(Standard Tuning)

intro
(1+4x)

|-x-------x----------x-------x-----------|
|-14------14--------14------14-----------|
|<14>-----14--------14-----<14>----------|
|-12--x---x---------12--x---x------------|
|-12--x---12---x-x-<14>-x--<14>-x-x------|
|-x---0--<14>--0-0---x--0--<14>-0-0------|

->@     ->@       ->@     ->@


Live intro notes:

As ZZ-Top never play the intro as below live, I'll throw
in the live chords here. Fool around with these chords
and try to get the right muteings and harmonics on the <6th string>,
<5th string> and <3rd string> were indicated with an ->@

Thumb shall mute on 12th fret(band), like you do artificial
harmonics - but you won't get a real sharp harmonic here.
Also ring finger shall mute some like thumb, but on 14th fret(band),
to get a artificial harmonic or mute. (A very slightly touch)

Important is that your ring finger mute. It's first muted
with your thumb on 12th fret  you hit it on 14th fret.
I didn't put that technically thang in tab. Check live vids for that.
3rd string mute on 14th fret is done by your pinky fingertip.
Remember that on every chord  you have to press down
on 12th fret <4th> and <5th> string even if you mute on 14th fret. 
How do you tab that!? Hmmmm?

Even Billy Gibbons makes misses on this intro (i guess he doesn't
bother to get it right every time). It takes about 2 strokes to get
fingers in position for the "mechanic sound". A little bit of practice
and you have it. Alternative is to just stick around with the last
chord all the time, but don't forget to press down finger on 12th fret.

Have fun with it.... and thx to Hayden Pimm for the tab below.


//meek@spray.se

_______________________________________________________

Manic Mechanic

(Standard Tuning)

Intro
(4x)
|--(b9)---(b9)-----(b9)---(b9)-----|--(b9)---(b9)-----(b9)---(b9)-----|
|--10---10-----10---10-----|--10---10-----10---10-----|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|-----0----0-0----0----0-0-|-----0----0-0----0----0-0-|

Verse
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|--0h2--------------2-2---------2-----2-----0h2-------|
|-------------------0-0-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------3p0---3p0-----------|
  You want to race?  If you insist.

|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------2-2---2-----2----------|
|------------------------------0-0--------------------|
|--------------------------------------3p0---3p0------|
  At that price, I can't resist.

|--7--0--------5--0--------3--0--------3--0-----------|
|--7----0------5----0------3----0------3----0---------|
|--(b9)-----(b9)---7------7----5------5----5------5-------|
|--7--------7--5--------5--3--------3--3--------3-----|
|--(b9)----------7-----------5-----------5--------------|
|--7-----------5-----------3-----------3--------------|
 That's right, that's right, that's right.

Interlude after 2nd Chorus
(2x)                      (2x)
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|-2p0-------2-2p0------2-|-4p2--2-----2--4p2--2-----2-|
|----2-----------2-------|----4--------------4--------|
|-----3p2p0-------3p2p0--|-------5p4p2---------5p4p2--|

Play above twice then
                           (3x)
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
|-12p10--10--------10-----|-11p(b9)--(b9)--------(b9)-------|
|------12-----------------|------11-------------------|
|----------13p12p10--10-(b9)|----------12p11p(b9)--(b9)-----|