Want You Bad tablature
By The Offspring
One of my favorites to play with. The guitar tabs are not precise, but typed as best as
I know. Playing with the song should help you find how the guitar strokes and tempo go.
Please Note that I added guitar tabs that are not originally part of the song because I
think they spice up playing with this song. Reproduce and alter at will in accordance with
Ultimate-Guitar.com guidelines and respect for the ownership of the artist of the song.
I consider my added tabs to be owned by the artist since I would not have developed them
without the pleasure of having their music. This might be a challenge for beginners. I
suggest playing along with Screeching Weasel songs, such as the Bark Like a Dog album;
or The
Offspring Ignition album, Nothing from Something is a simple one; if you’re still
learning power chords and how to palm mute them; and enjoy punk rock music. Once you learn
power chords and palm muting them, punk rock music should be easy to play. Then you
might be adding your own notes, as I do, to go with the songs to make them more
interesting for
you to play along with.
Questions and comments are welcome if sent to the following email address:
sincinnati0jerms@yahoo.com Please type “Want You Bad tab” in the email subject heading
so I notice
the email – I use this address for everything other than business and personal contact.
Long live music… Food for the Soul!
Intro: Down stroke the first power chord note, then up stroke the second while sliding
toward the next power chord, which should be a down stroke. Repeat four times until
reaching the palm-muted ending of the intro. After repeating four times, the first
stroke on the E power chord (Fret 7 on the A string, and Fret 9 on the D string) should
be an open
stroke, then palm mute until stroking open on the E power chord through the end of the
intro – then the first verse begins.
*Tabs in parenthesis are palm muted
E|-For Intro: up stroke A4-D6 chord, then down on A2-D4-----|
B|-------------------(Palm mute six snare drum beats)-------|
G|--(Repeat x4)-------(2nd stroke = snare drum)-------------|
D|99-44-22-2-6-4---9-(999999999999)-99999999-9--------------|
A|77-22-00-0-4-2---7-(777777777777)-77777777-7--------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
First Verse
“If you could only read my mind…” Strike A7-D9 power chord on “my,” then A4-D6 power
chord on “mind.”
E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|
D|-(9999999)-9-6-------------|
A|-(7777777)-7-4-------------|
E|---------------------------|
“You would know that things between…” Strike A4-D6 power chord on first syllable of
“between,” then A2-D4 power chord on second syllable
E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|
D|-(6666666)-6-4-------------|
A|-(4444444)-4-2-------------|
E|---------------------------|
“Us… ain’t right.” Strike A2-D4 power chord on “ain’t,” then open A string on “right.”
Once you reach the A7-D9 power chord at the end, the same progression repeats. This is
the same for the first verse, and the first verse that follows after the first chorus.
It’s also the same for every other beginning part of the verse, except this ending will
change when leading toward the chorus for both verse sections.
E|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|
D|-(4444444)-4-------------9---|
A|-(2222222)-2-00----------7---|
E|----------------44-55-77-----|
This is for the second part of each verse leading to the chorus. “… I can’t lie.” Hit
A0-D2 chord on “lie.” It’s also for the part, “So come on.” First strike is palm-muted
with an upstroke, then open with a down stroke.
E|--------------|
B|--------------|
G|--------------|
D|-22-----------|
A|-00-66-77-99--|
E|----44-55-77--|
“Your one vice is (that) you’re too nice.” Continue to hold down the D string when
striking the first A0-D2 power chord, but only strike the open A until hitting the A2-D4
power chord – same for the A2-D4 until reaching the A4--|D6 power chord.
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------|
D|-2---4----6666-9999-----------------------------------|
A|-000-2222-4444-7777-----------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
“Come around now, oh can’t you see…” See above for same progression. Once reaching the
A2-D4 power chord, then palm mute into…
E|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|--------------------------|
D|-2---4----6666-4—(44444)--|
A|-000-2222-4444-2-(22222)--|
E|--------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/o/offspring/want_you_bad_tab_ver_14.html ]
“I want you all tattooed. I want you bad.” Strike the A0 on “bad.” The A7-D9 at the end
is repeating this tab, “Complete me. Mistreat me. I want you to be bad, bad, bad, bad,
bad.” Once reaching “bad” second time on this tab, use the full power chord (A0-D2, then
E4-A6, etc.). Then hit an open A7--|D9 power chord on the last “bad,” and palm mute the
rest into the next verse. Repeat these steps at “If you could only read my mind, you
would know that I’ve been waiting so long… for someone almost just like you, but with
attitude. I’m waiting. So come on.” Et Cetera.
E|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-999999999-666666666-444444444-----------------99----|
A|-777777777-444444444-222222222-000-------------77----|
E|-----------------------------------444-555-777-------|
V-----------------------------------------------------------|ocal Solo: The following
two tabs I created to go with the lead singer’s (Dexter Holland) vocal solo. The way The
Offspring actually recorded this part of the song is too boring for me, so give this a
try. Each note goes with a syllable of the vocals. Hyphens on the lyrics signify note
c-----------------------------------------------------------|hanges. “Don’t get me
wrong, I know that you’re on-ly be-ing go-od.” First syllable of “only” is Fret 4 on the
high-E string. Last syllable of “good” is Fret 4 on the G string. Next is the little
guitar solo I use that flows into the second line.
E|-----------------4----------------------------------------|
B|---4-5-5-5-5-5-5---7-5-7-7-------5-4----------------------|
G|-4-------------------------4---4-----6-4-4----------------|
D|------------------------------(Solo leading to 2nd line)--|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
,”But that’s what’s wrong. I guess I’ve just
m---------------------------|is-un-der-stood.” Fret 4 on high-E string is for “just-,”
while “mis-un-der-stood” is the final four notes.
E|---------------4----------|
B|---4-5-5-5-5-5---7-5-7-7--|
G|-4------------------------|
D|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
Here’s the octave leading toward the ending chorus (continued on next tab…)These
demarcations of each stroke are probably inaccurate, and I apologize for the laziness.
But if
you play along with the song, you will find when the notes change.
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|-888888888-666666666-44444-999999999-88888888-6666666-|
D|------------------------------------------------------|
A|-666666666-444444444-22222-777777777-66666666-4444444-|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-9999999--11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11--13-13-13-13-13-13---|
D|----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-7777777--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9—-9---11-11-11-11-11-11---|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------|
A|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|
Back to: I want you all tattooed. I want you bad. (After this, use the second half of
the verse tab – the “I can’t lie” part. The ending is what I use below this listed tab.
E|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------|
D|-999999999-666666666-444444444-----------------99-----|
A|-777777777-444444444-222222222-000-------------77-----|
E|-----------------------------------444-555-777--------|
Alternate ending:
“I want you bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.” Strike the first D7 once the first “bad” starts.
Go right back to the Intro progression once the last “bad” beat strikes. Experienced
players should be able to find the beat. (The middle tab of each part is an upstroke)
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------999-888-999-11-11-----------------------|
D|-777-666-444-666--777-666-777-9--9-----99-----------------|
A|---------------------------------------77-----------------|
E|------------------------------(On A7-D9 = back to intro)--|
This might be one of The Offspring’s most complex songs ever written. Their first,
self-titled album probably contains the most complex of their discography. I apologize
for my
inability to type how this song should be played – it’s easier played than said. Please
email me for any help you need. However, if you play with the song, these tabs should
point you toward the right direction, and hopefully help you perform better than I.
