Tabs
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
As recorded by Freddie King
(From the 1961 Album FREDDIE KING SINGS)
Words and Music by Rudolph Toombs
Arranged by Freddie King
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (
E MajorE 
A augmentedA 
D MajorD 
G+G 
BB E MajorE) - 'Freddie King - Electric Guitar w/ light distortion'
Intro
Q=128(8=s8)
DbDb
4/4
Gtr I
|--3--| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-|
|--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~
|--3--| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
E MajorE E MajorE +Q H E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|--9---------------|--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-|
|--9---------------|--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-|
|-10---------------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-11-11-(11)-------|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|------------------|-------------------------------------|
|------------------|-------------------------------------|
1st Verse
A9A9 
Ab9Ab9 DbDb
E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +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 E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e
|--9---12-11-(11)-11----||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|--9---12-11-(11)-11----||---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|-10---12-11-(11)-11----||---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|-11---11-10-(10)-10----||---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|-----------------------||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------------||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
GbGb DbDb
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
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---6---6---6---6-|---7---7---7---7-|---7---7---7---7-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---6---6---6---6-|---8---8---8---8-|---8---8---8---8-|---6---6---6---6-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Gb7Gb7 
Db7Db7
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e H Q. E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE +Q Q H Q. E MajorE
|-----------------|-------------|-12b12.5-9-11-------------|------------------|
|---6---6---6---6-|-----------9-|--------------11-(11)-----|-----------12b14==|
|---6---6---6---6-|-------------|--------------------------|------------------|
|---6---6---6---6-|-------------|--------------------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-------------|--------------------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-------------|--------------------------|------------------|
AbAb
~~~~~
|-3--| |3|
+Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE Q S S E MajorE E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e
|--------9------------------------|---------------------|
|-(12)r----9-------9--------------|----9----9----9----9-|
|------------11b12---9b9.5--------|----8----8----8----8-|
|--------------------------11p9---|---10---10---10---10-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------|
GbGb Db7Db7
|-3--| |3-|
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e Q. E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E Q
|-----------------|--------------9-----------|
|---7---7---7---7-|------------9---12-9------|
|---6---6---6---6-|------11b13----------11---|
|---8---8---8---8-|--------------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------------|
2nd Verse
Ab9Ab9 DbDb
~~~~~~~
E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +Q Q e E MajorE E e H e E MajorE E e Q. e Q. e H
|------------------------||--------------|----------------|-------------|
|------------------------||-6-----6------|-6-----6------6-|------6------|
|-9b9.5------------------||-6-----6------|-6-----6------6-|------6------|
|-------11-9-------------||-6-----6------|-6-----6------6-|------6------|
|------------11-(11)-----||--------------|----------------|-------------|
|------------------------||--------------|----------------|-------------|
GbGb DbDb
e E MajorE E e Q. e E MajorE e Q e Q. e E MajorE E e Q. e Q. e H
|----------------|---------------|----------------|-------------|
|-6-----6------7-|---7----7------|-7-----7------7-|------6------|
|-6-----6------6-|---6----6------|-6-----6------6-|------6------|
|-6-----6------8-|---8----8------|-8-----8------8-|------6------|
|----------------|---------------|----------------|-------------|
|----------------|---------------|----------------|-------------|
Gb7Gb7
e E MajorE E e Q. e H Q. E MajorE
|----------------|-------------|
|-6-----6------7-|-----------9-|
|-6-----6------6-|-------------|
|-6-----6------8-|-------------|
|----------------|-------------|
|----------------|-------------|
Db7Db7
|----3-----|
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE S S H Q. E MajorE
|-------9-------9------------------------|-----------12b14==|
|-12b14---12b14--------------------------|------------------|
|-----------------11pb13r(11)-9-(9)------|------------------|
|-----------------------------------11p9-|------------------|
|----------------------------------------|------------------|
|----------------------------------------|------------------|
AbAb
|-3-|
+Q E MajorE E E MajorE S S S S +S S S S H E MajorE e Q
|-(12)r--12-9-------------------------|--------------|
|-------------9-----------------------|---------9----|
|---------------11p9----9-(9)---------|---------8----|
|--------------------11-------11p9----|--------10----|
|----------------------------------11-|--------------|
|-------------------------------------|--------------|
GbGb
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e Q. E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE
|-----------------|----------------------|
|---7---7---7---7-|---------9b9.5--------|
|---6---6---6---6-|---------9b9.5--------|
|---8---8---8---8-|------11-------11-9-9-|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
Guitar Solo
Ab9Ab9 Db7Db7 Db7Db7
E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|-----9-11b12==(11)r-9-12b14-12-||-(12)-9------------------|
|---9---------------------------||--------9----------------|
|-------------------------------||----------11b13-9--------|
|-------------------------------||------------------11-9---|
|-------------------------------||-------------------------|
|-------------------------------||-------------------------|
~~~~~ ~~
|3-| |--3--| |--3---|
E MajorE E Q E MajorE Q +E MajorE E MajorE E Q Q Q E MajorE a Q E MajorE
|------------9--------------9---|-------9---9--------12--|
|---9-12b14----12b14==(12)r-----|-12b14---9---12s14------|
|-------------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------------|------------------------|
Gb7Gb7
~~~~~
|---3---|
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q a +E MajorE E MajorE Q Q E MajorE E MajorE
|---14b16---14b16===14r--14b16--|-14pb16r(14)-12-14b16--14--------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------14-14-|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Db7Db7
~~
Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E. S Q E MajorE E MajorE Q
|----14b16-14-12-14---12b12.5==|=(12)r--------12-14----|
|------------------------------|-------14-14-----------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
Ab7Ab7
|-3--| |3-| |-3--| |3-| |-3--| |--3---|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q +Q E MajorE E E MajorE E Q S S S +E MajorE E MajorE S S E MajorE
|-------------9-12b14==(12)r--|-12-9----------------------------------|
|--------9-11-----------------|------12-9-----------------------------|
|---8S10----------------------|-----------11b13-11p9---------9--------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------11-(11)---11p9---|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------|
Gb7Gb7
~~~~~
|-3--| |--3---|
E MajorE E MajorE +Q E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E
|-----------------9----------------------|
|---12b14==(12)r----12-9-------9---------|
|------------------------11b13---9b9.5===|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
Db7Db7 Ab7Ab7
+E MajorE Q E MajorE a E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE a E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E MajorE
|-----------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------9----11----9-|---/14-14-14-14--14-12-|
|-(9)r--------9h10----11-9h10-|-----------------------|
|------11--11------11---------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------|
Db7Db7
~~~~~~
Q Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|----12-------------------|
|-14--14--14p12-14-12-|-14----14-12-14p12-14-12-|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|--3--| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|-------------------------------------|
|-14p12----14p12----14p12----14p12----|
|-------13-------13-------13-------13-|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
Gb7Gb7
|--3--| |-----3-----|
Q Q Q Q Q Q E MajorE Q. E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|----12-14-14b16-14b16-14b16-|---14b16---14b16-12-14-14b16-|
|-14-------------------------|-----------------------------|
|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
Db7Db7
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E Q E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E MajorE Q Q
|-14b16-12-14---12--14----|-12------------12b12.5--|
|-------------x--------14-|-----14-12-14-----------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|
Ab7Ab7
~~
|-3--| |3-|
E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E Q E MajorE E Q E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE Q E MajorE
|-------------9-11b12-11-9-|-12b14----12b14==(12)r-12--12b14===|
|--------9-11--------------|-----------------------------------|
|---8S10-------------------|-----------------------------------|
|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|
Gb7Gb7
|-3--| |-3-| |-3--| |--3---|
+E MajorE Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|-(12)r-12---9--------------------------|
|--------------9-12-9-------------------|
|---------------------11b13==(11)r-9-11-|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
Db7Db7 Ab7Ab7
~~~~
|-3--| |-3-| |-3--| |-3--|
E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +Q Q
|-------------9--------------------|--------------------||
|-----------9---12-9---------------|--------------------||
|-9----9h10----------11b13-11-9-11-|-9------------------||
|---11-----------------------------|---11-9-------------||
|----------------------------------|--------11-(11)-----||
|----------------------------------|--------------------||
3rd Verse
DbDb
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
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
GbGb DbDb
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-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---8---8---8---8-|---8---8---8---8-|---6---6---6---6-|---6---6---6---6-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Gb7Gb7
~~~~
H Q. E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +Q Q
|-------------|-9---11b12-------------|
|-----------9-|---9-------11-(11)-----|
|-------------|-----------------------|
|-------------|-----------------------|
|-------------|-----------------------|
|-------------|-----------------------|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|-3--|
H Q. E MajorE +Q E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E S S
|------------------|--------9-------------------------|
|-----------12b14==|=(12)r----12-9-------9------------|
|------------------|---------------11b13---9b9.5------|
|------------------|-----------------------------11p9-|
|------------------|----------------------------------|
|------------------|----------------------------------|
AbAb GbGb
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e
|---------------------|-----------------|
|----9----9----9----9-|---7---7---7---7-|
|----8----8----8----8-|---6---6---6---6-|
|---10---10---10---10-|---8---8---8---8-|
|---------------------|-----------------|
|---------------------|-----------------|
Db7Db7 Ab9Ab9
~~~~
Q. E MajorE a E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE a E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +Q Q
|-----------------------|-----------------------||
|------------9----11----|----9------------------||
|---------9h10----11----|-9h10------------------||
|------11------11----11-|------11-9-------------||
|-----------------------|-----------11-(11)-----||
|-----------------------|-----------------------||
Outro
Db9Db9
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|-----------------|--------------------------------|
|---6---6---6---9-|-------9------------------------|
|---6---6---6-----|-11b13---11-9b9.5==(9)r---------|
|---6---6---6-----|------------------------11-8----|
|-----------------|-----------------------------11-|
|-----------------|--------------------------------|
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE Q
|-----------------|------------------------------|
|---6---6---6---9-|-------9----------------------|
|---6---6---6-----|-11b13---11-9b9.5==(9)r-------|
|---6---6---6-----|------------------------11-8--|
|-----------------|------------------------------|
|-----------------|------------------------------|
GbGb
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE E MajorE
|----------------------|
|---7---7---7---12b14==|
|---6---6---6----------|
|---8---8---8----------|
|----------------------|
|----------------------|
DbDb
|---3---| |-3-| |--3---|
+Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE E
|--------9-------------------------------|-----------------|
|-(12)r----12b14-9----9------------------|---6---6---6---9-|
|------------------11---9b9.5==(9)r------|---6---6---6-----|
|-----------------------------------11-9-|---6---6---6-----|
|----------------------------------------|-----------------|
|----------------------------------------|-----------------|
~~~~~~
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q
|-------9---------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-11b13---11b11.5-9-(9)-------|
|-----------------------11----|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
AbAb
~~~~~~
E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE e E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q
|--------------------|-------9---------------------|
|----9----9---11-----|-----------------------------|
|----8----8----8---9-|-11b13---11b11.5-9-(9)-------|
|---10---10---10-----|-----------------------11----|
|--------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------------------|-----------------------------|
E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE
|---12b12.5-9--------------|
|-------------12-9---------|
|------------------11-9-10-|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
Ab7Ab7 Db7Db7
~~~~~~~
|-3--| |-3-| |-3--| |-3--| |-3--| |--3--|
E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE E a Q +Q
|-------------9--------------------|---------9-------------*|
|-----------9---12-9---------------|----9-11---12s14-(14)--*|
|-9----9h10----------11b13-11-9-11-|-11--------------------*|
|---11-----------------------------|-----------------------*|
|----------------------------------|-----------------------*|
|----------------------------------|-----------------------*|
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
