From: Winston Campbell
Subject: *GANGSTERS* by The Specials
I was looking in the guitar archives for some Specials songs I could play and
learn but to my dissatisfaction (I do not know if that is the right word I
should use) I could not find any Specials songs. So I decided to try to
figure out one and transcribe it and send it to the archive at Nevada. Well
here is the bass line and chords for The Specials 1979 UK hit, -Gangsters-.
My friend veronica figured out some of the bass parts (I should give
credit,of course, her email address is angst@eden.rutgers.edu) and I figured
out the rest of the bass and guitar line. The way how to play the guitar
line (as in most ska songs) is to mute the downstroke and play staccato the
upstroke and repeat. (That is you play downstroke first then upstroke). I
have not written down the lyrics because frankly, I cannot understand most of
the words the lead singer is singing. But here goes the bassline thingy.
The verses are the following:
(Intro) Am G# Am (played 2x)
G -------------------------------|-----------------------------------------
D -------------------------------|-------2-----------1---------------2-2-2-
A -------------------------------|-0--3-----3-----3-----3--0--3--0---------
E -5--3--0--3--5-5--5-3-3--0--3--|-------------4---------------------------
The first chorus is:
D C Em
G ---------------------------------|----------7---5---3---2-|
D ---------------------------------|-2----------------------|
A -5---------------3---------------|--------7---5---3---2---|
E -----5-5-5-5-5-5-----3-3-3-3-3-3-|------------------------|
The song goes to another verse then the second chorus is:
C G Em
G ---------------------------------|----------7---5---3---2-|
D ---------------------------------|-2----------------------|
A -3-------------------5-5-5-5-5-5-|--------7---5---3---2---|
E -----3-3-3-3-3-3-3---------------|-0----------------------|
Then the song goes back to the intro riff. The bassline for the solo
follows:
Am G# Em Am Em Am G#
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/specials/gangsters_btab.html ]
G ---------------7---5---3---2-|---------------7---5---3----2-|-----------
D -----------------------------|------------------------------|-----------
A -0--3-----3--7---5---3---2---|-0--3--0--3--7---5---3---2----|-0--3------
E -------4---------------------|------------------------------|-------4---
Em D C Em
G ------7---5---3---2-|---------------------------------|---7---5---3---2-
D --------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------
A -3--7---5---3---2---|-5---------------3---------------|-7---5---3---2---
E --------------------|-----5-5-5-5-5-5-----3-3-3-3-3-3-|-----------------
I will try to attempt to transcribe the guitar solo:
E ------------------------------|------------------------------|
B -5------------5-6-5-----------|-5------------5-6-5-----------|
G -----8--5--8--------8-5-4-2-0-|-----8--5--8--------8-5-4-2-0-|
D ------------------------------|------------------------------|
A ------------------------------|------------------------------|
E ------------------------------|------------------------------|
E ------------------------------|-5--5-5-5--5--5-7--7-7-7--7--7-|
B -5------------5-6-5-----------|-------------------------------|
G -----8--5--8--------8-5-4-2-0-|-------------------------------|
D ------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A ------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E ------------------------------|-------------------------------|
E -12--12-12-12-12-12-12-12---12--12-12-12--|
B ------------------------------------------|
G ------------------------------------------|
D ------------------------------------------|
A ------------------------------------------|
E ------------------------------------------|
After that, there is yet another verse and the second chorus. Then there
is sort of like a bridge section which just plays Am to G# once in
measure, then the second chorus is played again. At the end of the
song the intro bass line plays with an A chord played over it and
that is it.
The Chords Played are:
E A D G B E
-----------
Am x x 7 5 5 5
G# x x 6 5 4 4
D x x x 2 3 2
C x 3 5 5 5 x
Em x 7 9 9 8 x
G x x 5 4 3 3
A x x 7 6 5 5
Now I know I might have made errors in transcribing this song, so if you have
and corrections or comments, I would appreciate it if you would email
me at jieuryli@eden.rutgers.edu Thank you for your consideration.
