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Shakin It Loose Tab by REO Speedwagon

Shakin It Loose tab by REO Speedwagon

Guitar Tab

SHAKIN' IT LOOSE

As recorded by REO Speedwagon
(From the 1980 Album HI INFIDELITY)

Words and Music by Gary Richrath

Transcribed by Slowhand


Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Gary Richrath - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Kevin Cronin - Electric Guitar'


 Intro             1st Verse
  Q=156
    A5   Bb5 B5     C5
 4/4
  Gtr I (El. Gtr.)Gtrs I, II (El. Gtrs. w/ dist.)
  E Q  E E E E E     E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|----------------||-------------------------|
|----------------||-------------------------|
|----------------||-------------------------|
|---7--7-8---9---||-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---7--7-8---9---||-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---5--5-6---7---||--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


  A5                C5
  E E E E E E E E    E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-----------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--|


  A5                F5                          D5
  E E E E E E E E   Q  Q  Q  Q    Q  Q  Q  Q    Q  Q  Q  Q
|-----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----------------|-------------|-------------|-7--7--7--7--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--|-3--3--3--3--|-7--7--7--7--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--|-3--3--3--3--|-5--5--5--5--|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-1--1--1--1--|-1--1--1--1--|-------------|


  F     G       C5
   H     H       E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-------------|-------------------------|
|-10----12----|-------------------------|
|-10----12----|-------------------------|
|-10----12----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|--8----10----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-------------|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


                             2nd & 3rd Verses
                              C5
   E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E      E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-------------------------||--------------------------|
|-------------------------||o-------------------------|
|-------------------------||--------------------------|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-||--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-||o-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-||---8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


  A5                C5                        A5                F5
  E E E E E E E E    E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E   E E E E E E E E   Q  Q  Q  Q
|-----------------|-------------------------|-----------------|-------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|-----------------|-------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|-----------------|-------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-1--1--1--1--|


                D5            F     G
  Q  Q  Q  Q    Q  Q  Q  Q     H     H
|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-10----12----|
|-------------|-7--7--7--7--|-10----12----|
|-3--3--3--3--|-7--7--7--7--|-10----12----|
|-3--3--3--3--|-5--5--5--5--|--8----10----|
|-1--1--1--1--|-------------|-------------|


  C5                               Bb5   A5    G5
                             |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
   E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E    E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------------|----------------------------||
|-------------------------|----------------------------||
|-------------------------|----------------------------||
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-x-x-8-x-x-7-x-x-5-x-x---||
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-x-x-8-x-x-7-x-x-5-x-x---||
|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|--8-x-x-6-x-x-5-x-x-3-x-x---||


 Chorus
  F                 Dm            C
  W                 H       +Q.   E
|-----------------|-5-------(5)-----|
|-1---------------|-6-------(6)---5-|
|-2---------------|-7-------(7)---5-|
|-3---------------|-7-------(7)---5-|
|-3---------------|-5-------(5)-----|
|-1---------------|-----------------|
|
| Gtr II
| E E E E E E E E   E E E E  H
|-----------------|-5-5-5-5--5------|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-6-6-6-6--6------|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-7-7-7-7--7------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7-7--7------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-5-5-5-5--5------|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-----------------|


  +E   E  E  E  Q.        E   +E   E  E  E  H
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|-(5)--5--5--5--5---------5-|-(5)--5--6--7--8----------|
|-(5)--5--7--8--5---------5-|-(5)--5--5--5--5----------|
|-(5)--5--5--5--5---------5-|-(5)--5--5--5--5----------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|
|  E   E  E  E  E   E  E  E    E   E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|-10--10-10-10-10--10-10-10-|-10--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-10--10-10-10-10--10-10-10-|-10--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|--8---8--8--8--8---8--8--8-|--8---8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


  F                 Dm            C
  W                 H       +Q.   E
|-----------------|-5-------(5)-----|
|-1---------------|-6-------(6)---5-|
|-2---------------|-7-------(7)---5-|
|-3---------------|-7-------(7)---5-|
|-3---------------|-5-------(5)-----|
|-1---------------|-----------------|
|
| E E E E E E E E   E E E E  H
|-----------------|-5-5-5-5--5------|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-6-6-6-6--6------|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-7-7-7-7--7------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-7-7-7-7--7------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-5-5-5-5--5------|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-----------------|


  +E   E  E  E  Q.        E   +E   E  E  E  H
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|-(5)--5--5--5--5---------5-|-(5)--5--6--7--8----------|
|-(5)--5--7--8--5---------5-|-(5)--5--5--5--5----------|
|-(5)--5--5--5--5---------5-|-(5)--5--5--5--5----------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|
|  E   E  E  E  E   E  E  E    E   E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------|
|-10--10-10-10-10--10-10-10-|-10--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-10--10-10-10-10--10-10-10-|-10--10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|--8---8--8--8--8---8--8--8-|--8---8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


                                                    1.
  Dm         F     G       C5                           A5   Bb5 B5
  Gtrs I, II
  W           H     H       E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E    E Q.   E E E E
|-5--------|-------------|-------------------------|------------------||
|-6--------|-10----12----|-------------------------|-----------------o||
|-7--------|-10----12----|-------------------------|------------------||
|-7--------|-10----12----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-7----8---9----||
|-5--------|--8----10----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-7----8---9---o||
|----------|-------------|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|--8-5----6---7----||


                    Piano Solo
  2.
  C5 A5   Bb5 B5     C5
   E Q.   E E E E     E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-----------------||-------------------------|
|-----------------||-------------------------|
|-----------------||-------------------------|
|-10-7----8---9---||-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-10-7----8---9---||-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|--8-5----6---7---||--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


  A5                C5
  E E E E E E E E    E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-----------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


  A5                F5                          D5
  E E E E E E E E   Q  Q  Q  Q    Q  Q  Q  Q    Q  Q  Q  Q
|-----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----------------|-------------|-------------|-7--7--7--7--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--|-3--3--3--3--|-7--7--7--7--|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-3--3--3--3--|-3--3--3--3--|-5--5--5--5--|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-1--1--1--1--|-1--1--1--1--|-------------|


                Guitar Solo
  F     G        C5
   H     H        E     E  E  E     E  E  E     E
|-------------||-----------8-----------8----------|
|-10----12----||--------8-----------8-----------8-|
|-10----12----||-10b12-------10b12-------10b12----|
|-10----12----||----------------------------------|
|--8----10----||----------------------------------|
|-------------||----------------------------------|
|
| Gtr II
|                 PM-------------------------------
|  H     H        E     E  E  E     E  E  E     E
|-------------||----------------------------------|
|-10----12----||----------------------------------|
|-10----12----||----------------------------------|
|-10----12----||-10----10-10-10----10-10-10----10-|
|--8----10----||-10----10-10-10----10-10-10----10-|
|-------------||--8-----8--8--8-----8--8--8-----8-|


   E    E E  E    E E  E    E    E     E  E  E     E  E  E     E
|---------8---------8---------|-----------8-----------8----------|
|-------8---------8---------8-|--------8-----------8-----------8-|
|-10b12-----10b12-----10b12---|-10b12-------10b12-------10b12----|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|  E    E E  E    E E  E    E    E     E  E  E     E  E  E     E
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--7----7-7--7----7-7--7----7-|-10----10-10-10----10-10-10----10-|
|--7----7-7--7----7-7--7----7-|-10----10-10-10----10-10-10----10-|
|--5----5-5--5----5-5--5----5-|--8-----8--8--8-----8--8--8-----8-|


  A5
   E    E E  E    E E  E    E    e    E  e    E  Q      E     E
|---------8---------8---------|-------------------------------------|
|-------8---------8---------8-|-11b14---11b14---11b14--11b14-11b14==|
|-10b12-----10b12-----10b12---|-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|
|  PM-----------------------|
|  E    E E  E    E E  E    E    Q       Q       Q      Q
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|--7----7-7--7----7-7--7----7-|--3-------3-------3------3-----------|
|--7----7-7--7----7-7--7----7-|--3-------3-------3------3-----------|
|--5----5-5--5----5-5--5----5-|--1-------1-------1------1-----------|


   +E   +E    E      +E    E      +E    E      +E      S  S E  S  S E  S  S E  S  S E
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-(11)-(11)r-11b14==(11)r-11b14==(11)r-11b14==(11)r-|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|-12-10-0-12-10-0-12-10-0-12-10-0-|
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|
|   Q         Q            Q            Q              Q       Q       Q       Q
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---3---------3------------3------------3-----------|--3-------3-------3-------3------|
|---3---------3------------3------------3-----------|--3-------3-------3-------3------|
|---1---------1------------1------------1-----------|--1-------1-------1-------1------|


  D5                          C
   S S E S S E  S S E S S E     W            W
|---------------------------|-/12--------|-/20\----||
|---------------------------|-/13--------|-/20\----||
|-10-9-0-9-7-0-10-9-0-7-5-0-|-/12--------|---------||
|---------------------------|------------|---------||
|---------------------------|------------|---------||
|---------------------------|------------|---------||
|
|  Q     Q      Q     Q         W            W
|---------------------------|------------|---------||
|---------------------------|------------|---------||
|--7-----7------7-----7-----|------------|---------||
|--7-----7------7-----7-----|--10--------|--10-----||
|--5-----5------5-----5-----|--10--------|--10-----||
|---------------------------|---8--------|---8-----||


 Out-Chorus
  F          Dm         N.C.
  W          H    +Q.    E         E    E    E    E    Q.         E
|----------|-5----(5)----------|---8----8----8----8----8----------------|
|-1--------|-6----(6)----------|---8----8----8----8----8----------------|
|-2--------|-7----(7)---10b12==|=(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)r-------10b12==|
|-3--------|-7----(7)----------|----------------------------------------|
|-3--------|-5----(5)----------|----------------------------------------|
|-1--------|-------------------|----------------------------------------|
|
| W          W                     E    E    E    E    E    E  E  E
|----------|-5-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|-1--------|-6-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|-2--------|-7-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|-3--------|-7-----------------|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-----|
|-3--------|-5-----------------|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-----|
|-1--------|-------------------|---8----8----8----8----8----8--8--8-----|


    E    E    E    E    H
|---8----8----8----8----8------------|
|---8----8----8----8----8------------|
|-(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)r----------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|
|   E    E    E    E    E    E  E  E
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-|
|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-|
|---8----8----8----8----8----8--8--8-|


  F          Dm         N.C.
  W          H    +Q.    E         E    E    E    E    Q.         E
|----------|-5----(5)----------|---8----8----8----8----8----------------|
|-1--------|-6----(6)----------|---8----8----8----8----8----------------|
|-2--------|-7----(7)---10b12==|=(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)r-------10b12==|
|-3--------|-7----(7)----------|----------------------------------------|
|-3--------|-5----(5)----------|----------------------------------------|
|-1--------|-------------------|----------------------------------------|
|
| W          W                     E    E    E    E    E    E  E  E
|----------|-5-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|-1--------|-6-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|-2--------|-7-----------------|----------------------------------------|
|-3--------|-7-----------------|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-----|
|-3--------|-5-----------------|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-----|
|-1--------|-------------------|---8----8----8----8----8----8--8--8-----|


    E    E    E    E    H
|---8----8----8----8----8------------|
|---8----8----8----8----8------------|
|-(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)-(10)r----------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|
|   E    E    E    E    E    E  E  E
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-|
|--10---10---10---10---10---10-10-10-|
|---8----8----8----8----8----8--8--8-|


  Dm         F     G       C5
  Gtrs I, II
  W           H     H       E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E    E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-5--------|-------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-6--------|-10----12----|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-7--------|-10----12----|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-7--------|-10----12----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-5--------|--8----10----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|----------|-------------|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


  Dm         F     G       C
  W           H     H       E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E
|-5--------|-------------|-------------------------|
|-6--------|-10----12----|-------------------------|
|-7--------|-10----12----|-------------------------|
|-7--------|-10----12----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-5--------|--8----10----|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|----------|-------------|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|


                            Dm         F     G
   E  E  E  E  E  E  E  E   W           H     H
|-------------------------|-5--------|-------------|
|-------------------------|-6--------|-10----12----|
|-------------------------|-7--------|-10----12----|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-7--------|-10----12----|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-5--------|--8----10----|
|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-|----------|-------------|


  N.C.
  Gtr I
  E E  E E  E E  E E    E  E E E +H       +W
|---8----------------|------------------|--------*|
|---8----------------|------------------|--------*|
|-----10-8-----------|------------------|--------*|
|----------10-8------|------------------|--------*|
|---------------10-8-|------------------|--------*|
|--------------------|-11-10-9-8-(8)----|-(8)----*|


Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 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



She looked at me with fire in her eyes.
Looks can't kill but she certainly tries,
And she tried as she might.
But I'm gonna be all right,
Shakin' it loose tonight.

She said honey, "forget me quick."
Another fool, another hollywood trick.
Movin' on a red light.
But I'm gonna be all right,
Shakin' it loose tonight.

I got to go there's someone on the phone.
Knock on my door, but there's nobody home
I turned out the light
And I'm gonna be all right,
Shakin' it loose tonight.

Shake, shake, shakin' it loose tonight.
Shake, shake, shakin' it loose tonight.
I'm gonna make it.

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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Other versions of Shakin It Loose by REO Speedwagon

Shakin It Loose
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REO Speedwagon tabs for Shakin it loose

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