The Beat Bass Tab by Elvis Costello And The Attractions

The Beat bass tab by Elvis Costello And The Attractions

Bass Tab

Tuning: Standard (E A D G)

Intro:
  e e e e+H        e e e e+H        e e e e+H        e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|----------------|3-2-------------|----------------|3-2-----------5-|

Verse 1:
    we're all going on a summer holiday, Vigilantes coming out to follow me
  Heard somebody say they're out to collar me, anybody want to swallow me?
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|------2-~-------|----------------|------2-~-------|
A|5---5-2-~-------|--0-2-4-~-----0-|5---5-2-~-------|--0-2-4-~-----0-| x2
E|--5-----------2-|3---------------|--5-----------2-|3---------------|

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Pre-Chorus 1:
                                                             it takes
  e e e e+Q.       e e e e+H        e e e e+Q.       e e e e+H
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|--------------2-|3-2-------------|--------------2-|3-2-------------|

  two to tumble; it takes two to tango   speak up, don't mumble if you're in the combo
  e e e e+Q.       e   e   e   q         s e   e    e e e e+Q.       e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|------------------------4-------|----------------|----------------|
D|----0-5-~-------|----------------------4-----4---|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2-0-------------|--------4---2-------------------|2---------------|----4-2-~-----0-|
E|--------------2-|3---2---------------------------|--------------2-|3-2-------------|

           On the beat      On the beat  'Til the man comes along and he says "have you
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+H        e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+H
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|--------------2-|3-2-------------|--------------2-|3-2-------------|

Chorus:
been a good boy, never played with your toy? Though you never enjoy such a pleasure to employ."
   e  e  e  e e e  e  e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e
G|12-12-11-11-9-9-11-11-|7-7-6-6-4-4-----|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------------|------------7-7-|5-5-4-4-2-2-4-4-|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------------|----------------|----------------|5-5-4-4-2-2-----|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
E|----------------------|----------------|----------------|------------5-5-|----------------|

See your friends in the state their in, see your friends getting under their skin
  e e q   e q   e  Q.    e Q.    e  H       e q   e  Q.    e Q.    e
G|--------7-6-----|----------------|--------7-6-----|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|7-7-7---------7-|7---------------|--------------7-|7---------------|
E|----------------|------0-0-----0-|0---------------|------0-0-----0-|

See your friends getting taken in
  H       e q   e  Q.    e Q.    e  e e q   q   q
G|--------7-6-----|----------------|--------r---r---|
D|----------------|----------------|--------e---e---|
A|--------------7-|7---------------|7-7-7---s---s---|
E|0---------------|------0-0-----0-|--------t---t---|

Pre-verse:
  e e e e+H        e e e e+H        e e e e+H        e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|2---------------|----4-2-~-----4-|
E|----------------|3-2-------------|----------------|3-2-------------|

Verse 2:
Well, if you only knew the things you do to me, I'd do anything to confuse the enemy
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|------2-~-------|----------------|------2-~-------|
A|5---5-2-~-------|--0-2-4-~-----0-|5---5-2-~-------|--0-2-4-~-----0-|
E|--5-----------x-|3---------------|--5-----------2-|3---------------|

There's only one thing wrong with you befriending me, Take it easy, I think you're bending me
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|------2-~-------|----------------|------2-~-------|
A|5---5-2-~-------|--0-2-4-~-----0-|5---4-2-~-------|--0-2-4-~-----0-|
E|--5-----------2-|3---------------|--7-----------2-|3---------------|

Pre-chorus 2:
  e e e e+Q.       e e e e+H        e e e e+Q.       e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|--------------2-|3-2-------------|--------------2-|3-2-----------2-|

I've been a bad boy with a standard leader, My neighbor's revving up his Vauxhall Viva
  e e e e+Q.     e e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|2-0-------------|----4-2-~-------|2-0-------------|------2-~-------|
E|----2-3-~-----2-|3-2-----------2-|----2-3-~-----2-|3-2-0---------2-|

           On the beat     On the upbeat 'Til the man comes along and he says "have you
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+H
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-----2-|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|--------------2-|3-2-------------|--------------2-|3-2-------------|

Chorus:
been a good boy, never played with your toy? Though you never enjoy such a pleasure to employ."
   e  e  e  e e e  e  e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e
G|12-12-11-11-9-9-11-11-|7-7-6-6-4-4-----|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------------|------------7-7-|5-5-4-4-2-2-4-4-|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------------|----------------|----------------|5-5-4-4-2-2-----|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
E|----------------------|----------------|----------------|------------5-5-|----------------|

See your friends walking down the street, see your friends never quite complete
  e e q   e q   e  Q.    e Q.    e  H       e q   e  Q.    e Q.    e
G|--------7-6-----|----------------|--------7-6-----|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|7-7-7---------7-|7---------------|--------------7-|7---------------|
E|----------------|------0-0-----0-|0---------------|------0-0-----0-|

See your friends getting under their feet
  H       e q   e  Q.    e Q.    e  e e q   q   q
G|--------7-6-----|----------------|--------r---r---|
D|----------------|----------------|--------e---e---|
A|--------------7-|7---------------|7-7-7---s---s---|
E|0---------------|------0-0-----0-|--------t---t---|


Bridge:
  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e
G|--r-----r-------|--------r-------|--------r-------|--------r-------|
D|--e-----e-------|--------e-------|--------e-------|--------e-------|
A|2-s-----s-------|----4-2-s-------|2-------s-------|------2-s-------|
E|--t-2-3-t-----2-|3-2-----t-----2-|--0-2-3-t-----2-|3-2-0---t-----2-|

                                                               I don't
  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e  q   e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e
G|--------r-------|--------r-------|--------r-------|--------r-------|
D|--------e-------|--------e-------|--------e-------|--------e-------|
A|--------s-------|------2-s-------|--------s-------|----4-2-s-------|
E|7\0-2-3-t-----2-|3-2-0---t-----2-|7\--2-3-t-----2-|3-2-----t-----2-|

 wanna disease you                     but I'm no good with machinery                             Oh I
  e e e e Q.    e  e   e   e   e   e   s s s s e    e e e e Q.    e   e   e   e   e   e   s s q
G|--------r-------|----------------r-------2h4p2----|--------r-------|----------------r---2-3-4--------|
D|--------e-------|----------------e---2h4----------|--------e-------|----------------e----------------|
A|2-0-----s-------|--------4---2---s----------------|2-0-----s-------|--------4---2---s----------------|
E|----2-3-t-----2-|3---2-----------t----------------|----2-3-t-----2-|3---2-----------t----------------|

don't wanna freeze you                 stop looking at the scenery                keep
  e e e e Q.    e  e   e   e   e   e   s s s e.      q   e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e
G|--------r-------|----------------r-------4-~------|--------r-------|--------r-------|
D|--------e-------|----------------e---4-4---4------|--------e-------|--------e-------|
A|2-0-----s-------|--------4---2---s----------------|2-------s-------|----4-2-s-------|
E|----2-3-t-----2-|3---2-----------t----------------|----2-3-t-----2-|3-2-----t-----2-|

thinking about your mother                   Oh I don't want lick them                         I don't
  e e e e Q.    e  e   e   e   e   e   e   s s e     q   e e Q.    e  e   e   e   e   e.     s  q
G|--r-----r-------|----------------r-------2---2----|--------r-------|----------------r----/16-----------|
D|--e-----e-------|----------------e---4-----4------|--------e-------|----------------e------------------|
A|2-s-----s-------|--------4---2---s----------------|2-------s-------|--------4---2---s--------14\-------|
E|--t-2-3-t-----2-|3---2-----------t----------------|----2-3-t-----2-|3---2-----------t------------------|

wanna be your lover          I just wanna be your victim   I don't go
  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e Q.    e  e e e e e e e e
G|--r-----r-------|--------r-------|--------r-------|--------r-------|
D|--e-----e-------|--------e-------|--------e-------|--------e-------|
A|2-s-----s-------|----4-2-s-------|--------s-------|----4-2-s-------|
E|--t-2-3-t-----2-|3-2-----t-----2-|7\0-2-3-t-----2-|3-2-----t-3-0-2-|

out much at night           I don't go out much at all        did you
  e e e Q.    e e  e e e q   e e e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e q   e e e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|2-0-------------|----4-2---2-0---|2-0-------------|------2---2-0---|
E|----2-3-----3-0-|3-2-----------2-|----2-3-~-----2-|3-2-0---------2-|

think you were the only one    who was waiting for a call? On the beat
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e e+Q.  e  e e e e e e e e
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|2-0-------------|----4-2---------|2-0-------------|------0-2-2-2-2-|
E|----2-3-------0-|3-2-----------2-|----2-3-~-----3-|3-2-3-----------|

Pre-chorus 3:
           On the beat     On the upbeat 'Til the man comes along and he says "have you
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+H
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-----0-|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|--------------2-|3-2-------------|--------------2-|3-2-------------|

Chorus:
been a good boy, never played with your toy? Though you never enjoy such a pleasure to employ."
   e  e  e  e e e  e  e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e  e e e e e e e e
G|12-12-11-11-9-9-11-11-|7-7-6-6-4-4-----|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------------|------------7-7-|5-5-4-4-2-2-4-4-|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------------|----------------|----------------|5-5-4-4-2-2-----|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
E|----------------------|----------------|----------------|------------5-5-|----------------|

See your friends treat me like a stranger, see your friends despite all the arrangements
  e e q   e q   e  q   e e q   e e  q   q   e q   e  Q.    e q   e e
G|--------9-7-----|----------------|--------7-6-----|----------------|
D|--------9-7-----|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|7-7-7---------7-|7-----------7-7-|7-------------7-|7-----------7-7-|
E|----------------|----0-0-0-------|----0-----------|------0-0-------|

See your friends nothing here has changed just the beat
  h       e q   e  Q.    e q   e e  e e q   q   q
G|--------7-6-----|----------------|--------r---r---|
D|----------------|----------------|--------e---e---|
A|7-------------7-|7-----------7-7-|7-7-7---s---s---|
E|----------------|------0-0-------|--------t---t---|

Outro:
       just the beat    just the beat   just the beat
  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+Q.    e  e e e e+H
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|--2-4-5-~-------|----------------|
A|2---------------|----4-2-~-----x-|2---------------|----4-2-~-------|
E|--------------2-|3-2-------------|--------------2-|3-2-------------|


************************************

| x   Dead note
| h   Hammer-on
| p   Pull-off
| /   Slide up
| \   Slide down
| s sixteenth
| e eighth
| q quarter
| Q. dotted-quarter
| H half
| ~ let ring

************************************

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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