Tabs
THE RUBBERBAND MAN
As recorded by The Spinners
(From the 1976 Album HAPPINESS IS BEING WITH THE SPINNERS)
Words and Music by Linda Creed & Thom Bell
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (
E MajorE 
A augmentedA 
D MajorD 
G+G 
BB E MajorE) - 'Bobby Eli - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE) - 'Thom Bell - Clavinet'
Gtr III (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE) - 'MFSB Horns'
Intro
Q=182
N.C.
4/4
Gtr II (Clavinet arr. for Gtr.)
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-1--1--1--1--|-1--1--1--1--|-1--1--1--1--|-1--1--1--1--|
Gtr I (Clean El. Gtr.)
S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S
|-13-13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|-13--13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-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-|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr II
| Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|--1--------1---------1---------1----------|--1---------1---------1---------1----------|
|
| Gtr III (Horns arr. for Gtr.)
| W +H. E MajorE E MajorE
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|--8---------------------------------------|-(8)----------------------------8-----7----|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S
|-13--13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-10--10-10-10-10-10-(10)-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|
| Q Q Q Q
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|--1---------1---------1---------1----------|
|
| +W
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-(7)---------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S
|-13--13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-10--10-10-10-10-10-(10)-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|
| Q Q Q Q
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|--1---------1---------1---------1----------|
|
| +H. E MajorE E MajorE
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-(7)----------------------------7-----5----|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S
|-13--13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|-13--13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-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-|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|
| Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|--1---------1---------1---------1----------|--1---------1---------1---------1----------|
|
| +W +W
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-(5)---------------------------------------|-(5)---------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S
|-13--13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-10--10-10-10-10-10-(10)-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|
| Q Q Q Q
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|--1---------1---------1---------1----------|
|
| +W
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-(5)---------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
S S E MajorE E MajorE S S +S S E MajorE S S S S
|-13-13-13-13-13-13-(13)-13-13-13-13-13-13-|
|------------------------------------------|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-(10)-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|
| Q Q Q Q
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|--1--------1---------1---------1----------|
|
| W
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE H Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-3-----------|----------3--3-|----------3--3-|-----------3-----|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|----3--5---------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|
| E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE H Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------3-----|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|----3--5---------|
|-1-----------|----------1--1-|----------1--1-|-----------------|
|
| E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE H Q E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-8-----------|---------10-10-|---------10-10-|----------10-----|
|-8-----------|---------10-10-|---------10-10-|---10-12---------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------|
1st & 2nd Verses
N.C.
Q Q Q E MajorE E MajorE H E MajorE E E MajorE E +W
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|-------------------|--------------||o--------|
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|--3---3---3---3--3-|--------1-2-3-||--(3)----|
|-------------------|--------------||o--------|
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|
| Q Q Q E MajorE E MajorE W W
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|-------------------|--------------||o--------|
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|-------------------|--------------||o--------|
|--1---1---1---1--1-|--------------||---------|
|
| Q Q Q E MajorE E MajorE W W
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
|-------------------|--------------||o--------|
|-10--10--10--10-10-|--------------||---------|
|-10--10--10--10-10-|--------------||---------|
|-------------------|--------------||o--------|
|-------------------|--------------||---------|
+W +W H E MajorE E E MajorE E
|------------|------------|--------------|
|------------|------------|--------------|
|------------|------------|--------------|
|-(3)--------|-(3)--------|--------1-2-3-|
|------------|------------|--------------|
|------------|------------|--------------|
+W +W +W
|------------|------------|--------|
|------------|------------|--------|
|------------|------------|--------|
|-(3)--------|-(3)--------|-(3)----|
|------------|------------|--------|
|------------|------------|--------|
E MajorE Q E MajorE Q E MajorE E +W +W
|---------------|------------|--------|
|---------------|------------|--------|
|---------------|------------|--------|
|---5--5-3--3-3-|-(3)--------|-(3)----|
|---------------|------------|--------|
|---------------|------------|--------|
+W H E MajorE E E MajorE E +W
|------------|--------------|--------|
|------------|--------------|--------|
|------------|--------------|--------|
|-(3)--------|--------1-2-3-|-(3)----|
|------------|--------------|--------|
|------------|--------------|--------|
AbAb
+W +W H H
|------------|------------|------4----||
|------------|------------|------4----||
|------------|------------|------5----||
|-(3)--------|-(3)--------|-----------||
|------------|------------|-----------||
|------------|------------|-----------||
Chorus
DbDb AbAb 
Eb MajorEb 
C minorCm
W W W +H H
|-4--------|-4--------|-3--------|-(3)----3----|
|-6--------|-4--------|-4--------|-(4)----4----|
|-6--------|-5--------|-3--------|-(3)----5----|
|----------|----------|----------|-------------|
|----------|----------|----------|-------------|
|----------|----------|----------|-------------|
DbDb AbAb Eb MajorEb C minorCm
W W W H H
|-4--------|-4--------|-3--------|-3----3----|
|-6--------|-4--------|-4--------|-4----4----|
|-6--------|-5--------|-3--------|-3----5----|
|----------|----------|----------|-----------|
|----------|----------|----------|-----------|
|----------|----------|----------|-----------|
DbDb AbAb Eb MajorEb
W W W
|-4--------|-4--------|-3----|
|-6--------|-4--------|-4----|
|-6--------|-5--------|-3----|
|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|------|
EbF N.C.
E MajorE E E MajorE E +Q E MajorE E E MajorE E Q H +H Q E MajorE E
|-3-5---5-(5)------|-------------|-------------------|
|-4-6---6-(6)------|-------------|-------------------|
|-3-5---5-(5)------|-------------|-------------------|
|--------------1-1-|-1-3-3--3----|-(3)-----------1-1-|
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| W W Q E MajorE E +H
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------|-11-----9-(9)------|
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
E MajorE E MajorE Q H +H Q E MajorE E E MajorE E Q H +H Q E MajorE E
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|--1--3-3--3------|-(3)----------1-1-|-1-3-3--3----|-(3)-----------1-1-|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|
| +H Q E MajorE E +Q H. W Q E MajorE E +H
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|-(9)-----------9-|-(9)--------------|-------------|-11-----9-(9)------|
|-----------------|------10----------|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------------|
1. 2.
E MajorE E MajorE Q H +H E MajorE E E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE Q H +H. Q
|-----------------|--------------------||-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|-------------------o||-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|--------------------||-----------------|----------------||
|--1--3-3--3------|-(3)---------1-2-3--||--1--3-3--3------|-(3)------------||
|-----------------|-------------------o||-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|--------------------||-----------------|----------------||
|
| +H Q E MajorE E +Q H. H Q E MajorE E +Q H.
|-----------------|--------------------||-----------------|----------------||
|-(9)-----------9-|-(9)---------------o||-(9)-----------9-|-(9)------------||
|-----------------|------10------------||-----------------|------10--------||
|-----------------|--------------------||-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|-------------------o||-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|--------------------||-----------------|----------------||
Interlude
$
Eb5Eb5 
F5F5
E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE W W
||--------------|---------------|----------|------|
||o-------------|---------------|----------|------|
||--3-----------|----------5--5-|----------|------|
||--1-----------|----------3--3-|----------|------|
||o-------------|---------------|----------|------|
||--------------|---------------|----------|------|
|
| Gtr III
| E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE W W
||--------------|---------------|----------|------|
||o-------------|---------------|----------|------|
||--8-----------|---------10-10-|----------|------|
||--8-----------|---------10-10-|----------|------|
||o-------------|---------------|----------|------|
||--------------|---------------|----------|------|
Eb5Eb5 F5F5
E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE W W
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-3-----------|----------5--5-|----------|------|
|-1-----------|----------3--3-|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|
| E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE W W
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-8-----------|---------10-10-|----------|------|
|-8-----------|---------10-10-|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
Eb5Eb5 F5F5
E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE H Q E MajorE E MajorE
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|-3-----------|----------5--5-|----------5--5-|
|-1-----------|----------3--3-|----------3--3-|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|
| E MajorE E Q H H Q E MajorE E MajorE H Q E MajorE E MajorE
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|-8-----------|---------10-10-|---------10-10-|
|-8-----------|---------10-10-|---------10-10-|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
|-------------|---------------|---------------|
To Coda
N.C. F5F5 N.C.
E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q Q Q Q E MajorE E MajorE W
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
|-----------------|--5---5---5---5--5-|------||
|-----------3-----|--3---3---3---3--3-|------||
|----3--5---------|-------------------|------||
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
|
| E MajorE E MajorE Q Q Q Q Q Q E MajorE E MajorE W
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
|----------10-----|-10--10--10--10-10-|------||
|---10-12---------|-10--10--10--10-10-|------||
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
|-----------------|-------------------|------||
Chorus
DbDb AbAb Eb MajorEb
W W W +H H
|-4--------|-4--------|-3--------|-(3)----3----|
|-6--------|-4--------|-4--------|-(4)----4----|
|-6--------|-5--------|-3--------|-(3)----5----|
|----------|----------|----------|-------------|
|----------|----------|----------|-------------|
|----------|----------|----------|-------------|
DbDb AbAb Eb MajorEb
W W W H H
|-4--------|-4--------|-3--------|-3----3----|
|-6--------|-4--------|-4--------|-4----4----|
|-6--------|-5--------|-3--------|-3----5----|
|----------|----------|----------|-----------|
|----------|----------|----------|-----------|
|----------|----------|----------|-----------|
DbDb AbAb Eb MajorEb 
FF N.C.
W W W E MajorE E E MajorE E +Q E MajorE E
|-4--------|-4--------|-3--------||-3-5---5-(5)------|
|-6--------|-4--------|-4--------||-4-6---6-(6)------|
|-6--------|-5--------|-3--------||-3-5---5-(5)------|
|----------|----------|----------||--------------1-1-|
|----------|----------|----------||------------------|
|----------|----------|----------||------------------|
E MajorE E Q H +H Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE Q H +H Q E MajorE E
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-1-3-3--3----|-(3)-------------1-1-|---1--3-3--3------|-(3)----------1-1-|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| W Q E MajorE E MajorE +H +H Q E MajorE E +Q H.
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------------|-11-----10-(10)------|-(10)-----------9-|-(9)--------------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------10----------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|
1.
E MajorE E Q H +H Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE Q H +H Q E MajorE E
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|-------------------||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------o||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|-------------------||
|-1-3-3--3----|-(3)-------------1-1-|---1--3-3--3------|-(3)----------1-1--||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------o||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|-------------------||
|
| W Q E MajorE E MajorE +H +H Q E MajorE E +Q H.
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|-------------------||
|-------------|-11-----10-(10)------|-(10)-----------9-|-(9)--------------o||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------10-----------||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|-------------------||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------o||
|-------------|---------------------|------------------|-------------------||
Outro
2.
D.S. al Coda &
F5F5 N.C.
E MajorE E Q H +H Q E MajorE E Q Q Q E MajorE E W
|-------------|----------------||--------------|------*|
|-------------|----------------||--------------|------*|
|-------------|----------------||-5--5--5--5-5-|------*|
|-1-3-3--3----|-(3)-------1-1--||-3--3--3--3-3-|------*|
|-------------|----------------||--------------|------*|
|-------------|----------------||--------------|------*|
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
