Cheapskates Bass Tabs - The Clash @ BigBassTabs.com

Cheapskates — The Clash
Bass Tab

Notation guide: 
|*   *|
|*   *|  = Repeat these bars

Rhythm is dictated by the dashes in a bar.
|5—5—| means play on 1 and 3
|5—55—55——| means play 1, 2 and, 3 and. This indicates an 8th note division of the bar. 
an extra dash will be placed to make room for a double digit fret number or other notation like slides /

Intro: 
Drums 

A:————————|————————|8—888888|7—777777|————5577|
E:———————3|5—555555|————————|————————|8—88————|

A:————————|8—888888|————————|——002233|
E:5—555555|————————|3—333333|33——————|

Verse:
Am
I have been a washer up An' he has been a scrubber up
Am                          G
An' I seen him a picking up Dog ends in the rain
Am
An' he has never read a book Though I told him to take a look
Am                                      G
He lifted his pool hall cue For another game

Fig.1
A:————|———————7|8———|(8)——875|7———|(7)—|————————|——002232|
E:5———|(5)—————|————|————————|————|————|3—333333|33——————|

w/Fig.1
But it ain't no modern miracle That we found the golden rule
What you can't buy you gotta steal An' what you say can't steal you better leave

Fig.2
A:————————|8——8—888|7——7—777|—————57—|————————|8——8—888|————————|——002233|
E:5——5—578|————————|————————|8——88———|5——5—578|————————|3—333333|33——————|

Pre—Chorus: Fig.2—2x
I don't like to hang about In this lonely room
'Cause London is for going out And trying to hear a tune
But people come pouncing up to me And say what are you doing here
You're supposed to be a star Not a cheapskate bleeding queer

Verse: Fig.1
 
Like a load of rats from a sinking ship You slag us down to save your hip
But you don't give me the benefit Of your doubt 'Cause I'll bite it off and spit it out

Fig.3
D:——————02|3—333333*||————————|————————|————————|————————|
A:3—3333——|—————————||3—333332|0—000000|————0033|————2255|
E:————————|————————*||————————|————————|1—11————|3—33————|

Chorus: Fig3
We're cheapskates anything'll do
We're cheapskates what are we supposed to do?



Fig.4
G:————————|——223355|——112244|————————|————————|——223355|————————|————————|
D:————0022|33——————|22——————|——223352|————0022|33——————|————————|————————|
A:0033————|————————|————————|33——————|0033————|————————|——223344|55332200|
E:————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|————————|33——————|————————|

GuitarSolo: Fig.4
An' we can rock Hey hey let's roll
An' we can walk An' do the stroll

Chorus: Fig.3

2ndGuitarSolo: Fig.5 2x  

Fig.5
                   3x
G:————————|——223355—||————————|————————|
D:——223355|33——————*||55332200|————————|
A:33——————|————————*||————————|332200——|
E:————————|—————————||————————|——————33|

Pre—Chorus: Fig.2—2x
Just because we're in a group You think we're stinking rich
'N we all got model girls Shedding every stitch
'N You think the cocaine's flowing Like a river up our noses
'N every sea will part for us Like the red one did for Moses

Verse: Fig.1
Well I hope you make it one day Just like you always said you would some day
And I'll get out my money and make a bet That I'll be seein' you down the launderette

Chorus/End: Fig.3 — Am

*As interpreted by the author. The tablature is for private/educational 
use in your home only and may not be used for any commercial or profit 
making enterprise. If this warning is violated, you may be in conflict 
with the International copyright laws.

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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The Clash — Cheapskates bass tabs