All the credit for this goes to the guys at Whotabs.
Substitute | guitar tab
By The Who, 1966
>Appears on Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, 1971
Written by Pete Townshend (c)1966 TRO-Devon Music, Inc.
#----------------------------------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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
==============
transcribed by 1999-05-19 Whotabs
litgo@aol.com rev1 2003-07-21 www.thewho.net/whotabs
==============
D xx0775 and xx0232
A/D xx0655
G/D xx0433
D/A x0423x
A x022xx and x02255
Dadd4/B x20032
Em 022000
G 3x0033
Arranged for three guitars:
electric: 6-string electric
acoustic 1: 12-string acoustic
acoustic 2: 6-string acoustic
Note: patterns/timing are approximate
[intro]
||D D A/D G/D| G/D D D |D D A/D G/D| G/D D D |
[electric] |
||-----------|------------|5-2--------|--------------|
||7-3--5----3|--3---3-3---|7-3--5----3|--3--3-3------|
||7-2--6----4|--4p0-2-2---|7-2--6----4|--4--2-2------|
||0-0--0----0|--0---0-0--0|0-0--0----0|--0--0-0-----0|
||-----------|------------|-----------|----------0-2-|
||-----------|------------|-----------|--------------|
[acoustic 1] |
||D D A/D G/D| G/D D D |D D A/D G/D| G/D D D |
||5-2--5----3|--3---2-2---|5-2--5----3|--3--2-2------|
||7-3--5----3|--3---3-3---|7-3--5----3|--3--3-3------|
||7-2--6----4|--4---2-2---|7-2--6----4|--4--2-2------|
||0-0--0----0|--0---0-0--0|0-0--0----0|--0--0-0------|
||-----------|------------|-----------|--------------|
||-----------|------------|-----------|--------------|
[verse pattern]
||D D/B D D D/B D|D D/B D D D/B D|D D/B D D D/B D|D D/B D D D/B D|
[electric] |
||----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
||3--(3)-3-3-(3)-3|3--(3)---3-------|3--(3)-3-3-(3)-3|3--(3)---3-------|
||2--(0)-2-2-(0)-2|2--(0)---2-------|2--(0)-2-2-(0)-2|2--(0)---2-------|
||0------0-0-----0|0-0----0-0------0|0------0-0-----0|0-0----0-0------0|
||----2-------2---|--0-2------0-2---|----2-------2---|--0-2------0-2---|
||----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
[acoustic at counter tempo] |
||----2-------2---|----2--------2---|----2-------2---|----2--------2---|
||----3-------3---|----3--------3---|----3-------3---|----3--------3---|
||----2-------2---|----2--------2---|----2-------2---|----2--------2---|
||----0-------0---|----0--------0---|----0-------0---|----0--------0---|
||----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
||----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
[bass] |
||----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
||----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|
||5------5-5-----5|5------5-5------5|5------5-5-----5|5------5-5------5|
||----7-------7---|--5-7------5-7---|----7-------7---|--5-7------5-7---|
|D D/B D D/B D|G |D D/B D D/B D|D D/B D D D/B|
You think we look pretty good together
(look pretty good together)
[electric] |
|---------------|-----3-----------|----------------|---------------|
|3-(3)3-3---(3)3|-----3-----------|3--(3)-3-3-(3)-3|3-------3------|
|2-(0)2-2---(0)2|-----0-----------|2--(0)-2-2-(0)-2|2-------2------|
|0----0-0------0|-----0------0----|0------0-0-----0|0-----0-0-----0|
|---2--------2--|---------0h2--2-0|----2-------2---|--0-2-----0-2--|
|---------------|3----------------|----------------|---------------|
[acoustic at counter tempo] |
|---2--------2--|-----3--------3--|----2-------2---|----2-------2--|
|---3--------3--|-----3--------3--|----3-------3---|----3-------3--|
|---2--------2--|-----0--------0--|----2-------2---|----2-------2--|
|---0--------0--|-----0--------0--|----0-------0---|----0-------0--|
|---------------|-----------------|----------------|---------------|
|---------------|-----3--------3--|----------------|---------------|
[bass]
|---------------|-----------------|----------------|---------------|
|---------------|------------0----|----------------|---------------|
|5----5-5-------|---------0h2--2-0|5------5-5-----5|5-----5-5-----5|
|---7--------7-5|3----3-3---------|----7-------7---|--5-7-----5-7--|
|D D/B D D/B D|G |D D/B D D/B D|D D/B D D D/B|
You think my shoes are made of leather
(shoes are made of leather)
[electric] |
|--------------|-----3-----------|----------------|---------------|
|3-(3)3-3--(3)3|-----3-----------|3--(3)-3-3-(3)-3|3-----3-3------|
|2-(0)2-2--(0)2|-----0-----------|2--(0)-2-2-(0)-2|2-----2-2------|
|0----0-0-----0|-----0-------0---|0------0-0-----0|0-----0-0------|
|---2-------2--|----------0h2-2-0|----2-------2---|--0-2----------|
|--------------|3----------------|----------------|---------------|
[acoustic] |
|---2-------2--|-----3--------3--|----2-------2---|----2-------2--|
|---3-------3--|-----3--------3--|----3-------3---|----3-------3--|
|---2-------2--|-----0--------0--|----2-------2---|----2-------2--|
|---0-------0--|-----0--------0--|----0-------0---|----0-------0--|
|--------------|-----------------|----------------|---------------|
|--------------|-----3--------3--|----------------|---------------|
[bridge]
|Em G D|Em G D |
But I'm a substitute for a-nother guy
[electric] |
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
|---2-----------0|---2----------0-|
|-----------0h2--|-----------0h2--|
|0-----3^--------|0------3^-------|
[acoustic] |
|---0-------3---2|--0--------3--2-|
|---0-------3---3|--0--------3--3-|
|---0-------0---2|--0--------0--2-|
|---2-------0---0|--2--------0--0-|
|---2------------|--2-------------|
|0-----3---------|0------3--------|
|[bass]
|----------------|----------------|
|---2-----------0|---2----------0-|
|-----------0h2--|-----------0h2--|
|0-----3^--------|0------3^-------|
|Em G D |Em G D
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
|Em G D |Em G D
The simple things you see are all complicated
|Em G D |Em G D |A D/A|A |
I look pretty young but I'm just back-dated, yeah
[electric] |
|-------------------------|------------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------------------|------------------|--------3-3-3|-------------|
|-------------------------|------------------|2---2---2-2-2|2---2--2-2-2-|
|-----2----------------0--|----------------0-|2---2---4-4-4|2---2--2-2-2-|
|------------------0h2----|------------0h2---|0---0-0-0-0-0|0---0--0-0-0-|
|0-----------3^-----------|0---------3^------|-------------|-------------|
[acoustic 1] |
|-----0-----------3---2---|-----0-------3--2-|-------------|-------------|
|-----0-----------3---3---|-----0-------3--3-|2---2---3-3-3|2---2--2-2-2-|
|-----0-----------0---2---|-----0-------0--2-|2---2---2-2-2|2---2--2-2-2-|
|-----2-----------0---0---|-----2-------0--0-|2---2---4-4-4|2---2--2-2-2-|
|-----2-------------------|-----2------------|0---0---0-0-0|0---0--0-0-0-|
|0-----------3------------|0---------3-------|-------------|-------------|
[bass] |
|-------------------------|------------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----2----------------0--|-----2----------0-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7|7-7-7-7-7-7-7|
|------------------0h2----|-------------0h2--|-------------|-------------|
|0-----------3^-----------|0---------3^------|-------------|-------------|
[chorus]
|D D A/D |G/D D D |D D A/D |G/D D D |
Sub-sti-tute your lies for fact, I see right through your plastic mac
(Sub-sti-tute) (Sub-sti---tute)
[electric] |
|5---2---5-------3|--3------2------|5---2-----5----------3|---3------2------|
|7---3---5-------3|--3--3---3------|7---3-----5----------3|---3----3-3------|
|7---2---6-------4|--4--2---2------|7---2-----6----------4|---4----2-2------|
|0-0-0-0-0-0--0--0|0-0--0---0-0-0-0|0-0-0--0--0---0---0--0|0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|[acoustic 1] |
|5---2---5-------3|--3--2---2------|5---2-----5----------3|---3----2-2------|
|7---3---5-------3|--3--3---3------|7---3-----5----------3|---3----3-3------|
|7---2---6-------4|--4--2---2------|7---2-----6----------4|---4----2-2------|
|0-0-0-0-0-0--0--0|0-0--0---0-0-0-0|0-0-0--0--0---0---0--0|0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|D D A/D |G/D D D |
I look all white, but my dad was black
(Sub-sti-tute)
[2/4] [4/4]
|D D A/D G/D| G/D D |D | |
My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack
(Sub--sti-----tute)
[electric]
|5----2-------5------------3|-----3-----|2------|------|
|7----3-------5------------3|-----3---3-|3------|------|
|7----2-------6------------4|-----4---2-|2------|------|
|0-0--0---0---0----0----0--0|0----0-0-0-|0------|-----0|
|---------------------------|-----------|-------|--0-2-|
|---------------------------|-----------|-------|------|
[acoustic 1] |
|5----2-------5------------3|-----3---2-|2------|------|
|7----3-------5------------3|-----3---3-|3------|------|
|7----2-------6------------4|-----4---2-|2------|------|
|0-0--0---0---0----0----0--0|0----0---0-|0------|------|
|---------------------------|-----------|-------|------|
|---------------------------|-----------|-------|------|
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
(plastic spoon in my mouth)
The north side of my town faced east and the east was facing south
(faced east and the east was facing south)
[repeat bridge]
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
If it's a genuine problem you won't try
To work it out at all, just pass it by, pass it by
Substitute me for him
(Substitute)
Substitute my coke for gin
(Substitute)
Substitute you for my mum
(Substitute)
[2/4] [4/4]
|D D A/D G/D |G/D D|D | |
At least I'll get my washing done
(Sub---sti--tute)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/w/who/substitute_tab_ver_5.html ]
[interlude]
||D |G |D |D |
[electric] |
||----10-----10-10|----10-10--10-10|----------------|----------------|
||10--10-10--12-12|12--12-12--12-12|10^-10^-10^-10^-|10^-10^-10^-10^-|
||12^----12^------|12--------------|12^-12^-12^-12^-|12^-12^-12^-12^-|
||----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
||----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
||----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
[acoust] |
||2-2-3---2---2-2-|3-3-3---3---3-3-|2-2-3---2---2-2-|2-2-3---2---2-2-|
||3-3-3---3---3-3-|3-3-3---3---3-3-|3-3-3---3---3-3-|3-3-3---3---3-3-|
||2-2-2---2---2-2-|0-0-0---0---0-0-|2-2-2---2---2-2-|2-2-2---2---2-2-|
||0-0-0---0---0-0-|0-0-0---0---0-0-|0-0-0---0---0-0-|0-0-0---0---0-0-|
||----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
||----------------|3-3-3---3---3-3-|----------------|----------------|
[bass] |
||----------------|----5---4---5-4-|----------------|----5---4---5-4-|
||----5---4---5-4-|5-5---5---5-----|----5---4---5-4-|5-5---5---5-----|
||5-5---5---5-----|----------------|5-5---5---5-----|----------------|
||----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
|D |G |D |
[electric] |
|----10-----10-10|----10-10--10-10|-------------------------|
|10--10-10--12-12|12--12-12--12-12|-------------------------|
|12^----12^------|12--------------|12^12^12^12^12^12^12^12^-|
|----------------|----------------|-------------------------|
|----------------|----------------|-------------------------|
|----------------|----------------|-------------------------|
|[acoust] |
|2-2-3---2---2-2-|3-3-3---3---3-3-|2--2--3-----2-----2--2---|
|3-3-3---3---3-3-|3-3-3---3---3-3-|3--3--3-----3-----3--3---|
|2-2-2---2---2-2-|0-0-0---0---0-0-|2--2--2-----2-----2--2---|
|0-0-0---0---0-0-|0-0-0---0---0-0-|0--0--0-----0-----0--0---|
|----------------|----------------|-------------------------|
|----------------|3-3-3---3---3-3-|-------------------------|
|[bass] |
|----------------|----5---4---5-4-|-------------------------|
|----5---4---5-4-|5-5---5---5-----|------5-----4-----5--4---|
|5-5---5---5-----|----------------|5--5-----5-----5---------|
|----------------|----------------|-------------------------|
|D |
(I'm A)
[electric] |
|---------------------------|
|------------------12^12^12^|
|12^---12^---12^------------|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
[acoustic 1] |
|2--2--3-----2-----2--2-----|
|3--3--3-----3-----3--3-----|
|2--2--2-----2-----2--2-----|
|0--0--0-----0-----0--0-----|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
[bass] |
|---------------------------|
|------5-----4-----5--4-----|
|5--5-----5-----5-----------|
|---------------------------|
[repeat bridge]
[bridge]
|Em G D|Em G D |
But I'm a substitute for a-nother guy
[electric] |
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
|---2-----------0|---2----------0-|
|-----------0h2--|-----------0h2--|
|0-----3^--------|0------3^-------|
[acoustic] |
|---0-------3---2|--0--------3--2-|
|---0-------3---3|--0--------3--3-|
|---0-------0---2|--0--------0--2-|
|---2-------0---0|--2--------0--0-|
|---2------------|--2-------------|
|0-----3---------|0------3--------|
|[bass]
|----------------|----------------|
|---2-----------0|---2----------0-|
|-----------0h2--|-----------0h2--|
|0-----3^--------|0------3^-------|
[bridge]
|Em G D |Em G D |
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
[electric] |
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|---2-----------------0-|-----2--------------0-|
|-----------------0h2---|-----------------0h2--|
|0-----2^---------------|0------------2^-------|
[acoustic] |
|---0-------------3---2-|-----0-----------3--2-|
|---0-------------3---3-|-----0-----------3--3-|
|---0-------------0---2-|-----0-----------0--2-|
|---2-------------0---0-|-----2-----------0--0-|
|---2-------------------|-----2----------------|
|0-----3----------------|0------------3--------|
|[bass] |
|-----------------------|----------------------|
|---2-----------------0-|-----2--------------0-|
|-----------------0h2---|-----------------0h2--|
|0-----2^---------------|0------------2^-------|
|Em G D |Em G D |
The simple things you see are all complicated
| % |
|Em G D |Em G D |A D/A |A |
I look pretty young but I'm just back-dated, yeah
[electric]
|-------------------------|----------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------------------|----------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------------------|----------------|2------------|-------------|
|-----2----------------0--|---2----------0-|2------------|-------------|
|------------------0h2----|-----------0h2-0|0------------|-------------|
|0-----------3^-----------|0------3^-------|-------------|-------------|
[acoustic] |
|-----0------------3---2--|--0--------3--2-|0--0---------|0---0--------|
|-----0------------3---3--|--0--------3--3-|2--2--3---3/3|2---2--2-2---|
|-----0------------0---2--|--0--------0--2-|2--2--2---2/2|2---2--2-2---|
|-----2------------0---0--|--2--------0--0-|2--2--4---4/4|2---2--2-2---|
|-----2-------------------|--2-------------|0--0--0---0/0|0---0--0-0-0-|
|0-----------3------------|0------3--------|-------------|-------------|
[bass] |
|-------------------------|----------------|-------------|-------------|
|-----2----------------0--|---2----------0-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7|7-7-7-7-7-7-7|
|------------------0h2----|-----------0h2--|-------------|-------------|
|0-----------3^-----------|0------3^-------|-------------|-------------|
[repeat intro; electric tacit]
||D D A/D | G/D D D |D D A/D | G/D D D |
[electric] |
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
[acoustic 1] |
||5-2--5---3|--3--2--2------|5-2--5---3|--3--2--2------|
||7-3--5---3|--3--3--3------|7-3--5---3|--3--3--3------|
||7-2--6---4|--4--2--2------|7-2--6---4|--4--2--2------|
||0-0--0---0|--0--0--0---0-0|0-0--0---0|--0--0--0---0-0|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
||----------|---------------|----------|---------------|
[acoustic 2] |
||--2--5---3|--3--2--2------|--2--5---3|--3--2--2------|
||7-3--5---3|--3--3--3------|7-3--5---3|--3--3--3------|
||7-2--6---4|--4--2--2------|7-2--6---4|--4--2--2------|
||7-0--7---5|--5--0--0-----0|7-0--7---5|--5--0--0-----0|
||5-0--7---5|--5--0--0---2-0|5-0--7---5|--5--0--0-----0|
||-----5---3|--3------------|-----5---3|--3------------|
[2/4] [4/4]
|D D A/D | G/D D D |D D A/D | G/D D |D | |
[electric] |
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|-------|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|-------|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|-------|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|------0|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|---0-2-|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|-------|
[acoustic 1] |
|5--2--5---3|--3--2--2------|5--2--5---3|--3--2-|2------|-------|
|7--3--5---3|--3--3--3------|7--3--5---3|--3--3-|3------|-------|
|7--2--6---4|--4--2--2------|7--2--6---4|--4--2-|2------|-------|
|0--0--0---0|--0--0--0-0-0-0|0--0--0---0|--0--0-|0------|-------|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|-------|
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-------|-------|-------|
[acoust 2] [acoust 2 out]|
|10-2--5---3|--3--2--2------|10-2--5---3|--3--2-|2------|-------|
|10-3--5---3|--3--3--3------|10-3--5---3|--3--3-|3------|-------|
|11-2--6---4|--4--2--2------|11-2--6---4|--4--2-|2------|-------|
|12-0--7---5|--0--0--0-----0|12-0--7---5|--5--0-|0------|-------|
|12-0--7---5|--5--0--0---2-0|12-0--7---5|--5--0-|-------|-------|
|10----5---3|--3------------|10----5---3|--3----|-------|-------|
[repeat verse]
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east and the east was facing south
[repeat bridge]
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
If it's a genuine problem you won't try
To work it out at all, just pass it by, pass it by
[repeat chorus]
Substitute me for him
Substitute my coke for gin
Substitute you for my mum
At least I'll get my washing done
(Sub---sti--tute)
|D D A/D |G/D D D |D D A/D |G/D D D |
Sub-sti-tute your lies for fact, I see right through your plastic mac
(Sub-sti-tute) (Sub-sti---tute)
[electric] |
|5---2---5-------3|--3-----2-------|5---2-----5----------3|---3------2------|
|7---3---5-------3|--3---3-3-------|7---3-----5----------3|---3----3-3------|
|7---2---6-------4|--4---2-2-------|7---2-----6----------4|---4----2-2------|
|0-0-0-0-0-0--0--0|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0-0-0--0--0---0---0--0|0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0|
|-----------------|------------2---|----------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
[acoustic; downstrokes, with increasing intensity] |
|2-2-2-2-2-2--2--2|2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|----------------------|-----------------|
|3-3-3-3-3-3--3--3|3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|----------------------|-----------------|
|2-2-2-2-2-2--2--2|2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|----------------------%-----------------|
|0-0-0-0-0-0--0--0|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|----------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------------|-----------------|
|D D A/D |G/D D D |
I look all white but my dad was black
(Sub-sti---tute)
[electric] |
|5---2-----5----------3|---3------2------|
|7---3-----5----------3|---3----3-3------|
|7---2-----6----------4|---4----2-2------|
|0-0-0--0--0---0---0--0|0--0--0-0-0-0-0-0|
|----------------------|--------------2--|
|----------------------|-----------------|
[acoustic] |
|----------------------|-----------------|
|----------------------|-----------------|
|----------------------%-----------------|
|----------------------|-----------------|
|----------------------|-----------------|
|----------------------|-----------------|
[2/4] [4/4]
|D D A/D G/D| G/D D |D |
My brand new suit is really made out of sack
(Sub---sti--tute)
|[electric] |
|5-----2----5------------3|----3-------|2------|
|7-----3----5------------3|----3-----3-|3------|
|7-----2----6------------4|----4-----2-|2------|
|0--0--0--0-0------0---0-0|0---0--0--0-|0------|
|-------------------------|------------|-------|
|-------------------------|------------|-------|
|[acoustic] |
|2--2--2--2-2--2---2---2--|2---2--2--2-|2------|
|3--3--3--3-3--3---3---3--|3---3--3--3-|3------|
|2--2--2--2-2--2---2---2--|2---2--2--2-|2------|
|0--0--0--0-0--0---0---0--|0---0--0--0-|0------|
|-------------------------|----------0-|-------|
|-------------------------|------------|-------|
=============
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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
