(Verse Riff)

           C#m7
It's not a silly little moment
             Aadd9            E
It's not the storm before the calm
            C#m7
This is the deep and dying breath of
                          Aadd9   E
This love that we've been working on

           C#m7
Can't seem to hold you like I want to
             Aadd9            E
So I can feel you in my arms
            C#m7
Nobody's gonna come and save you
             Aadd9            E
We've pulled too many false alarms

G———————————————————————————|—————————————————————————|
D————————————————————2——————|————————————————————696——|
A—4—x—4—4—4———7—4————————2/—|—4—x—4—4—4———7—4———7———97|
E———————————5—————0————2————|———————————5—————0———————|
 
G———————————————————————————|—————————————————————————|
D————————————————————2——————|————————————————————696——|
A—4—x—4—4—4———7—4————————2/—|—4—x—4—4—4———7—4———7———97|
E———————————5—————0————2————|———————————5—————0———————| 

(Chorus)
            Badd11
We're going down
            C#m7   Aadd9
And you can see it too
            Badd11
We're going down
        C#m7            F#m11
And you know that we're doomed
   C#m7                         Aadd9   E
My Dear we're slow dancing in a burning room

G———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————|
D———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————|
A—2—2—2—4—0——2—2—4—4—————4—4|4—4—0——————————————————————|
E————————————————————2—2————|——————0————————————————————|

(Instrumental / Pre Verse)

C#m7  Aadd9  E 
C#m7  Aadd9  E 

G———————————————————————————|—————————————————————————|
D————————————————————2——————|————————————————————696——|
A—4—x—4—4—4———7—4————————2/—|—4—x—4—4—4———7—4———7———97|
E———————————5—————0————2————|———————————5—————0———————| 

(Verse)

           C#m7
I was the one you always dreamed of
           Aadd9             E
You were the one I tried to draw
           C#m7
How dare you say it's nothing to me
            Aadd9                 E
Baby you're the only light I ever saw

           C#m7
I'll make the most of all the sadness
            Aadd9          E
You'll be a bitch because you can
           C#m7
You try to hit me just to hurt me so you leave me feeling dirty
            Aadd9   E
Because you can't understand

G———————————————————————————|—————————————————————————|
D————————————————————2——————|————————————————————696——|
A—4—x—4—4—4———7—4————————2/—|—4—x—4—4—4———7—4———7———97|
E———————————5—————0————2————|———————————5—————0———————| 

G———————————————————————————|—————————————————————————|
D————————————————————2——————|————————————————————696——|
A—4—x—4—4—4———7—4————————2/—|—4—x—4—4—4———7—4———7———97|
E———————————5—————0————2————|———————————5—————0———————| 

(Chorus)

            Badd11
We're going down
            C#m7   Aadd9
And you can see it too
            Badd11
We're going down
        C#m7            F#m11
And you know that we're doomed
   C#m7                         Aadd9   E
My Dear we're slow dancing in a burning room

G———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————|
D———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————|
A—2—2—2—4—0——2—2—4—4—————4—4|4—4—0——————————————————————|
E————————————————————2—2————|——————0————————————————————|

(Instrumental)

C#m7  Aadd9  E 
C#m7  Aadd9  E 
C#m7  Aadd9  E 
C#m7  Aadd9  E 

G———————————————————————————|
D———————————————————————————|
A—4—4—0—————————————————————|
E———————0———————————————————|

(Bridge)

F#m11          C#m7          Badd11 F#m11
Go Cry about it why don't you (repeat 3 times)
   C#m7                         Aadd9   E
My Dear we're slow dancing in a burning room

About John Mayer

John Clayton Mayer (pronounced /?me?.?r/ MAY-?r; born October 16, 1977) is an American musician. Raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1997, where he refined his skills and gained a following. His first two studio albums, Room for Squares and Heavier Things, did well commercially, achieving multi-platinum status. In 2003, he won a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for "Your Body Is a Wonderland".

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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John Mayer — Slow Dancing in a Burning Room (ver 2) bass tabs