MAMA TOLD ME (NOT TO COME)
As recorded by Three Dog Night
(From the 1970 Album IT AIN'T EASY)
Words and Music by Randy Newman
Arranged by Three Dog Night
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Mike Allsup - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Mike Allsup - Electric Guitar'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Jimmy Greenspoon - Electric Piano'
Intro
Q=115
Ab7
4/4
Gtr III (El. Piano arr. for Gtr.)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----4-----------|-4-----------4---|---------4-------|
|-----------7-----|-------7---------|---7-----------7-|
|---5-----5-----5-|-----5-----5-----|-5-----5-----5---|
|-6-----6-----6---|---6-----6-----6-|-----6-----6-----|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1st - 3rd Verses
$
Ab7
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
|-----4-----------|-4-----------4---||----------4-------|-----4------------|
|-----------7-----|-------7---------||o---7-----------7-|-----------7------|
|---5-----5-----5-|-----5-----5-----||--5-----5-----5---|---5-----5-----5--|
|-6-----6-----6---|---6-----6-----6-||------6-----6-----|-6-----6-----6----|
|-----------------|-----------------||o-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------||------------------|------------------|
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
|-4-----------4---|---------4-------|-----4-----------|-4-----------4----|
|-------7---------|---7-----------7-|-----------7-----|-------7----------|
|-----5-----5-----|-5-----5-----5---|---5-----5-----5-|-----5-----5------|
|---6-----6-----6-|-----6-----6-----|-6-----6-----6---|---6-----6-----6--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---------4-------|-----4-----------||
|---7-----------7-|-----------7-----||
|-5-----5-----5---|---5-----5-----5-||
|-----6-----6-----|-6-----6-----6---||
|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------||
|
| Gtr I (El. Gtr. w/ light dist.)
| W W
|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------||
Chorus
Ab
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|-----16---(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13--------------------|
|-----16---(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13--|
|-----17---(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13----13-----|
|-----18---(18)-18-18----|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|
| Q. E E E E E +Q. E +E E E E
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------4--6--|
|------------3---3-----4-|--(4)--------5-(5)-6--------|
|-4----------------------|----------------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E
|-----16---(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-------------------|----16--(16)-14-----13-|
|-----16---(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13-|----16--(16)-16-----14-|
|-----17---(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13----13----|----17--(17)-17-----13-|
|-----18---(18)-18-18----|---------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18-----|
|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
|
| Q. E E Q E +Q. E +E E E E H E E +E E
|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------4--6-|-----------------------|
|------------3---3-----4-|--(4)--------5-(5)-6-------|----------3---3-(3)--4-|
|-4----------------------|---------------------------|-4---------------------|
To Coda
N.C.
+E E E E Q E E E E E E E Q E E E E Q Q.
|-(13)-13-----------------------|---------------------|-15-13--------------||
|-(14)-14----14-17----16----13--|-13-14---15---16--16-|-16-14---16--14----o||
|-(13)-13-13----13----13--------|-13-15---16---17--17-|---------17--15-----||
|-------------------------------|---------------------|--------------------||
|-------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------o||
|-------------------------------|---------------------|--------------------||
|
| +Q. E +E E S E. q Q H W
|-------------------------------|---------------------|--------------------||
|-------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------o||
|-------------------------------|---------------------|--------------------||
|----------------------4h6------|---------------------|--------------------||
|--(4)--------5-(5)-6-----------|---------------------|-------------------o||
|-------------------------------|--4------------------|--------------------||
Guitar Solo
Ab
Q Q +E E E E E E E E Q E E
|----16--(16)-14-----13---|-13-----13------------------------|
|----16--(16)-16-----14---|-14-----14------14-17----16----13-|
|----17--(17)-17-----13---|-13-----13---13----13----13-------|
|----18--(18)-18-18-------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
| Gtr I
| H E E E E +Q. Q E E E
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------|--------------------------4-----6-|
|----------3---3------4---|-(4)-------------5-----6----------|
|-4-----------------------|----------------------------------|
|
| Gtr II (El. Gtr. w/ light dist.)
| ~~~~~~
| |---3----|
| Q Q E e E. S E E E E E E e S S E
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------12----------|
|----------4--------------|-----------------9-10----13-10----|
|-6---6--------6--4-------|--------------9----------------11-|
|-----------------------7-|--8--11----8----------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|----16--(16)---14----13-|-(13)-13--------------------|
|----16--(16)---16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13--|
|----17--(17)---17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13----13-----|
|----18--(18)---18-18----|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|
| H E E E E +Q. Q E E E
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|----------4-----4-----3-|--(3)-----------------4--6--|
|------------------------|-------------7-----6--------|
|-4----------------------|----------------------------|
|
| Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E
|------------------------|----------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------9-12--|
|------------------------|------------------10--------|
|---------10b12----------|----------------9-----------|
|----11---------11--9--8-|----------8-11--------------|
|------------------------|------11--------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|----------16---(16)---14--------13-|-(13)-13-------------------------|
|----------16---(16)---16--------14-|-(14)-14----14-17-------16----13-|
|----------17---(17)---17--------13-|-(13)-13-13----13-------13-------|
|----------18---(18)---18-18--------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|
| H E Q E +Q. E +E E S E.
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-------------------------4h6-----|
|-----------------3-----3---------4-|--(4)--------5-(5)----6----------|
|---4-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|
| +S E S E E E E S S E e e Q S E. E E
|-----------------------8------6--6-|-------4-------------------------|
|-(12)--------9---------------------|---4------7-----4----------------|
|-----------------8b10-----6b8------|-------------------4-------------|
|--------9s10-----------------------|-------------------------6-------|
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D.S. al Coda
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----4-----------|-4-----------4----||
|-----------7-----|-------7----------||
|---5-----5-----5-|-----5-----5------||
|-6-----6-----6---|---6-----6-----6--||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|
| q Q H W
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-4---------------|------------------||
|
| q Q H W
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-----------------|------------------||
|-4---------------|------------------||
Outro
&
N.C. Ab
E E E E E Q E E E E Q Q. Q Q +E E E E
|---------------------|-15-13-------------||----16--(16)-14----13-|
|-13-14---15---16--16-|-16-14---16--14----||----16--(16)-16----14-|
|-13-15---16---17--17-|---------17--15----||----17--(17)-17----13-|
|---------------------|-------------------||----18--(18)-18-18----|
|---------------------|-------------------||----------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------||----------------------|
|
| q Q H W H E E E E
|---------------------|-------------------||----------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------||----------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------||----------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------||----------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------||----------3---3-----4-|
|--4------------------|-------------------||-4--------------------|
+E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|-(13)-13-------------------|----16--(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-------------------|
|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13-|----16--(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13-|
|-(13)-13-13----13----13----|----17--(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13----13----|
|---------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18----|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|---------------------------|
|
| +Q. E +E E E E H E E E E +Q. E +E E E E
|---------------------------|----------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|---------------------------|
|----------------------4--6-|----------4---4-----3-|--(3)-----------------4--6-|
|--(4)--------5-(5)-6-------|----------------------|-------------7-(7)-6-------|
|---------------------------|-4--------------------|---------------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E
|----16--(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-------------------|----16--(16)-14----13-|
|----16--(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13-|----16--(16)-16----14-|
|----17--(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13----13----|----17--(17)-17----13-|
|----18--(18)-18-18----|---------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18----|
|----------------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
|
| H E E E E +Q. E +E E E E H E E E E
|----------------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------4--6-|----------4---4-----3-|
|----------3---3-----4-|--(4)--------5-(5)-6-------|----------------------|
|-4--------------------|---------------------------|-4--------------------|
+E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|-(13)-13-------------------|----16--(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-----------------|
|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13-|----16--(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|
|-(13)-13-13----13----13----|----17--(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|
|---------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18----|-------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|
| +Q. E +E E E E H E E E E q Q H
|---------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--(3)-----------------4--6-|----------0---1--2--3-|-------------------------|
|-------------7-(7)-6-------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------------|-4--------------------|---1---------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E
|----16----(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-----------------|----16--(16)-14----13-|
|----16----(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|----16--(16)-16----14-|
|----17----(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|----17--(17)-17----13-|
|----18----(18)-18-18----|-------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18----|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|
| ~~~~
| Q +E E E E E E +H H H E E E E
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------0---1--2--3-|--(3)--------------------|----------0---1--2--3-|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|-4--(4)-4---------------|-------------------------|-4--------------------|
+E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|-(13)-13-----------------|----16----(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-----------------|
|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|----16----(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|
|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|----17----(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|
|-------------------------|----18----(18)-18-18----|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|
| Gtr I
| ~~~~
| q Q H Q +E E E E E E +H H
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------0---1--2--3-|--(3)--------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|---1---------------------|-4--(4)-4---------------|-------------------------|
|
| Gtr II
| W W H Q E E
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------6-|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E
|-----16---(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13--------------------|-----16---(16)-14----13-|
|-----16---(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14-----14-17----16-13-|-----16---(16)-16----14-|
|-----17---(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13-----13----13----|-----17---(17)-17----13-|
|-----18---(18)-18-18----|----------------------------|-----18---(18)-18-18----|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|
| H E E E E +Q +E E +E E E E H E E E E
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|-----------------------4--6-|------------4---4-----3-|
|------------3---3-----4-|--(4)----(4)--5-(5)-6-------|------------------------|
|-4----------------------|----------------------------|-4----------------------|
|
| E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|---6----6-------6-----6-|-------6------6-----6-----6-|---6----6-------6-----6-|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------|
+E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|-(13)-13------------------|----16--(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-----------------|
|-(14)-14----14-17---16-13-|----16--(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|
|-(13)-13-13----13---13----|----17--(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|
|--------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18----|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|
| +Q. Q E E E H E E E E q Q H
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--(3)----------------4--6-|----------0---1--2--3-|-------------------------|
|-------------7----6-------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|-4--------------------|---1---------------------|
|
| E E E Q E E E W W
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|-------6-----6-------4--6-|----------------------|-------------------------|
|------------------6-------|----------------------|-------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------|
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E
|----16----(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-----------------|----16--(16)-14----13-|
|----16----(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|----16--(16)-16----14-|
|----17----(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|----17--(17)-17----13-|
|----18----(18)-18-18----|-------------------------|----18--(18)-18-18----|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|
| Q +E E E E E E +H H H E E E E
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|------------0---1--2--3-|--(3)--------------------|----------0---1--2--3-|
|------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
|-4--(4)-4---------------|-------------------------|-4--------------------|
+E E E E Q E E Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E
|-(13)-13-----------------|----16----(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-----------------|
|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|----16----(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17--16-13-|
|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|----17----(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13--13----|
|-------------------------|----18----(18)-18-18----|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|
| ~~~~
| q Q H Q +E E E E E E +H H
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------0---1--2--3-|--(3)--------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|
|---1---------------------|-4--(4)-4---------------|-------------------------|
N.C.
Q Q +E E E E +E E E E Q E E E E E E E Q E
|----16--(16)-14----13-|-(13)-13-------------------|---------------------|
|----16--(16)-16----14-|-(14)-14----14-17----16-13-|-13-14---15---16--16-|
|----17--(17)-17----13-|-(13)-13-13----13----13----|-13-15---16---17--17-|
|----18--(18)-18-18----|---------------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
|
| H E E E E +Q. E +E E E E q Q H
|----------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|---------------------------|---------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------4--6-|---------------------|
|----------3---3-----4-|--(4)--------5-(5)-6-------|---------------------|
|-4--------------------|---------------------------|--4------------------|
H
Ab Bbm Bm Cm
E E E Q Q. E E E E +E E +Q
|-15-13-------------|-----9---10-(10)-11--(11)--|
|-16-14---16--14----|-13-11---12-(12)-13--(13)--|
|---------17--15----|-13------------------------|
|-------------------|-10-11---12-(12)-13--(13)--|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|
| W E E E E E Q.
|-------------------|--4--6----7-------8--------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|--5--6----7-------8--------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
.=H
N.C.
+Q +S E. +E. S +Q +E E +Q +H
|-(11)--(11)-------------------|-----------------------|
|-(13)--(13)-14--(14)-13-(13)--|-(13)-11-(11)--(11)----|
|------------15--(15)-13-(13)--|-(13)-11-(11)--(11)----|
|-(13)--(13)-------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|
| +H. Q W
|--(8)-------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|--(8)-------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
|------------------------------|-----------------------|
+Q. E +H +W
|-------------------|---------*|
|-(11)---12-(12)----|-(12)----*|
|-(11)---12-(12)----|-(12)----*|
|-------------------|---------*|
|-------------------|---------*|
|-------------------|---------*|
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
