SWEET JANE
As recorded by The Velvet Underground
(From the 1970 Album LOADED)
Words and Music by Lou Reed
Transcribed by Slowhand
D A Bm G
0 12 12 11 10 10 x 7 7 6 5 5 x 9 9 7 7 7 x 5 5 4 3 3
Gtr I (D A D G B E) - 'Lou Reed - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Sterling Morrison - Electric Guitar'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Sterling Morrison - Electric Guitar'
Intro
Q=134
D A Bm G A
4/4
Gtr I (Clean El. Gtr. w/ Dropped D-Tuning: DADGBE)
Q E E +Q Q Q E E E Q E
| | | | | | |
/ / / x / / /
Gtr II (Clean El. Gtr.)
Q Q E E E E +Q E. S E E E E
|---------21-19---17----|----------------------------|
|-19-----------------19-|-(19)---------17---------17-|
|-----------------------|-------------------16-19----|
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
|
| Gtr III (Clean El. Gtr.)
| Q Q E E a E E +Q E E E E E E
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
|-------------7-9s11--9-|--(9)-----/11-------9-------|
|-/9------/9------------|--------------------------7-|
|-----------------------|----------------------------|
D A G A G A
Q Q Q Q e e E e E Q E
| | | | | | | | |
/ x / x / / / / x
+S Q.. E E a E E +Q E E E E E E
|--------------17-19-19s=21-19-|-(19)------17-------------|
|-(17)-19----------------------|-----------------19---17--|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|
| H E E E E +Q E E E E E E
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
|------------------7----/11--9-|--(9)---------------------|
|---9-----------9--------------|----------(10)----7-9-10--|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
D A Bm G A
Q E E Q E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | |
/ / / / x x / x / / x x
~~~
+H E E E E Q. E E E E S S
|-------------------------|-17-----21---19-17-------|
|-(17)--------------17-19-|-------------------19p17-|
|-----------16-19---------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|
| H E E a E E +Q E E E E E E
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------7-9s11--9-|-(9)----11----9----------|
|---9-------/9------------|--------------------7----|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D A G A G A
Q E E Q E E E E E E E Q.
| | | | | | | | |
/ / / / / / / / /
~~~
Q.. S E E E E Q. E E Q.
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|-19--------17-------------|-----------19---19----||
|----------------19--16-19-|-16-------------------||
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|
| H E E E E E E E E E Q.
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|--------------------------|----------------------||
|-----------------7-/11--9-|-----(7)--------------||
|--9-----------9-----------|-----------10----9----||
|--------------------------|----------------------||
1st & 2nd Verses
Slower Q=108
D A G Bm A D D A G Bm A D
Gtr I
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / o / x / x / / x / x / x /
Gtr II
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
||-----------5---3-|-3-----7----5-------|----------5---3-|-3----------5-----|
||o-7----7---5---3-|-3-----7----5----7--|-7----7---5---3-|-3----------5-x-7-|
||--7--x-7-x-6---4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x--7--|-7----7---6---4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x-7-|
||--7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x-7-|
||o-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5----(9)---7----5--|-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7---5-|
||--5--------5---3-|-3--------------(5)-|-5--x-----5-----|-3----(7)---------|
A G Bm A D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5-----3-|-3----7---5-------|-----------5----3-|-3----7---5---(5)--|
|-7----7---5-----3-|-3----7---5----7--|-7----7----5----3-|-3----7---5----7---|
|-7----7---6-----4-|-4--x-7-x-6----7--|-7----7----6----4-|-4----7---6----7---|
|-7----7-x-7-----5-|-5--x-9-x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x--7--x-5-|-5--x-9---7----7---|
|-5----5-x-7-(x)-5-|-5----9-x-7-x--5--|-5--x-5-x--7--x-5-|-5--x----------5---|
|-5--------5-----3-|-3------------(5)-|-5--------(5)-----|-3-----------------|
A G Bm A D D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / o / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5---3-|-3-----7----5-------|----------5---3-|-3----------5------|
|-7----7---5---3-|-3-----7----5----7--|-7----7---5---3-|-3----------5-x-7--|
|-7--x-7-x-6---4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x--7--|-7----7---6---4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x-7--|
|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x-7--|
|-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5----(9)---7----5--|-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7---5--|
|-5--------5---3-|-3--------------(5)-|-5--x-----5-----|-3----(7)----------|
A G Bm A D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5-----3-|-3----7---5-------|-----------5----3-|-3----7---5---(5)--||
|-7----7---5-----3-|-3----7---5----7--|-7----7----5----3-|-3----7---5----7---||
|-7----7---6-----4-|-4--x-7-x-6----7--|-7----7----6----4-|-4----7---6----7---||
|-7----7-x-7-----5-|-5--x-9-x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x--7--x-5-|-5--x-9---7----7---||
|-5----5-x-7-(x)-5-|-5----9-x-7-x--5--|-5--x-5-x--7--x-5-|-5--x----------5---||
|-5--------5-----3-|-3------------(5)-|-5--------(5)-----|-3-----------------||
Chorus
D D D D G A D D
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ o / o / o / / / / / / / / / / / o / / / / / /
Q E E E E E e Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|---------------3-|-3------3----3-----|-----------------|
|-7-----7---7---3-|-3------3----3-----|-7-----7---7-----|
|-7-----7-x-7-x-4-|-4---x--4--x-4-x---|-7-----7-x-7-x---|
|-7---x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5---x--5--x-5-x---|-7---x-7-x-7-x---|
|-5---x-5-x-5-x---|-5------5--x-5-x---|-5---x-5-x-5-x-x-|
|-5---------------|-3-----(3)---------|-5---------------|
1. 2.
G A D D G Bm A D G BmA
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E e E E E e
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ / / / / / / / / o / / / / / o / x / x / x / / / / o / / / o
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-3-----3---5-----|-----------------|-3----------5------||-3-x-3-----5------||
|-3---x-3-x-5---7-|-7-----7---7---3-|-3----------5---7-o||-3-x-3-7---5---7--||
|-4---x-4-x-6-x-7-|-7---x-7-x-7-x-4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x-7--||-4-x-4-7-x-6-x-7--||
|-5---x-5-x-7-x-7-|-7---x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x-7--||-5-x-5-7-x-7-x-7--||
|-5-----5---7-x-5-|-5---x-5-x-5-x-5-|-5--x--9--x---x-5-o||-5-x-5-5-x---x-5--||
|-3-----3---5-----|-5---------------|-3----(7)----------||-3-x-3------------||
3rd Verse
D D A G Bm A D D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / / / / x / x / x / / o / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|--------------3-|-3-----7----5-------|----------5---3-|-3----------5------|
|-7----7---7---3-|-3-----7----5----7--|-7----7---5---3-|-3----------5-x-7--|
|-7----7---7-6-4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x--7--|-7----7---6---4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x-7--|
|-7--x-7-x-7-7-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x-7--|
|-5--x-5-x-5-7---|-5----(9)---7----5--|-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7---5--|
|-5----------5---|-3--------------(5)-|-5--x-----5-----|-3----(7)----------|
A G Bm A D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5---3-|-3-----7------5-----|----------5-----3-|-3--------5------|
|-7------x-5---3-|-3-----7------5-x-7-|-7----7---5-(0)-3-|-3----7---5---7--|
|-7--x-7-x-6-x-4-|-4--x--7---x--6-x-7-|-7--x-7---6--x--4-|-4--x-7-x-6-x-7--|
|-7----7---7-x-5-|-5--x--9---x--7---7-|-7--x-7-x-7--x--5-|-5--x-9-x-7---7--|
|-5----5---7-x---|-5----(9)--x--7---5-|-5--x-5-x-7-----5-|-5----9---7---5--|
|-5--------------|-3--------(0)-5-----|-5----------------|-3----7---6------|
A G Bm A D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / / / / x / x / x / / o / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5---3-|-3-----7----5-------|----------5---3-|-3----------5------|
|-7------x-5---3-|-3-----7----5----7--|-7----7---5---3-|-3----------5-x-7--|
|-7----7-x-6-x-4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x--7--|-7----7---6---4-|-4--x--7--x-6-x-7--|
|-7--x-7---7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7-x-7--|
|-5--x-5---7-x---|-5----(9)---7----5--|-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5--x--9--x-7---5--|
|-5--------------|-3--------------(5)-|-5--x-----5-----|-3----(7)----------|
A G Bm A D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5---3-|-3-----7------5-----|----------5-----3-|-3--------5------|
|-7------x-5---3-|-3-----7------5-x-7-|-7----7---5-(0)-3-|-3----7---5---7--|
|-7--x-7-x-6-x-4-|-4--x--7---x--6-x-7-|-7--x-7---6--x--4-|-4--x-7-x-6-x-7--|
|-7----7---7-x-5-|-5--x--9---x--7---7-|-7--x-7-x-7--x--5-|-5--x-9-x-7---7--|
|-5----5---7-x---|-5----(9)--x--7---5-|-5--x-5-x-7-----5-|-5----9---7---5--|
|-5--------------|-3--------(0)-5-----|-5----------------|-3----7---6------|
G Bm D D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / / / / x / x / x / / o / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|--------------3-|-3----3---7-----|----------5---3-|-3--------5--------|
|-7----7---7---3-|-3----3---7-----|-7------x-5---3-|-3--x-----5---(7)--|
|-7----7---7---4-|-4--x-4---7---x-|-7----7-x-6-x-4-|-4--x---x-6-x--7---|
|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5--x-5-------x-|-7--x-7---7-x-5-|-5--x-9-x-7-x--7---|
|-5--x-5-x-5-x---|-5----5-----5---|-5--x-5---7-x-5-|-5----9-x-7-x--5---|
|-5--------------|-3----3---------|-5--------5---3-|-3----7---5--------|
A G Bm A D A G Bm A D
Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x / o / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x / / x / x / x /
Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
|----------5----3--|-3-----7---5-------|----------5---3-|-3----7---5--------||
|-7--------5----3--|-3-----7---5----7--|-7----7---5---3-|-3----7---5-x-(7)--||
|-7----7---6-x--4--|-4---x-7-x-6-x--7--|-7----7---6---4-|-4--x-7-x-6-x--7---||
|-7--x-7-x-7-x--5--|-5---x-9-x-7-x--7--|-7--x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5----9-x-7-x--7---||
|-5--x-5-x-7-x-(5)-|-5-5---9---7-x--5--|-5--x-5-x-7-x-5-|-5----9-x-7----5---||
|-5--------5-------|-3-------------(5)-|-5--x---------3-|-3----7---5--------||
Out-Chorus
D D D D G D D G A D
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ o / o / o / / / / / / / / / / / o / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q Q e e e E
|---------------3-|-3-----3---3-----|-----------------|-3-----------5----|
|-7-----7-7-----3-|-3-----3---3-x-7-|-7-7-----------3-|-3---x-------5-7--|
|-7-7-x-7-7-7---4-|-4---x-4-x-4-x-7-|-7-7-x-7-x-7-x-4-|-4---x---x-x-6-7--|
|-7-7-x-7-7-7-x-5-|-5---x-5-x-5---7-|-7-7-x-7-x-7-x-5-|-5---x---7-7-7-7--|
|-5-5-x-5-5-5-x-5-|-5---x---x-------|-5-5-x-5-x-5-x-5-|-5-------7-7-7-5--|
|-5-------------3-|-3---------------|-5-------------3-|-3-------5-5-5-5--|
D G D
E S S E S S E E S S S S E E E E E E E S S
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x x / x x / / / x / x / / / / / / / x /
Q E E E E E E Q E E S S S S E E
|-------------------------|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----|
|-7-------------------3---|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----|
|-7-----x-7---x-7-7---4---|-4---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-----|
|-7-----x-7---x-7-7---5---|-5---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----|
|-5-----x-5---x-5-5---5---|-5---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0---|
|-5-------------5---------|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0---|
G
E S S E S S S S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S S S S S S
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x x / x x / / / / / / / / / / / x x / / / / / / / /
E E E E E E E E E E E E S S E E S S
|-----------------------------|-3-----------------5--------|
|-7-----7-7---7---7-----------|-3---3-------------x---x-x--|
|-7-7---7-7---7---7---7-------|-4-4-4-------------x---x-x--|
|-7-7---7-7---7---7---7-------|-5-5-5-x---x-x-x------------|
|-5-5---5-5---5---5---5-------|-5-5-5-x---x-x-x------------|
|---5---5-5---5---5-------0---|-3-3-3----------------------|
D G D
E S S E S S E E S S S S E E E E E E E S S
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x x / x x / / / x x x / / / / / / / x /
E E E S S E S S E E Q E E S S S S E E
|---------------------------|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----|
|-7-7---7-------7-7---------|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----|
|-7-7---7-x-7-7-7-7-7---x---|-4---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-----|
|-7-7---7-x-7-7-7-7-7---x---|-5---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----|
|-5-5---5-x-5-5-5-5-5---x---|-5---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0---|
|-5-------------------------|-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0---|
G
E S S E S S S S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S S S S S S
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
/ x x / x x / / / / / / / / / / / x x / / / / / / / /
E E E E E E E E E E E E S S E E S S
|-----------------------------|-3-----------------5-------*|
|-7-----7-7---7---7-----------|-3---3-------------x---x-x-*|
|-7-7---7-7---7---7---7-------|-4-4-4-------------x---x-x-*|
|-7-7---7-7---7---7---7-------|-5-5-5-x---x-x-x-----------*|
|-5-5---5-5---5---5---5-------|-5-5-5-x---x-x-x-----------*|
|---5---5-5---5---5-------0---|-3-3-3---------------------*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
Standing on the corner,
Suitcase in my hand
Jack is in his corset, and Jane is her vest,
And me I'm in a rock'n'roll band Hah!
Ridin' in a Stutz Bear Cat, Jim
You know, those were different times!
Oh, all the poets they studied rules of verse
And those ladies, they rolled their eyes
Sweet Jane! Whoa! Sweet Jane, oh-oh-a! Sweet Jane!
I'll tell you something
Jack, he is a banker
And Jane, she is a clerk
Both of them save their monies, ha
And when, when they come home from work
Oh, Sittin' down by the fire, oh!
The radio does play
The classical music there, Jim
"The March of the Wooden Soldiers"
All you protest kids
You can hear Jack say, get ready, ah
Sweet Jane! Come on baby! Sweet Jane! Oh-oh-a! Sweet Jane!
Some people, they like to go out dancing
And other peoples, they have to work, Just watch me now!
And there's even some evil mothers
Well they're gonna tell you that everything is just dirt
Y'know that, women, never really faint
And that villains always blink their eyes, woo!
And that, y'know, children are the only ones who blush!
And that, life is just to die!
And, everyone who ever had a heart
They wouldn't turn around and break it
And anyone who ever played a part
Oh wouldn't turn around and hate it!
Sweet Jane! Whoa-oh-oh! Sweet Jane! Sweet Jane!
Heavenly wine and roses
Seems to whisper to her when he smiles
Heavenly wine and roses
Seems to whisper to her when she smiles
La lala lala la, la lala lala la
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
