Duran Duran - Nite-Runner (2007)
Tabbed by: trevgreg
Email: trevgreg1227@hotmail.com
Tuning: Standard
This is the first completed song for the Red Carpet Massacre album, which was a collaboration
between Duran Duran with both Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Although the Red Carpet Massacre
been criticized by some fans for not having enough guitar parts on it, there are actually
a few obvious guitar parts on this song that can be played. Overall, Dom Brown contributes
his own part for the song’s main hook line, as well as some funky guitar up the fretboard
and a quietly hidden melody on the song’s bridge.
This part is played by Dom Brown during the “Can I put my hands on you tonight?“ hook of the
song, which goes along with the vocal melody during it as well. He also delivers this riff
during the break just before the second verse. The riff is basically following a scale in
G# at first, as you can see. He repeats the main line twice before sliding off the D string
on the 6th fret right at the end during the breaks, while he actually does it twice more during
the pre-chorus each time.
On another note, you might want to do some sort of slide on that string as your ending the
chords higher up the fretboard (as you’ll see later) once you start playing this riff each
time.
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------4--6--8--9--6(h)-----------------4--6--8--9--6(h)---6/0----|
A|--11/0----------4--6-------------------------------4--6---------------------------|
E|----------4--7-------------------------------4--7---------------------------------|
I’m fairly sure the riff above is accurate, as this is how it was played by Dom Brown at the
first performances of the song and this is what it sounds like after I singled out the guitar
from the song. Despite this, I’ll admit that the first part might sound a tad off to some
people who are just hearing if over the song. Below is what it sounds more like, which might
fit better with how you’re playing it. I’ve also seen bass tabs for Nite-Runner that seem
to follow this riff as well, so take your pick.
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------3---------------------------------3---------------------|
D|-----------------------4--6-----4--6(h)------------------4--6-----4--6(h)-----6/0-----|
A|--11/0----------4--6-------------------------------4--6-------------------------------|
E|----------4--7-------------------------------4--7-------------------------------------|
These are the parts Dom plays during the verses and choruses in the song, which all start
on the 11th fret of the A string (also in a G# key like the main riff). They vary a little on
each type, so I’ll try to single out how he plays them on each one.
Here is what it sounds like he’s playing on the first verse, the first two choruses, and the
first part of the second verse. For this riff, it also sounds like he’s plucking the A string
by itself before he enters the usual rhythm for these riffs. Experiment with the up-and-down
motions here, along with the palm-muting that goes with it.
e|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--14--x--14--14--14---------|
B|-----12----x--x--11--11--x--12--12--------12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12---------|
G|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
D|-----13----x--x--11--11--x--13--13--------13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13---------|
A|--0--11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11-----0--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--14--x--14--14--14---------|
B|-----12----x--x--11--11--x--12--12--------12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12---------|
G|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
D|-----13----x--x--11--11--x--13--13--------13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13---------|
A|--0--11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11-----0--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This is what it sounds like he’s playing on the final 8 measures of the second verse, when
Simon starts to sing the “Should I be surprised?” line.
e|--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11-----11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
B|--12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12-----12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12---------|
G|--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11-----11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
D|--13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13-----13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13---------|
A|--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11-----11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/d/duran_duran/nite_runner_tab.html ]
e|--13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13-----12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12--------|
B|--12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12-----11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11--------|
G|--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11-----11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11--------|
D|--13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13-----13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13--------|
A|--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11-----11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11--------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This is the riff playing during the third chorus and first 4 measures of the fourth choruses.
As you can see, it’s exactly the same as the verse/chorus riff...
e|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--14--x--14--14--14---|
B|-----12----x--x--11--11--x--12--12--------12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12---|
G|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---|
D|-----13----x--x--11--11--x--13--13--------13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13---|
A|--0--11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11-----0--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--14--x--14--14--14---|
B|-----12----x--x--11--11--x--12--12--------12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12---|
G|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---|
D|-----13----x--x--11--11--x--13--13--------13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13---|
A|--0--11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11-----0--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
… and this appears to be what he’s playing during the final four measures in the third and
fourth choruses. The last part will be silent, unlike the usual verse/chorus riff played before.
Dom will only play the slide at the end at the end of the third chorus, so make sure not to
do that during the fourth one when Simon and Justin close out the song on their own vocally.
e|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--14--x--14--14--14---|
B|-----12----x--x--11--11--x--12--12--------12----x--x--12--x--12--12--12---|
G|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11--------11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---|
D|-----13----x--x--11--11--x--13--13--------13----x--x--13--x--13--13--13---|
A|--0--11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11-----0--11----x--x--11--x--11--11--11---|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11----------------------------------------|
B|-----12----x--x--11--11--x--12--12----------------------------------------|
G|-----11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11----------------------------------------|
D|-----13----x--x--11--11--x--13--13----------------------------------------|
A|--0--11----x--x--11--11--x--11--11-----------------------------11/0-------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This riff below is played during the bridge in the song, where Simon LeBon, Timbaland, and
Justin Timberlake sing at the same time. If not for a remix contest last year where all the
individual tracks for the song were released to the public, I may not have even known this
part existed! In any case, it is there… and for those of you wondering how to play it, it
should go something like this. Make sure you repeat it twice over the 20-second bridge too.
e|----------9(p)7(h)----------------------------------------9/12(h)---9--11--9-------------|
B|--7(h)9---------------------------9(p)7(h)9------------------------------------9(h)------|
G|---------------------------6(h)8---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
you're nocturnal only come out at nite
I'm learning all the ways you wanna ride
you're on the roam but not until the darkness arrives
but I'm certain I'll catch up to you one of these times
(main hook riff)
Can I put my hands on you tonight
I must be feeling something
Something tells me I’m in for the ride
I wonder if you see me coming
Can I put my hands on you tonight
Tonight has got me running
Something tells me I’m in for the ride
right into your nite-time world
coz of a
(Verse/Chorus Riff)
nite-runner I think I'm falling for you
nite-runner got a spell to put me under
nite runner what you gonna do with it?
nite-runner nite nite runner
(Verse/Chorus Riff)
Light scatters when you walk into the room
Under shadow I can feel the heat in you
Should I be surprised I see the possibility moving right across to me
It all matters when I'm getting close to you
(main hook riff)
Can I put my hands on you tonight
I must be feeling something
Something tells me I’m in for the ride
I wonder if you see me coming
Can I put my hands on you tonight
Tonight has got me running
Something tells me I’m in for the ride
right into your nite-time world
coz of a
(Verse/Chorus Riff)
nite-runner I think I'm falling for you
nite-runner got a spell to put me under
nite runner what you gonna do with it now?
nite-runner nite nite runner
(bridge lead part)
love is haunting she wanted to go that's what she told me
love is haunting she wanted to go but I cannot cannot
(Chorus 3 riffs)
nite-runner I think I'm falling for you
nite-runner got a spell to put me under
nite runner what you gonna do with it now?
nite-runner nite nite-runner
(Chorus 4 riffs)
nite-runner I think I'm falling for you
nite-runner got a spell to put me under
nite runner what you gonna do with it now?
nite-runner nite nite-runner
