Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin - The Lemon Song bass tab
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Song: The Lemon Song Artist: Led Zeppelin Album: Led Zeppelin II Bass Player: John Paul Jones Tabbed by: John Prather (jnprather@aol.com) Member of the Bass Tab Archive Tabbing Army ~ http://www.basstabarchive.com This song is one i've always told myself i'd learn, and i've screwed around with bits a pieces of it here and there, but i've never *really* learned it. When I saw a request for this song, I suddenly found an excuse to sit down and try to figure the whole darned thing out. This is in my opinion an absolute masterpiece of blues bass. John Paul Jones lets it fly, using all of his signature licks in this one. The progression is your standard 12-bar blues in E. Normally i'd shy away from transcribing a "blues" bassline (because I think with blues it's more important to focus on playing a "progression" than it is to play a specific bassline), but Jones' bass playing on this song is an absolute goldmine of things to learn. I've really tried and get this as accurate as I possibly can. With blues in a hey like E, it's always hard to tell if, for example, the bass player is playing an A on the fifth fret of the E string or is playing the A string open. I've tried my best to decipher when he does each but there has to be a few mistakes. Overall i'd like to think this is pretty accurate. Also, Jones' use of ghost notes is tricky, because it's often hard to tell when a note is a true ghost note or just a quick semi-muted useage of a normal fretted (or open) note. i'm sure there are certain notes i've specified as a ghost (x) that are actually fretted and vice versa. Alot of the open notes I notated could probably be interpreted as a ghost. Play it however sounds right to you. I've spent *ALOT* of time on this song, and I hope it helps some people out. If you have any comments feel free to email me, otherwise, GOOD LUCK! P.S.: There is a minor update to my first Lemon Song transcription. I saw a transcription of a small portion of this song which was done by Jones. What I had was 99% accurate, however, all but one of the ghost notes I had notated were in fact notated as open string notes by JPJ himself. I have updated this transcription as such, and I'll try to go through, update it again and convert most of the ghost notes when I have some time. Enjoy! Intro/Verse Riff (rest 3 measures then): G|--7---7--7-------------------------------------------------7-----| D|----x---------------------------------------------------9-----9--| A|-------------7--7------------------------7---x--7----------------| E|-------------------4--4--5--5--6--6--7---------------------------| G|-----------------------------------9------------7-----7--7-------| D|--------------------------------------------9------9----------9--| A|---7--7-------------------------7-----7--------------------------| E|---------x--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------------------| G|--------------------------------------------9--7-----------------| D|--------------------------------------------------9--0--7--9-----| A|---7--7------------------------7---7--7--------------------------| E|---------x--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------9----------------9------------| D|----------------------------------------------8--9------9--------| A|---7--7------------------------7------7--------------------------| E|---------x--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|---7---------------------------7------7-------5------------------| A|---------0--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------5-----6-----| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------9-----------------------------------| D|----------6--6--7--7--8--9------9------------6----7----8---------| A|---7---7---------------------------7-----7-----------------------| E|--------------------------------------7--------------------------| G|---------------11------------------------------------------------| D|---9---9--x-9------9-----------------------5----7--5-------------| A|----------------------9--------4--5--6--7-----7-------7--5--6----| E|-------------------------7--5------------------------------------| 0:50 : G|-------9----9--7-------------------------------------------------| D|-----------------9--x--7--9--5h6--------------5------------------| A|---7------------------------------7--5--6--7-----7--5-------5----| E|------------------------------------------------------5-6-7---7--| G|----------------------------------------------9-----9--7---------| D|---------------------------------------------------------9-------| A|---------------------------------x--5--6--7------7---------------| E|---0---0---4---x--5--x--5--6--7-----------------------------7----| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------------------------------------| A|---7-------------------------7--5---7--5---7--5--------7---------| E|-------0---4--4--5--5--6--7-------7------7-------7--6-----6------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-----------------------------7-----------------7-----------------| A|---------4---4---5--5--6--7-----7-----------4-----5---6----------| E|---5---5---------------------------5--5--5-----------------------| G|---------------------------------9-------------------------------| D|---------6---6---7---7--x--8--9-----------x--6--7--8-------------| A|---7---7------------------------------7--------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------12/13--11----------------9----11-9---------------5-----| D|---9--9-------------13-11-9-x-9/11---11------11-9-7--7-x-5---5---| A|---------------------------------------------------------------x-| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-------9---9---9--7----------------------------------------------| D|---------------------9--7--9--5/6\-------------------------------| A|---7-----------------------------------------------5----6--------| e|-----------------------------------------------------------------| Up Tempo (1:27): G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------6--x-7--x-8--9-------------6--6--7--7---x-8--9----------| A|---7--7-------------------5---7--7-------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|--------------------------7--8--9--9--7--x-----------------------| D|-------x--6---7--7--8--9-------------------9---x--7--6-----------| A|---7----------------------------------------------------7--------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------7-----| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|------------------------------5--7--7--5-------------------------| A|-----------4---x-5---x-6--7----------------x--7--6--5--4--5------| E|---5---5---------------------------------------------------------| G|------------------------------7--9--9--7-------------------------| D|-----------6---6-7---x-8--9----------------x-9---x--7--6--7------| A|---7---7---------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|---9---7---------------------------------------------------------| A|----------9---7---5---7-------------x--4--x--5--x--5--6--7-------| E|--------------------------5--7---5-------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------6--x-7--x-7--8--8--8----| D|-----------6--6--7--7--7--8--8--8--9--9--------------------------| A|---7---7---------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|---9---9---7-----------------------------------------------------| D|--------------x--9---x--7--5h6-----------------------------------| A|---------------------------------7---7---5-----------------------| E|---------------------------------------------x--7--5---3h4--0----| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------5--x--5--6--x--6--7--7----| A|---------------------------------7--7--------------------------7-| E|----0---0---4--x--5--x--5--6--7----------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----7---7---5-----------------------------------------------5h6--| A|----------------x---7---x--5-3h4-----------4--x--5--x--6--7------| E|----------------------------------5--5--5------------------------| G|---------------------------------7--9--9--x-7--------------------| D|------------6--x--7--x--8--x--9----------------9--x--6--7--8-----| A|----7---7--------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|------------8---x-9---x-10-11-----------6--x--7--x--8--9---------| D|----9---9----------------------9--7--7--------------------7------| A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|--------9--7--x-6--6--5---x--------------------------------------| D|----9------------------------9--9--7--7--7--8--9-----------------| A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------7-------------| G|---------------------------------9---7---------------------------| D|------------6---x--7---x--8---9---------9-----6--6---7---9-------| A|----7---7----------------------------------7---------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----9------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------9------6---7---8------------------------------------------| A|----------7------------------------------------------------------| E|----------------------------0---4---4---5---5---6---7------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|------------------------------------7--7---x--5------------------| A|-------------4---4---5---5---6---7---------------x-7--x--4-5-6---| E|-----5---5-------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------9--x-9-----9----7----9----------| D|-------------6---6---7--7--8--9----------7----8----9-------------| A|-----7---7-------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-----9---9---7---x-----------------------------------------------| A|--------------------9---x---7--5------------4-x-5-x-5---6--6-----| E|----------------------------------7---5--5-----------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------6--6---x-7--7---8--8--9-----------------------------| A|-----7---7-------------------------------------------4--5--6-----| E|--------------------------------------7--7--7--7--7--------------| Slower Tempo (2:30): G|-----------------------------------------------------9--7--------| D|-------------6---6--6--7--7--8--9--------------------------9-----| A|-----7---7-------------------------x--7---x--7-------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------9--8--7------------------------------| D|-------x--6--6--7--7--8--9-----------9--x--7--6---------------5/-| A|----7-------------------------------------------7--8--5--6--7----| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------------------5--6--7---------------------------------| A|----0---4---x-5--x-6--7-------------------4---5---6--------------| E|------------------------------------5----------------------------| G|-----------------------------9-----------------------------------| D|--------x--6--6--7--7--8--9-----------6----7----8----------------| A|----7----------------------------7-------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----9-----------------------------------------------------------| D|---9---9--9--9--9--x--9---------------------------7---7----5---7-| A|-------------------------9----9-------------x--4----5---5h7--7---| E|----------------------------7---7--6--5--5-----------------------| "Now take it down a little..." (2:56): G|---------9-9--9--7-----------------------------------------------| D|-------x-----------9--7--9-5h6------------5----------------------| A|---7----------------------------7--5-6-7----7--5--------5--------| E|-------------------------------------------------5h6-7-----5-----| G|-------------------------------9---7-----------------7-----------| D|---------6---7--8--9-------------------0--7--8--9----------------| A|---7-----------------9----7--------------------------------------| E|-----------------------7-----------------------------------------| G|--------------------------------9--8--7--------------------------| D|-------0--6--6--7---7--8--9--0-----------0--9--0-7--6------------| A|---7--------------------------------------------------7-0----7---| E|-----------------------------------------------------------7---6-| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------0--5--6--7-----------------7---------| A|---0---0--4--x--5--0--6--7-------------7---7----0--4------5--6---| E|-----------------------------------------5---5-------------------| G|------------------------------------------------------9----------| D|-------0--6--6-6-7--7--7--8--8--8--9--------------0-6---7--0--8--| A|---7---------------------------------7--5-0-7--7-----------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-------------11--------------------------------------------------| D|---9---9--9------9-------9-----9---7------------4-5-6-7----------| A|--------------------0--9----9---------0-4-5-6-7---------4-4-5-6--| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-------9---7-----------------------------------------------------| D|--------------9--7--5--------------------------------------------| A|---7--------------------7--5-----7-7--5------------------5--6----| E|------------------------------7---------7--5--3--5----/7---------| N.H. G|-------9--9--7---------------------------12-9--------------------| D|----------------9--7--0--5h6------(5)---------12--9-7-8--9-------| A|---7--------------------------7----------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------9--7--------------------| D|-----------------------------------------------9--7-0-5--7-------| A|---7--------5--5------------------7---7--------------------------| E|-------------------7--5--3--5--7---------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------------------4-5-6-7-------------------------5-6-7-9-| A|---0-------4----5--6--7-----------0--4--4--5-5-6--6-7--7---------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|--------9---9--7-------------------------------------------------| D|------------------9-7-x--5--6-------------x-6--7--8--9------7----| A|---7---------------------------7--5--6--7---------------x-7------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------11-----------------------9-----------------------------| D|---9--9-------9--------9----9--7-7----7----------------5---7-----| A|-----------------9----9--9--------------7---4--5--6--7---7-------| E|--------------------7---------------------5----------------------| G|--------9--7-----------------------------------------------------| D|--------------9--7--5--------------------------------------------| A|---7-------------------7--5----------------------------0--2------| E|-----------------------------7---5--3--2--1--0-1--2--3-----------| G|-----------------------------------9---9--7--7--7----------------| D|-----------0--6--0--7---7--8h9---------------------9--7----------| A|---7---7------------------------7------------------------7-------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------7--9----------------------------| D|---------6--6--7--7--8--8--9--9----------------------------------| A|---7--7-------------------------------7--7--5--5--5--------------| E|----------------------------------------------------7--7-5-0-3-4-| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------5--6--7-------------------------------| A|-----------4---4--5---6--7----------7-----------0--4--5--6-------| E|---5--5--5-----------------------------5--0-5--------------------| G|------------------------7--8--9--12-9---9-9-12-9----9--9---------| D|------x--6--6--7--8--9---------------12----------12------12-9----| A|---7----------------------------------------------------------12-| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------9---7-------| D|---9--------------7--8--9------------------------5----------9----| A|------9-------9-----------9--6-------------5-6-7---7----------5--| E|---------7----------------------7--x-5-6-7-----------------------| G|-------------9---------------------------------------------------| D|------9/11-------------9\----------------------------------------| A|---7------------10/11-----10/11---------7--x-5-------------------| E|----------------------------------7--9----------7--5--3h4--------| G|-----------------------------------------------7-----9-----------| D|-----------------------------------------------------------------| A|-------7--7--5--------------------------7--7---------------------| E|---0------------7--5--2--3--4--0--0--5---------------------------| G|----------------------------------9--------9---------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------7-8-------------| A|---7-----7--7--5-------------x-7-----x-7------7------------------| E|-------7-----------7--5--0----------------------------0----------| G|--------------------------------------------------7--6-----------| D|-----------------------4--5--6--7-------------7---------9--7--x--| A|--------x--4--5--6---7-------------4--7-----7---7----------------| E|----5------------------------------------5-----------------------| G|-------------9--9--7---------------------------------------------| D|----9-----------------9--7--6h7--6h7--6-7-6----------------------| A|-------7--7----------------------------------7--5-x-7------------| E|------------------------------------------------------4--4-5--0--| G|----------------------11-------------------7-----11--9-----------| D|-------------9/11h13-----13--11\9--7--9h11----11--------11-----9-| A|-------9h11------------------------------------------------9h11--| E|----7------------------------------------------------------------| G|--------9---7----------------------------------------------------| D|----------------9---7--5h6---------------------------------------| A|----7-------------------------7--5-------------------------------| E|------------------------------------7--5--3--2--0--0--4--7-------| G|-----------9--7----------------------------7--9------------------| D|-----------------9--7-------------6--7--9------------------------| A|----7------------------7---7---7---------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------9--9--9--9--9--9--7------------------------------------| D|-------------------------------9---------4-4-4-4-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-| A|----7----------------------------7-7-7-7-------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------5/6----------------------------------------------| D|-----7--5-------------7--5--7--5-------------------------5-------| A|------------7--------------------7--0--0--0--4--5--6-0-7--7-5--6-| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|--------9--7-----------------------------------------------------| D|-------------9--7--5h6-------------5-----7-5---------------------| A|----7------------------7--5--6--7---7-5-----5-5-6-7-5-5-6-7------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------5-5-6-| G|-------------------11--------------------------------------------| D|----------------9------9----------------------2------------------| A|-------------9------------9----9----------2h4---4-2-----4--------| E|----7---7--------------------7---7--6--5------------5-5----------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|------------6--6--7--7--8--8--9--9-------------------------------| A|----7---7--------------------------------------------------------| E|------------------------------------------/7---------------------| Up Tempo (5:36): G|--------------------------------------------------------7--------| D|----------6--x--7--x--8--9------------6--6-7--x--8--9------------| A|----7--7------------------------7--7-----------------------------| E|-----------------------------7-----------------------------------| G|----9---9--------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------x--9--x--7--5h6-------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------7--7--5---------------------------| E|----------------------------------------0--7--0--5--3--4---------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|------------------------------5--7--7--5-------------------------| A|------------4--x--5--x--6--7--------------x--7--x--5--4--5-------| E|----5---5--------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------7--9--9--7----------------------------| D|----------6--x-7--x--8--9--------------0--9--x--7--6--7----------| A|----7--7---------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------8--8-9--9-10--11--------------6--x-7-x--7--8--8-------| D|----9---9--------------------x--9--7--7--------------------------| A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|----9--9--7--7--7-6--6--5--5-5--x--------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------9--9--8-8--8--7--7--8--9------| A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------------------------------------| A|----7--7--5------------------------------------------------------| E|-------------0-7--x-5--3h4--0--0--4--x--5--x--5--6--7------------| G|---------------------------7--9--9--9--7-------------------------| D|----------6--x-7--x--8--9-----------------x-9--x-7--5h6----------| A|----7--7------------------------------------------------7--------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------------------------4--x-5--x-6--7--7-----------------| A|----------4--x--5--x--6--7--7---------------------4--5-----------| E|----5--5---------------------------------------------------------| G|--------------------------7---9---9---7--------------------------| D|--------6--x--7--x--8--9-----------------x--9---7--6--7----------| A|----7------------------------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| D|----9---7--------------------------------------------------------| A|------------9--8--7---5------------------------7-----------------| E|--------------------------7--6--5--------------------------------| Whew!