Born Under A Bad Sign - Albert King
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Albert King & Cream (Eric Clapton)'s versions of "Born Under A Bad Sign"


Albert King version:

"Born under a bad sign ..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------2-------------------------2----------------------------------|
A|------2-4---4-------2---4-------2-4---4-------2---4--------------------|
E|--2-4-----------2-4---0-----2-4-----------2-4---0----------------------|


"If it wasn't for bad luck ..."
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------2----------------------------------|
A|------------------------4------2-4---4--------------------------------|
E|--1-2-3-4-4-4-3-2-2-2-0----2-4----------------------------------------|


"Hard luck and trouble's ..."
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------2------------|
A|------2-2-4-------2-2-4------2-2-4-------2-2-4-------2-4---4-etc------|
E|--2-4---------2-4---------2-4--------2-4---------2-4------------------|


Cream version:

"Born under a bad sign ..."
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------3-------------------------3-----------------------------------|
D|------3-5---5-------3-----------3-5---5-------3-------------------------|
A|--3-5-----------3-5---------3-5-----------3-5---------------------------|
E|----------------------6-3-----------------------6-3---------------------|

"If it wasn't for bad luck ..."
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------5-5-6-5-4-3-3---------------------3-------------------------|
D|----------4-4-5-4-3-2-2-----------------3-5---5-----------------------|
A|--2-3-4-5-5-5-6-5-4-3-3-3-5---3-----3-5-------------------------------|
E|----------------------------6---3-------------------------------------|

"Hard luck and trouble's ..."
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------3--------|
D|------3-3-5-------3-3-5-------3-3-5-------3-3-5-------3-5---5-etc--|
A|--3-5---------3-5---------3-5---------3-5---------3-5--------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------|



Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN

As recorded by Albert King
(From the 1967 Album BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN)

Words and Music by Booker T. Jones & William Bell

Transcribed by Slowhand


Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Albert King - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Steve Cropper - Electric Guitar'


Intro
Q=94
N.C.
4/4
Gtr I
~~~~~
W E Q. S S S S +S S S S
|----------|-----------9-------------------------|
|----------|---12b14-----12-9--------------------|
|----------|------------------11b13-(11)-11-9----|
|----------|----------------------------------11-|
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr II
| W W
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|----------|-------------------------------------|
|----------|-------------------------------------|


~~ ~~~
E. S e E S E. S E.
|---------------------13------------||
|------------12-14-------14---------||
|-9---------------------------------||
|----11-----------------------------||
|-------11--------------------------||
|-----------------------------------||
|
| Q E E E E E E
|-----------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------||
|----------------------------2b2.5--||
|-------------------2--4------------||
|----------2s=4---------------------||


Chorus
N.C.
Gtr II
~~ ~~ ~~
Q. E E E Q Q. E E E E E Q. E E E Q
|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
|---------------|--------------------|---------------|
|---------------|--------------2b2.5-|---------------|
|-4--------2----|-4--------2-4-------|-4--------2----|
|------2-4---0--|------2s4-----------|------2-4---0--|


G#7
Gtr I
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q E E +E S S S S e W
|--------------------9-----------|--------------------|
|-------12b14==(12)r---9---------|--------------------|
|------------------------11-9----|--------------------|
|-----------------------------11-|--------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------|
|
| Gtr II
| ~~
| Q. E +E Q E Q S S E E E S S E
|--------------------------------|--------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------|
|--------------------------------|----5---5-----5-----|
|--------------------------------|----4---4-----4-----|
|-4------------------------------|--------------------|
|--------1------(1)--2---------3-|-4--------4-4-----0-|


F#7 N.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e E Q H Q Q +E S S S S e
|---9---------------|--------------------9-----------------|
|-------------------|-----12b14====(12)r---9---------------|
|-------------------|------------------------11-9----------|
|-------------------|-----------------------------11-------|
|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|
| ~~
| a Q S S e Q Q Q. E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-------3-----------|--------------------------------------|
|-------2-----------|------------------------------2b2.5---|
|-------------------|-4------------------2----4------------|
|-0h2-------2-2--0--|------------2s==4---------------------|


1st Verse
N.C.
E. S E E H H Q E +E
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|-9------------------||--------------11b13-(11)-|
|----11--------------||-------------------------|
|-------11-----------||-------------------------|
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|
| ~~ ~~
| Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|--------------------||-------------------------|
|-4------------2---2-||-2h4--------2---------2--|
|----------2s4-------||--------2s4--------------|


e E Q Q S S S S H Q E E
|---------------------------|--------------9\---|
|-----------------9---------|-------------------|
|---11--------------11-9----|-------------------|
|------------------------11-|-------------------|
|---------------------------|-------------------|
|---------------------------|-------------------|
|
| ~~~ ~~
| a Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E
|---------------------------|-------------------|
|---------------------------|-------------------|
|---------------------------|-------------------|
|---------------------------|-------------------|
|-2h=4----------2------2----|-2h4--------2----2-|
|-----------2s4-------------|--------2s4--------|


Chorus
N.C.
W H Q E E
|----------------------||---------------12-|
|----------------------||------------12----|
|----------------------||------------------|
|----------------------||------------------|
|----------------------||------------------|
|----------------------||------------------|
|
| ~~ ~~
| a Q. E E E E E Q. E E E Q
|----------------------||------------------|
|----------------------||------------------|
|----------------------||------------------|
|----------------2b2.5-||------------------|
|-2h4--------2-4-------||-4--------2-------|
|--------2s4-----------||------2-4----0----|


~~~
Q E E H W
|------------------------|---------------|
|-14---12\---------------|---------------|
|------------------------|---------------|
|------------------------|---------------|
|------------------------|---------------|
|------------------------|---------------|
|
| ~~~ ~~
| Q. E E E E E Q. E E E Q
|------------------------|---------------|
|------------------------|---------------|
|------------------------|---------------|
|------------------2b2.5-|---------------|
|--4-----------2-4-------|-4--------2----|
|----------2s4-----------|------2-4---0--|


G#7
Q E S S S S e Q H Q E E
|-------9----------------|--------------------|
|---------9--------------|--------------------|
|-----------11--9--------|------------------9-|
|-----------------11-----|--------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------|
|
| ~~
| Q. E +E Q E Q S S E E E S S E
|------------------------|--------------------|
|------------------------|--------------------|
|------------------------|----5---5-----5-----|
|------------------------|----4---4-----4-----|
|-4----------------------|--------------------|
|-------1---(1)----2---3-|-4--------4-4-----0-|


F#7 N.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~
a a E E Q H Q E E +E +S S S S E
|-----x---------------|-------------------------9--------------|
|---x-----------------|-------12b14==(12)-(12)r----------------|
|-x-------------------|---------------------------11-9---------|
|---------------------|--------------------------------11------|
|---------------------|----------------------------------------|
|---------------------|----------------------------------------|
|
| ~~
| a Q S S e Q Q Q. E E E E E
|---------------------|----------------------------------------|
|---------------------|----------------------------------------|
|---------3-----------|----------------------------------------|
|---------2-----------|---------------------------------2b2.5--|
|---------------------|-4-------------------2------4-----------|
|-0h==2-------2-2--0--|--------2s======4-----------------------|


2nd Verse
N.C.
E. S e E Q e E W W W
|----------------9---||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|----------------9---||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-9------------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|----11--------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-------11-----------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|--------------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|
| ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
| Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E
|--------------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|--------------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|--------------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|--------------------||------------------|------------------|------------------|
|-4------------2---2-||-2h4--------2---2-|-2h4--------2---2-|-2h4--------2---2-|
|----------2s4-------||--------2s4-------|--------2s4-------|--------2s4-------|


Chorus
N.C.
W W
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|
| ~~ ~~
| a Q. E E E E E Q. E E E Q
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------------||---------------|
|----------------2b2.5-||---------------|
|-2h4--------2-4-------||-4--------2----|
|--------2s4-----------||------2-4---0--|


~~~~~~~~
S E. +E a e H W
|-12-----------------------------|----------------|
|-----14--(14)-------------------|----------------|
|--------------13s11-------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------|
|
| ~~~ ~~
| Q. E E E E E Q. E E E Q
|--------------------------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------|
|--------------------------2b2.5-|----------------|
|--4-------------------2-4-------|-4--------2-----|
|------------------2s4-----------|------2-4---0---|


G#7
Q E E +E S S e E H Q E E
|-----------------------------|--------------------|
|-------12b14==(12)r-9--------|--------------------|
|----------------------11-9---|--------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------9-|
|-----------------------------|--------------------|
|-----------------------------|--------------------|
|
| ~~
| Q. E +E Q E Q S S E E E S S E
|-----------------------------|--------------------|
|-----------------------------|--------------------|
|-----------------------------|----5---5-----5-----|
|-----------------------------|----4---4-----4-----|
|-4---------------------------|--------------------|
|--------1------(1)--2------3-|-4--------4-4-----0-|


F#7 N.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
e E Q H Q E E +E S S S S E
|---9---------------|--------------------9---------------|
|-------------------|-------12b14==(12)r---9-------------|
|-------------------|------------------------11-9--------|
|-------------------|-----------------------------11-----|
|-------------------|------------------------------------|
|-------------------|------------------------------------|
|
| ~~
| a Q S S e Q Q Q. E E E E E
|-------------------|------------------------------------|
|-------------------|------------------------------------|
|-------3-----------|------------------------------------|
|-------2-----------|------------------------------2b2.5-|
|-------------------|-4------------------2----4----------|
|-0h2-------2-2--0--|--------2s======4-------------------|


Guitar Solo
N.C.
~~ ~~~~~~~
E. S e E H Q +E E +Q E E
|--------------------||-14b16r=(14)-----------12-14-|
|--------------------||-------------14-(14)---------|
|-9------------------||-----------------------------|
|----11--------------||-----------------------------|
|-------11-----------||-----------------------------|
|--------------------||-----------------------------|
|
| ~~ ~~~~~~
| Q. E E E E E Q. E E E E E
|--------------------||-----------------------------|
|--------------------||-----------------------------|
|--------------------||-----------------------------|
|--------------------||-----------------------------|
|-4------------2---2-||--4------------------2-----2-|
|----------2s4-------||--------------2s==4----------|


~~~
|-------3--------|
E +E a E Q H Q +Q E Q.
|-14b16==(14)r(14)s12-------------|-14b16r=(14)--------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------14-------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|
| ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
| Q. E E E E E Q. E E E E E
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|--4------------------------2---2-|--4---------------2----2--|
|-----------------------2s4-------|-------------2s4----------|


~~~
E +E S E. S S E e E
|-13b14-(13)-13-------13-------------||
|---------------14-------14----------||
|------------------------------------||
|-----------------------------14-----||
|------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------||
|
| ~~~~~
| Q. E E E S S E
|------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------||
|--4------------------------2--4p2---||
|-------------------2s=4-----------4-||


Chorus
G#7 F#7 G#7
W e E Q H W
|------------------|-9-----------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|
| Q S S E E E E E Q E E +E E E E Q E E E E E E
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|----5-------6-5-4-|-3---x-3-(3)-2-3-4-|-5--x-5-5-6-5-4--|
|----4-------5-4-3-|-2---x-2-(2)-1-2-3-|-4--x-4-4-5-4-3--|
|------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|-4------4-4-------|-------------------|-----------------|


F#7 N.C.
~
W Q Q S S S S +S S S S E. S e E H
|----------------|-----9---9-----------------------------|--------------------||
|----------------|-----------12-9------------------------|--------------------||
|----------------|----------------11b13-(11)-11-9--------|-9------------------||
|----------------|------------------------------------11-|----11--------------||
|----------------|---------------------------------------|-------11-----------||
|----------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|
| ~~ ~~
| e E Q E E E E Q. E E E E E Q. E E E E E
|----------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|----------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|-3--------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|-2--------------|------------------------------2b2.5----|--------------------||
|----------------|-4------------2---------4--------------|-4------------2---2-||
|--------2-4-0-2-|-------2s4-----------------------------|----------2s4-------||


3rd Verse
N.C.
Gtr II
~~ ~~
a Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E
|------------------|------------------|
|------------------|------------------|
|------------------|------------------|
|------------------|------------------|
|-2h4--------2---2-|-2h4--------2---2-|
|--------2s4-------|--------2s4-------|


~~ ~~
a Q. E E E E E a Q. E E E E E
|------------------|-----------------------||
|------------------|-----------------------||
|------------------|-----------------------||
|------------------|----------------2b2.5--||
|-2h4--------2---2-|-2h4--------2-4--------||
|--------2s4-------|--------2s4------------||


Chorus
N.C.
Gtr I
~~~
H Q E E Q E E H
|---------------12-|------------------------|
|------------12----|-14---12\---------------|
|------------------|------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------|
|
| Gtr II
| ~~ ~~~
| Q. E E E Q Q. E E E E E
|------------------|------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------|
|------------------|------------------2b2.5-|
|-4--------2-------|--4-----------2-4-------|
|------2-4----0----|----------2s4-----------|


W Q E S S S S e Q
|---------------|-------9-----------------|
|---------------|---------9---------------|
|---------------|-----------11--9---------|
|---------------|-----------------11------|
|---------------|-------------------------|
|---------------|-------------------------|
|
| ~~ ~~
| Q. E E E Q Q. E +E Q E
|---------------|-------------------------|
|---------------|-------------------------|
|---------------|-------------------------|
|---------------|-------------------------|
|-4--------2----|-4-----------------------|
|------2-4---0--|-------1---(1)----2---3--|


G#7 F#7
H Q E E a a E E Q H
|--------------------|-----x---------------|
|--------------------|---x-----------------|
|------------------9-|-x-------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|
| Q S S E E E S S E a Q S S e Q Q
|--------------------|---------------------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|----5---5-----5-----|---------3-----------|
|----4---4-----4-----|---------2-----------|
|--------------------|---------------------|
|-4--------4-4-----0-|-0h==2-------2-2--0--|


N.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
Q E E +E +S S S S E E. S e E Q e E
|-------------------------9-------------|----------------9---||
|-------12b14==(12)-(12)r---------------|----------------9---||
|---------------------------11-9--------|-9------------------||
|--------------------------------11-----|----11--------------||
|---------------------------------------|-------11-----------||
|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|
| ~~ ~~
| Q. E E E E E Q. E E E E E
|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|---------------------------------------|--------------------||
|---------------------------------2b2.5-|--------------------||
|-4-------------------2------4----------|-4------------2---2-||
|--------2s======4----------------------|----------2s4-------||


Outro
N.C.
~~~~~ ~~~~~~
H Q Q S S e Q H H Q Q
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|------------12b14===|
|------------11b13--|---------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|-11p9-11-------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|
| ~~ ~~~ ~~
| Q. E E E Q Q. E E E E E Q. E E E Q
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|--------------------|
|-4--------2--------|--4------------2---2-|-4--------2---------|
|------2-4----0-----|-----------2s4-------|------2-4----0------|


~~~~~
+E e e e S S S S +S S S S
|-------9-9-9-9---------------------------|
|-(12)r---------12-9----------------------|
|--------------------11b13==(11)r-11-9----|
|--------------------------------------11-|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|
| ~~~~~
| Q. E E E E E
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|---4--------------2-----------------2----|
|-----------2s4---------------------------|


~~~
Q E +E E S S E a E S E. Q H
|-----14b16-(14)-13b14-13----13b14-13s14-|-13------------------*|
|-------------------------14-------------|-----14--------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|
| ~~ ~~~
| Q. E E E Q Q. E E E E E
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|----------------------------------------|---------------------*|
|-4---------------------2----------------|--4------------2---2-*|
|-------------2---4-----------0----------|-----------2s4-------*|


Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff

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

Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
Song info
Born Under A Bad Sign
Albert King
2001
  • Blues
  • Electric Blues
  • Soul
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