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John Butler Trio Betterman Guitar Tab

#-----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE------------------------------#
# This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation #
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#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#
---- Betterman (Complete) ----

Music & Lyrics by John Butler
From the album "Three" ('2002) By The John Butler Trio


Tabbed by - sarah martin littlejimmypage@hotmail.com
Tuning Open C - C G C G C E

This is basically some improvisation and additions to the Walker/Prince tab
originally submitted, complete with licks and the solo.. have fun with it. :)

Intro -
+ palm mute
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------5-5-5-3h5p0----
-7------------5-7-7p5---/10--------------10-12p10-12p10-------5-5-5----------
--7*-----5/7-----------7-/10--------10/12-----------------12------------------
---7*--------------------/10--------------------------------------------------
??mm no.

--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------
-3-5---5-7-7-7-------5---------|------------5-7-7p5----10--10-10-------------
----------7-7-7---5h7---7-5h7p5-|--------5/7---------7--10--10-10-------------
----------------7---------------|-7-7-7-----------------10--10-10-------------


-------------------------|----------------------------------------------------
-------------------------|--------------------------5h7p5---------------------
-------10-12h10-12h10----|-5-5-5-5-3h5p0------------------7p5p3-3h5p3---------
-10----10-12h10-12h10-10-|-5-5-5--------5-5-5/7-7-7-------------------5------
-10h12----------------12-|-5-5-5----------------------------------------------
-------------------------|----------------------------------------------------

* With Slide

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---******-------------------********-----------------------------------------
---/7-7-7------------------/10-10-10-------10-12h10-12h10--------------------
---/7-7-7------5-7-7p5-----/10-10-10-10----10-12h10-12h10-10-----------------
---/7-7-7--5h7---------7---/10-10-10-10h12----------------12-----------------
---/7-7-7------------------/10-10-10-----------------------------------------

---******------------------------------------|-------------------------------
---/5-5-5------------------------------------|-------------------------------
---/5-5-5--5-3h5p3---------------------------|------------Repeat-------------
---/5-5-5---------5-5-5/7-7-7------5---------|-------------------------------
---/5-5-5----------------------5h7---7-5h7p5-|-------------------------------
---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------

VERSE

John uses a glass slide on his little finger.

-/ indicates upward slide

Basic riff:

E-/7--7-7---/10--10-10---/5--5-5---/7--7-7
C-/7--7-7---/10--10-10---/5--5-5---/7--7-7
G-/7--7-7---/10--10-10---/5--5-5---/7--7-7
C-/7--7-7---/10--10-10---/5--5-5---/7--7-7
G-/7--7-7---/10--10-10---/5--5-5---/7--7-7
C-/7--7-7---/10--10-10---/5--5-5---/7--7-7

then:
"Don't want to be a thorn in your side..."

E-3-3-3----10-10-10----5-5-5-5-5-5
C-3-3-3----10-10-10----5-5-5-5-5-5
G-3-3-3----10-10-10----5-5-5-5-5-5
C-3-3-3----10-10-10----5-5-5-5-5-5
G-3-3-3----10-10-10----5-5-5-5-5-5
C-3-3-3----10-10-10----5-5-5-5-5-5

This is the instrumental part with the lil licks

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------5-7----------------/12-10-12-10--------------------------
-/7--7-7--/7-----5--/10--10-10----------------/5--5-5--5p3p0h5--------
-/7--7-7------------/10--10-10----------------/5--5-5----------5-5-5--
-/7--7-7------------/10--10-10----------------/5--5-5-----------------
-/7--7-7------------/10--10-10----------------/5--5-5-----------------

-------------------|--------------------------------------------------
-------------------|-----------------------------/12-10-12-10---------
-/7--7-7-----------|-7--7-7--5p3p0h5--------/10-----------------------
-/7--7-7-----5-7---|-7--7-7----------5-7-7--/10-----------------------
-/7--7-7--/7-----5-|-7--7-7-----------------/10-----------------------
-/7--7-7-----------|-7--7-7-----------------/10-----------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-/5--5-5-5p3p0h5--------/7--~-----------------------------------------
-/5--5-5---------5-5-5--/7--~-----------------------------------------
-/5--5-5----------------/7--~-----------------------------------------
-/5--5-5----------------/7--~-----------------------------------------

~The Huge Ass Solo~ (i got a video of john playin betterman on rage
and i gotta make some corrections,)

-----------------6p5--------------------------------------------------
-(2)-/--7--~--------5-------------------------------------------------
-(2)-/-(7)-~-----------53p0------------------------------------------
--2--/-(7)-~-------------------5/7~-----------7h10--12~---------------
----------------------------------------/7-10-------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------12~------------
-12^14^12h10-----12^14^12h10-----12^14^12h10-----10-12----------------
-------------12--------------12---------------12----------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-10p9--------(7)~-------------5-5-----------------/(7)--5--5h7--------
-----10-------7-~-----7-7^8^7-----7-5-8-8-5-7-----/-7-----------------
--------(12)----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-12---12---12---12^14^12h10-------------------------------------------
---12---12---12-------------12-10-10h12~-----3h5-5-5p3h5p3-5^6^5-3-5--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
john plays the above part
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------5----5----7-
-3h5-5-5p3h5p3-5^6^5-3-5---3h5-5-5p3h5p3-5^6^5-3-5----3h5--5h7--5/7---
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
on the 12th frets instead of how i've tabbed it here. its easier.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------5-5h7-10-12-12-12^14^12-10----10-----
-3h5-5-5p3h5p3-5^6^5-3-5-----3h5----------------------------12--------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------13--13-13x13-13x13-----/15-13------------------
-12-12p10----10-12-/14-----14-14x14-14x14------------14-12-10-12p10---
----------12--------------------------------------------12-10------12-
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

-/15-13-----------------/15-13----------------------------------------
--------14-1210----12---------14----10----10-12--12-10-12p10----10--
-----------1210-10-12------------12-10-12-10-12--------------12p10--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------/13-10--------------------------------
-7---------7--------5---7h10-------12-10h12p10---(7)---------------
-7---------7--------5----------------------------(7)---------------
-7---------7--------5-----------------------------7-(slow)--------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

this is the bass bit but its fun to play
anyhows so why not tab it :) play with lots n lots of slide
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------3~---3p0/5~---3-5/7-5-3/53---------------3-3-3----------
-/7~---5--2------------------------------7~---7-7-5-7-------53/7~---


----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------7-7--7p5-7p5-7------/7-7-7-7-5---7----/10-10-10----------------
-/5-5----------------5~--------------7-----------------7-------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-/7--7-7-7-5-7-/10~---/7-7-7-7-5--------------------------------------
----------------------------------5-7-/7--5-7-5~----3-3-5/7--5-3-----
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------7~-----------------------------------------------------
-3-3-5/7--5-3---------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Back to Johnny B now:
-15-15-13-10----------------------------------------------------------
-------------12p10-------10--10h12p10----------5----------------------
-------------12----12----10-----------12-10----5--3h5p3-0-------------
-------------12----12----10-----------12-10----5----------5-----------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-7-----------------7X7--------------10X10--10h12p10----------5X5------
-7-----------------7X7-----5-5------10X10-----------12p10----5X5------
-7-5h7-------------7X7--5h7----7----10X10--------------------5X5------
-------5--5-5h7----7X7--------------10X10--------------------5X5------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------7X7-----------------------------------------------------
-3h5p3-0------7X7-----5-5---------------------------------------------
---------5----7X7--5h7----7-------------------------------------------
--------------7X7-----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Then:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-/7--7-7~-----/10--10-10~-----5--5-5~-----/7--7-7~-------------------
-/7--7-7~-----/10--10-10~-----5--5-5~-----/7--7-7~-------------------
-/7--7-7~-----/10--10-10~-----5--5-5~-----/7--7-7~-------------------
-/7--7-7~-----/10--10-10~-----5--5-5~-----/7--7-7~-------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------

|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-7~--X-X----7/10~--X-X----105~--X-X----5/7~--X-X-------------------|
|-7~--X-X----7/10~--X-X----105~--X-X----5/7~--X-X------REPEAT-------|
|-7~--X-X----7/10~--X-X----105~--X-X----5/7~--X-X-------------------|
|-7~--X-X----7/10~--X-X----105~--X-X----5/7~--X-X-------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|

Key:
~ Sustain the note
^ Bend - e.g '12^14' means bend from 12 up to 14,
'14^12' is to release the note back to the 12th fret.
Downward slide
/ Upward slide
X Palm mute
* Harmonic
() Ghost note.. u don't have to play it

Its kinda rusty on the structure side but it's a start..
Listen to the cd to get the rhythms.. Any accuracy found in the tab is
purely coincidental ;)
-sarah

Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/j/john_butler_trio/265728.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
 
 
No Picture

Chris
Rhythm Player
#1 by Chris Tattooed Soul at Feb 21, 1986 at 7:29 AM EST
yer this song is great, its gotta be one of my fav JBT songs. although i think that he does love her and he just wants her to be happy and he doesnt think that hes the right man to do it, he loves her enough to want to leave her if it makes her happier even if it means hurting himself. its gold. and whats the go with no one writing anything for these guys? they are awsome! ps. shit i didnt know they were aussies! thats gold to think at least somone in my contry has done it right thats all
 
No Picture

Adam
Average
#2 by Adam at Jul 21, 1986 at 10:33 PM EST
i saw these guys with OAR. i was impressed to say the least. drumstick on a string bass...just blew my mind.
 
No Picture

Matt
Rhythm Player
#3 by Matt Hudson at Mar 30, 1993 at 5:51 PM EST
this is my definite favourite JBT song, simply brilliant. my favourite version is the one on the 'Living' live album.
 
No Picture

silent
Rhythm Player
#4 by silent support at Jul 12, 1993 at 9:47 PM EST
its about a girl he met who changed his life and taught him things about himself he then left her and is now regreting it but doesnt want to be a 'thorn in her side' john butler is one of the most underrated gutarists as proved in this song
 
No Picture

Jesse
Average
#5 by Jesse Neafsey at Jan 15, 2000 at 4:57 PM EST
Its not custom, he just took out the G string to make it easier to find his fingering. plus, this is a great song, so fast, so good.
 
No Picture

James
Wanna Be
#6 by James Pigott at Dec 25, 2000 at 1:39 AM EST
i saw these guys with OAR. i was impressed to say the least. drumstick on a string bass...just blew my mind.