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The Night the Pugilist Learned How to Dance - Sting
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Tabbed by: Andrei
E-mail:
This is based on Sting's performance on the Tonight Show. It's a shortened version
of the original (missing two verses), but it sounded so good I wanted to give
it a shot. The missing two verses are played the same, so you can always just look
up the lyrics.)
If you want to reference this performance, search the web for "Sting serenades
Jimmy Fallon" from May 2015
Tuning: Standard tuning (CAPO ON 2nd FRET if you want to play like Sting does)
Play it like a waltz. :)
The guitar repeats on the different verses, but I've included the whole song here
so you can play along with the lyrics.
INTRO (play slowly, for effect)
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------4----4----|-------3----3----|--------4----4------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|--0--------------|---0----------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
In the
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6-----------|
D|--------6----6--|---------4----4----|-------3----3----|--------4-----------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|--0--------------|---0----------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
VERSE
streets around here there was nobody tougher than
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|--2--------------|---2----------------|
me I was
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|---7------------|---7---------------|---0-------------|----0---------------|
quick with me fists and fast with me footwork
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|---7------------|---7---------------|---0-------------|----0---------------|
as you can plainly see but while
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------4----4----|-------3----3----|--------4----4------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|--0--------------|---0----------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
fighting was useful for getting your way 'mong the
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|--------8----8--|---------8----8----|-------8----8----|--------8----8------|
G|----------------|-------------------|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------9----9--|---------9----9----|-----------------|--------------------|
A|---7------------|---7---------------|---7-------------|----7---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
toughs of the town where you could hold sway. There
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|---5------------|---5---------------|--5--------------|----5---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
had to be something better than this. I was
e|--------2----2--|---------2----2----|-------2----2----|---------2----2-----|
B|--------0----0--|---------0----0----|-------0----0----|---------0----0-----|
G|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
D|---4------------|---2---------------|---1-------------|--------------------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|----2---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
fifteen years old and had never been kissed Well
e|-----0----------|------0------------|--------0--------|---------0----------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--1-----1-------|---2-----2---------|---3---------3---|----4---------------|
D|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|--0-------------|---2---------------|---3-------------|----4---------------|
of course she'd ignore me her friends would all sneer at me
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|--2--------------|---2----------------|
bloody nose dripping and me cauliflower ear
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|---7------------|---7---------------|---0-------------|----0---------------|
For it's hard to convince in a romantic pose,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|---7------------|---7---------------|---0-------------|----0---------------|
With a lovely black eye and a broken nose,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------4----4----|-------3----3----|--------4----4------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|--0--------------|---0----------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
Where a girl is attracted to skills more refined,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|--------8----8--|---------8----8----|-------8----8----|--------8----8------|
G|----------------|-------------------|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------9----9--|---------9----9----|-----------------|--------------------|
A|---7------------|---7---------------|---7-------------|----7---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
Than the pugilist's art, and so I inclined,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|---5------------|---5---------------|--5--------------|----5---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
To take meself serious as a modern romancer,
e|--------2----2--|---------2----2----|-------2----2----|---------2----2-----|
B|--------0----0--|---------0----0----|-------0----0----|---------0----0-----|
G|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
D|---4------------|---2---------------|---1-------------|--------------------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|----2---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
And I secretly learnt all the moves of a dancer.
e|-----0----------|------0------------|--------0--------|---------0----------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--1-----1-------|---2-----2---------|---3---------3---|----4---------------|
D|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|--0-------------|---2---------------|---3-------------|----4---------------|
Ye swing to the left, ye swing to the right,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|--2--------------|---2----------------|
Keep your eyes on your partner, more or less like a fight,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|---7------------|---7---------------|---0-------------|----0---------------|
Ye just follow the rhythm, and ye keep to the beat, The
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|---7------------|---7---------------|---0-------------|----0---------------|
important thing's never to look at your feet, Then a
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------6----6--|---------4----4----|-------3----3----|--------4----4------|
A|---0------------|---0---------------|--0--------------|---0----------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
miracle happens, your mind's in a trance,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|--------8----8--|---------8----8----|-------8----8----|--------8----8------|
G|----------------|-------------------|-------6----6----|--------6----6------|
D|--------9----9--|---------9----9----|-----------------|--------------------|
A|---7------------|---7---------------|---7-------------|----7---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
Though the strategy's subtle, retreat and advance,
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------1----1------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------6----6----|--------2----2------|
D|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|-------7----7----|--------------------|
A|---5------------|---5---------------|--5--------------|----2---------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
(Read closely: Chords change faster here. Even Sting messes up the lyrics in the video)
It's all about attitude all in your stance
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|---0------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|----------------|---2---------------|--7--------------|---0----------------|
Attention to detail Leaving nothing to chance
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|---0------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|----------------|---2---------------|--7--------------|---0----------------|
Which explains how this pugilist finally learned how to
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
D|--------6----6--|---------6----6----|-------7----7----|--------7----7------|
A|---0------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E|----------------|---2---------------|--7--------------|---0----------------|
dance
e|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|--------7----7--|---------7----7----|--------6----6---|--------6----6------|
G|--------8----8--|---------8----8----|--------7----7---|--------7----7------|
D|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
A|----6-----------|---6---------------|--5--------------|---5----------------|
E|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
(I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO FIGURE OUT THE CHORDS FOR THE END... ANYONE WANT TO HELP?)
In a bout where the strategist's bridges were burned,
Where it seemed that his fortune had suddenly turned,
'Twas the night that this scrapper was suddenly dapper,
And this poor fellow's heart was still going like the clappers,
The night that the pugilist finally learned how to dance.
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| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| b Bend
| pb Pre-bend
| br Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend
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