Logo for GuitarTabsExplorer
🔎︎ Search
Boys Of Summer by Don Henley

Boys Of Summer tab by Don Henley

Guitar tabs

NB: An acoustic version by Michael B. is transcribed at the bottom of this post

              The Boys Of Summer
                by Don Henley

        Transcribed by Eric Larson (larsoe@rpi.edu)

Key:  H - Hammer-On
  P - Pull-Off
    ^f - Full Bend
  ~ - Vibrato
  / - Slide up
  \ - Slide down

Intro
------|---|-----------|---|----------|---|----------|---|---P-P--------------|
------|---|-----------|---|----------|---|-8--------|---|-10-8-7---8---------|
-7/9~-|---|-----7-----|---|-----7----|---|---9-7-9~-|---|--------7---9-7-7/9-|
------|---|-7/9---9~--|---|-7/9---9~-|---|----------|---|--------------------|
------|---|-----------|---|----------|---|----------|---|--------------------|
------|---|-----------|---|----------|---|----------|---|--------------------|
🎸
Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -
----------|
-12-10~---|
----------|
----------|
----------|
----------|


The funkey little riff during the verses goes something like this:
(Clean with a little echo)
---------------------------|
--------------------------.| Palm mute it and repeat for the length of
----------------------H----| the verse (8 times I think)
-----9-9-7-7-9-X-9-7-7-9--.|
-7-7-----------------------|
---------------------------|

Chorus
Here's how I play the chords: (A little distortion & chorus)
 G  C  D
-3---3---2-
-3---3---3- I won't bother putting this part in tab,
-O---O---2- just strum each chord where it says to
-O---2---O- and then arpeggiate the notes of the chord
-X---3----- letting the notes ring.
-3---------

G     D
But I can see you, you brown skin ....
D           C
You got your hair combed back ...
D     D
I can tell you my love for you ...
D     C
After the boys of summer ....

[Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 06:40:56 -0700 (PDT)
play the chords F#, B, and C# instead of G, C, and D.]

The second verse is basically the same as the first, but it has this funkey
lick thrown in at the end:
(Distorted)
-----------------12~~~--|
-/--/8------10^F~~~~~~--|
-/9-(9)-9-7-------------|
------------------------|
------------------------|
------------------------|

Then there's the second Chorus... same chords as the first

Then there's the Bridge:
(Clean with a little echo)
------------------------------------|
----------------P------------------.|  This is repeated thorught
-9-9-7-7-------9-7----9--7----------|  the bridge.
---------10-10-----10-------10-10--.|
------------------------------------|
------------------------------------|
(Palm Muted)

Here's the riffs for the part after the bridge:

 > P     >
-10-7------||---P-----||-----H--P-----------------|--------------------------|
------10~~-||-12-10~~-||-10-8-10-8----H-P---------|(8)----8---8-10-10/12-(8)-|
-----------||---------||-----------9-7-9-7---7/9~-|-9-9-9---9------------9-9~|
-----------||---------||-------------------9------|--------------------------|
-----------||---------||--------------------------|--------------------------|
-----------||---------||--------------------------|--------------------------|

Then there's the outro:

  (Repeat 7 times)
-------------------------|-------------------------------------|
-12~-10~-12~-8~----8~---.|--H--8---H--8--H------------8-7-8~~--|
----------------7~-------|-7-9----7-9---7-9-9-7-9-9/11---------|
------------------------.|-------------------------------------|
-------------------------|-------------------------------------|
-------------------------|-------------------------------------|

And that's about all of it.

  There's some interesting guitar stuff on all the songs on this CD,
  no shredding, or incredible chops, but Mike Campbell & Danny Kortchmar
  definately have STYLE!!

  If you don't have this CD (Building The Perfect Beast),
  BUY IT!!! It's an awesome CD...All She Wants to Do is Dance,
         Sunset Grill,
         Drivin' With Your Eyes Closed,
         and of course this song are
         all AWESOME tunes!!!

  (I should be posting Drivin' With Your Eyes Closed soon)



*** SOLO ACOUSTIC VERSION ****
"The Boys of Summer"
Don Henley and Mike Campbell, 1984
Don Henley
Building the Perfect Beast
Geffen 24026-2


If you'd like to do a solo acoustic version, might I suggest the following.
It alludes to the keyboard sections to give a bit of a fuller sound.
For guys like me, the ladies seem to rather appreciate this rendering.

   Let the bass notes ring throughout. I suggest strumming in a down,
   down, up, down pattern (tho' not so rigidly as my meager tab implies.)
   On the G, you may substitute [for the B] or add the root G shown in
   brackets below. To me, the chorus has more power playing the full G
   chord after playing G/B in the verses. I've not heard Mr. Henley do
   an acoustic version, but surely one exists, if someone would point
   me in the right direction.


 G/B (four times) C (four times)  D (four times)  C (four times)
-3---3---2-------|-3---3---2-------|-3---3---2-------|-3---3---2-------|
-3---3---3---3--.|-3---3---3---3--.|-3---3---3---3--.|-3---3---3---3--.|
-0-------0--[0]--|-0-------0--[0]--|-2-------2--[2]--|-0-------0--[0]--|
-0-------0------.|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
-2---------------|-3--------------.|----------------.|-3--------------.|
[3]--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


I play it according to the following map:
Full verse intro
Verse One
Chorus One [G, D, D, C twice, as Eric kindly showed us]
Full verse break
Verse Two
Chorus Two
   [Skip the lead]
Full verse break
Verse Three
Choruses Three and Four
and then i do this little outro reminiscent of the real one:

 {3 or 7 times}     (slowin' down --)
-/7-5-7---3---3--|-----3-----3-----3-----3---2~--3---
------------3---.|-3h5---3h5---3h5---3h5---------3---
-----------------|-------------------------------0---
-----------------|-------------------------------0---
----------------.|-----------------------------------
-----------------|-------------------------------3---

If my guitar is tuned right today, the album version is tuned a half step down,
which may explain away some confusion some of you may have. Tuning down is
probably smart as that chorus is a booger to sing. Thanks Eric.

Michael B
electrkeye@aol.com

Boys Of Summer tab

Don Henley tabs for Boys of summer

What Is This?

Boys Of Summer by Don Henley guitar tabs playing instructions.

Who Is This Page For?

Welcome to the guitar tabs guide for "Boys Of Summer" by Don Henley! This page is perfect for musicians of any skill level. Dive in and master your favorite tunes with ease by using our guitar tabs.

What You Will Gain

By following this guide, you’ll not only learn to play "Boys Of Summer" by Don Henley with confidence but also improve your overall musicianship. Our comprehensive archive of guitar tabs are tailored to boost your skills and inspire your musical journey.

Find guitar tabs and chords

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #