Intro
CHINA GIRL (Bassline)
As recorded by David Bowie
(From the 1983 Album LET'S DANCE)
Words and Music by Iggy Pop & David Bowie
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (
E MajorE 
A augmentedA 
D MajorD 
G+G) - 'Carmine Rojas - Bass'
Intro
Q=138
4/4
Gtr I
W W W
|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|------|
Chorus
W W E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E
|----------|----------||----------------|----------------|
|----------|----------||---------5------|---------5------|
|----------|----------||---2-0--------2-|---2-0----------|
|----------|----------||-3-----3----5---|-3-----3----3-4-|
E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E
|---------------|---------------|----------------|----------------|
|---------------|-------------0-|---------5------|---------5------|
|---------------|-----------2---|---2-0--------2-|---2-0----------|
|-5-3-5---5-----|-5-3-5--5------|-3-----3----5---|-3-----3----3-4-|
1st & 2nd Verses
E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E Q E MajorE E Q Q Q. E MajorE Q E MajorE E
|---------------|---------------||---------------|---------------|
|---------------|-------------0-||o--------5-----|---------------|
|-----0---0-----|-0---0--0--2---||o--------------|---------------|
|-5-3-----------|---3-----------||--3----3-------|-3----3-3--3-4-|
Q E MajorE E Q Q Q E MajorE E Q E MajorE E Q E MajorE E Q Q
|--------------|---------------|--------------|
|--------------|---------------|--------5-----|
|--------------|-------------5-|--------------|
|-5----5-5-----|-5----5-5--7---|-3----3-------|
Q. E MajorE Q E MajorE E Q E MajorE E Q Q Q E MajorE E Q E MajorE E
|---------------|--------------|---------------|
|---------------|--------------|---------------|
|---------------|--------------|-------------5-|
|-3----3-3--3-4-|-5----5-5-----|-5----5-5--7---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E H E MajorE E E MajorE E H. E MajorE E H. E MajorE E
|-----------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----------------|--------------|-------------|-5-----------|
|-7---7---7---7---|-7----7-5-----|-------------|-------------|
|-----------------|----------7-5-|-3---------3-|---------3-4-|
1.
W +W W +H +E MajorE E MajorE +Q
|----------|------------|----------|--------------------||
|----------|------------|----------|-------------------o||
|----------|------------|----------|-------------------o||
|-5--------|-(5)--------|-7--------|-(7)----(7)-5-(5)---||
Bridge
2.
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-||-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-/7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|------------------|-----------------|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-/7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|------------------|-----------------|
3rd Verse
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--||-------2---------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|----------------||-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----|-------2---------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-|-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
4th Verse
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----||-------2---------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-||-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----|-------2---------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-|-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----|-------2---------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-|-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Bridge
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----||-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-||-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-----------------|-----------------|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-------2---------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Guitar Solo
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q
|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----||-------2---------|-------2--------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-||-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0--|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-0-----|-------2---------|-------2--------|
|-----------------|-------------3-2-|-0-2-3---0---0---|-0-2-3---0---0--|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|-------5---------|-------5---------|
|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5--4--|-3-5-7---3---3---|-3-5-7---3---3---|
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Out-Chorus
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q Q Q E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E
|-----------------|-------------||-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------||o---------5------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-2--0--------||o---2-0----------|
|-----------------|-------3--2--||--3-----3----5-7-|
E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E Q Q E MajorE E 4x
|----------------|---------------|----------------||
|---------5------|---------------|-------------0-o||
|---2-0----------|---------------|-----------2---o||
|-3-----3----3-4-|-5-3-5---5-----|-5-3-5--5-------||
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
Oh oh oh ohoo little china girl
Oh oh oh ohoo little china girl
I could escape this feeling, with my china girl
I feel a wreck without my, little china girl
I hear her heart beating, loud as thunder
Saw the stars crashing
I'm a mess without my, little china girl
Wake up mornings wheres my, little china girl
I hear hearts beating, loud as thunder
I saw they stars crashing down
I feel an tragic like an marlon brando
When I look at my china girl
I could pretend that nothing really meant too much
When I look at my china girl
I stumble into town just like a sacred cow
Visions of swastikas in my head
Plans for everyone
Its in the white of my eyes
My little china girl
You shouldn't mess with me
Ill ruin everything you are
Ill give you television
Ill give you eyes of blue
Ill give you men who want to rule the world
And when I get excited
My little china girl says
Oh baby just you shut your mouth
She says... Sh
She says
She says
And when I get excited
My little china girl says
Oh baby just you shut your mouth
And when I get excited
My little china girl says
Oh baby just you shut your mouth
She says... Sh
She says
Oh oh oh ohoo little china girl
Oh oh oh ohoo little china girl
Oh oh oh ohoo little china girl
Oh oh oh ohoo little china girl
Other versions of China Girl
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for China girl by David Bowie
| Version | Type |
|---|
| China girl | Chords |
