Tabs
MELTING POT
As recorded by Booker T. & The MG's
(From the 1971 Album MELTING POT)
Words and Music by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn & Al Jackson, Jr.
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (
E MajorE 
A augmentedA 
D MajorD 
G+G 
BB E MajorE) - 'Steve Cropper - Electric Guitar'
Q=116
Am7Am7
4/4
Gtr I
Wx2 E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|------------|-------------------------------|
|------------|-------------------------------|
|------------|-5-x-x-5-x-x-5---x-5-----5-5-5-|
|------------|-5-x-x-5-x-x-5---x-5-----5-5-5-|
|------------|-------------------------------|
|------------|-------------------------------|
Am9Am9
E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E. S +E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|-----------------------------7-7----|
|-------------5-----5------8-|-(8)-----8-x-x-8---x-8-x-x-x-8-8----|
|-5-x-x-5-x-x-5---x-5------5-|-(5)-x-x-5-x-x-5---x-5-x-x-x-5-5----|
|-5-x-x-5-x-x-5---x-5------7-|-(7)-x-x-7-x-x-7---x-7-x-x-x--------|
|----------------------------|------------------------------------|
|----------------------------|------------------------------------|
E MajorE E e S S E MajorE e S S S S E MajorE E E MajorE S S E MajorE e E MajorE S S E MajorE S S e S S S S e S S S S
|-7---7-x-7---7---x-7-7-|-7-x-7-x-7---7-x-7-7-|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7-x-7-7-7--|
|-8-x-8-x-8---8---x-8-8-|-8-x-8-x-8---8-x-8-8-|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8-x-8-8-8--|
|-5-x-5-x-----5---x-5-5-|-5-x-5-x-5---5-x-5-5-|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5-x-5-5-5--|
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------|----------------------------|
E MajorE S S e S S S S e E MajorE S S E MajorE S S e S S S S e E MajorE S S E MajorE S S e S S S S e S E.
|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7---7-7-|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7---7-7-|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7-x----|
|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8---8-8-|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8---8-8-|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8-x-8--|
|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5---5-5-|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5---5-5-|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5-x-5--|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
E MajorE S S e S S S S e S S S S
|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7-x-7-7-7-|
|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8-x-8-8-8-|
|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5-x-5-5-5-|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
E MajorE S S e S S S S e E MajorE S S E MajorE S S e S S S S e E MajorE S S
|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7---7-7-|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7---7-7-|
|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8---8-8-|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8---8-8-|
|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5---5-5-|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5---5-5-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E MajorE S S e S S S S e S S S S
|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7-x-7-7-7-|
|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8-x-8-8-8-|
|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5-x-5-5-5-|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
E MajorE S S e S S S S e E MajorE S S E MajorE S S e S S S S e E MajorE S S
|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7---7-7-|-7-x-x-7-x-7---x-7---7-7-|
|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8---8-8-|-8-x-x-8-x-8---x-8---8-8-|
|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5---5-5-|-5-x-x-5-x-5---x-5---5-5-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
F5F5
PM
E MajorE S S e S S S S S S e E MajorE E MajorE S S +Q +E MajorE S S S S S S
|-7-x-x-7-x-7-x-7-7-7-7---|----------------------------|
|-8-x-x-8-x-8-x-8-8-8-8---|----------------------------|
|-5-x-x-5-x-5-x-5-5-5-5---|----------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------------|-3-3-3-(3)--(3)-3-3---------|
|-------------------------|-1-1-1-(1)--(1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
E MajorE S S S E MajorE S +E MajorE S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-------3-3-3-(3)-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
A minorAm Am7Am7
Q H Q Q E MajorE S S S E MajorE S E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E S S S E MajorE S E MajorE S S
|------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|----5-------|-8--8-8-8---8-----8-8-|-x-x---x-x-x---x-----8-8-|
|-5--5-------|-5--5-5-5---5-----5-5-|-x-x---x-x-x---x-----5-5-|
|-7----------|-7--7-7-7---7-----7-7-|-x-x---x-x-x---x---------|
|------------|----------------------|-----7-------------------|
|------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
Am9Am9
E MajorE E E MajorE S S E MajorE E S S S S S S E MajorE E S S S E MajorE S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE E S S E MajorE e S S S S
|-----------------7-7-7-|-----------7---7-----7-7-|-------7-x-7---7---7-7-7-||
|-----x-x-x---x---8-8-8-|-x-x-----x-8---8-----8-8-|-x-x-x-8-x-8---8---8-8-8-||
|-----x-x-x---x---5-5-5-|-x-x-----x-5---5-----5-5-|-x-x-x-5-x-5---5---5-5-5-||
|---7-------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------||
|-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------||
|-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------||
Am9Am9
S S E MajorE E S S E MajorE e S S S S
||--------7-x-7---7---7-7-7-|
||o-x-x-x-8-x-8---8---8-8-8-|
||--x-x-x-5-x-5---5---5-5-5-|
||--------------------------|
||o-------------------------|
||--------------------------|
Am7Am7
S S E MajorE e S S E MajorE E S S S S S S E MajorE S S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE E
|-------7-x-7---7---7-7-7--||-------------------------|
|-x-x-x-8-x-8---8---8-8-8-o||-------8---8-8---8-8-8---|
|-x-x-x-5-x-5---5---5-5-5--||-x-x-x-5-x-5-5---5-5-5-x-|
|--------------------------||-x-x-x-7-x-7-7---7-7-7-x-|
|-------------------------o||-------------------------|
|--------------------------||-------------------------|
F5F5 A minorAm
Q. S +S +E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE +S S E MajorE H H
|------------------------|-----------------------------|------------|
|------------------------|-----------------------------|------^5----|
|------------------------|-----------------------------|-5----^5----|
|------------------------|-----------------------------|-7----^7----|
|-3----3-(3)-(3)-3-3-3-3-|-------3-3-3-(3)-3-3-(3)-3-3-|------------|
|-1----1-(1)-(1)-1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-(1)-1-1-(1)-1-1-|------------|
Am9Am9
+E MajorE E MajorE +S E. E. S +Q E MajorE e S S E MajorE e S S E MajorE e E MajorE e S S E MajorE e S S E MajorE e
|------------------------|---7-x-7---7---x---7-|---7-x-7---7---x---7-||
|-(5)-------8--8--8-(8)--|---8-x-8---8---x---8-|---8-x-8---8---x---8-||
|-(5)-5-(5)----5--5-(5)--|---5-x-5---5---x---5-|---5-x-5---5---x---5-||
|-(7)--------------------|---------------------|---------------------||
|------------------------|---------------------|---------------------||
|------------------------|---------------------|---------------------||
C majorC
Q E. S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE Q E. S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|-----8---8----8--8--8--8---|-----8---8----8--8--8--8---|
|-----9---9----9--9--9--9---|-----9---9----9--9--9--9---|
|----10--10---10-10-10-10---|----10--10---10-10-10-10---|
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
G+G
Q E. S S S E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E E. S S S E MajorE E S S
|----7--7---7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7---7--7---7-7-7-x-x-|
|----8--8---8-8-8-8-8-8-|-8---8--8---8-8-8-x-x-|
|----7--7---7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7---7--7---7-7-7-x-x-|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
D MajorD N.C.
PM--------|
|-3-| |-3-|
Q E. S S S S S S S E MajorE E MajorE e E. S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-----------------------|----------------------|-------------|
|----7--7---7-7-7-7-7---|---7-7--7---7-7-7-7---|-------------|
|----7--7---7-7-7-7-7---|---7-7--7---7-7-7-7---|-------------|
|----7--7---7-7-7-7-7---|---7-7--7---7-7-7-7---|-------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|-3-----3-5-7-|
|-----------------------|----------------------|---5-3-------|
N.C.
~~~~~~~~~~
|-3-|
Q Q Q a E. S +S S E MajorE a Q E MajorE S S +H
|----------------------||-------------------|
|----------------------||-------------------|
|-----5-7s9--7-(7)-5---||------5---5-(5)----|
|-5-7----------------7-||-5h7----7----------|
|----------------------||-------------------|
|----------------------||-------------------|
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
|-3--|
+E MajorE S S +E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q H +E MajorE E MajorE S E.
|----------------------8-|-----------------8---|
|-----8s10-(10)-8-8-10---|-10----(10)-8-10-----|
|-(5)--------------------|---------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------|
~~~~~~~~~
|--3--|
+E MajorE E MajorE E. S +S S E MajorE E E MajorE +H Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|-(8)-8-10b12-10-(10)-8----8----|------------------17-|
|-----------------------10---10-|-(10)-------16-17----|
|-------------------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------|
+H +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q +E MajorE S S +Q. E MajorE
|-(17)----(17)----17----|-20--(20)-17-----------17--|
|--------------17----17-|-------------20-(20)-------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------|
|--3---| |--3--|
E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E Q Q Q E. S +S S E MajorE +S S +S S Q
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|-17----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|----19b21==(19)r-17------------|-19b21-19-(19)-17-19b21==(19)-19r(19)-17-19b21===|
|----------------------17-19----|-------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------19-|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
+E MajorE S +S E MajorE S S +S E. Q
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-(19)-19r(19)-17----17-(17)-17-------|
|-----------------19-------------19---|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
+E MajorE e E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S E MajorE S
|------17----17--------------17-------17-------17-|
|---------17----20b22==(20)r----20b22----20b22----|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-(19)--------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S E MajorE S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S E MajorE S +S S E MajorE
|-------17--------------17-------17-------17--------17-|-----17---------17------------------17-----|
|-20b22----20b22==(20)r----20b22----20b22----20b21=====|=20r----20-(20)----20-19-19-17-(17)--------|
|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------19--|
|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
PM|
E MajorE E MajorE S E MajorE S +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE Q. +E MajorE S S Q
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|------------------------17-------|-19b20------------19b21==19r-----|
|-17---------------------17-------|-19b21-17----(17)-19b20==19r-17--|
|----19-17-19-19-(19)-19----19-16-|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
S S Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE +S E.
|----------------------------------------------|
|-19b21==19r-----19b20-xb20--------------------|
|-19b20==19r-----19b21-xb21-19b21==(19)r-19b21-|
|------------19--------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
S +E MajorE S E. S +S E. S E.
|---------------------------------------|
|-------------17--------------------17--|
|-19pb21r(19)-----------------------17--|
|----------------19--19-(19)-19--19-----|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+S S E MajorE Q E MajorE Q. +H +S E. +Q +H H
|----------------------|--------------------|-------------|
|-(17)------------7----|-(7)----(7)-7--(7)--|-(7)----7----|
|-(17)------------7----|-(7)----(7)-7--(7)--|-(7)----7----|
|------19-19-----------|--------------------|-------------|
|----------------------|--------------------|-------------|
|----------------------|--------------------|-------------|
~~~ PM--|
+H H +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE H +E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE H E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE
|-------------|------------------|------------------|---------------------|
|-(7)----5----|-(5)----(5)-5-----|----------5-------|--------5-5-(5)------|
|-(7)----5----|-(5)----(5)-5-----|----------5-5-5-5-|------x-5-5-(5)-5-5--|
|-------------|--------------5-5-|-7----(7)---5-5-5-|-7----x---------5-5--|
|-------------|------------------|------------------|---------------------|
|-------------|------------------|------------------|---------------------|
FF
H E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E a E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E MajorE e S S E MajorE E S S S S e
|------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
|--------5-5-------|-------------8-8s6-----|---6---6---6---6-----6--|
|--------5-5-------|-----5-7-7s9-9-9s7-5---|---5-x-5---5-x-5---x-5--|
|-7----x-------5-5-|---7-----------------7-|---7-x-7---7-x-7---x-7--|
|------------------|-----------------------|-8----------------------|
|------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
Am7Am7
E MajorE e S S E MajorE E S S S S e E MajorE E +S E. +E MajorE S S +E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------|---------5--(5)-----------|
|---6---6---6---6-----6-|---5-(5)-5--(5)-5-5-(5)-5-|
|---5-x-5---5-x-5---x-5-|---5-(5)-5--(5)-5-5-(5)-5-|
|---7-x-7---7-x-7---x-7-|---7-(7)-7--(7)-----------|
|-8---------------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------------|--------------------------|
FF
TP
+E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE H E MajorE e S S E MajorE E S S S S e
|-----------------|-------------------------|
|-(5)-------/8----|---6---6---6---6-----6---|
|-(5)---5-7-/9----|---5-x-5---5-x-5---x-5---|
|-----7-----------|---7-x-7---7-x-7---x-7---|
|-----------------|-8-----------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|
Am7Am7
TP TP
E MajorE e S S E MajorE E S S S S e H H W
|-----------------------|-----------|-5----|
|---6---6---6---6-----6-|-5----5----|-5----|
|---5-x-5---5-x-5---x-5-|-5----5----|-5----|
|---7-x-7---7-x-7---x-7-|-5----5----|-5----|
|-8---------------------|-----------|------|
|-----------------------|-----------|------|
Am7Am7
e E MajorE Q H W E MajorE S S E MajorE E S S E MajorE S E MajorE S
|-5-----------|----------||--------------------------|
|-5-----------|----------||o-------------------------|
|-5-----------|----------||----0-0-------------------|
|-5-----------|----------||--2-----2-2-x-x-2-0h=2----|
|-------------|----------||o-0-----0-0-x-x-0-0-(0)---|
|-------------|----------||--------------------------|
E MajorE S S E MajorE E S S E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E S S E MajorE S E MajorE S
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-----0---------0-------0-|
|-2-x-2---2-x-2-2-0h=2--2-|-2-x-2-2-2-x-2-2-0h=2--2-|
|-0-x-0---0-x-0-0-0-(0)-0-|-0-x-0-0-0-x-0---0-(0)---|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
S S E MajorE E S S e E MajorE S S S S 6x
|---------------------------||
|--------------------------o||
|---------x-0---0-----x-x---||
|-2-x-2---x-2---2-----x-x---||
|-0-x-0-------0------------o||
|---------------3-3h5-------||
Duration 🏷Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E MajorE - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature 🏷Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc 🏷Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
