Take It Or Leave It Tab

by The Strokes
42,321 views, added to favorites 674 times
Difficulty: beginner
Capo: no capo
Author Pelusteriano [pro] 5,328. Last edit on Aug 24, 2014
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Check out the tab
*-------------------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------------------*
*-This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song.-*
*-------You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.-------*
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
 
Released on July 30th 2001, "Take It Or Leave It" is the final track of the
Strokes' debut album "Is This It". It may be one of the easiest tracks to play
in the whole album, but one of the most powerful ones.
 
Tabbed by Pelusteriano
Contact at my UG profile
Lyrics by Julian Casablancas (official lyrics)
Music by the Strokes
Key of C, tempo 4/4, 125 bpm
===============================================================================
 
 INTRO
 
 Rhythm gtr. Nick Valensi
| E5 Eb5  D5    C5
|-------|-----|------|
|-------|-----|------|
|-9--8--|-7---|-5----|
|-7--6--|-5---|-3----|
|-7--6--|-5---|-3----|
|-------|-----|------|
|
|Lead gtr. Albert Hammond Jr.
|-------|-----|------|
|-------|-----|------|
|-9--8--|-7---|-5vvv-|
|-------|-----|------|
|-------|-----|------|
|-------|-----|------|
 
 
    C5                Bb5               D5
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
|| -3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1///5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|                         slide between these chords
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-o||
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2
 
 
 VERSE I
 
    C5                Bb5               D5
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
|| -3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1///5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2
|                         slide between these chords
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-o||
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2
 
C               Bb              Dm
Leave me alone, I'm in control, I'm in control
    C                       Bb                  Dm
And girls act too much, and boys act too much, enough is enough
 
 
 PRE-CHORUS
 
  C                   Bb                D
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------9---------|-------7---------|-------7---------|-------7---------|
|----10------10--10-|---8------8---8--|---7------7---7--|---7------7---7--|
|-10----10-----10---|-8---8------8----|-5---5------5----|-5---5------5----|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|
|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-12-12--9-10-10--|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
     C               Bb          Dm
Well on the minds of other men, I know she was
 
 
 CHORUS
 
    C5                Bb5               D5                                         C5
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  || ----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  || ----------------- ||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||  ||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||  ||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||
|| -3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1///5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5- ||  || -3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2|| ----------------- ||x4
|                         slide between these chords
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  || ----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  || ----------------- ||
||o-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-o||  ||o-9-12-12-9-10-10-o||
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||  ||o-----------------o||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  || ----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2|| ----------------- ||x4
 
            C                       Bb
I said just take it or leave it and take it or leave it
    Dm
And take it or leave it, and take it or leave it
         C                       Bb
Oh, just take it or leave it and take it or leave it
   Dm       C
Oh take it
 
 
 BRIDGE                                 ________________        _______
                                       |1-5.                   |6.
    E5      Eb5       D5                C5
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |-----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |-----------------|
||o-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||  |-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
||o-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||  |-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|| -7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3- ||  |-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x6|-----------------|
|
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |-----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |-----------------|
||o-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||  |-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||  |-----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |-----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x6|-----------------|
 
                  E   Eb  D--C
I say, he's gonna let you down
           E   Eb  D--C             E   Eb  D--C
He's gonna let you down, he's gonna let you down
          E     Eb   D           C
And gonna break your back, for a chance
 
          E     Eb   D              C
And gonna steal your friends, if he can
           E   Eb  D
He's gonna win someday
 
 
 VERSE II (play figure once before verse)
 
    C5                Bb5               D5
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
|| -3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1///5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x3
|                         slide between these chords
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-o||
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x3
 
  C                       Bb
I fell off the track, now I can't go back
Dm
I'm not like that
C                  Bb
Boys act too much, girls act too tough
 Dm
Enough is enough
 
 
 PRE-CHORUS
 
  C                   Bb                D
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------9---------|-------7---------|-------7---------|-------7---------|
|----10------10--10-|---8------8---8--|---7------7---7--|---7------7---7--|
|-10----10-----10---|-8---8------8----|-5---5------5----|-5---5------5----|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|
|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-12-12--9-10-10--|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
     C               Bb             Dm
Well on the minds of other girls, I know he was
 
 
 CHORUS
                                         _________________________________
                                        |1.
    C5                Bb5               D5
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3///7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-o||
|| -3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1///5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2
|                         slide between these chords
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
||o-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-|-9-12-12-9-10-10-o||
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||
|| -----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x2
 
  _______________
 |2.
  D5
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|
|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-10vvvvvv------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
 
            C                       Bb
I said just take it or leave it and take it or leave it
    Dm
And take it or leave it, and take it or leave it
         C                       Bb
Oh, just take it or leave it and take it or leave it
   Dm
Oh take it
 
 
 PRE-SOLO
 
    C5          G#5
|| --------------- ||
|| --------------- ||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-0---o||
||o-5-5-5-5-5-0-6-o||
|| -3-3-3-3-3-0-6- ||
|| -------------4- ||x3
 
 
 SOLO (rhythm guitar keeps playing chords from PRE-SOLO)
 
                  full & fast bends                                                  full & slow bend
|---------X---8-|-8---8---8---8---8---8---8---8---|-8---8---8---8---8---8---11p8---|---------------|
|---------------|-11b-11b-11b-11b-11b-11b-11b-11b-|-11b-11b-11b-11b-11b-11b------8-|-11b-----------|
|---------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------|
 
                   hold full bend
|---------8-8-8-|| -----8-----8-----|-8-----8-----8--11h8--- ||  || ------|--------- ||
|---------------|| -11b---11b---11b-|---11b---11b---------8- ||  || -8vvv-|---11vvv- ||
|---------------||o-----------------|-----------------------o||  ||o------|---------o||
|---------------||o-----------------|-----------------------o||  ||o------|---------o||
|---------------|| -----------------|----------------------- ||  || ------|--------- ||
|---------------|| -----------------|----------------------- ||x2|| ------|--------- ||x2
 
  let ring
|| -8---8---11--11--- ||  || -8-8-8-8-11-11-11-11- ||  |-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-|
|| ---8---8---10--10- ||  || -8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10- ||  |-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-|
||o------------------o||  ||o---------------------o||  |-----------------|
||o------------------o||  ||o---------------------o||  |-----------------|
|| ------------------ ||  || --------------------- ||  |-----------------|
|| ------------------ ||x4|| --------------------- ||X3|-----------------|
                                                         Oh that's right!
 
 BRIDGE
 
    E5      Eb5       D5                C5                     C5         G#5   C5          G#5
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |----------------|----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |----------------|----------------|
||o-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||  |-5-5-5-5-5-0----|-5-5-5-5-5-0----|
||o-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||  |-5-5-5-5-5-0-6--|-5-5-5-5-5-0-6--|
|| -7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3- ||  |-3-3-3-3-3-0-6--|-3-3-3-3-3-0-6--|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x6|-------------4--|-------------4--|
|
|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |----------------|----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |----------------|----------------|
||o-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-o||  |----------------|----------------|
||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||  |----------------|----------------|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||  |-3-3-3-3-3-3----|-3-3-3-3-3-3----|
|| -----------------|-----------------|----------------- ||x6|-------------4--|-------------4--|
 
           E   Eb   D--C
He's gonna let you down
           E   Eb  D--C             E   Eb  D--C
He's gonna let you down, he's gonna let you down
          E     Eb   D           C
And gonna break your back, for a chance
          E     Eb   D              C
And gonna steal your friends, if he can
           E   Eb  D               C5-G#5  C5--G#5
He's gonna win someday, oh he will
 
 
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Take It Or Leave It – The Strokes
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2 comments
mawboi
that D5/Dm isn't a first inversion Bb?
0