Born Under A Bad Sign

(Cream version)

Words & Music:

Booker T. Jones & William Bell

This is a basic blues in G. The tabs reflect the Cream version of this song. Albert King also has a famous cover of this, but is not the songwriter. This is transcribed in Guitar World.

INTRO:

Bass:

e-------------------------------|

b-------------------------------|

g---------3b4-------------------| [repeat this under guitar solo bits]

d-----3-5------5-------3--------|

a-3-5--------------3-5---1b2----|

E-----------------------------3-|

Guitar 1:

e--------------------------------------------------------3-------------|

b-13b15~~-------------13b15~~---11-13-11b12----------------6p3---------|

g-------------12~~~--------------------------12~--10b12--------5--3b4--|

d----------------------------------------------------------------------|

a----------------------------------------------------------------------|

E----------------------------------------------------------------------|

CHORUS: [play intro bits & fills given below under this]

Born under a bad sign. I've been down since I began to crawl.

e-----------------------------------|

b----------6--6---6--6--------------|

g----------5--5---5--5--------------|

d----------4--4---4--4---3b4--------|

a-2-3-4-5--5--5---5--5--------5-4-3-|

E-----------------------------------|

D C G

If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all.

e--------3----------------|

b------3---6p3------------|

g-5b7----------5p3---3b4--|

d------------------5------|

a-------------------------|

E-------------------------|

Bad luck and trouble's my only friend. I've been down ever since I was ten.

CHORUS:

You know, wine and women is all I crave.

A big, bad woman's gonna carry me to my grave.

CHORUS:

GUITAR SOLO:

e-----------15--------------------------15--------------------------|

b--------15-----18(20)-18(20)--------15----18(20)-15----------------|

g-17(19)----------------------17(19)-----------------17-15(16)------|

d--------------------------------------------------------------17~~-|

a-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e-----------15----------18(20)-15--------------------------------------|

b--------15----18(20)-------------18-15-18(20)--18-15------------------|

g-17(19)----------------------------------------------17-15(16)--------|

d---------------------------------------------------------------17-17~-|

a----------------------------------------------------------------------|

E----------------------------------------------------------------------|

e-----------15-----------------------------15-------------------|

b--------15----18p15----15-18(20)----18(20)--(20)18p15-18(20)~~-|

g-17(19)-------------17-----------------------------------------|

d---------------------------------------------------------------|

a---------------------------------------------------------------|

E---------------------------------------------------------------|

e-18p15-20(22)-20(22)---18(19)---15-------15~-18p15h18-15\-|

b--------------------20------------18(20)------------------|

g----------------------------------------------------------|

d----------------------------------------------------------|

a----------------------------------------------------------|

E----------------------------------------------------------|

e---------15-----------------------|

b-------15--18p15------------------|

g-17(19)---------17(19)-15(16)-----|

d------------------------------17\-|

a----------------------------------|

E----------------------------------|

e-------------------------------------------------------------|

b--------------------------16(18)-16(18)-(18)--11(12)---------|

g-----12-----12-12-12-12------------------------------12-12~--|

d-/14----14---------------------------------------------------|

a-------------------------------------------------------------|

E-------------------------------------------------------------|

e----------------------------3-----------------|

b-3-6p3-----3------------------6p3-------------|

g-------5(7)--5-3(4)----5(7)-------5-3(4)------|

d--------------------5--------------------5-5~-|

a----------------------------------------------|

E----------------------------------------------|

Bad luck and trouble's my only friend

I've been down ever since I was ten

CHORUS: [repeat last two lines 2x - then solo & out over intro]

[some sample fills: played in verses and chorus after solo]

e-----------------------| e-----------------------|

b-----11-13-13(15)------| b-13(15)-13(15)----11~~-|

g-/12--------------12~~-| g---------------12------|

d-----------------------| d-----------------------|

a-----------------------| a-----------------------|

E-----------------------| E-----------------------|

e----------15-------------------------|

b-------15----18p15-------------------|

g-17(19)------------17(19)-15(16)-----|

d---------------------------------17~-|

a-------------------------------------|

E-------------------------------------|