Guitar Tabs ExplorerThe Rolling Stones - “Gimme shelter“ Guitar tab
"Gimme shelter" is the opening track on "Let it bleed" from 1969. The first word is actually spelled "Gimmie" on the album, but it is changed to "Gimme" on all later recordings. Like so many other Stones classics it is written by Jagger and Richards. The female vocal part is sung by Merry Clayton. Guitarist Brian Jones was not yet fired from the Stones but was not present during the recordings of this song, so the Gimme Shelter guitar tabs is played by Keith Richards in his usual trademark style. 
The song is about the political and social unrest towards the end of the 60s during the Vietnam war. Jagger has later stated that the song is reminder that war is always present. Richards strummed the opening on an electro-acoustic guitar. The song has been covered by numerous artists and guitarist. Use these guitar tabs to play it like Richards or add your own signature to it.
Related pages are Gimme shelter (Ver2) tabs, Gimme shelter bass tabs, Gimme shelter chords, Doom and gloom tabs, Honky tonk women (Ver2) tabs. See all The Rolling Stones tabs. Submit corrected and missing guitar tab here.Gimme Shelter
Rolling Stones
Rhythm Guitar Intro
C# B A
4
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----7---7---6-7-|-----5---5---4-5-|-----4-2---4-2---|-4-2---4-2---4-2-|
-|---6---8-----6-8-|---4---6-----4-6-|---2-----2-----2-|-4-2---4-2---4-2-|
-|-6---------6-----|-4---------4-----|-2---------------|-----2-----2-----|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A
8
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----7---7-7-7-7-|-----5---5-5-5-5-|-----4-2---4-2---|-4-2-----4-2-4-2-|
-|---6---8-8-8-8-8-|---4---6-6-6-6-6-|---2-4-2-2-4-2---|-4-2---2-4-2-4-2-|
-|-6---------------|-4---------------|-2-------------2-|-----2-----------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A
12
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----7---7-7-7-6-|-----5---5-5-5-4-|-----4-2---4-2---|-4-2-----4-2-4-2-|
-|---6---8-8-8-8-6-|---4---6-6-6-6-4-|---2-4-2-2-4-2---|-4-2---2-4-2-4-2-|
-|-6---------------|-4---------------|-2-------------2-|-----2-----------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A
16
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-6-7-7---9-7-6---|-4-5-5---7-5-4---|-----4-2---4-2---|-4-2-----2-4-2-2-|
-|-6-8-8---8-8-6-6-|-4-6-6---6-6-4---|---2-4-2---4-2---|-4-2---2-2-4-2-2-|
-|-------6---------|-------4-------4-|-2-------2-----2-|-----2-----------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A
20
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----7---9-7-6---|-----5---7-5-4---|-----4-2---4-2---|-4-2-----2-4-4-2-|
-|---6---8-8-8-6---|---4---6-6-6-4---|---2-4-2---4-2---|-4-2---2-2-4-4-2-|
-|-6-------------6-|-4-------------4-|-2-------2-----2-|-----2-----------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A E A E A E B E B
24
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----7---9-7-6---|-----5---7-5-4---|-----4-2---4-2---|-----------------|
-|---6---8-8-8-6---|---4---6-6-6-4---|---2-4-2---4-2---|-----------------|
-|-6-------------6-|-4-------------4-|-2-------2-----2-|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---7---7---9---9-|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-5-0-5-0-7-0-7-|
Lead Guitar Intro
C# B A A
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------9-9>|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------12----|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A A
-|>9---------9-----|-----------------|-----------------|-------------9-9>|
-|------------12-9>|>9-----------9b10|-----------------|---9-------12----|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|11---------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A A
-|>9---------------|-----------------|---9-------9-----|-------------9-9>|
-|------------9b10-|-9b10r9----------|12------12-----9>|>9b10r9---12-----|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------9-------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A A
-|>9--------9------|-----------------|--------9--------|-----9------------|
-|------------12-9>|b10r9------------|--12-------------|--12--12-9b10-9b10|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-9---------------|-9----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
C# B A A
-|-----------------|-----------------|-9---------------|-----------9---9>|
-|-9b10r9----------|-9---------9--12-|--12---------9---|-----9--12--12---|
-|-----------------|--11---------9---|----------11-----|--11-------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C# B A A
-|>9---------------|-9---------------|-----------------|---9-------------------|
-|----------9---12-|---12----9b10----|-9b10------9---9-|12--12-------12--------|
-|--------11--9----|-----------------|---------11--11--|-------9--11b13r11p9---|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------11-|-11vvv
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
Verse 1
C# (sus)
Ooh a storm is threatening ...
Chorus 1,2,4
C# B A E A E A E B E B
War, Children, It's just ....
C
War, Children, It's just a ....
.
Chorus 2
Solo
Chorus 3
(3 times)
C# B A E A E A E B E B
Rape, Murder, It's just ...
Verse 3
Mmm, the flood is threatening...
Chorus 4
Chorus 5
C# B A E A E A E B E B
Love, sister, It's just a kiss away, ....
Rhythm Guitar during verse
C#
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----6-----6-----|-6---7---7-6---6>|>6---6-----6-----|-----7-----------|
-|-----6-----6-----|-6---6---6-6---6>|>6---6-----6-----|-9-6-6-6-----6-4-|
-|-----6-----6-----|-6---6---6-6---6>|>6---6-----6-----|-6-6-6-6-----6-4-|
-|-----4-----4-----|-4---4---4-4---4>|>4---4-----4-----|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C#
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-6---6-----6-----|-6---7-6-------6>|>6---6-----6-----|-----7-----------|
-|-6---6-----6-----|-6---6-6-------6>|>6---6-----6-----|-9-6-6-6-----6-4-|
-|-6---6-----6-----|-6---6-6-------6>|>6---6-----6-----|-6-6-6-6-----6-4-|
-|-4---4-----4-----|-4---4-4-------4>|>4---4-----4-----|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
(3rd verse variation)
C#
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----6-----6-----|-----7-6---------|-----6-----6-6---|-----7-6---------|
-|-----6-----6-----|-9-6-8-6-----9-6-|>6---6-----6-6---|-9-6-8-6-----9-6-|
-|-----6-----6-----|-6-6-6-6-----6-6-|>6---6-----6-6---|-6-6-6-6-----6-6-|
-|-----4-----4-----|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Rhythm Guitar Chorus
C# B A E A E A E B E B
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-6---6-666-6---6-|-4---4-444-4---4-|-2---2-222-2---2-|-----------------|
-|-6---6-666-6---6-|-4---4-444-4---4-|-2---2-222-2---2-|-----------------|
-|-4---4-444-4---4-|-2---2-222-2---2-|-0---0-000-0---0-|---7---7---9---9-|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-5-0-5-0-7-0-7-|
C# B A E A E A E B E B
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
-|-6---6-667-6---6-|---------5-4-4-4-|---------3-2-2-2-|-----------------|
-|-6---6-666-6---6-|-4---4-444-4-4-4-|-2---2-222-2-2-2-|-----------------|
-|-6---6-666-6---6-|-4---4-444-4-4-4-|-2---2-222-2-2-2-|-----------------|
-|-4---4-444-4---4-|-2---2-222-2-2-2-|-0---0-000-0-0-0-|---7---7---9---9-|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-5-0-5-0-7-0-7-|
Lead at end of Chorus 1
C#
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
-|-----------------|------12b14b14b14|b14r12-----9-----|----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|------11-----11--|11b13r11--------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------9-11---|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
Lead at end of Chorus 2
C#
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---12-----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-------------9-11|b13--b13r11-9-11-9----|
-|-----------------|------9----------|----11---9-11----|-------------------11>|
-|-----------------|-9h11--11--------|-----------------|----------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
C#
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
-|-----------------|---12------------|--------12---12--|---12-----------|
-|--------------11>|b13--b13r11-9----|---11b13--b13--11|b13---9---------|
-|>11--------------|--------------11-|-----------------|---------11-----|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
C# B A E A E A
E B E B
-|-----------------|-----------------|----9-----------------|------------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|------------------------|
-|---11b13-9-------|-9---------9---9-|11b13-13r11-9-11-9-11-|b13b13b13b13r11-9-------|
-|----------11-9-11|--11-9-11---11---|----------------------|------------------11-11>|
-|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|------------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|------------------------|
C# B A E A E A E
B E B
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
-|-----------------|---------9-------|-----------------|-11b13b13b13b13r11-9----|
-|>11vvvv----------|---9-11----11>>>>|>11vvvv----------|---------------------11-|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
C# B A E A
E A E B E B
-|-----------------|----------------------------|------------------|--------------------|
-|-----------------|12b14b14b14b14b14r12-12-----|------------------|--------------------|
-|-----------------|-----------------------11-9-|-------------9-11-|b13----------9-11b13|
-|-11vvvv----------|----------------------------|-11vvv--9-11------|----11--9-11--------|
-|-----------------|----------------------------|------------------|--------------------|
-|-----------------|----------------------------|------------------|--------------------|
Other leads are based on the C)
Most of the tabs include 8th note rhythms,
i.e. |-9-9---9-1-2-3-44-|
is 8th note, 4th note, 8th note, 8th, 8th, 8th, 16th, 16th
@
"Gimmie Shelter"
by the Rolling Stones
C B A
C#
OH the storm is ...
if I don't get ...
C# B A B
oh children , its ...
C# B A B
oh children , its just a ...
C#
Oh the fires is a ...
Burns like a red ...
C# B A B
oh children , its just ...
C# B A B
oh children , its just ...
C# B A B
oh sister, its just ...
C# B A
its just a kiss away its ....
A B C#
Main Chords:
C# B A (played as E-shape bar/power chords)
or in notes:
D|------11------9-------7----
Intro(Rhythm Guitar):
e|----------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------- ad lib...
D|----------9-9--9-----------7-7--7------7---7---7---7------ then goto power
A|-------11--------11------9--------9----------------------- chords.
E|-----9-----------------7-------------5---5---5---5---5/9/-
Intro Riff I (Lead Guitar):
e|---9---------------------------------------
B|------9^10^9----9^10^9----7-9--9--7h9p7----
G|----------------------------------------9-- (x3)
D|-------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
End the third time with... -6-66-66--6--4-44-44--------------
Followed by Riff II. ---------------------7-77-77--4---
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
Riff II:
e|---------------
B|---7h9p7-------
G|---------9--6-- (Played at the start of each line in the verse)
D|--------------- NB: h=hammer-on p=pull-off
A|---------------
E|---------------
The Chorus is a variation of Main Riff and Riff I but ends with something like:
e|---9--7-7-7-7-7-7-7------7------------------------------
B|-------------------10-10---10--9-10-9-7-9--7h9p7--------
G|--------------------------------------------------9--6--
D|--------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------
Peace,
Paul Z audsm@asuacad }8@)
Yup. I'm around. Does anyone know of a good source for the tablature
music for Gimme Shelter?
No, but here's a recipe -- I got this out of an interview with Keef in
Guitarist a couple of years back:
take one Fender Telecaster
tune to open E (E B E G# B E)
the intro and chorus use C#-B-A-E (9th, 7th, 5th, open)
the verse uses C (basically, move your
fingers around the 11th and 12th frets)
Listen to it a few times and maybe you'll get a feel for it. But the
open tuning is essential.
--Rick.
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