Give Me One Reason Tab

by Tracy Chapman
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Notes:
~~~~~
        Hi. This is my TAB of Tracy Chapman's 'Give Me One Reason'. This is a
 great, yet very simple blues song. A previous posting showed the song in a
 straight 12 bar blues progresson in E, and I posted a version exactly like
 this one in G, however, the song is played in F#. A couple of people tipped
 me on the fact that it's supposed to be in F#, so thanks! I have tabbed the
 chords in plain majors, however, you can make each a 7th to add a bit of a
 more bluesy sound.
 
        The main riff (Fig. 1) is played throughout the entire song, verse,
 chorus, solo, everything. The high strikes of the chords should be played
 'up strokes' and the muted parts of the chords should be played with
 'down strokes'. This is another part of the tab which I messed up a little
 because I reversed the symbols on the Figure. Check the key again and match
 it to Fig. 1. Speaking of the solo, I have not posted it, nor have I
 posted the little fills between the different lines of the verse. I figured
 that it is more fun to play your own fills, and add your own solo.
 Improvisation is a big part of my playing, so I will only post what is in
 the actual song.
 
 
 * Standard Tuning
 * Slow Blues
 
 
[Intro]
 
               Fig. 1
                   F#                B          C#          F#
e|-----------||-----2-----2--x--|--------2-------4--x--|--------2-----2--x--\-|
B|-----------||-----2-----2--x--|--------4-------6--x--|--------2-----2--x----|
G|-----------||-----3-----3--x--|--------4-------6--x--|--------3-----3--x----|
D|-----------||-----4-----4--x--|----------------------|--------4-----4--x----|
A|-----------||-----------------|--0--2-----/-4--------|----------------------|
E|--0--0--0--||--2-----2--------|----------------------|--0--2-----2----------|
                    ^     ^  v           ^       ^  v           ^     ^  v
 
      F#                   B                               C#
e|--------2-----2--x--|--------2-----2--x--|--------2-------4--x--\-|
B|--------2-----2--x--|--------4-----4--x--|--------4-------6--x----|
G|--------3-----3--x--|--------4-----4--x--|--------4-------6--x----|
D|--------4-----4--x--|--------------------|------------------------|
A|--------------------|--0--2-----2--------|--0--2-----/-4----------|
E|--0--2-----2--------|--------------------|------------------------|
          ^     ^  v           ^     ^  v           ^       ^  v
 
      F#                                        C#
e|--------2-----2--x--|--------2-----2--x--|--------4-----4--x--\-|
B|--------2-----2--x--|--------2-----2--x--|--------6-----6--x----|
G|--------3-----3--x--|--------3-----3--x--|--------6-----6--x----|
D|--------4-----4--x--|--------4-----4--x--|----------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--0--4-----4----------|
E|--0--2-----2--------|--0--2-----2--------|----------------------|
          ^     ^  v           ^     ^  v           ^     ^  v
 
                                                          End Fig. 1
      B                    F#
e|--------2-----2--x--|--------2-----2--x--|--------2-----2--x--|\-|
B|--------4-----4--x--|--------3-----3--x--|--------3-----3--x-----|
G|--------4-----4--x--|--------4-----4--x--|--------4-----4--x-----|
D|--------------------|--------4-----4--x--|--------4-----4--x-----|
A|--0--2-----2--------|--------------------|-----------------------|
E|--------------------|--0--2-----2--------|--0--2-----2-----------|
          ^     ^  v           ^     ^  v           ^     ^  v
 
[Chorus] (w/Fig. 1)
 
 
 F#                              B        C#                  F#
 Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn my back a - round...
 B                                        C#                  F#
 Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn my back a - round...
        C#
 Said I don't want to leave you lonely,
 B                                   F#
 you've got to make me change my mind...
 
 
 
Aditional Lyrics and Song Construction:
 
 
[Verse 1]
 
 Baby I got your number, and I know that you've got mine
 You know that I called you, I called too many times
 You can call me baby, you can call me anytime, you got to call me
 
 
[Chorus]
 
 F#                              B        C#                  F#
 Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn my back a - round...
 B                                        C#                  F#
 Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn my back a - round...
        C#
 Said I don't want to leave you lonely,
 B                                   F#
 you've got to make me change my mind...
 
 
[Verse 2]
 
 I don't want no-one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
 I don't want no-one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
 I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night
 
 
[Solo]
 
 
[Verse 3]
 
 This youthful heart can love you, yes and give you what you need
 This youthful heart can love you, and give you what you need
 But I'm too old to go chasing you around, wasting my precious energy
 
 
[Chorus]
 
 F#                              B        C#                  F#
 Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn my back a - round...
 B                                        C#                  F#
 Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn my back a - round...
        C#
 Said I don't want to leave you lonely,
 B                                   F#
 you've got to make me change my mind...
 
 
[Outro Chorus]
 
Baby just give me one reason, give me just one reason why
Baby just give me one reason, give me just one reason why (I should stay)
Said I told you that I love you and there ain't no more to say
 
 
[Ending: Riff 1]
 
Riff 1:
 
e|--17--14----------------------------------\-|
B|----------17--14----------------------------|
G|------------------16--14--------------------|
D|--------------------------(14)-h-16~~~~~----|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
 
 
************************************
 
 x = Muted String
 / = Slide Up
 \ = Slide Down
 v = Down Stroke
 ^ = Up Stroke
 
************************************
X
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Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman
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4 comments
fencerider55
Very good , Thanks . When a "self- taught" as Myself picks it up, you explained well.
0
crockettnate
Great tab!!! Thanks for putting it together
0
tomxlr8
Love this tab. Love playing to this song with this tab.
0