LOVE IN VAIN (Live)
As recorded by The Rolling Stones
(From the 1970 Album GET YER YA-YA'S OUT! THE ROLLING STONES IN CONCERT)
Words and Music by Robert Johnson
Arranged by The Rolling Stones
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Keith Richards - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B D) - 'Mick Taylor - Electric Guitar'
Intro
Q=84
G Em C
12/8
Gtr I
E E E E E E E. S E E E E E S S E S S E E E S S S S E S S E
|--------------------------|-------3---------------------------|
|-------0------------0-----|-----------------------1---1-----1-|
|-----0---0--------0---0---|---2s4---4s2-0-----0---0h2-0-----0-|
|---0-------0----0-------0-|---------------2---0h2-------0h2---|
|--------------------------|-----------------3-----------------|
|-3-----------3------------|-0---------------------------------|
G G7 D
Q. Q E Q. e E E E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|------3--3-1----1---3-|-------0h2-----------0h2-----||
|------0--0-0----0-----|-----3-----3-------3-----3---||
|------0--0-0----0-----|---2---------2---2---------2-||
|----------------------|-0-------------0-------------||
|----------------------|-----------------------------||
|-3--------------------|-----------------------------||
1st Verse
G
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-----------0-----|
|-----0---0-------0---0---|-----0---0-------0---0---|
|---0-------0---0-------0-|---0-------0---0-------0-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-3-----------3-----------|-3-----------3-----------|
G7
E E E a E E E a E E E a E E E
|-----0-0h1---0-0h1---0-0h1---0-|
|---3-3---3-3-3---3-3-3---3-3-3-|
|-0-0-------0-------0-------0---|
|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|
a E E E a E E E a E E E E E E
|-0h1---0-0h1---0-0h1-------1---|
|---3-3-3---3-3-3---3-------3---|
|-----0-------0-----------0-----|
|-----------------------0-------|
|-----------------------------2-|
|---------------------3---------|
C D D/F#
E E E E E E E E E E S S S S E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|-----------------------------|-------0h2-----------0h2-------|
|-------1-----------1-----1---|-----3-----3-------------3-----|
|-----0---0-------0---0---0h2-|---2---------2-----2-----------|
|---2-------2---2-----0h2-----|-0---------------0-------------|
|-3-----------3---------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------2-----------2---|
G D/F# G
E E E E E E E E E S S E E E E E E E E E E E S S S S E
|---------3---------0h2-----|---------3-------------------|
|-------0---0-----3-----3---|-----0-1---1-0---------------|
|-----0---------2-----------|-------0---0-0-0-----------0-|
|---0-----------------------|---0-------------0-----0h2---|
|---------------------------|-------------------0h2-------|
|-3-----------2-----------2-|-3---------------------------|
D
E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|-------0h2-----------0h2------|
|-----3-----3-------3-----3----|
|---2---------2---2---------2--|
|-0-------------0--------------|
|------------------------------|
|------------------------------|
Em C
E E E E E E E S S S S E S S E
|---------0---------------------|
|-------0-----------1---1-----1-|
|-----0---------0---0h2-0-0---0-|
|---2-----------0h2-------0h2---|
|-----------2-3-----------------|
|-0-----------------------------|
G G7 D
E E E E E E Q. e E E E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|-------3---3-1----1---3-|-------0h2-----------0h2------||
|-------0-0-0-0----0-----|-----3-----3-------3-----3----||
|-----0---0--------0-----|---2---------2---2---------2--||
|---0--------------0-----|-0-------------0--------------||
|------------------2-----|------------------------------||
|-3----------------------|------------------------------||
2nd & 3rd Verses
$
G
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-------------------0------|
|-------0---0--------0---0---|------0-----0-------------0------0---|
|-----0-------0----0-------0-|----0----------0------0------------0-|
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|--3------------3------------|-3-----------------3-----------------|
|
| Gtr II
| ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| H. H. Q. Q E +Q +E Q.
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|----------------------------|--------/12---12-(12)---(12)\--------|
|-12-------------------------|--------/12---12-(12)---(12)\--------|
|----------------------------|--------/12---12-(12)---(12)\--------|
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G7
E E E a E E E a E E E a E E E a E E E a E E E a E E E E E E
|------0-0h1---0-0h1----0-0h1----0-|-0h==1----0-0h1---0-0h1---------1----|
|----3-3---3-3-3---3--3-3---3-3--3-|-----3--3-3---3-3-3---3---------3----|
|-0--0-------0--------0-------0----|--------0-------0------------0-------|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------0---------|
|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------2-|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------3-----------|
|
| ~~~~
| H. Q. Q E H. Q. E Q
|----------------------------------|---/15-------------------------15\---|
|-------------------------------12-|---/15-------------------------15\---|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
C D D/F#
E E E E E E E E E E S S S S E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|-------------------------------|-------0h2-----------0h2-----|
|--------1------------1-----1---|-----3-----3-------------3---|
|------0---0--------0---0---0h2-|---2---------2-----2---------|
|----2-------2----2-----0h2-----|-0---------------0-----------|
|-3------------3----------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------2-----------2-|
|
| ~~
| H. H. W
|-5-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-5-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|
G D/F#
E E E E E E E E E S S E E
|---------------------3----------------0h=2------|
|-----------------0-----0----------3---------3---|
|-------------0-----------------2----------------|
|-------0----------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|-----3-----------------------2----------------2-|
|
| a E E a E +E Q a Q E +E Q
|------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------12---12s10-------------10---|
|------------------------------------------------|
|-10s12---10s12-(12)--------------10-(10)--------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
G
E E E E E E E E E S S S S E
|-------------3---------------------|
|---------0-1---1-0-----------------|
|-----------0---0-0--0-----------0--|
|-------0--------------0-----0h2----|
|------------------------0h2--------|
|----3------------------------------|
|
| ~~
| a H. Q. Q.
|-----------------------------------|
|-10s8------------8\----------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
D Em C
E E E S S E E E E E S S E E E E E E E E E S S S S E S S E
|--------0h2------------0h2-----|----------0----------------------|
|------3-----3--------3-----3---|--------0------------1---1-----1-|
|----2---------2----2---------2-|------0----------0---0h2-0-0---0-|
|-0--------------0--------------|----2------------0h2-------0h2---|
|-------------------------------|------------2-3------------------|
|-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|
| ~~
| H. Q. Q E H. H.
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------7s|=9-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------7s|=9-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
G G7 D
E E E E E E Q. e E E E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|------------3---3-1----1----3-|--------0h2-------------0h2------||
|------------0-0-0-0----0------|------3-----3---------3-----3----||
|----------0---0--------0------|----2---------2-----2---------2--||
|--------0--------------0------|-0---------------0---------------||
|-----------------------2------|---------------------------------||
|-----3------------------------|---------------------------------||
|
| Gtr II
| ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| a H. Q. Q E H. +Q. Q.
|------------------------------|---------------------------------||
|-10s12---------------------12s|=7--------------(7)--------------||
|-10s12---------------------12s|=7--------------(7)--------------||
|-10s12---------------------12s|=7--------------(7)--------------||
|------------------------------|---------------------------------||
|------------------------------|---------------------------------||
Guitar Solo
G
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---------------0------|
|------0-----0----------0----0---|------0-----0----------0----0---|
|----0---------0------0--------0-|----0---------0------0--------0-|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--3---------------3-------------|--3---------------3-------------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Q. Q. +Q. Q. Q. Q. +Q. Q.
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-11s====12------(12)------------|-11s====12------(12)------------|
|-11s====12------(12)------------|-11s====12------(12)------------|
|-11s====12------(12)------------|-11s====12------(12)------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---------------------------------------|
|------------0------------------0-------|
|------0--------0-----------0------0----|
|----0-------------0-----0------------0-|
|---------------------------------------|
|-3-------------------3-----------------|
|
| Q. a E E E E E E E E E
|--------------12-14-15-14-12-/15-14-12-|
|--------10s12--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
G7 C
E E E a E E E a E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|----------0-0h==1----0--0h=1-----0--1-------|-------------------------------|
|-------3--3-----3--3-3-----3--3--3--3-------|---------1-------------1-------|
|-----0-0-----------0----------0-------------|-------0---0---------0----0----|
|--------------------------------------------|-----2-------------2--------2--|
|---------------------------------------1--2-|--3----------2--3--------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
| a Q E +Q E a E E E E E E H. Q E Q.
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-10s12-----------------13s15-15-15-13-11s12-|-------------------------------|
|---------12---(12)--------------------------|-12------------12\-------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D D/F#
E E E S S E E E E E S S E E
|-----------------0h2-----------------------0h2-------------|
|-----------3----------3-----------------3----------3-------|
|--------2----------------2--------2------------------------|
|-----0-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------2----------------------2----|
|
| a E E E a E E E a E E a E E a E S S
|-------15-15---------15-15-------15------------------------|
|-13s15-------13s15---------13s15----13s15-13---11s12-------|
|-----------------------------------------------------12-11-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G D/F#
E E E E E E E E E S S E E
|-----------3------------------------0h2------------------|
|-------0------0------------3----------------3------------|
|-----0------------0-----2--------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|--3-------------------2---------------------------2------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Q. +Q +E E E S S a E a S S S a S
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------11s12--------------------|
|-12------(12)---(12)\-----10-12---------12s10------------|
|----------------------------------------------12-10-8s9--|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
G
E E E E E E E E E S S S S E
|---------------3-------------------------|
|--------0---1----1--0--------------------|
|-----------------0--0--0---------------0-|
|------0------------------0---------0h2---|
|---------------------------0h2-----------|
|--3--------------------------------------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~
| +E Q +Q. Q E E a Q
|-------------------------------15s17-----|
|-------------------12\-------------------|
|-----12---(12)-----12\-------------------|
|-(9)---------------12\-------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
D
E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------2-----------------2--------|
|-------------3--------3----------3-------3----|
|-------2-----------------2-----2------------2-|
|-----0----------------------0-----------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| a Q a E a E E E Q. +E E E
|-15s17---15s17-15s17-15-----------------------|
|------------------------15-15------(15)\---15-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
To Coda
Em C
E E E E E E E S S S S E S S E
|-------------------0-------------------------------------|
|-------------------0-0-----------------------------------|
|-------------0-------0--------------0----0-2--0--0----0--|
|-------2----------------------------0h2----------0h2-----|
|---------------------------2-----3-----------------------|
|-----0---------------------------------------------------|
|
| a Q a E a Q a E a E E E E E E
|-15s17---15s17-15s17---15s17-15s17-15--------------------|
|----------------------------------------15---13-11s==12--|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
G G7
E E E E E E Q. E E E
|---------3---3-1----------3--|
|-------0---0---0-------------|
|-----0-----0---0-----0-------|
|---------------------0-------|
|---------------------2-------|
|--3------------------3-------|
|
| ~~~
| H. Q. Q E
|-----------------------------|
|--------------------11s==12--|
|-12--------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
Outro
D.S. al Coda &
D G G7
E E E S S E E E E E S S E E Q. E E E Q. E E E
|---------0h2-------------0h2-----------||-------3---3-1----1----3-|
|-------3-----3--------3-------3--------||-------0-0-0-0----0----0-|
|-----2---------2----2------------------||-------------0----0------|
|--0--------------0---------------------||-------------------------|
|---------------------------------------||-------------------------|
|------------------------------------2--||--3----------------------|
|
| ~~~ ~~~
| H. Q. E E a E H. Q. E Q
|---------------------------------------||-------------------------|
|--------------------------------10s12--||--------------------12s==|
|------------------------10---12--------||-12-----------------12s==|
|-12------------------------------------||--------------------12s==|
|---------------------------------------||-------------------------|
|---------------------------------------||-------------------------|
H.=H
D G7
E S S E Q E H. +W.
|-------------0-----1-------|--(1)----*|
|--------1-3--------0-------|--(0)----*|
|----0h2------------0-------|--(0)----*|
|-0-----------------0-------|--(0)----*|
|---------------------------|---------*|
|-------------------3-------|--(3)----*|
|
| ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| H. a H. +W.
|---------------------------|---------*|
|-7-------------10s12-------|-(12)----*|
|-7-------------10s12-------|-(12)----*|
|-7-------------10s12-------|-(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
