Tabs
THE HARDER THEY COME
As recorded by Jimmy Cliff
(From the 1972 Album THE HARDER THEY COME)
Words and Music by Jimmy Cliff
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (
E MajorE 
A augmentedA 
D MajorD 
G+G 
BB E MajorE) - 'Electric Guitar 1'
Gtr II (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE) - 'Electric Guitar 2'
Intro & Interlude
Q=100(16=s16)
$
C majorC G+G 
FF G+G C majorC G+G
4/4
Gtr I (El. Gtr.)
W Q. E MajorE +H Q. E MajorE +H Q. E MajorE +H
|----------||---------------|---------------|---------------|
|----------||-5----3-(3)----|-1----3-(3)----|-5----3-(3)----|
|----------||-5----4-(4)----|-2----4-(4)----|-5----4-(4)----|
|----------||-5----5-(5)----|-3----5-(5)----|-5----5-(5)----|
|----------||-3-------------|---------------|-3-------------|
|----------||---------------|---------------|---------------|
1st - 3rd Verses
FF 
Fadd9Fadd9 G+G
PM------------------------------------------------------|
Q. E MajorE +H S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|------3-(3)----||------------------------------|------------------------------|
|-1----1-(1)----||o-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-2----2-(2)----||------------------------------|------------------------------|
|-3----3-(3)----||------------------------------|------------------------------|
|---------------||o-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|---------------||--3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3--|
|
| Gtr II (El. Gtr.)
| W E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------||------------------------------|------------------------------|
|---------------||o-----3-----3-----3-3-----3---|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3--|
|---------------||------4-----4-----4-4-----4---|-----4-----4-------4-4-----4--|
|---------------||------5-----5-----5-5-----5---|-----5-----5-------5-5-----5--|
|---------------||o-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|---------------||------------------------------|------------------------------|
FF
PM---------------------------
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|
|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1-|
|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|
|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3-|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
G+G
---------------------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3-|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1-|-----3-----3-----3-3-----3---|
|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|-----4-----4-----4-4-----4---|
|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3-|-----5-----5-----5-5-----5---|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
FF
PM---------------------------------------------------------
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|-----------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3-|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1-|
|-----4-----4-------4-4-----4-|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|
|-----5-----5-------5-5-----5-|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
---------------------------|
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|-----------------------------||
|-----------------------------||
|-----------------------------||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-||
|-----------------------------||
|-----------------------------||
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------||
|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1-||
|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-||
|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3-||
|-----------------------------||
|-----------------------------||
Chorus
E MajorE
PM-------------------------------------------------------
S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2---2---2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---2---2-2-2-2-|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----0-----0-----0-0-----0-|-----0-----0-------0-0-----0-|
|-----1-----1-----1-1-----1-|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1-|
|-----2-----2-----2-2-----2-|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|
|-----2-----2-----2-2-----2-|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------|
A minorAm
-------------------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------------|
|-----1-------1-------1-1-----1-----|
|-----2-------2-------2-2-----2-----|
|-----2-------2-------2-2-----2-----|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
PM-------------------------------
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------------------|
|-----1-------1-------1-1-----1---|
|-----2-------2-------2-2-----2---|
|-----2-------2-------2-2-----2---|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
G+G FF
---------------------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3--|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3-|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1--|
|-----4-----4-------4-4-----4-|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2--|
|-----5-----5-------5-5-----5-|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3--|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
C majorC
PM-------------------------------
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-------------------2---2-2-2-2-2-|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------------|
|---------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------------------|
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5---|
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5---|
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5---|
|-----3-------3-------3-3-----3---|
|---------------------------------|
G+G
-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-3-| |-3-|
S S S E MajorE S S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3-|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3---|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-------5-------5-----5-5-----5---|-----3-----3-------3-3-----3---|
|-------5-------5-----5-5-----5---|-----4-----4-------4-4-----4---|
|-------5-------5-----5-5-----5---|-----5-----5-------5-5-----5---|
|-------3-------3-----3-3-----3---|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
To Coda
FF C majorC
PM------------------------------------------| PM--------------
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3--|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----1-----1-------1-1-----1-|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----|
|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----|
|-----2-----2-------2-2-----2-|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----|
|-----------------------------|-----3-------3-------3-3-----3----|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
1.
---------------| PM----------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------||
|----------------------------------o||
|-----------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3--o||
|-----------------------------------||
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------------||
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----o||
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5-----||
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5-----||
|-----3-------3-------3-3-----3----o||
|-----------------------------------||
2.
D.S. al Coda &
PM------------| PM---------------
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------||
|----------------------------------||
|----------------------------------||
|----------------------------------||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3--||
|----------------------------------||
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|----------------------------------||
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----||
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----||
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5----||
|-----3-------3-------3-3-----3----||
|----------------------------------||
Outro
C majorC G+G
---------------| PM-----------------------------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|---------------------------------||------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||------------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3-||------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3--|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------5---------------||------------------------------|
|-----5-------5---------5---------||-----3-----3---3-3-3-5-3---5--|
|-----5-------5---------------5---||-----4-----4---4-4-4-4-4---4--|
|-----5-------5-------------------||-----5-----5------------------|
|-----3-------3-------------------||------------------------------|
|---------------------------------||------------------------------|
FF C majorC
PM------------------------------------------| PM-------------
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----3---3-3-3-3-3-|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E. S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|------------------------5---------|
|-----1-----1---1-1-1-3-1-----|-----5-------5----------------5---|
|-----2-----2---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-----5-------5----------------5---|
|-----3-----3-----------------|-----5-------5----------------5---|
|-----------------------------|-----3-------3--------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
---------------| PM----------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3---|
|-----------------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------------|
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5-----|
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5-----|
|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5-----|
|-----3-------3-------3-3-----3-----|
|-----------------------------------|
G+G FF
PM------------------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE S S E MajorE S S S S S S S S S S E MajorE
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-|-----------------------------|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE S S S S E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----3-----3---3-3-3-5-3---5-|-----1-----1---1-1-1-3-1-----|
|-----4-----4---4-4-4-4-4---4-|-----2-----2---2-2-2-2-2---2-|
|-----5-----5-----------------|-----3-----3-----------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
C majorC
PM------------| PM----------------------------| PM----------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----3---3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3-*|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|
| E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E. S E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE E MajorE
|------------------------5---------|---------------------------------*|
|-----5-------5----------------5---|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5---*|
|-----5-------5----------------5---|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5---*|
|-----5-------5----------------5---|-----5-------5-------5-5-----5---*|
|-----3-------3--------------------|-----3-------3-------3-3-----3---*|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
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
Other versions of The Harder They Come
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for The harder they come by Jimmy Cliff
