Great Song from Blue Valentines, with an excellent walking feel to the bass.

I hope this is right, if not any corrections will be welcome.


Verse:

Well, I come in on a night train
with an arm full of box cars etc...

G———————————————————————————————
D———————————————————————————————
A———————0—————0————2——2—————————
E————2—————2————————————————————


Before it goes into the chorus it walks up like this:

G———————————————————————————————————————
D———————————————————————————————————————
A————2——2————4——4————5——5————7——7———————
E———————————————————————————————————————


And then in the chorus it plays this:

    Whistlin' past the graveyard  Steppin on a crack

G——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A———————————2——2——5——5——7—5—2—————————1——1——4——4——6—4—2————————————————
E————3——3—————————————————————————2——2—————————————————————————————————



    Mean motherhubbard             Papa one eyed jack

G——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A———————————2——2——5——5——7—5—2—————————1——1——4——4——6—4—2————————————————
E————3——3—————————————————————————2——2—————————————————————————————————

And the back into Verse:

You propably seen me sleepin
out by the railroad tracks etc...

G———————————————————————————————
D———————————————————————————————
A———————0—————0————2——2—————————
E————2—————2————————————————————


I found another version of the bass tab on a different site, But I couldn't get it to
work so I tried to do it myself.


I only come to baton rouge to find myself a witch



 bigbasstabs.

About Tom Waits

Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." With this trademark growl, his incorporation of pre-rock music styles such as blues, jazz, and vaudeville, and experimental tendencies verging on industrial music, Waits has built up a distinctive musical persona. He has worked as a composer for movies and musical plays and as a supporting actor in films, including Down By Law and Bram Stoker's Dracula. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his soundtrack work on One from the Heart.

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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Tom Waits — Whistlin' Past The Graveyard bass tabs