Little Deuce Coupe Chords & Tabs
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# This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
# song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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This is Brian Setzer’s version of “Little Deuce Coupe” and it’s on the first Music for Our Mother Ocean (M.O.M.)
album. I figured this out one-day at a friend’s house because I don’t own the CD so there’s a lot I couldn’t tab. There’s more
than one guitar, and I have here the main track. I didn’t attempt a note-for-note on the entire song but I’m fairly sure the fills
and the solo are close to accurate. This is all my own work; I haven’t broken any copyright laws. I hope the following
commentary on the song is a valuable aid, but I apologize if my theory jargon is a little off. I play the guitar although I wish I did
study it.
This song is built on a Chuck Berry-esque I, IV, V 12-bar progression in “A”. But the chorus jumps over to a fairly
standard IV, I, IV, V 16-bar. The verses are separated by two bars of the intro riff which I’ll call “riff A”. But going into the
chorus there’s a variation I’ll call “riff B”.
The solo is a series of arrpegiated four-note-chords following the same 12-bar pattern as the verse. But it’s then
ended with a very rock-a-billy riff in the minor pentatonic scale with some added major degrees.
The outro is a variation of the ending riff of the solo but it’s the part of the song I really didn’t have time for so I give
here the best version I came up with.
This is a really cool hot-rod song and a load of fun to play. Enjoy. And I really hope this is just the second of a long
list of Setzer material.
THE INTRO (riff A):
(played on bottom two strings)(x4)
A---0--0-------------------------------
E----------3--3--0--0—3/4-----------
THE VARIATION (riff B):
(bottom two)
A---0--0-------------------------0--0--3--3--4--4--5--5-----
E-----------3--3--0--0--3/4----------------------------------------
THE RYTHYM:
Note: All rhythms are “typical” as below, unless otherwise noted. ( The “|” is a downstroke.)
Typical “A”Typical “D”
A—7-7—9-9—7-7—9-9D—7-7—9-9—7-7—9-9
E—5-5—5-5—5-5—5-5A—5-5—5-5—5-5—5-5
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/setzer_brian/little_deuce_coupe_tab.html ]
THE SOLO:
|:Amaj A/#C (x2) | Dmaj D5
E--|:---------5---7--5---------------9---12--9-------|--------10---12--10-----------5---7--5--
B--|---------5------------5--------10------------10- |------10---------------10----7----------7-
G--|-------6-----------------------9-------------------|----11----------------------7---------------
D--|------7----------------------11-------------------|---12----------------------------------------
A--|----------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------
E--|:---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------
Amaj A/#C E D E
E-------------5---7--5-------------9---12--9--------| | | | | |
B-----------5------------5--------10-----------10---| (downstrokes)
G----------6---------------------9--------------------|
D---------7--------------------11---------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|
E----------8-----5---7------5----5----------------------------------------------------|
B----------------------------5----5---7-----5-----------5--------7------5------------|
G--------------------------------------7-----5h6--------5h6-----7------5h6---------|
D----------------------------------------------------7----------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7----|
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
THE OUTRO:
E---------8------5---7------5-----5------------------------------------------------------|
B----------------------------5-----5----7-----5---------5------7-----5------------------|
G----------------------------------------7-----5h6------5h6---7-----5h6----6\4-------|
D-----------------------------------------------------7-------------------------7\5-------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Well, that’s it. I hope this draws more attention to Brian Setzer whether it be Stray Cats or Orchestra material. I really
believe he’s the best “pop” guitarist of the 80’s and 90’s. Now, so far, the 00’s tooK
And for anyone interested in more Setzer tab know this; there is a very new book. Published by Hal Leonard and
Cherry Lane it’s simply called The Brian Setzer Orchestra and it has 10 killer songs including “Hoodoo Voodoo Doll” and
“Sleepwalk”.
If any one would like to contact me I’d be happy to field any questions or comments about this song or anything else. I
am Phillip Harvey; and I’m at…
philliph500@cs.net
