------------2-----------
A|----4---5--0----2------0--------
E|--------------------------------
* ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ ^
bridge (vocals repeat title of song):
G|--------------------
D|--------------------
A|-------------0000---
E|--------------------
* ^ ^ ^ *
Cool variation in chorus at 1:38:
G|--------------------------7-------------
D|----7-7-7--76--644-------7---------2--23
A|--79-9-------------7-5705--4-442222--4--
E|----------------------------------------
^ ^ * ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ ^
G|--------------------------------
D|4-------------------2-----------
A|----4---5--0----2------0--------
E|--------------------------------
* ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ ^
During the aCapella section, the bass rests for 1 and 7/8 bars, then comes in at the end of the second bar with:
2X
G|----------------
D|----7-------4---
A|---7-4-----5----
E|-------------5--
^ * ^ ^
then 4x:
G|--6-------------
D|-7----6--47-----
A|9----7-5-----47-
E|---9-------5----
* ^ ^ ^
subtle, and cool. Flatwounds.
