I'm Bad I'm Nationwide bass tab by ZZ Top (Ver. 2)

Name: I'm Bad I'm Nationwide
Channel: ZZ Top

Bass Tab

I'M BAD I'M NATIONWIDE (Bassline)

As recorded by ZZ Top
(From the 1979 Album DEGÜELLO)

Words and Music by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill & Frank Beard

Transcribed by Slowhand


Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Dusty Hill - Bass'


 Intro 1
  Q=104
 4/4
  Gtr I
  W          E E E E E E E E   E a Q  a E +E  a Q  E   e E e E E E E E
|----------|-----------------|---2h3--2h3-(3)-2h3----|-----------------|
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------|-----------------|
|----------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|---------------------2-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---|
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------3-|


                Intro 2 & Interlude
  Q=80           Q=104
              $
  H    Q  E E    e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|---------5-3-||---------------------|---------------------|
|---------3-1-||-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|
|-------------||-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|-------------||---------------3-----|---------------3-----|


                                               1st - 3rd Verses
  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E     e E E E S S S S E E
|---------------------|---------------------||----------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-||o-----------------1-3-|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------||o-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----||----------------3-----|


  e E E E S S S S E E   e E e E S S E E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|---------------------|-------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------1-2-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-------|-----------------1-3--|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-------------0-1-2-|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1--------|
|---------------3-----|-------------------|---------------3------|


  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E   e E e E S S E E E
|---------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-2-|-3-3-3-3-3-3--------|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-------------0-1-2--|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|--------------------|


                        Chorus
  e E E E S S S S E E    e E e E S S E E E   +E  E e E S S E E S S
|---------------------||-------------------|------------------------|
|-----------------1-2-||-3-3-3-3-3-3---1-3-|-(3)-3-3-3-3-3----------|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------||-------------0-----|---------------0-1-1-2--|
|---------------3-----||-------------------|------------------------|


  E E e E S S S S E E   +E  E e E S S S S E E   e E e E s S E E E
|---------------------|-----------------------|--------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------1-2-|-3-3-3-3-3-3--------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-1---1-3-|-(3)-3-3-3-3-3-1-------|-------------0-1-3--|
|---------------3-----|-----------------3-----|--------------------|


                                    Q=80
                          To Coda
  W          e E e E S S S S E E    H    Q  E E
|----------|----------------------|---------5-3--||
|----------|-----------------1-3--|---------3-1-o||
|----------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-1--------|-------------o||
|-1--------|---------------3------|--------------||


 Guitar Solo
  Q=104
  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|


  E E E E +E  E E E   e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|---3---3-(3)-------|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|
|-3-----------0-1-2-|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|-------------------|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|


  e E E E S S S S E E   E E E E +E  E E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|---------------------|-------------------|---------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|---3---3-(3)-------|-----------------1-3-|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-----------0-1-2-|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|---------------3-----|-------------------|---------------3-----|


  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E   E E E E +E  E E E
|---------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|---3---3-(3)-------|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-----------0-1-2-|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|-------------------|


  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|


  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|


  e E E E S S S S E E   e E E E S S S S E E   E E E E +H
|---------------------|---------------------|----------------|
|-----------------1-3-|-----------------1-3-|---3---3-(3)----|
|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3-3-x-3-3-3-1-------|-3--------------|
|---------------3-----|---------------3-----|----------------|


                                                              D.S. al Coda
  e E e E E E E E   E a Q  a E +E  a Q  E   e E E E E E E E   H    Q  E E
|-----------------|---2h3--2h3-(3)-2h3----|-----------------|---------5-3--||
|-----------------|-----------------------|-----------------|---------3-1--||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|---------------------2-|-3-3-x-3-3-3-3---|--------------||
|-----------------|-----------------------|---------------3-|--------------||


                Outro Guitar Solo
  Q=80        Q=104
  &
  H    Q  E E    S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------5-3-||---------------------------------|
|---------3-1-||---------------------------------|
|-------------||-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-------------||---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---|
|-----------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-1---------------1-------------|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-1---------------1-------------|
|---------------------------------|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-1---------------1-------------|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-3-1---------------1-------------|
|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-1---------------1-------------|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-1---------------1-------------|
|---------------------------------|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------*|
|-2-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-1---------------1-------------*|
|---------------------------------|-----3-2-1-0-1-2-3---3-2-1-0-1-2-*|


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

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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Other versions of I'm Bad I'm Nationwide by ZZ Top

I'm Bad I'm Nationwide
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