The Lemon Song bass

The Lemon Song

• E

This song is one i've always told myself i'd learn, and  
i've screwed around with bits a pieces of it here and  
there, but i've never *really* learned it. When I saw a  
request for this song, I suddenly found an excuse to sit  
down and try to figure the whole darned thing out. This  
is in my opinion an absolute masterpiece of blues bass.  
John Paul Jones lets it fly, using all of his signature 
licks in this one. 
 
The progression is your standard 12-bar blues in E. 
Normally i'd shy away from transcribing a "blues"  
bassline (because I think with blues it's more important 
to focus on playing a "progression" than it is to play a 
specific bassline), but Jones' bass playing on this song 
is an absolute goldmine of things to learn. I've really 
tried and get this as accurate as I possibly can. With blues in a 
hey like E, it's always hard to tell if, for example, the bass 
player is playing an A on the fifth fret of the E string or is 
playing the A string open. I've tried my best to decipher when 
he does each but there has to be a few mistakes. Overall i'd like 
to think this is pretty accurate. Also, Jones' 
use of ghost notes is tricky, because it's often hard 
to tell when a note is a true ghost note or just a quick semi-muted 
useage of a normal fretted (or open) note. i'm sure there are 
certain notes i've specified as a ghost (x) that are  
actually fretted and vice versa. Alot of the open notes 
I notated could probably be interpreted as a ghost. Play  
it however sounds right to you. 
 
I've spent *ALOT* of time on this song, and I hope it 
helps some people out. If you have any comments feel free 
to email me, otherwise, GOOD LUCK! 
 
P.S.: There is a minor update to my first Lemon Song transcription. 
I saw a transcription of a small portion of this song which was  
done by Jones. What I had was 99% accurate, however, all but 
one of the ghost notes I had notated were in fact notated as open 
string notes by JPJ himself. I have updated this transcription as 
such, and I'll try to go through, update it again and convert most of the ghost notes when I have some time. Enjoy! 
 
Intro/Verse Riff (rest 3 measures then): 
 
G|--7---7--7-------------------------------------------------7-----| 
D|----x---------------------------------------------------9-----9--| 
A|-------------7--7------------------------7---x--7----------------| 
E|-------------------4--4--5--5--6--6--7---------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------9------------7-----7--7-------| 
D|--------------------------------------------9------9----------9--| 
A|---7--7-------------------------7-----7--------------------------| 
E|---------x--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------------------------------------------9--7-----------------| 
D|--------------------------------------------------9--0--7--9-----| 
A|---7--7------------------------7---7--7--------------------------| 
E|---------x--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------9----------------9------------| 
D|----------------------------------------------8--9------9--------| 
A|---7--7------------------------7------7--------------------------| 
E|---------x--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|---7---------------------------7------7-------5------------------| 
A|---------0--4--4--5--5--6--7-------------------------5-----6-----| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
G|-----------------------------9-----------------------------------| 
D|----------6--6--7--7--8--9------9------------6----7----8---------| 
A|---7---7---------------------------7-----7-----------------------| 
E|--------------------------------------7--------------------------| 
 
G|---------------11------------------------------------------------| 
D|---9---9--x-9------9-----------------------5----7--5-------------| 
A|----------------------9--------4--5--6--7-----7-------7--5--6----| 
E|-------------------------7--5------------------------------------| 
 
0:50 : 
 
G|-------9----9--7-------------------------------------------------| 
D|-----------------9--x--7--9--5h6--------------5------------------| 
A|---7------------------------------7--5--6--7-----7--5-------5----| 
E|------------------------------------------------------5-6-7---7--| 
 
G|----------------------------------------------9-----9--7---------| 
D|---------------------------------------------------------9-------| 
A|---------------------------------x--5--6--7------7---------------| 
E|---0---0---4---x--5--x--5--6--7-----------------------------7----| 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
A|---7-------------------------7--5---7--5---7--5--------7---------| 
E|-------0---4--4--5--5--6--7-------7------7-------7--6-----6------| 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-----------------------------7-----------------7-----------------| 
A|---------4---4---5--5--6--7-----7-----------4-----5---6----------| 
E|---5---5---------------------------5--5--5-----------------------| 
 
G|---------------------------------9-------------------------------| 
D|---------6---6---7---7--x--8--9-----------x--6--7--8-------------| 
A|---7---7------------------------------7--------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
G|----------12/13--11----------------9----11-9---------------5-----| 
D|---9--9-------------13-11-9-x-9/11---11------11-9-7--7-x-5---5---| 
A|---------------------------------------------------------------x-| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-------9---9---9--7----------------------------------------------| 
D|---------------------9--7--9--5/6\-------------------------------| 
A|---7-----------------------------------------------5----6--------| 
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
Up Tempo (1:27): 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|----------6--x-7--x-8--9-------------6--6--7--7---x-8--9----------| 
A|---7--7-------------------5---7--7-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------------------------7--8--9--9--7--x-----------------------| 
D|-------x--6---7--7--8--9-------------------9---x--7--6-----------| 
A|---7----------------------------------------------------7--------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------7-----| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------5--7--7--5-------------------------| 
A|-----------4---x-5---x-6--7----------------x--7--6--5--4--5------| 
E|---5---5---------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|------------------------------7--9--9--7-------------------------| 
D|-----------6---6-7---x-8--9----------------x-9---x--7--6--7------| 
A|---7---7---------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|---9---7---------------------------------------------------------| 
A|----------9---7---5---7-------------x--4--x--5--x--5--6--7-------| 
E|--------------------------5--7---5-------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------6--x-7--x-7--8--8--8----| 
D|-----------6--6--7--7--7--8--8--8--9--9--------------------------| 
A|---7---7---------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|---9---9---7-----------------------------------------------------| 
D|--------------x--9---x--7--5h6-----------------------------------| 
A|---------------------------------7---7---5-----------------------| 
E|---------------------------------------------x--7--5---3h4--0----| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|---------------------------------------5--x--5--6--x--6--7--7----| 
A|---------------------------------7--7--------------------------7-| 
E|----0---0---4--x--5--x--5--6--7----------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|----7---7---5-----------------------------------------------5h6--| 
A|----------------x---7---x--5-3h4-----------4--x--5--x--6--7------| 
E|----------------------------------5--5--5------------------------| 
 
 
G|---------------------------------7--9--9--x-7--------------------| 
D|------------6--x--7--x--8--x--9----------------9--x--6--7--8-----| 
A|----7---7--------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|------------8---x-9---x-10-11-----------6--x--7--x--8--9---------| 
D|----9---9----------------------9--7--7--------------------7------| 
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------9--7--x-6--6--5---x--------------------------------------| 
D|----9------------------------9--9--7--7--7--8--9-----------------| 
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
E|---------------------------------------------------7-------------| 
 
 
G|---------------------------------9---7---------------------------| 
D|------------6---x--7---x--8---9---------9-----6--6---7---9-------| 
A|----7---7----------------------------------7---------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----9------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------9------6---7---8------------------------------------------| 
A|----------7------------------------------------------------------| 
E|----------------------------0---4---4---5---5---6---7------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------------7--7---x--5------------------| 
A|-------------4---4---5---5---6---7---------------x-7--x--4-5-6---| 
E|-----5---5-------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|---------------------------------9--x-9-----9----7----9----------| 
D|-------------6---6---7--7--8--9----------7----8----9-------------| 
A|-----7---7-------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-----9---9---7---x-----------------------------------------------| 
A|--------------------9---x---7--5------------4-x-5-x-5---6--6-----| 
E|----------------------------------7---5--5-----------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------------6--6---x-7--7---8--8--9-----------------------------| 
A|-----7---7-------------------------------------------4--5--6-----| 
E|--------------------------------------7--7--7--7--7--------------| 
 
 
Slower Tempo (2:30): 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------9--7--------| 
D|-------------6---6--6--7--7--8--9--------------------------9-----| 
A|-----7---7-------------------------x--7---x--7-------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----------------------------9--8--7------------------------------| 
D|-------x--6--6--7--7--8--9-----------9--x--7--6---------------5/-| 
A|----7-------------------------------------------7--8--5--6--7----| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------5--6--7---------------------------------| 
A|----0---4---x-5--x-6--7-------------------4---5---6--------------| 
E|------------------------------------5----------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------9-----------------------------------| 
D|--------x--6--6--7--7--8--9-----------6----7----8----------------| 
A|----7----------------------------7-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----9-----------------------------------------------------------| 
D|---9---9--9--9--9--x--9---------------------------7---7----5---7-| 
A|-------------------------9----9-------------x--4----5---5h7--7---| 
E|----------------------------7---7--6--5--5-----------------------| 
 
 
"Now take it down a little..." (2:56): 
 
G|---------9-9--9--7-----------------------------------------------| 
D|-------x-----------9--7--9-5h6------------5----------------------| 
A|---7----------------------------7--5-6-7----7--5--------5--------| 
E|-------------------------------------------------5h6-7-----5-----| 
 
 
G|-------------------------------9---7-----------------7-----------| 
D|---------6---7--8--9-------------------0--7--8--9----------------| 
A|---7-----------------9----7--------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------7-----------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------------------------------9--8--7--------------------------| 
D|-------0--6--6--7---7--8--9--0-----------0--9--0-7--6------------| 
A|---7--------------------------------------------------7-0----7---| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------7---6-| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|----------------------------0--5--6--7-----------------7---------| 
A|---0---0--4--x--5--0--6--7-------------7---7----0--4------5--6---| 
E|-----------------------------------------5---5-------------------| 
 
 
G|------------------------------------------------------9----------| 
D|-------0--6--6-6-7--7--7--8--8--8--9--------------0-6---7--0--8--| 
A|---7---------------------------------7--5-0-7--7-----------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-------------11--------------------------------------------------| 
D|---9---9--9------9-------9-----9---7------------4-5-6-7----------| 
A|--------------------0--9----9---------0-4-5-6-7---------4-4-5-6--| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-------9---7-----------------------------------------------------| 
D|--------------9--7--5--------------------------------------------| 
A|---7--------------------7--5-----7-7--5------------------5--6----| 
E|------------------------------7---------7--5--3--5----/7---------| 
 
				   N.H. 
G|-------9--9--7---------------------------12-9--------------------| 
D|----------------9--7--0--5h6------(5)---------12--9-7-8--9-------| 
A|---7--------------------------7----------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------9--7--------------------| 
D|-----------------------------------------------9--7-0-5--7-------| 
A|---7--------5--5------------------7---7--------------------------| 
E|-------------------7--5--3--5--7---------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------4-5-6-7-------------------------5-6-7-9-| 
A|---0-------4----5--6--7-----------0--4--4--5-5-6--6-7--7---------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------9---9--7-------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------9-7-x--5--6-------------x-6--7--8--9------7----| 
A|---7---------------------------7--5--6--7---------------x-7------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----------11-----------------------9-----------------------------| 
D|---9--9-------9--------9----9--7-7----7----------------5---7-----| 
A|-----------------9----9--9--------------7---4--5--6--7---7-------| 
E|--------------------7---------------------5----------------------| 
 
 
G|--------9--7-----------------------------------------------------| 
D|--------------9--7--5--------------------------------------------| 
A|---7-------------------7--5----------------------------0--2------| 
E|-----------------------------7---5--3--2--1--0-1--2--3-----------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------9---9--7--7--7----------------| 
D|-----------0--6--0--7---7--8h9---------------------9--7----------| 
A|---7---7------------------------7------------------------7-------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|---------------------------------7--9----------------------------| 
D|---------6--6--7--7--8--8--9--9----------------------------------| 
A|---7--7-------------------------------7--7--5--5--5--------------| 
E|----------------------------------------------------7--7-5-0-3-4-| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|---------------------------5--6--7-------------------------------| 
A|-----------4---4--5---6--7----------7-----------0--4--5--6-------| 
E|---5--5--5-----------------------------5--0-5--------------------| 
 
 
G|------------------------7--8--9--12-9---9-9-12-9----9--9---------| 
D|------x--6--6--7--8--9---------------12----------12------12-9----| 
A|---7----------------------------------------------------------12-| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------9---7-------| 
D|---9--------------7--8--9------------------------5----------9----| 
A|------9-------9-----------9--6-------------5-6-7---7----------5--| 
E|---------7----------------------7--x-5-6-7-----------------------| 
 
 
G|-------------9---------------------------------------------------| 
D|------9/11-------------9\----------------------------------------| 
A|---7------------10/11-----10/11---------7--x-5-------------------| 
E|----------------------------------7--9----------7--5--3h4--------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------7-----9-----------| 
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
A|-------7--7--5--------------------------7--7---------------------| 
E|---0------------7--5--2--3--4--0--0--5---------------------------| 
 
 
G|----------------------------------9--------9---------------------| 
D|-------------------------------------------------7-8-------------| 
A|---7-----7--7--5-------------x-7-----x-7------7------------------| 
E|-------7-----------7--5--0----------------------------0----------| 
 
 
G|--------------------------------------------------7--6-----------| 
D|-----------------------4--5--6--7-------------7---------9--7--x--| 
A|--------x--4--5--6---7-------------4--7-----7---7----------------| 
E|----5------------------------------------5-----------------------| 
 
 
G|-------------9--9--7---------------------------------------------| 
D|----9-----------------9--7--6h7--6h7--6-7-6----------------------| 
A|-------7--7----------------------------------7--5-x-7------------| 
E|------------------------------------------------------4--4-5--0--| 
 
 
G|----------------------11-------------------7-----11--9-----------| 
D|-------------9/11h13-----13--11\9--7--9h11----11--------11-----9-| 
A|-------9h11------------------------------------------------9h11--| 
E|----7------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------9---7----------------------------------------------------| 
D|----------------9---7--5h6---------------------------------------| 
A|----7-------------------------7--5-------------------------------| 
E|------------------------------------7--5--3--2--0--0--4--7-------| 
 
 
G|-----------9--7----------------------------7--9------------------| 
D|-----------------9--7-------------6--7--9------------------------| 
A|----7------------------7---7---7---------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----------9--9--9--9--9--9--7------------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------9---------4-4-4-4-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-| 
A|----7----------------------------7-7-7-7-------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----------------5/6----------------------------------------------| 
D|-----7--5-------------7--5--7--5-------------------------5-------| 
A|------------7--------------------7--0--0--0--4--5--6-0-7--7-5--6-| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------9--7-----------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------------9--7--5h6-------------5-----7-5---------------------| 
A|----7------------------7--5--6--7---7-5-----5-5-6-7-5-5-6-7------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------5-5-6-| 
 
 
G|-------------------11--------------------------------------------| 
D|----------------9------9----------------------2------------------| 
A|-------------9------------9----9----------2h4---4-2-----4--------| 
E|----7---7--------------------7---7--6--5------------5-5----------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------6--6--7--7--8--8--9--9-------------------------------| 
A|----7---7--------------------------------------------------------| 
E|------------------------------------------/7---------------------| 
 
 
Up Tempo (5:36): 
 
G|--------------------------------------------------------7--------| 
D|----------6--x--7--x--8--9------------6--6-7--x--8--9------------| 
A|----7--7------------------------7--7-----------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------7-----------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----9---9--------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------------x--9--x--7--5h6-------------------------------------| 
A|-------------------------------7--7--5---------------------------| 
E|----------------------------------------0--7--0--5--3--4---------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|------------------------------5--7--7--5-------------------------| 
A|------------4--x--5--x--6--7--------------x--7--x--5--4--5-------| 
E|----5---5--------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|---------------------------7--9--9--7----------------------------| 
D|----------6--x-7--x--8--9--------------0--9--x--7--6--7----------| 
A|----7--7---------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------8--8-9--9-10--11--------------6--x-7-x--7--8--8-------| 
D|----9---9--------------------x--9--7--7--------------------------| 
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|----9--9--7--7--7-6--6--5--5-5--x--------------------------------| 
D|-----------------------------------9--9--8-8--8--7--7--8--9------| 
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
A|----7--7--5------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-------------0-7--x-5--3h4--0--0--4--x--5--x--5--6--7------------| 
 
 
G|---------------------------7--9--9--9--7-------------------------| 
D|----------6--x-7--x--8--9-----------------x-9--x-7--5h6----------| 
A|----7--7------------------------------------------------7--------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------4--x-5--x-6--7--7-----------------| 
A|----------4--x--5--x--6--7--7---------------------4--5-----------| 
E|----5--5---------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|--------------------------7---9---9---7--------------------------| 
D|--------6--x--7--x--8--9-----------------x--9---7--6--7----------| 
A|----7------------------------------------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
 
 
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------| 
D|----9---7--------------------------------------------------------| 
A|------------9--8--7---5------------------------7-----------------| 
E|--------------------------7--6--5--------------------------------| 
 
Whew!  

x

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