All the credit for this goes to the guys at Whotabs.
Pinball Wizard | guitar tab
by The Who
>From Tommy, 1969
Written by Pete Townshend (c)1969 Fabulous Music Ltd.
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
Previous transcription by:
Marc Hirsh
Mike (sef@icbr.ufl.edu)
==============
revised by 1998-05-19 Whotabs
litgo@aol.com 2002-05-19 www.thewho.net/whotabs
==============
Bsus4 7(t)x997x (verse 1-3)
B 7(t)x987x (verse 1-3)
G6sus4 3(t)x5530 (verse 2&3)
G6 3(t)x5430 (verse 2&3)
Dsus4 10(t)x12 12 10 x (verse 4)
D 10(t)x12 11 10 x (verse 4)
Csus4 8(t)x10 10 8 8 (verse 4)
C 8(t)x 10 9 8 8 (verse 4)
Bbsus4 6(t)x8866 (verse 4)
Bb 6(t)x8766 (verse 4)
Asus4 5(t)x7750 (verse 1-4)
A 5(t)x7650 (verse 1-4)
Fingering for verse chord shape (e.g., Bsus4, B)
7x997x 7x987x
t*rpi t*rmi
* dampen with thumb
[original note: 'e' stands for eighth notes, 's' for sixteenth, `q'
for quarter, `h' for half, and, yes, even `w' for whole notes. A
period after a note value means dotted.
The chord parts are best played with your index finger on the B string,
middle on the G string (using pinky for pull-offs), and ring finger
on the D string, with the thumb wrapping around and playing the low E
string. Sounds hard, but gets easier with practice.]
[Strumming: for main pattern (bar10), accent every 3rd 16th -- on '+':
| + / / + / / + / / + + |
e s s e s e s e e s s
[INTRO]
Bm/F# Bmsus4/F# F#7sus4
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
|-2---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
|-3---------------|-3---------------|-2---------------|
|-4---------------|-4---------------|-4---------------|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
F#7 F#m7 Em/F#
e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
|-0---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
|-2---------------|-2---------------|-0---------------|
|-3---------------|-2---------------|-0---------------|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Em/G F#sus4 F#
e e e e e e e e e s s e s e s e e e e s s e s e s e e e
|-------------------|---0-----------------|---0-0-----0---------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4\3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0---|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5\4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-0---|
|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|T2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--T7-|
Bsus4 B
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s x2
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-||
||.9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8.||
||.9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9.||
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||T7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-||
Bsus4 B
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s x2
---||-----------------------|-----------------------||
---||-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-||
---||.9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8.||
---||.9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9.||
---||-----------------------|-----------------------||
---||-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-||
||[electric guitar] | ||
---||-----------------------|-----------------------||
---||-----------------------|-----------------------||
---||-----------------------|-----------------------||
-7/||/9---------------------|---------------------7/||
---||-----------------------|-----------------------||
-5/||/7---------------------|---------------------5/||
[VERSE 1]
Bsus4 B(add4)
Ever since I was a young boy I've played the silver ball.
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s
|---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9------|-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-|
|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9------|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|
|----------------------------|-----------------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|[electric] | |
|----------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------------|-----------------------|
|/9--------------------------|---------------------6/|
|----------------------------|-----------------------|
|/7--------------------------|---------------------4/|
Asus4 A
From Soho down to Brighton I must have played them all.
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|T5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
|[electric] | |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|/7---------------------|---------------------4/|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|/5---------------------|---------------------2/|
Gsus4 g
But I ain't seen nothin' like him in any amusement hall.
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--------|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|T3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|[electric] | |
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|/5----------------------------|---------------------3/|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|/3----------------------------|---------------------1/|
F#7sus4 F#7
That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pin-
e s s e s e s e e s s w
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|-0---------------------|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-2---------------------|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4--|-3---------------------|
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4--|-4---------------------|
|------------------------|-----------------------|
|T2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-2---------------------|
|[electric] | w |
|------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|-----------------------|
|/4----------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|-4---------------------|
|/2----------------------|-2---------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/w/who/pinball_wizard_tab_ver_5.html ]
B A D e B A D e
ball.
e q q q e q e. s e e q e q q q e q e. s e e q
|-------2---|-0-0--0-0-0-0-|-------2---|-0-0--0-0-0-0--|
|-2-2-2-3---|-0-0--0-0-0-0-|-4-4-2-3---|-0-0--0-0-0-0--|
|-4-4-2-2---|-1-1--1-1-1-1-|-4-4-2-2---|-1-1--1-1-1-1--|
|-4-4-2-0---|-2-2--2-2-2-2-|-4-4-2-0---|-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
|-2-2-0-----|-2-2--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-0-----|-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
|---------0-|-0-0--0-0-0-0-|---------0-|-0-0--0-0-0-0--|
|[electric] | | |
| e q q q e | w | e q q q e | w |
|-----------|-0------------|-------2---|-0-------------|
|-------3---|-0------------|-------3---|-0-------------|
|-4-4-2-2---|-1------------|-4-4-2-2---|-1-------------|
|-4-4-2-0---|-2------------|-4-4-2-0---|-2-----------7/|
|-2-2-0-----|-2----------x-|-2-2-0---2-|-2-------------|
|---------0-|--------------|---------0-|-0-----------5/|
[VERSE 2; elec: harmonic B string 12th fret each measure]
He stands just like a statue, becomes part of the machine
Feeling all the bumpers, always playing clean
He plays by intuition, the digit counters fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball
[CHORUS]
e F# B B e F# B B
He's a pinball wizard, there has to be a twist.
q q e q. q e q e q.
-0|-0--2----------------|-0---0--2------------|
-0|-0--2----4--4---4--4-|-0---0--2----4-4-4-4-|
-1|-1--3----4--4---4--4-|-1---1--3----4-4-4-4-|
-2|-2--4----4--4---4--4-|-2---2--4----4-4-4-4-|
-2|-2--4----2--2---2--2-|-2---2--4----2-2-2-2-|
-0|-0--2----------------|-0---0--2------------|
|[electric] | |
| q q e q. | q e q e q. |
--|-------------------0-|-----0---------------|
--|-------------------0-|-----0---------------|
-1|---------4--4------1-|-----1-------4-4-4---|
-2|-2--4----4--4------2-|-----2-------4-4-4---|
-2|-2--4----2--2--------|-2---2--4----2-2-2---|
-0|-0--2----------------|-0---0--2-----------0|
e F# B B g D Dsus4 D
A pin-ball wizard's got such a supple wrist
q q e q. q q q q e e e q q e q e. s e e q
|-0-0-2-2-------------|-3----3-3--3-|-2-2-2-3-3-0-|-0-2--2-2-2-2--|
|-0-0-2-2--4--4-------|-3----3-3--3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3--3-3-3-3--|
|-1-1-3-3--4--4-------|-0----0-0--0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2--2-2-2-2--|
|-2-2-4-4--4--4-------|-0----0-0--0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0--0-0-0-0--|
|-2-2-4-4--2--2-------|-------------|-------------|---------------|
|-0-0-2-2-------------|-3----3-3--3-|-------------|---------------|
|[electric] | |[electric] | |
| q q e q. | w | w | |
|---------------------|-3-----------|-------------|---------------|
|---------------------|-3-----------|---7-7h8-7h8-|-7-------------|
|---1------4--4-----4-|-0-----------|-------------|---------------|
|---2------4--4-----4-|-0-----------|---7-7h9-7h9-|-7-------------|
|-2-2-4-4--2--2-----2-|-------------|-------------|---------------|
|-0-0-2-2------------3|-3-----------|-------------|---------------|
[BRIDGE]
D Cadd9 (g) D Cadd9 (g)
How do you think he does it?(I don't know)
|--------0-----------|----------0------------|
|--------3-------3---|----------3-------3----|
|-----2--------0-----|------2---------0------|
|-0------------------|-0---------------------|
|------------3-----2-|------------3--------2-|
|-------------------3|----------------------3|
[electric tacit]
D Cadd9 (g) D
What makes him so good?
| | q e e q |
|------0-------------|-0--------0-|
|------3---------3-3-|-3----3-3-3-|
|----2---------0-0-0-|-2----2-2-2-|
|-0------------0---0-|-0----0-0-0-|
|------------3-----2-|------------|
|-------------------3|------------|
[VERSE 3; elec: harmonic B string 12th fret palm mute each beat]
He ain't got no distractions, can't hear no buzzers and bells
Don't see no lights a-flashin', plays by sense of smell
Always gets a replay, never seen him fall
That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball
[repeat CHORUS]
I thought I was the Bally table king
But I just handed my pinball crown to him
[acoustic]
| D Dsus4 | D x x |
[electric]
|--2---2h3--0|-----0----3-------|
|---3--------|------3-----------|
|----2----2--|--2----0----------|
|-0----------|-0----------------|
|------------|------------------|
|------------|------------------|
|| Dsus4 | D ||
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s x4
||-10--------------------|-10--------------------||
||-10--------------------|-10--------------------||
||.12--------------------|-11-------------------.||
||.12--------------------|-12-------------------.||
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||-10T-------------------|-10--------------------||
||[electric guitar] | ||
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||/12*-------------------|--------------------10/||
||-----------------------|-----------------------||
||/10*-------------------|---------------------8/||
[*2nd, 3rd and 4th repeats only]
[VERSE 4]
Dsus4 D
Even on my favorite table, he can beat my best
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s |
|-10-------------------|-10--------------------|
|-10-------------------|-10--------------------|
|-12-------------------|-11--------------------|
|-12-------------------|-12--------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|-10T------------------|-10--------------------|
|[electric guitar] | |
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|/12-------------------|---------------------8/|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|/10-------------------|---------------------6/|
Csus4 C
His disciples lead him in and he just does the rest
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s |
|-8---------------------|-8---------------------|
|-8---------------------|-8---------------------|
|-10--------------------|-9---------------------|
|-10--------------------|-10--------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|-8T--------------------|-8T--------------------|
|[electric guitar] | |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|/10--------------------|---------------------6/|
|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|/8---------------------|---------------------4/|
Bbsus4 Bb
He's got crazy flipper fingers, never seen him fall
e s s e s e s e e s s e s s e s e s e e s s |
|-6--------------------|-6---------------------|
|-6--------------------|-6---------------------|
|-8--------------------|-7---------------------|
|-8--------------------|-8---------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|-6T-------------------|-6T--------------------|
|[electric guitar] | |
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|/8--------------------|---------------------6/|
|----------------------|-----------------------|
|/6--------------------|---------------------4/|
Asus4 A5 D D C F
That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball.........
e s s e s e s e e s s w
|-0----------------------|-0-------------------|-2-2--0--1-|
|-5----------------------|-5-------------------|-3-3--1--1-|
|-7----------------------|-6-------------------|-2-2--0--2-|
|-7----------------------|-7-------------------|-0-0--2--3-|
|------------------------|---------------------|------3----|
|-5T---------------------|-5T------------------|---------1-|
|[electric guitar] | | |
|------------------------|---------------------|-2-2-------|
|------------------------|---------------------|-3-3--1--1-|
|------------------------|---------------------|-2-2--0--2-|
|/7----------------------|---------------------|-0-0--2--3-|
|------------------------|---------------------|------3--3-|
|/5----------------------|-5-------------------|---------1-|
Bb Bbsus4 Bb Bbsus4 Bb Bbsus4 Bb Bbsus4
|----------------|------------|----3---4---|------------|------|
|--3-----4-------|--------1h3-|-3---1---1--|1h3--4------|------|
|----1-----1-----|-1--1-------|---1--1---1-|----1-----1-|---1--|
|------1-----1h3-|---3--3-----|------------|-------1h3--|-3----|
|-1--------------|--1--1------|------------|---1--1-----|--1---|etc.
|----------------|------------|------------|------------|------|
[note: for stage versions, end with Amaj7: x02224]
=============
litgo@aol.com
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
