Tabs
SKIN DEEP
As recorded by The Stranglers
(From the 1984 Album AURAL SCULPTURE)
Words and Music by Jet Black, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Hugh Cornwell & David Greenfield
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (
E MajorE 
A augmentedA 
D MajorD 
G+G 
BB E MajorE) - 'Dave Greenfield - Keyboards'
Gtr II (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE) - 'Hugh Cornwell - Electric Guitar'
Gtr III (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE) - 'Dave Greenfield - Keyboards'
Intro
Q=128
N.C.
4/4
Gtr I (Keyboards arr. for Gtr.)
W W
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|
| Gtr II (El. Gtr. w/ light dist.)
| W H E MajorE S S Q
|------------------|------------5-------|
|------------------|--------------5-----|
|------------------|----------------6---|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|
| Gtr III (Keyboards arr. for Gtr.)
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|------------------|--------------------|
|-0----0-(0)-0-4-4-|-0----0-(0)-0---4-4-|
|------------------|--------------------|
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E 3x
||---------------------|------------------------||
||o----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9---7---o||
||---------------------|---------------------9--||
||--7----7--7--------7-|-----7------------------||
||o--------------------|-----------------------o||
||---------------------|------------------------||
|
| W +H +E MajorE S S Q 3x
||---------------------|---------------5--------||
||o--------------------|-----------------5-----o||
||---------------------|-------------------6----||
||--7------------------|-(7)-------(7)----------||
||o--------------------|-----------------------o||
||---------------------|------------------------||
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E 3x
||---------------------|------------------------||
||o--------------------|-----------------------o||
||---------------------|------------------------||
||---------------------|------------------------||
||o-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0---4-4-o||
||---------------------|------------------------||
$
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------|
|----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---|
|--------------------|-------------------9-|
|-7----7--7--------7-|-----7---------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|
| W +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|-7------------------|-(7)-------(7)-------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------0-3-0-|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-|
|--------------------|---------------------|
1st - 3rd Verses
N.C.
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E
||---------------------|-----------------------|
||o----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9---7-5-|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
||--7----7--7--------7-|-----7-----------------|
||o--------------------|-----------------------|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
|
| W +H +E MajorE S S Q
||---------------------|---------------5-------|
||o--------------------|-----------------5-----|
||---------------------|-------------------6---|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
||o-0------------------|-(0)-------(0)---------|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E
||---------------------|-----------------------|
||o--------------------|-----------------------|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
||o-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0---4-4-|
||---------------------|-----------------------|
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------|
|----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---|
|--------------------|-------------------9-|
|-7----7--7--------7-|-----7---------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|
| W +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|-7------------------|-(7)-------(7)-------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------0-3-0-|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-|
|--------------------|---------------------|
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9---7---|
|--------------------|---------------------9-|
|-7----7--7--------7-|-----7-----------------|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|
| W +H +E MajorE S S Q
|--------------------|---------------5-------|
|--------------------|-----------------5-----|
|--------------------|-------------------6---|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|-0------------------|-(0)-------(0)---------|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0---4-4-|
|--------------------|-----------------------|
Pre-Chorus
E MajorE
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------||---------------------|
|----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---||---------------------|
|--------------------|-------------------9-||-------------6-(6)---|
|-7----7--7--------7-|-----7---------------||-----9---------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||--7----7--7--------7-|
|--------------------|---------------------||---------------------|
|
| W +W W
|--------------------|---------------------||-^0------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||-^0------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||-^1------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||-^2------------------|
|-7------------------|-(7)-----------------||-^2------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||-^0------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|--------------------|---------------------||---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||---------------------|
|-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-||---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------||--0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|
Dsus4Dsus4 D MajorD
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----5-------7-(7)-----|
|-------------4-(4)---|-----------------------|
|-----7---------------|--7----7--7--------7---|
|-5-----5--5--------5-|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|
| Q. E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q W
|-3-----2-(2)---------|-^5--------------------|
|-3-----------3-------|-^5--------------------|
|-2-------------------|-^6--------------------|
|-0-------------------|-^7--------------------|
|---------------------|-^7--------------------|
|---------------------|-^5--------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
|-0-----0-(0)-0--4--4-|-----------------------|
|---------------------|--0----0-(0)-0--4--4---|
|---------------------|-----------------------|
E MajorE Dsus4Dsus4
E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---|---------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------9-|-------------6-(6)---|-------------4-(4)---|
|-----7---------------|-----9---------------|-----7---------------|
|---------------------|--7----7--7--------7-|-5-----5--5--------5-|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|
| +W W Q. E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q
|-(5)-----------------|-^0------------------|-3-----2-(2)---------|
|-(5)-----------------|-^0------------------|-3-----------3-------|
|-(6)-----------------|-^1------------------|-2-------------------|
|-(7)-----------------|-^2------------------|-0-------------------|
|-(7)-----------------|-^2------------------|---------------------|
|-(5)-----------------|-^0------------------|---------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|-0-----0-(0)-0--4--4-|
|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|--0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|---------------------|
1.
A augmentedA
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|---------------------|------------------------||
|-----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7-----o||
|---------------------|-------------------9----||
|--7----7--7--------7-|-----7------------------||
|---------------------|-----------------------o||
|---------------------|------------------------||
|
| W +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|-^5------------------|-(5)-------(5)----------||
|-^5------------------|-(5)-------(5)---------o||
|-^6------------------|-(6)-------(6)----------||
|-^7------------------|-(7)-------(7)----------||
|-^7------------------|-(7)-------(7)---------o||
|-^5------------------|-(5)-------(5)-0-3-0----||
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|---------------------|------------------------||
|---------------------|-----------------------o||
|---------------------|------------------------||
|---------------------|------------------------||
|--0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4---o||
|---------------------|------------------------||
Chorus
2.,D.S.
A augmentedA A augmentedA
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|-----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---||----5-------7-(7)---|
|---------------------|-------------------9-||--------------------|
|--7----7--7--------7-|-----7---------------||-7----7--7--------7-|
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|
| W +W W
|-^5------------------|-(5)-----------------||--------------------|
|-^5------------------|-(5)-----------------||--------------------|
|-^6------------------|-(6)-----------------||--------------------|
|-^7------------------|-(7)-----------------||--------------------|
|-^7------------------|-(7)-----------------||-0------------------|
|-^5------------------|-(5)-----------------||--------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
|--0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-||-0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|
|---------------------|---------------------||--------------------|
E MajorE Dsus4Dsus4 D MajorD
Q Q +E MajorE E MajorE +Q Q. E MajorE +Q. E MajorE
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-------------10-(10)---|-10-----9-(9)---------|
|-----9---(9)-----------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|
| W Q. E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q
|-^0--------------------|--3-----2-(2)---------|
|-^0--------------------|--3-----------3-------|
|-^1--------------------|--2-------------------|
|-^2--------------------|--0-------------------|
|-^2--------------------|----------------------|
|-^0--------------------|----------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|--0-----0-(0)-0-4-4---|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|--0----0-(0)--0---4--4-|----------------------|
A augmentedA
Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|---------------------|---------------------|
|-----5-------7-(7)---|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---|
|---------------------|-------------------9-|
|--7----7--7--------7-|-----7---------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|
|
| W +W
|-^5------------------|-(5)-----------------|
|-^5------------------|-(5)-----------------|
|-^6------------------|-(6)-----------------|
|-^7------------------|-(7)-----------------|
|-^7------------------|-(7)-----------------|
|-^5------------------|-(5)-----------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|
|--0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-|
|---------------------|---------------------|
E MajorE
Q Q +E MajorE E MajorE +Q Q. E MajorE +Q. E MajorE
|----------------------|---------------------|
|------------10-(10)---|-10-----9-(9)--------|
|----9---(9)-----------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------|
|
| W W
|----------------------|-^0------------------|
|----------------------|-^0------------------|
|----------------------|-^1------------------|
|----------------------|-^2------------------|
|-0--------------------|-^2------------------|
|----------------------|-^0------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|----------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------|
|-0----0-(0)--0---4--4-|---------------------|
|----------------------|--0-----0-(0)-0-4-4--|
Dsus4Dsus4 D MajorD A augmentedA
W Q E MajorE E E MajorE E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|-----5-------7-(7)---|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|--7----7--7--------7-|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|
| Q. E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE Q W
|-3-----2-(2)-------|-^5------------------|
|-3-----------3-----|-^5------------------|
|-2-----------------|-^6------------------|
|-0-----------------|-^7------------------|
|-------------------|-^7------------------|
|-------------------|-^5------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE E MajorE
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-0-----0-(0)-0-4-4-|---------------------|
|-------------------|--0----0-(0)-0--4--4-|
|-------------------|---------------------|
Bridge
E5E5 
Dsus2Dsus2
E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE W W
|---------------------||------------------|--------------------|
|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7---||------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------9-||------------------|--------------------|
|-----7---------------||------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------||------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------||------------------|--------------------|
|
| +W W W
|-(5)-----------------||------------------|-0------------------|
|-(5)-----------------||------------------|-3------------------|
|-(6)-----------------||------------------|-2------------------|
|-(7)-----------------||------------------|-0------------------|
|-(7)-----------------||-2----------------|--------------------|
|-(5)-----------------||-0----------------|--------------------|
|
| Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE Q E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|---------------------||------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------||------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------||------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------||------------------|-0----0-(0)-0-4-4---|
|--0------0-(0)-0-4-4-||------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------||-0----0-(0)-0-4-4-|--------------------|
E5E5 Dsus2Dsus2 E5E5 Dsus2Dsus2
Q Q Q Q H +H W W
|-------7-----|---------------|----------|------|
|----9-----9--|-10----(10)----|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|-------------|---------------|----------|------|
|
| W W W W
|-------------|--0------------|----------|-0----|
|-------------|--3------------|----------|-3----|
|-------------|--2------------|----------|-2----|
|-------------|--0------------|----------|-0----|
|-2-----------|---------------|-2--------|------|
|-0-----------|---------------|-0--------|------|
To Coda
Dsus2Dsus2 D MajorD A augmentedA
W W W Q E MajorE E E MajorE E +E MajorE E MajorE
|--------------------|-----------|-------------------|-------------------|
|--------------------|-----------|-------------------|----------7-(7)----|
|--------------------|-----------|-------------------|----9--------------|
|--------------------|-----------|-------------------|-7----7-7-------7--|
|--------------------|-----------|-------------------|-------------------|
|--------------------|-----------|-------------------|-------------------|
|
| Q. E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE W +H +E MajorE S S Q W
|-^0----2-(2)--------|-^5--------|-(5)----(5)-5------|-------------------|
|-^3----------3------|-^5--------|-(5)----(5)---5----|-------------------|
|-^2------------2----|-^6--------|-(6)----(6)-----6--|-------------------|
|-^0-----------------|-^7--------|-(7)----(7)--------|-7-----------------|
|--------------------|-^7--------|-(7)----(7)--------|-------------------|
|--------------------|-^5--------|-(5)----(5)--------|-------------------|
D.S. al Coda &
A augmentedA
Gtr II
E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE W +W W
|----------------------||-^5--------|-(5)--------|------|
|--9----9-7-(7)-9-7----||-^5--------|-(5)--------|------|
|-------------------9--||-^6--------|-(6)--------|------|
|-----7----------------||-^7--------|-(7)--------|------|
|----------------------||-^7--------|-(7)--------|-2----|
|----------------------||-^5--------|-(5)--------|-0----|
|
| +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE W W W
|----------------------||-----------|------------|------|
|----------------------||-----------|------------|------|
|----------------------||-----------|------------|------|
|-(7)-------(7)--------||-----------|------------|------|
|----------------------||-----------|------------|------|
|---------------0-3-0--||-----------|------------|------|
Dsus2Dsus2 E5E5 Dsus2Dsus2 E5E5 Dsus2Dsus2
W W W W W
|-0--------|----------|-0--------|----------|-0----|
|-3--------|----------|-3--------|----------|-3----|
|-2--------|----------|-2--------|----------|-2----|
|-0--------|----------|-0--------|----------|-0----|
|----------|-2--------|----------|-2--------|------|
|----------|-0--------|----------|-0--------|------|
Dsus4Dsus4 A augmentedA
Q. E MajorE +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE W +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE
|-^3----2-(2)-------|-^5--------|-(5)----(5)-------||
|-^3----------3-----|-^5--------|-(5)----(5)-------||
|-^2------------2---|-^6--------|-(6)----(6)-------||
|-^0----------------|-^7--------|-(7)----(7)-------||
|-------------------|-^7--------|-(7)----(7)-------||
|-------------------|-^5--------|-(5)----(5)-0-3-0-||
Outro
A augmentedA
W +H +E MajorE S S Q W +H +E MajorE E MajorE E E MajorE 3x
||-----------|------------5------|----------|--------------------||
||o----------|--------------5----|----------|-------------------o||
||-----------|----------------6--|----------|--------------------||
||-----------|-------------------|-7--------|-(7)----(7)---------||
||o-0--------|-(0)----(0)--------|----------|-------------------o||
||-----------|-------------------|----------|------------0-3-0---||
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
