DESPERADO
As recorded by Eagles
(From the 2001 Album EAGLES THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971-1975)
Words and Music by Don Henley and Glenn Frey
Transcribed by bambam
NOTE: the intro is played on piano but is arranged for guitar
Slowly Q=60
G G7 C Cm6
4/4
Gtr I
|---------10----12-(12)-10-------|----------------------|
|-10h=12-----12-12-(12)----12----|-----8---10-(10)-8----|
|----(12)-------10-(10)-------12-|-8h9---9--8--(8)----0-|
|-----12-------------------------|----------------------|
|-----10--------10-(10)----------|----------------------|
|--------------------------------|---8------8--(8)------|
H.=H
G Em Asus2 D
|---------0-(0)------|-------------------|
|-----3---0-(0)-3----|-------------------|
|-2h4---4-0-(0)----4-|-4-2---2-(2)-------|
|------------------5-|-5---5-4-(4)--0----|
|--------------------|-0-----5-(5)-------|
|---3-----0-(0)------|-------------------|
Q=60
G G7sus2 C Cm6
2/4 4/4
|--------||-7--7--5--5--|-3--3--5--5--|
|--------||-8--8--6--6--|-5--5--4--4--|
|--------||-7--7--7--7--|-5--5--0--0--|
|-(0)----||-5--5--5--5--|-5--5--5--5--|
|--------||-------------|-3--3--3--3--|
|--------||-------------|-------------|
G Em7 A7 D7 G Gsus2sus4
|-3--3--3--3--|-------0---2--2--|-3---3---3---3---|
|-3--3--3--3--|--2----2---1--1--|-3---3---1---1---|
|-4--4--4--4--|--0----0---2--2--|-4---4---2---2---|
|-5--5--2--2--|-(2)--(2)--0--0--|-----------------|
|-------------|--0----0---------|-----------------|
|-------------|-----------------|-3--(3)--3--(3)--|
C Cm6 G/DB7/Em7 A7 D7
2/4
|-0--0--3--3--|-3--2--3--3--|------2--|
|-1--1--4--4--|-3--0--3--3--|--2---1--|
|-0--0--2--2--|-4--2--4--4--|--0---2--|
|-2--2--------|-0--1--2--2--|-(2)--0--|
|-3--3--3--3--|-------------|--0------|
|-------------|-------------|---------|
G D7/F# Em7 Bm7 C G D/F#
4/4
|-------------------||-------2-----2-----|-0--0---------3------|
|-3---3----3----3---||-3--3--3-----3-----|-1--1---------3--3---|
|-4---4----2----2---||-0--0--2-----2-----|-0--0---------0--2---|
|---------(0)--(0)--||-2--2--4-----4-----|-2--2-(0)-----0--4---|
|-------------------||-2--2--2-(2)-2-----|-3--3-----(3)------2-|
|-3--(3)---2---(2)--||-0--0----------(3)-|--------------3--2---|
Em7 Em C G D/F# Em7 Bm7
|--------------0---------0---------|-3---------3-----------|-3--3--2--2---|
|-3---------0--1---------1---------|-3-(3)-----3---3---3---|-3--3--3--3---|
|-0-(0)-----0--0---------0-----(0)-|-4---------4---2---2---|-4--4--2--2---|
|-2-----(2)-2--2-(0)-----2-(0)-----|-5---------5-5-4-4-4-4-|-2--2--4--4---|
|-2---------2--3-----(3)-3---------|-5-----(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-------2--2---|
|-0---------0----------------------|-3---------3-3-2---2---|------------3-|
C G Em7 A7
|-0---0---3--3--|-----------------|
|-1---1---3--3--|-3--3-(0)-2----2-|
|-0---0---0--0--|-0--0-----0--0-0-|
|-2---2-0-0--0--|-2--2-----2--2---|
|-3-3-3---x--x--|-2--2-----0--0---|
|---------3--3--|-0--0------------|
Am7/D D7 G Dm7/G C G/Am7
|-0--0---2--2---|-3--3---1-------|-0--0--0-------|
|-1--1---1--1---|-0--0---1---1---|-1--1--1---3-1-|
|-0--0---2--2---|-0--0---2---2-2-|-0--0--0---0-0-|
|-0--0---0--0-0-|-0--0-0-0-0-0---|-2--2--2---0-2-|
|------0--------|-2--2---x---x---|-3--3--3-3-2-0-|
|---------------|-3--3---3---3---|---------------|
G D/FEm7 A7 D7
|----------------|-----------------------|
|-0--3--3--3-----|-2----2----------------|
|-0--2--0--0-----|-0--0---5---5------(0)-|
|-0--0--2--2-(2)-|-2--2---4---2--(2)-----|
|-2-----2--2-----|-0--0---5--(5)---------|
|-3--2--0--0-----|-----------------------|
G Dm7/G C G/Am7
|-------------|-0--0--0---------|
|-0--0--1--1--|-1--1--1-----3-1-|
|-0--0--2--2--|-0--0--0-----0-0-|
|-0--0--0--0--|-2--2--2-----0-2-|
|-2--2--------|-3--3--3-(3)-2-0-|
|-3--3--3--3--|-----------------|
G B7/Em7 A7 D7 G D7/F#
2/4 4/4
|-------0--(0)---|----2--|-3--3-------------------------------|
|-0--4--3---3--0-|-2--1--|-0--0-----0-3-------------3---------|
|-0--2--0---0--0-|-0--2--|-0--0---0---2-------------2---------|
|-0--4--2---2--2-|-2--0--|-0--0-0-----4---------(4)-4-----(4)-|
|-2--2--2---2----|-0-----|-2--2-------5-----(5)-----5-(5)-----|
|-3--2--0---0----|-------|-3--3-------2-(2)---------2---------|
Em Bm7 C G Bm7/F# Em7 C G
|-0--0--2--2--|-0--0-----------|-0--0--0--0---------|-3--3--3--3--|
|-3--3--3--3--|-1--1--0--3-(0)-|-3--3--1--1---------|-0--0--0--0--|
|-0--0--2--2--|-0--0--0--2-----|-0--0--0--0---------|-0--0--0--0--|
|-2--2--4--4--|-2--2--0--4-----|-2--2--2--2-(0)-(2)-|-0--0--0--0--|
|-2--2--2--2--|-3--3--2--5-----|-2--2--3--3---------|-2--2--2--2--|
|-0--0--------|-------3--2-----|-0--0---------------|-3--3--3--3--|
Em7 Bm7 C G
|-0--0--2--2--|-0--0--3--3--|
|-3--3--3--3--|-1--1--0--0--|
|-0--0--2--2--|-0--0--0--0--|
|-2--2--4--4--|-2--2--0--0--|
|-2--2--2--2--|-3--3--2--2--|
|-0--0--------|-------3--3--|
Am7 Dsus4 D7
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-------5------------|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|---8-8-8--8--7--7-7-|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|---5-5-5--5--5--5-5-|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|---7-7-7--7--7--7-7-|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-5-5-5-5-(5)-5--5-5-|
|-------------------------|--------------------|
G Dm7Bm7 C Cm6 G B7/Em A7 D7
|-3--3--1--1--|-0--------------------|-------0--0--|-------2--2----|
|-0--0--1--3--|-1--1--4----4---------|-0--0--0--0--|-2--2--1--1----|
|-0--0--2--2--|-0--0--2----2---------|-0--2--0--0--|-0--0--2--2----|
|-0--0--------|-2--2--1----1---------|-0--1--2--2--|-2--2--0--0----|
|-2--2--0--2--|-3--3--3----3---------|-2-----2--2--|-0--0----------|
|-3--3--------|----------------------|-3--2--0--0--|---------------|
|
| Gtr II
|-------------|-----------10-8-------|-7-----------|---------------|
|-------------|----------------10-11-|-8-----------|---------------|
|-------------|---------8------------|-7-----------|---------------|
|-------------|----------------------|-9-----------|---------------|
|-------------|----------------------|-------------|---------------|
|-------------|----------------------|-------------|---------------|
G Dm7/Bm7 C Cm6
|----------------1--1--|-0--0-----------------------|
|-0--0-----------1--3--|-1--1---4---------4---------|
|-0--0-----------2--2--|-0--0---2---------2---------|
|-0--0-----------------|-2--2---1---------1---------|
|-2--2-----------0--2--|-3--3---3---------3---------|
|-3--3-----------------|----------------------------|
|
|----------------------|------8-8---11---10p8-------|
|------11b12r11-10-----|----------8----8------10-11-|
|------11b12-11-10-----|----------------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------------|
G B7/Em C G/B Am7
|--3--2--0--0--|-0--(3)--(3)--(3)---|
|--0--4--0--0--|-1---3----1----1----|
|--0--2--0--0--|-0---0----0----0----|
|--0--4--2--2--|-2---0----2----2----|
|--2--2--2--2--|-3---2----0----0----|
|--3--2--0--0--|--------------------|
|
|--------------|--------------------|
|--8-----------|--------------------|
|--7-----------|--------------------|
|--9-----------|--------------------|
|-10-----------|--------------------|
|--------------|--------------------|
G B7/Em(A) D7sus4
|-3--2--0----|--3-----|
|-3--0--0----|--5-----|
|-4--2--0----|--5-----|
|-0--1--2----|--0-----|
|-------2----|-(0)----|
|-------0----|--------|
H.=H
G G7 C Cm6 G
|-------10----12-(12)-10-------|--------------------------|------*|
|-10h12----12-12-(12)----12----|-----8---10-(10)-8-8-8----|-0----*|
|----12-------10-(10)-------12-|-8h9---9--8--(8)----------|-0----*|
|----12------------------------|-----------------------10-|-0----*|
|----10-------10-(10)----------|--------------------------|-2----*|
|------------------------------|---8------8--(8)----------|-3----*|
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
Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
Ian Professional |
#1 by Ian Murphy at Sep 26, 2007 at 4:05 AM EST |
| could be about someone who needs to settle down before they get left on the shelf | |
|
No Picture
sean Wanna Be |
#2 by sean bradly at Sep 26, 2007 at 4:16 AM EST |
| I think that this means that there is a woman who loves this man she calls Desperado, but he won't accept the love that is waiting for him. She is not going to wait forever though. I have recordings of this song by the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt and Johnny Rodriguez. All three are unique and good. | |
|
No Picture
Joanne Average |
#3 by Joanne Mackenzie at Sep 26, 2007 at 11:09 AM EST |
| "don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy, she'll beat you if she's able, you know the Queen of hearts is always your best bet" - i think this means that he must win her over with emotions and feelings,rather than material gifts. | |
|
No Picture
Levi Rhythm Player |
#4 by Levi Knoebel at Sep 26, 2007 at 12:26 PM EST |
| I have always taken this song to be both the go for the queen of hearts girl that loves you for you, not the queen of diamonds that only loves your money, and about having to get out there and take risk in order to really live life. | |
|
No Picture
Frank Wanna Be |
#5 by Frank at Sep 27, 2007 at 2:50 PM EST |
| It's a reflection piece about a man who is afraid of love and being loved and the song is just telling 'desperado' to settle down with a Queen of hearts (Genuine girl) instead of The Queen of Diamonds (materialistic girl?) | |
|
No Picture
Im Hearing Voic Average |
#6 by Im Hearing Voices As The Wind Blows at Sep 27, 2007 at 7:27 PM EST |
| This song is about a drug addict...... | |
|
No Picture
Daniel Rhythm Player |
#7 by Daniel Baxter at Sep 27, 2007 at 10:09 PM EST |
| i think its definately about a father telling a son to quit his destructive ways and to settle down. whatever it means, it is one of the best eagles songs ever, the Hell Freezes over version is absolutely flaweless | |
|
No Picture
Never Speak A W Wanna Be |
#8 by Never Speak A Word Again I Will Crawl Away For Good at Sep 28, 2007 at 11:06 PM EST |
| it's about love and life and how you have to go through life loving the queen of hearts instead of the queen of diamonds...just to reinterate what's already been said | |
|
No Picture
Casey Average |
#9 by Casey at Sep 29, 2007 at 4:05 AM EST |
| The "Desparado" is a freespirit who is afraid to love. Amazing song! | |
|
No Picture
Bob Wanna Be |
#10 by Bob at Sep 29, 2007 at 7:19 AM EST |
| i think that this song his bout a person that is affraid to fall in love with some1 and the person wont wait around for it to happen. | |
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No Picture
Senour Average |
#11 by Senour Dakota at Sep 29, 2007 at 3:05 PM EST |
| ok tankbowens and longliverrocknroll2, it's not about any kind of drug addiction and i think everyone else is thinks that it's not so i agree with them. this song is really beautiful and it's amazing. eagles are the best band. | |
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No Picture
Hudson Lead Player |
#12 by Hudson Ryan at Sep 30, 2007 at 4:24 AM EST |
| I think it's about a troubled young man who needs to grow up and learn what's wrong and what's right. It's telling him to grow up and leave all that negative stuff behind. | |
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No Picture
David Average |
#13 by David Turner at Oct 1, 2007 at 11:40 AM EST |
| I think this song is about a woman ( or a man ) who is afraid to let herself fall in love and let herself be loved. In the first verse it says "i know that you got your reasons"...referring to reasons why she won't let herself be in love, maybe because she was hurt before...that is her reason. Then there is this one person (the singer) who is in love with her whom she keeps overlooking, waiting for something better or perhaps she can't see through the "rain" (her previous pain) that this person(the singer) is waiting to love her. If she would "come down from your fences", or let go of her insecurities and let herself go, then maybe she will see the rainbow through the clouds and let herself be loved. | |
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No Picture
keith Wanna Be |
#14 by keith mckinlay at Oct 2, 2007 at 3:42 AM EST |
| this song is about a cocaine addiction for the most part. "on the fence" is an old way of saying youre high on cocaine. "come down from your fences" means come down off of cocaine and clean up. also lines like "i know that u've got your reasons, these things that are pleasing u, can hurt u somehow" obviously that means these drugs that make u feel good can hurt u in the end, but then it talks about the queen of diamonds and so forth which is definately love | |
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No Picture
slapslappopslap Badass |
#15 by slapslappopslap at Oct 2, 2007 at 8:25 AM EST |
| This is such a beatiful song. Henley's singing in this song is probably one of the greatest ever recorded. I heard he won't let the Eagles play this song unless he is there to sing it. | |
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No Picture
Tony Average |
#16 by Tony at Oct 2, 2007 at 3:04 PM EST |
| "...it was written for a freind of his(Henleys) whose name was Leo. And so the song started out 'Leo, my God, why don't you come to your senses. You've been out ridin' fences for so long now.'" -Glenn Frey hmm, doesn't sound like a cocaine song to me... | |
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No Picture
anthony Average |
#17 by anthony clark at Oct 2, 2007 at 9:27 PM EST |
| I think this song can reflect an individual by and of itself without the relation to a certain someone, except in general. It could be becoming aware of how you are when it comes to love like the line "your loosin' all your highs and lows, aint it funny how the feeling goes away?" or "your prison is walking through this world all alone" such a fabulous song. | |
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No Picture
keith Wanna Be |
#18 by keith mckinlay at Oct 3, 2007 at 4:55 AM EST |
| This song is kind of like Kenny Rogers's The Gambler, where card games are a metaphor for life. Here, we have the same wise man of the world using cards (and the country/frontier life) as a metaphor for love. I think the metaphor is built on a contrast; the card player is always a guarded individual, emotionally, and thus successful (the poker face). Come down from your fences/open the gate is a recommendation from the older man (who has clearly loved and lost) to the younger man to reveal his feelings. | |
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No Picture
Shreder Dude Wanna Be |
#19 by Shreder Dude at Oct 3, 2007 at 12:27 PM EST |
| this song's about me :) I think that the song is about a young man whose standards are too high. a lot of ladies he's met could be his, but he either thinks he can't get with them or there's something about them that's not quite perfect. so he always chases the women he can't have (married, higher up on the popularity ladder, etc.) | |
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No Picture
The Random Rock Average |
#20 by The Random Rocker at Oct 3, 2007 at 6:37 PM EST |
| Has anybody seen "In America" when the little girl sings this to her father - very effective. Lovely film. 1 2 3 Next | |
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No Picture
health risk Average |
#21 by health risk at Oct 4, 2007 at 2:06 AM EST |
| I think this is a song about a man who won't grow up, a man who wants all the wrong things. He's immersed himself in the materialistic, quick pleasures of life. The expense of this is that no one can get too close. Like so many young men, he clings to the idea of freedom, afraid of giving his independence to someone who could abuse him. Afraid to open his heart to the possibility of breaking. God, I love this song. While Clint Black (?) mastered this song on Common Thread, it could never measure up to the original. Henley is in a class of his own. You can't have-a de mango! | |
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No Picture
Dave Wanna Be |
#22 by Dave Bitches!!!! at Oct 4, 2007 at 2:52 PM EST |
| I think this song is about a young man that won't let love into his life, and the pain and hunger that he feels for love will cause him even more pain later in life if he doesn't let anyone in now. | |
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No Picture
leith Wanna Be |
#23 by leith petrie at Oct 5, 2007 at 1:23 PM EST |
| had to post it up here cuz of my name awesome song i think its about i guy with too high a standards or he just wants girls that are totally outta his league | |
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No Picture
shareef Average |
#24 by shareef turner at Oct 5, 2007 at 11:10 PM EST |
| it's about the wirter giving advice to a boy. The advice between the queen of hearts and diamonds is about the types of women in this world. you have to find the queen of hearts or the one that loves you for who you are, not the queen of diamonds who only cares whatsw in your bank. he also leaves messages about life: fine things have been put upon your table but you only want the ones you can't get (its funny how people are like that); let somebody love you before it's too late | |
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No Picture
eric Rhythm Player |
#25 by eric morgan at Oct 6, 2007 at 11:08 AM EST |
| yeah i think its about like, loving the wrong woman. The Queen of Diamonds is like, the woman who uses the man for money but the queen of hearts is the woman who truly loves the man. But the desperado is in love with the woman of diamonds. Sad song, but its great | |
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