Thatll Be The Day - Buddy Holly
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
THAT'LL BE THE DAY
As recorded by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
(Released as a Single in 1957)

Words and Music by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison & Norman Petty
Transcribed by Slowhand (guitar-steve@gmx.de)

Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Gtr. 1'

[Intro]

Moderate Shuffle Q=123(8=s8)
A (EE7(B7) D (A)
4/4
Gtr I
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|

E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +H E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-------0-----0-----0---|-----2-2-(2)----||------------------|-----------------|
B|---------0-----0-----0-|-----0-0-(0)----||o-----------------|-----------------|
G|---3S4-----3-----2-----|-1-0-2-2-(2)----||------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------------|-2-0-1-1-(1)----||--2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
A|-----------------------|-----2-2-(2)----||o-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|-----------------------|----------------||------------------|-----------------|


A (E) D (A)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
A|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-----------------|


[Verse 1]

1.
A (E) E7(BA)(E) D (A) A (E)
W E E E E +Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|----------|---0-0-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-1--------|---2-2-1-(1)-----|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-2--------|---1-1-2-(2)-----|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
A|-2--------|---2-2-2-(2)-----|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
E|-0--------|-------0-(0)-----|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|


D (A) A (E) D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
E|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|


B (F#) E7(B7)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
-------------------------|-----------------------------||
-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----o||
-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----||
-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-----||
-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----o||
-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-----------------------------||


[Guitar solo]

2.
E7 A
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E

e|-------------------------------0-0-0-|-0-3-0-------------------|
B|---------------------0-0-------0-0-0-|-0-----3-0---------------|
G|---------------------2-2-1-(1)-1-1-1-|-1---------/4-4-4-4S2-0--|
D|---------------------1-1-2-(2)-------|-------------------------|
A|---------------------2-2-2-(2)-------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------0-(0)-------|-------------------------|


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

e|---3-0------------------|---3-0------------------|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----|
B|-------3-0--------------|-------3-0--------3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----|
G|-----------/4-4-4-4S2-0-|-----------/4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----|
D|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------0--|
A|-2----------------------|-2----------------------|--------------------------|
E|-0----------------------|-0----------------------|--------------------------|


D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|


E7(B7) D7(A7) A (E) E7(B7)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +H

e|---2---2---0-----|---3---0-(0)-----0-|-0-----0-----0-----0---|---0-2-2-(2)----|
B|-----------------|---2---2-(2)-0-2-0-|-0-------0-----0-----0-|---0-0-0-(0)----|
G|---------------0-|-------------------|---2S4-----3-----2-----|-1---2-2-(2)----|
D|---------1---1---|-2-----------------|-----------------------|-2---1-1-(1)----|
A|-2---2-----------|-----0-------------|-----------------------|-----2-2-(2)----|
E|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|----------------|


[Chorus]

D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|


D (A) A (E) E7(BA)(E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E W E E E E +Q Q
e|-----------------|-----------------|----------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|----------|---0-0-----------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-1--------|---2-2-1-(1)-----|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2--------|---1-1-2-(2)-----|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2--------|---2-2-2-(2)-----|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-0--------|-------0-(0)-----|


[Verse 3]

D (A) A (E) D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
E|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|


D (A) A (E) B (F#)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E

e|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
E|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|


[Chorus]

E7(B7) D (A)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E

e|-------------------------|-----------------|
B|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|
G|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-----------------|
D|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
A|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E|-------------------------|-----------------|


A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
e|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
E|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|


A (E) D (A) A (E)
|-3-| |-3-|
Q Q Q Q Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E W

e|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------|
B|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------|
G|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-1-----|
D|-------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-----|
A|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-----|
E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-----------------|-0-----|


[Outro]

E7(B7) D7(A) A (E)
E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E
e|-------------------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|---0-0-------0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
G|---2-2-1-(1)-1-1-1-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-|
D|---1-1-2-(2)-------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
A|---2-2-2-(2)-------|------------------|-----------------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---|
E|-------------------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|


D (A) A (E)
E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E +E Q E E E E E Q. E
e|---------0------|------------------|--------3-(3)-0--0-|--------------0-|
B|-0-0-0-0---3--0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2------------|-0-0-0-0-0------|
G|-1-1-1----------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2------------|-1-1-1-1-1------|
D|-2-2-2----------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2------------|-2-2-2-2-2------|
A|----------------|------------------|-------------------|----------------|
E|----------------|------------------|-------------------|----------------|


A (E)
E E E E +Q Q +W
e|--------------0--|-(0)----*|
B|-3-2-1-0-(0)--0--|-(0)----*|
G|-4-3-2-1-(1)--1--|-(1)----*|
D|--------------2--|-(2)----*|
A|--------------2--|-(2)----*|
E|--------------0--|-(0)----*|
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
THAT'LL BE THE DAY

As recorded by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
(From the 1957 Album THE "CHIRPING" CRICKETS)

Words and Music by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison & Norman Petty

Transcribed by Slowhand


Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Buddy Holly - Electric Guitar (w/ capo 5th fret)'


Intro
Q=128(8=s8)
$
N.C. A (EE7(B7)
4/4
Gtr I (El. Gtr. w/ capo 5th fret)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +H
|-------0-----0-----0---|-----2-2-(2)----|
|---------0-----0-----0-|-----0-0-(0)----|
|---3S4-----3-----2-----|-1-0-2-2-(2)----|
|-----------------------|-2-0-1-1-(1)----|
|-----------------------|-----2-2-(2)----|
|-----------------------|----------------|


Chorus
D (A)
PM------------------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
||------------------|------------------|
||o-----------------|------------------|
||------------------|------------------|
||--2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4--|
||o-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|
||------------------|------------------|


A (E) D (A)
PM------------------------------------------------------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4--|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|------------------|


1st & 2nd Verses
1.
To Coda
A (E) E7(BA)(E) D (A) A (E)
PM---------------------------------------|
W E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|----------|-------------------||-----------------|------------------|
|----------|-------------------||-----------------|------------------|
|----------|---2-2-1-(1)-------||-----------------|------------------|
|-2--------|---1-1-2-(2)-2-----||-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|------------------|
|-2--------|---2-2-2-(2)---2-2-||-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4--|
|-0--------|-------0-(0)-------||-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|


D (A) A (E) D (A) A (E)
PM------------------------------------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4---|
|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|


Bm(F#m) E7(B7)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|----------------------|--------------------------||
|----------------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-o||
|----2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2--||
|----4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1--||
|----4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-o||
|-2--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|--------------------------||


Guitar Solo
2.
E7(BA)(E) N.C.
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------0-0-0-||-0-3-0------------------|
|-------------0-0-0-||-0-----3-0--0-0-0-0-----|
|---2-2-1-(1)-------||-----------/4-4-4-4s2-0-|
|---1-1-2-(2)-------||------------------------|
|---2-2-2-(2)-------||------------------------|
|-------0-(0)-------||------------------------|


|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---3-0------------------|---3-0------------------|
|-----0-3-0--0-0-0-0-----|-----0-3-0--0-0-0-3-3-3-|
|-----------/4-4-4-4s2-0-|-----------/4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-2----------------------|-2----------------------|
|-2----------------------|-2----------------------|
|-0----------------------|-0----------------------|


|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-/4-4-4-/4-4-4-/4-4-4-/4-4---|
|-/3-3-3-/3-3-3-/3-3-3-/3-3---|
|-/4-4-4-/4-4-4-/4-4-4-/4-4---|
|---------------------------0-|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|


D (A) A (E)
PM------------------------------------------------------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|


E7(B7) D7(A7)
E E E E E E E E E Q E +E E E E
|---2---2---0-----|---3b3.5--0-(0)-----0-|
|---0---0---0-----|---2------0-(0)-0-2-0-|
|---------------0-|------------------2---|
|-1---1---1---1---|-2--------------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|


D.S. al Coda
A (E) E7(B7)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +H
|-0-----0-----0-----0---|-0-0-2-2-(2)----||
|-0-------0-----0-----0-|-0-0-0-0-(0)----||
|-1-3s4-----3-----2-----|-1---2-2-(2)----||
|-----------------------|-2---1-1-(1)----||
|-----------------------|-----2-2-(2)----||
|-----------------------|----------------||


Outro
&
E7(B7) D (A) A (E)
E E E E +E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E Q. E Q E E Q E E
|-------------0-0-0-||----------------|----0-0-0-0----0-|-0--0-0-0--0-----|
|-------------0-0-0-||-2--2-2-2-2-2-1s|=/2-2-2-2-2----0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0---|
|---2-2-1-(1)-------||-2--2-2-2-2-2-1s|=/2--------------|-1--1-1-1--1-0h==|
|---1-1-2-(2)-------||-2--2-2-2-2-2-1s|=/2--------------|-2--2-2-2--2-2---|
|---2-2-2-(2)-------||-0--0-0-0-0-0---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------0-(0)-------||----------------|-----------------|-----------------|


D (A) A (E)
E E E E +E Q E Q E E E E E E E E E E +E Q E Q E E Q E E
|-------0-(0)------|----------------|----0-0-3-(3)-0--0-|-------------0--|
|---0-0-------3----|-2--2-2-2-2-2-1s|=/2-2-2----------0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0--|
|-1-1-1----------2-|-2--2-2-2-2-2-1s|=/2----------------|-1--1-1-1--1----|
|---2-2------------|-2--2-2-2-2-2-1s|=/2----------------|-2--2-2-2--2----|
|------------------|-0--0-0-0-0-0---|-------------------|----------------|
|------------------|----------------|-------------------|----------------|


A7(E7)
E E E E +Q Q +W
|-----0-0-(0)--0--|-(0)----*|
|-3-2-1-0-(0)--0--|-(0)----*|
|-4-3-2-1-(1)--1--|-(1)----*|
|--------------0--|-(0)----*|
|--------------2--|-(2)----*|
|--------------0--|-(0)----*|


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
Thatll Be The Day
Buddy Holly
2001
  • Rock
  • Rock & Roll
Alternative tracks
Similar songs
Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
Little Sister - Elvis Presley
Jailhouse Rock - The Blues Brothers
Day Tripper - The Beatles

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