Khe Sanh — Cold Chisel — Bass Cover

Come in after these lyrics.

I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh
And my soul was sold with my cigarettes to the blackmarket man
I've had the Vietnam cold turkey
From the ocean to the Silver City
And it's only other vets could understand

About the long forgotten dockside guarantees
How there were no V—dayheroes in 1973
How we sailed into Sydney Harbour
Saw an old friend but couldn't kiss her
She was lined, and I was home to the lucky land

Main Riff, Verse, Chorus.

G————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D—————2—22—2———————————————4—42—22—2—————————————————————————————————————————————————
A———————————3—33—3———5—5————————————3—33—35—5———5—56—6—7—77—73—33—3——————3—33—2—0—00—
E—3—2—————————————3—3———3—3——————————————————5—5———————————————————3—33—3————————————

G————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——3—33—3————————————2—22—2—————————————5—54—42—22—2—————————————————————————————————
A—0——————5—50—05—50—0——————3—3/5—3———5—5————————————3—33—35—50—05—56—6—7—77—73—33—3——
E—————————————————————————————————3—3——————————————————————————————————————————————3—

G———————————————————————————————————— II
D———————————————————————————————————— II
A—————3—33—2—0—00—05—55—5———2—2—————— II
E—33—3———————————————————3—3———3—32—2 II

It's pretty much the same through the whole song. But when the guitar solo comes
in you just shorten the riff abit.

Wookiee

[email protected]



 bigbasstabs.

About Cold Chisel

Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed and revered Australian acts of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day. While its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia and New Zealand, the legend and stature of the band and its songs has only continued to grow in those territories.

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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Cold Chisel — Khe Sanh bass tabs