Rate for accuracy
🎸
The Rolling Stones – Waiting on a friend
Standard tuning
These are the basic patterns you could use to improvise.
In the intro, part4 and part7 it is going back and forth between C and F.
Parts1, 2 and 5 follow A-F-G-C-G-G-C-C-G-G-C-C, Parts 3 and 6 the same but without the last C-C.
Intro;
7 bars rest, then;
G|----------------|
D|----------------|
A|--------------0-|
E|----------------| followed by
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|-3------3-------|-----------5--2-|
E|--------------1-|-0-1------------| 3x, followed by
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|-3------3-------|----------0-1-2-|
E|--------------1-|-0-1------------|
Part1 (Watching girls go passing by);
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|--------7--5----|-3--3-----0-3-4-|-5--------------|--------0-2-3-4-|
A|-0------------5-|----------------|--------5-----3-|-3--------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------3-----|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|-5--------------|------------5---|----------------|----------0-2-3-|
A|--------5-5-----|----------5---0-|-3--3---------3-|-3--------------|
E|--------------3-|-3-3----5-------|-----------3----|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|-5--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|--------5-5-----|------------5-0-|-3------------3-|-3------3-3-3-2-|
E|--------------3-|-3------3-3-----|-----------3----|----------------|
Part2 (Out of these girls go passing by);
– Played as part1
Part3 (A smile relieves a heart that grieves);
- Play only first 10 bars of part1
Part4 (Friend, I'm just waiting on a friend) including sax-solo;
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|-3------3-------|-----------5--2-|
E|--------------1-|-0-1------------| 11x, followed by
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|-3------3-------|----------0-1-2-|
E|--------------1-|-0-1------------|
Part5 (Don't need a whore);
– Played as part1
Part6 (Making love and breaking hearts);
– Play only first 10 bars of part1
Part7 (Friend, I'm just waiting on a friend) including sax-solo fading out;
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|-3------3-------|-----------5--2-|
E|--------------1-|-0-1------------| 16x
Other versions of this song
- Waiting On A Friend (Tabs)
- Waiting On A Friend (Chords)
- Waiting On A Friend (Ver2) (Bass)
Song History
Last Updated: September 10, 2025