English Civil War Bass Tabs - Clash @ BigBassTabs.com

ENGLISH CIVIL WAR — THE CLASH

(Traditional; Arranged by Strummer/Jones)

Transcribed by: [email protected]

Opening Riff
(Play many times)
E————————————————————|
G————————————————————|
D——————2—————————————|
A——————0—————————————|
E————————————————————|

E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————| |     |     |
G——————————2—————2———————————2—————————2————2——————————————| |     |     |
D——(2)————2—————4——^——2————2—————————4————2————————————————| |  G  |  G  |
A———0————————————————————————0————0————————————————————————| |     |     |
E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————| |     |     |

E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————| |     |     |
G——————————2—————2———————————2—————————2————2——————————————| |     |     |
D——(2)————2—————4——^——2————2—————————4————2————————————————| | Em  | Em  |
A———0————————————————————————0————0————————————————————————| |     |     |
E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————| |     |     |

A                          Am            G
WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME AGAIN HURRAH TRA—LA
A                Am             Em
HE'S COMING BY BUS OR UNDERGROUND HURRAH TRA—LA
C                G
A WOMAN'S EYE WILL SHED A TEAR
F               C
TO SEE HIS FACE SO BEATEN IN FEAR
A     G         F      E      A
AN' IT WAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER IN THE ENGLISH

CIVIL WAR


IT WAS STILL AT THE STAGE OF CLUBS AND FISTS
WHEN THAT WELL—KNOWN FACE GOT BEATEN TO BITS
YOUR FACE WAS BLUE IN THE LIGHT OF THE SCREEN
AS WE WATCHED THE SPEECH OF AN ANIMAL SCREAM
THE NEW PARTY ARMY WAS MARCHING RIGHT OVER
OUR HEADS

ALRIGHT

THERE YOU ARE, HA HA, I TOLD YOU SO
SAYS EVERYBODY THAT WE KNOW
BUT WHO HID A RADIO UNDER THE STAIRS
AN' WHO GOT CAUGHT OUT ON THEIR UNAWARES?
WHEN THAT NEW PARTY ARMY CAME MARCHING RIGHT
UP THE STAIRS

WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME AGAIN
NOBODY UNDERSTANDS IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN
THE SUN IS SHINING AN' THE KIDS ARE SHOUTING LOUD
BUT YOU GOTTA KNOW IT?S SHINING THROUGH A CRACK
IN THE CLOUD
AND THE SHADOWS KEEP FALLING WHEN JOHNNY
COMES MARCHING HOME

How to Read Bass Tabs

Bass tablature (tabs) is an easy way to learn songs without needing to read traditional sheet music. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the symbols and techniques commonly found in tabs:

1. The Basics

Strings and Frets:
Each line in a tab represents a string on your bass:
- The top line is the highest-pitched string (G on a 4-string bass).
- The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass).
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
            
```
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string.

2. Common Techniques

Hammer-On (h):
Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5h7---------|
            
```
Pull-Off (p):
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------7p5---------|
            
```
Slide (/ or \):
Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5/7---------|
            
```

3. Advanced Techniques

Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Example: G|-------7b9---------|
Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound. Example: G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound.

4. Rhythm and Timing

Tabs don’t always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.

5. Slap and Pop

Slap (s): Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound.
Pop (p): Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.

Practice Makes Perfect

Tabs are a great tool to learn songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed. Happy jamming! 🎸

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Clash — English Civil War bass tabs