All, I was unable to find decent guitar tab anywhere for this song, so here's my
contribution to the web base for the tune. It's really not that hard to play, but it's kindof
hard to hear exactly what's going on on the recording. I might have some of the voicings
wrong, but I think it's in the ballpark for most of it.
Please leave me a comment if you think it needs to be changed (or let me know if you
think it's right)
I've put a couple optional ways of playing it, but I just finished tabbing it a few
minutes ago and haven't played it enough to know what's the best - although I think the
chunky chord part lower on the neck is probably closer to what's being played.
"Thank You" by Sly and the Family Stone
tabbed by Shane Milburn
Intro and early part of main riff in song:
| -------------------------------3-3-3------------------------3-3-3----- |
| -------------------------------3-3-3------------------------3-3-3----- |
| ---------------2---------------1-1-1-2------------2---------1-1-1-2--- |
| --0--2-----2-2-2-----0-2-------2-2-2----0-2---2-2-2----0-2--2-2-2----- |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Main riff variation:
It adds a little bit extra a little further in to something like
| ------------------------------3-3-3------------------------------3-3-3--- |
| ------------------------------3-3-3------------------------------3-3-3--- |
| ----------------2-------------1-1-1-2---------------2------------1-1-1-2- |
| --0-2-(0-2)-2-2-2---0-2-(0-2)-2-2-2---0-2-(0-2)-2-2-2--0-2-(0-2)-2-2-2--- |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Or alternate way to play the riff that makes sense too without using opens
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/sly_and_the_family_stone/thank_you_tab.html ]
| ----------------------------------------- |
| --------------------------------8-8-8---- |
| --------------------------------7-7-7---- |
| -----------------7--------------6-6-6-7-- |
| --5-7-(5-7)--7-7-7----5-7-(5-7)-7-7-7---- |
| ----------------------------------------- |
The main riffs above make up most of the song with lots of repeats, but there are a
couple of noticeable changes where the singing drops out and the guitar changes the riff up
slightly in those musical interludes. They're shown below.
Musical break in middle at about 1:12
I think this uses this version of playing up the neck due to the low open E,
| -----------------------------3-3-3-------------- |
| -----------------------------3-3-3-0-h2--------- |
| -----------------------------1-1-1-0--0--------- |
| -------5---------5-----------2-2-2-0-h2--------- |
| -4-5-7-------5-7-5----5-7----------------------- |
| ---0----------------------7--------------------- | X2
But it might be played like this too
| ------------------------------------------------ |
| -----------------------------8-8-8-0-h2--------- |
| -----------------------------7-7-7-0-00--------- |
| -------5---------5-----------6-6-6-0-h2--------- |
| -4-5-7-------5-7-5----5-7----7-7-7-------------- |
| ---0----------------------7--------------------- | X2
Another Musical break at about 2:15
| ------------------------------3-3-3-------------- |
| --------------------------8---3-3-3-0-h2--------- |
| -------(9)-------6--------7---1-1-1-0--0--------- |
| -----------------7--------6---2-2-2-0-h2--------- |
| ---5-7-------5-7------5-7-7---------------------- |
| ---0------------------0-------------------------- | X2
?
Tough to tell at the “?” – more of a string rake than notes with tone
Anyhow, that's my take on what's going on for guitar tab of the riffs. I really hope
this helps and saves folks time trying to figure out how to play the guitar part for
this song.
