Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)

Words & Music:

Jimi Hendrix

 

Simple song, huh?  It is until you get out the wah pedal and try to play like Jimi.  Stuart Winchester's tab is below and Guitar World has a full transcription, including solos.

 

E5

Well, I stand up next to a mountain

And I chop it down with the edge of my hand.

Well, I stand up next to a mountain.

I chop it down with the edge of my hand.

Pick up the pieces, make an island

A/C#                          E

Might even raise a little sand.

 

CHORUS:

E7          C7             D7                       E5

Cause I'm a voodoo chile.  Lord knows, I'm a voodoo chile.

 

INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 1:

 

I didn't mean to take up all your sweet time.

I'll give it right back to you one of these days.

I said, I didn't mean to take up all your sweet time.

I'll give it right one of these days.

I won't see you no more in this world;

I'll meet you on the next one, don't be late.

 

CHORUS:

 

INSTRUMENTAL SOLO 2:

 

 

Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

As tabbed by Stuart Winchester

 

This tune is all based around the pentatonic scale, for those who aren't in the know here it is...

              E ||-----|-----|--O--|-----|-----|--O--|-----|

              B ||-----|-----|--O--|-----|-----|--O--|-----|

              G ||-----|-----|--O--|-----|--O--|-----|-----|

              D ||-----|-----|--O--|-----|--O--|-----|-----|

              A ||-----|-----|--O--|-----|--O--|-----|-----|

              E ||-----|-----|--O--|-----|-----|--O--|-----|

 

Right for a start, whip out that wah wah pedal.  Get wahka wahing.  The timing isn't tabbed out, but I have put the time index of the CD in certain positions above tab, just in case you get lost.

 

Tuning happens to be in Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.  The ebgdae thing in the tab just mean the string, not its tuning.  But go ahead and play it in standard tuning if you do so wish, although jimi may frown on it from his place on high.  To add extra effect when holding bends try flicking the pickup switch around a bit, and shake the tremolo bar from time to time, just for the hell of it.

 

Intro:

e----------------------------------------------------------------------

b---7h9-7--------------7h9-9-7-9---------------------12----12----12----

g---------9-5-5-5h7---------------repeat-3-----then--14b16-(hold)12----

d-------------------h9----------------times----------------------------

a---------------------------------------main riff----------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------------12/-

 

Main riff:

              (bend up to 4 then bend down to 2 and pull off)

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g------------2b4b2p0------------2b4b2p0--------------------

d---2-2-2-2-----------2-2-2-2-2----------------------------

a---2-2-2-2-----------2-2-2-2-2----------------------------

e---0-0-3-0-----------0-0-0-3-0-------------12/0-----------

 

If you are using a distored wah then its best just to hit the low E notes, i.e. 0 0 0 3 rather than the e minor type chord thing otherwise it'll sound far too distorted and cruddy, unless you like that sort of sound.

 

Main riff variation:

e----------------3-3-3-------------------------------------

b----------------3-3-3-------------------------------------

g----------------------------------------------------------

d----2-2-2-2-2---------------------------------------------

a----2-2-2-2-2---------------------------------------------

e----0-0-0-3-0---------------------------------------------

 

at 0:43

a----------------------------------------------------------

d----------------------------------------------------------

e---2b4 (hold and use wah)---------------------------------

d------------(since it goes wah wah wah wah wah)-----------

a----------------------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

Back to main riff:

 

solo at 00:49

e----------------------------------------------------------

b-15b17-15-15b17-15-12-15----------------------------------

g------------------------14------12h14--14b16-------12h14--

d---------------------------12h14-------------12h14--------

a----------------------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

       hold bend             00:55

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g--14b16-b16---14-12--/2-----------------------------------

d----------------------------------------------------------

a----------------------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

{main riff}

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g----------------------------------------------------------

d-------------0--2-----------------------------------------

a--------0--2----------------------------------------------

e---0--3--------------0-3-0--------------------------------

 

Well I stand up next to a mountain

e------------3--0-----0----------------------------------

b---0--3--0--------3-------------------------------------

g--------------------------------------------------------

d--------------------------------------------------------

a------------------------------2--2--2-------------------

e------------------------------0--3--0-------------------

 

e----------------------------------------------------------

b---0--h3p0--h3p0 h3p--------------------------------------

g---------------------0h2p0--------------------------------

d----------------------------------------------------------

a-----------------------------2--2--2--2-------------------

e-----------------------------0--0--3--0-------------------

 

chop it down with the edge of my hand

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g-----4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----------------------

d-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----------------------

a-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

pick up all the pieces and make an island, bite the grains up into sand?

 

{main riff}

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------------------------

d-----2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-4-4-4-4-4-4------------------------

a-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

coz i'm a voodoo chile, lord knows i'm a voodoo chile

e-----------------3333---------------------3---------------

b-----------------3333---------------------3---------------

g----------------------------------------------------------

d--2--2--2--2--2--------2--2--2--2--2----------------------

a--2--2--2--2--2--------2--2--2--2--2----------------------

e--0--0--0--3--0--------0--0--0--3--0---0------------------

 

solo at 1:55

e---------------------------------------------------------------

b--15b17-15b17-15-12-15-15b17-----------------------------------

g--------------------------------12h14-12--14b16b14p12----------

d----------------------------12h14---------------------12--14---

a---------------------------------------------------------------

e---------------------------------------------------------------

 

                                                  2:05

a----------------------------------------------12h15-15b17-(hold)-

d----------------------------------------12h15--------------------

e---------------------------------12--14--------------------------

d--14-12-------------14--12--14-----------------------------------

a--------14-12----------------------------------------------------

e--------------15-12----------------------------------------------

 

e-15b17-15-12----------------------------------------------------

b-------------15-12----------------------------------------------

g-----------------------12-----12-----12-----12--14b16-14-12-----

d-------------------12h14--12h14--12h14--12h14---------------14--

a----------------------------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------------

 

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g---------------2b4b2p0------------------------------------

d------------------------2p0---------2-2-0-2---------------

a----------------------------2p0---------------------------

e---0-0-0-3-0--------------------3p0-----------------------

 

2:16                         2:26

e------12----12-----12----------15b17------------------------------------

b--12h15-12h15--12h15--12h15---------------------------------------------

g------------------------------------------------------------------------

d--------(repeat lots,getting--------------------------------------------

a---------faster and faster with-----------------------------------------

e----------wah up to begin, down in the middle, up at last bend)---------

 

and continuing.......

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g------------2b4b2p0------------2b4b2p0--------------------

d---2-2-2-2-----------2-2-2-2-2----------------------------

a---2-2-2-2-----------2-2-2-2-2----------------------------

e---0-0-3-0-----------0-0-0-3-0----------------------------

 

                             2:35

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g--------------------------------------------2b4b2p0-------

a---2-2-2-2-------x-x-x-x-x--0h2p0h2p0h2p0-----------------

d---2-2-2-2-------x-x-x-x-x--------------------------------

e---0-0-3-0-------x-x-x-x-x--------------------------------

 

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g----------------------------------------------------------

d---x-x-x-x-x-------0h2p0h2p0h2p0--------------------------

a---x-x-x-x-x----------------------------------------------

e---x-x-x-x-x----------------------------------------------

 

2:45

e-------------------12x-mute-at-12-------------------------

b-------------------12x------------------------------------

g---2x-slide-to 12--12x-----------------do this twice------

d---2x--while muted----------------------------------------

a---2x-----------------------------------------------------

e---2x-mute-at-2-------------------------------------------

 

{repeat main riff a few times and use the hammer on pull off on the a string, this is when jimi is singing 'i didn't mean to take up all your sweet time' and start using the main riff when he says 'i'll give it right back one of these days ha ha'}

 

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g-----4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----------------------

d-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----------------------

a-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

'If i don't mean you no more in this world...I'll meet you in the next one and don't be late'

 

{main riff}

e----------------------------------------------------------

b----------------------------------------------------------

g-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------------------------

d-----2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-4-4-4-4-4-4-4------------------------

a-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

'coz i'm a voodoo chile, voodoo child, lord knows i'm a voodoo child'

 

 

solo at 3:38                               3:42

 

e----------------------------------------------------------

b--15b17b15p12-15b17-12------------------------------------

g----------------------14b16-14-12---------14-14b16--------

d---------------------------------14--12h14----------------

a----------------------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

 

e-------12----12--15b17-15-12------------------------------

b--12h15--12h15---------------15b17-15-12------------------

g-----------------------------------------14b16-14-12------

d-----------------------------------------------------14---

a----------------------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------------------

 

e-------------------------------------------------------------

b-------------------------------12-15-15b17-12----------------

g-----12h14-14b16----12h14-14b16---------------14b16b14p12----

d-12h14----------12h14-------------------------------------14-

a-------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------------------------------------------------------

 

              3:58 (wah wah wah) trem picking

e------------x---x------------33333-/-14141414-\121212--------

b------------12--12-----------33333-/-14141414-\121212--------

g------------12--12-------------------------------------------

d------------12--12-------------------------------------------

a-------------------------------------------------------------

e-12-15-12----------------------------------------------------

 

main riff and variations.......

 

Solo at 4:21

 

e------------------------------------------------------------

b--15-17-15-17b19b17-17-15-17-15-12-15------15---------------

g-------------------------------------14b16(hold)14-12-14----

d--------------------------------------------------------14--

a------------------------------------------------------------

e------------------------------------------------------------

 

Finish off with main riff and variations.

 

 




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