Rough Boy - ZZ Top
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
From: Martin Hermans

This is guitar tablature for "Rough Boy" off the Afterburner album by
ZZ Top

Here is the lead guitar to "Rough Boy"
Wherever I have not indicated where to bend to, bend one half fret.


~~~~~
e|---------------|-----------|
B|-----5---------|-----5-----|
G|-4/6---4-----2-|-4/6----/4-|
D|---------------|-----------|
A|---------------|-----------|
E|---------------|-----------|

Keep repeating those two measures like on the recording (about 4X)
Then

~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
e|---------------------|-----------------|-----4--------|--------4-----|
B|---------------------|-----------------|--------------|--------------|
G|-6b-------4-------2--|-6b------4-------|-2------------|-2------------|
D|---------------------|-----------------|-2------------|-2------------|
A|---------------------|-----------------|--------------|--------------|
E|---------------------|-----------------|--------------|--------------|

Then the first verse is sung

Then play those first two measures for "I'm a Rough boy , I 'm a rough boy"

Solo after verse 2 and before verse 3


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e|--------------------------9-------------|---------------------------------|
B|-12b14---------------------12-9---------|---------9----9--------------9-9-|
G|--------------------------------12-11-9-|---------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------|11-11-11---11---11---------------|
A|----------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|---------------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
B|-9h10p9----9-------------------------------|----------------------------|
G|--------11---11---------------9------------|-11-9/11---------------(11)\|
D|--------------------------------11------11-|----------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
e|-------------7----------------|-------7-----------------------------|
B|-10b12---------10-7-10b12-----|---------10-7------------------------|
G|------------------------------|--------------9-7-------------7-9b11p|9
D|------------------------------|------------------9-9----------------|
A|------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|-------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------|-0---------|
B|--------------------------------|-----------|
G|(9)-----------------7p6-------7-|-----7-----|
D|------------------------9-------|-----------|
A|--------------------------7-----|-----------|
E|----------------------------0---|-----------|

Then the third verse is sung

And the final solo

e|-12-9----------9------------------------------------------|
B|------9-12B14-----12-9------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------11b13-11-9-----11----9-11-11b13b11h|
D|-----------------------------------------11---------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
e|-----------------------------------|----7/9-------------------------9---------|
B|-------------9------------------10-|-12-----12-10-12b14b10------------10----14|
G|9----11----9---9-------------11----|-----------------------11-11-11-----11----|
D|--11----11-------11----------------|------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------|

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
e|-14-------------14----------------------------10b12----|
B|----17b19----------17-14----------------------10b12-10-|
G|------------------------16-14-------------14-----------|
D|------------------------------16-16--------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
e|--------------7------------------|--7-----------------------------------------|
B|-10b12----------10-7-10b12-------|----10p7-10b12----10-7----------------------|
G|---------------------------------|-----------------------10p9p7-10p9p7---7----|
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------9---9--|
A|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|

~~~~~~
e|-12--------------------------------12------------------|
B|---14b12h10-----------10-----12-------14B12H10---12P10-|
G|------------11-9-11-11------------------------11-------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|

~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
e|-----------9------(9)H11|-----------------5----------|
B|---10-12B14-------------|-8B10-8------------5--------|
G|-11---------------------|---------------------5B7-7--|
D|------------------------|----------------------------|
A|------------------------|----------------------------|
E|------------------------|----------------------------|

~~~~~~~~
e|--------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------|
B|--------------------|-------------------------|-------10-------10--12-10-12b14|
G|----5b----------6---|------------9-11p9-11----|---9-11--11-9-11---------------|
D|------7-7-----7-----|-11-11p9-11--------------|-------------------------------|
A|--------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------|
E|--------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------|

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
e|-12--------------------------------|-12--------------------------------|
B|----14b12------10--10-----10-12b14-|---12b13--12b14---12--(12)-----10--|
G|-----------------11----------------|-----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
<-this measure repeats once->

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
e|---------12-----------------5-|-5---------8b-----------|
B|-12b14-----(12)------(12)\5---|------------------------|
G|------------------------------|------------------------|
D|------------------------------|------------------------|
A|------------------------------|----------------7\--0-0-|
E|------------------------------|------------------------|

~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
e|------------5-----5--5-----|-2------------------2---------|
B|-7b9---------9b7-5--5--5---|----2--5b7-------------5----2-|
G|-------------------------6-|------------------------4b5---|
D|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------------------|------------------------------|
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|

~~~~~~~~
e|-----------------------------------|------------------------|
B|------------------5---5------------|------------------------|
G|-4-2-4---2-4b6-----4b6b4--2-4--2-4-|-4b6b4---2----------2-4-|
D|-------4---------------------------|-----------------2h4----|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|------------------------|

~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|-5-----------------------------|
G|-4b6p2-----4-2-------2-4-4b6-|--4--------------------2-4---2-|
D|-------4-2-----4-------------|-------------------2-4-----4---|
A|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------|
B|------5-------------------/5--5-5-|-/5--5-5-5---5---5---5---|
G|-4b6----4-(4)-------------/6--6-6-|-/6--6-6-6-6---6---6---6-|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|-------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|-------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~
e|---------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-5-5-----5---5---5---5-5-5-|-5H7---------------------|
G|-----6-6---6---6---6-------|-----6---------4-2-4--4b6|
D|---------------------------|-------------------------|
A|---------------------------|-------------------------|
E|---------------------------|-------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
e|-----------------------------------|--------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|--------------------------|
G|------2-2----------------------2h4-|-4-4-4---2h4-4---2--------|
D|-------------------------4-4-4-----|-----4---------4---4-4----|
A|---------------------/4-4----------|--------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|--------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~
e|-------------------------------|------------------|-------------------|
B|-------------------------------|------------------|-------------------|
G|-2-4-4-4-2-2-------------------|------------------|-----------------0-|
D|-----4-------4---------4---2h4-|-4p2------0-2-2p0-|-2/4-2--(2)/-------|
A|-------------------------4-----|------------------|-------------------|
E|-------------------------------|------------------|-------------0-----|

~~~~~~~~~
e|-----------------------|----------------------------|-----4-------4--4--------|
B|-/2-------2-5-5----5\0-|-/2-----------5-5---5---5---|----------------------7--|
G|-/2--------------------|-/2-------------------------|-4/6-----------6-------6-|
D|-----------------------|-----------/6-----6---6---6-|-------------------------|
A|-----------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-----------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
e|-4/5-5--------------0-|/2------0------------|-2---------------------|
B|--------7-------------|----------0-3--------|-----5---3---2---2p0-0-|
G|----------------------|/4---------------4-4-|---4----4---4---4------|
D|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
A|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
E|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|

e|-0----------2------4-----5-----7-|-----5-----4----2------0-|
B|---0-0---0----0------0-0---0-0---|---0---0-----0-0---0-0---|
G|---------------------------------|-------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|-------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------------------|
fade...



************************************

| (n) Ghost note
| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| b Bend
| / Slide up
| \ Slide down
| P Pop

************************************
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rough Boy - ZZ Top
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Song: Rough Boy
Band: ZZ Top
Album: Greatest Hits
Tabbed by: ShecterMan71

Tempo: 80

This is a great song tabbed from the ZZ Top Anthology book … once again,
I’ve made this as simple as possible … on the INTRO, Guitar 1 chords are
Strummed 1x

A lot of synthesizer work is done on this song … on most of the chords
you can do a continuous palm mute in its place … just listen to it

INTRO

Guitar 1
A E F#m7 C#m7 A E F#m7 C#m7
Guitar 2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|------9----------|------9----------|------9----------|------9----------|
D|-9/11---11\9---7-|-9/11---11\9-----|-9/11---11\9---7-|-9/11---11\9-----|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

Guitar 1 (Palm Mute)
A5 F#5
Guitar 2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|------9----------|------9----------|------9----------|------9----------|
D|-9/11---11\9--9--|-9/11---11\9-9-7-|-9/11---11\9-9-7-|-9/11---11\9--9\-|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

Guitar 1 (Palm Mute)
B5 E5
Guitar 2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-5----(5)/-------|-5----(5)/-------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-5----(5)/-9-(9)-|-5----(5)/-9-(9)-|
G|-6b--(6)-4-------|-6-7-----6-4-----|-2----(2)/-------|-2----(2)/-------|
D|--------------7--|-----------------|-2----(2)/-------|-2----(2)/-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

VERSE 1 - Guitar 1

A5
What in the world’s come all over me?
F#5
I ain’t got a chance in one in three
B5
Ain’t got no rap, ain’t got no line
E5
But if you’ll give me just a minute I’ll be feeling fine

Guitar 2
e|-------0---------|
B|-----3-----------|
G|-1/2-------------|
D|-----------------|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|


VERSE 2 - Guitar 1

A5
I am the one who can fade the heat
F#5
The one they all say, “You just can’t be beat”
E5
I’ll shoot it to you straight, and look you in the eye
B5
So give me just a minute and I’ll tell you why

CHORUS

A5
I’m a rough boy … I’m a rough boy

Guitar 2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-------9---------|------9----------|------9----------|-----------------|
D|-14/11--11\9-9-7-|-9/11---11\9-9-7-|-9/11---11\9-9\2-|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

SOLO - Guitar 2

Guitar 1 chord progression (muted) - C#5 / F#5 / B5 / E5

VERSE 3 - Guitar 1

A5
I don’t care how you look at me
F#5
Because I’m the one and you will see
E5
We can make it work, we can make it by
B5
So give me one more minute and I’ll tell you why

CHORUS

A5
I’m a rough boy … I’m a rough boy

Guitar 2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------0---------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----3-----------|
G|-------9---------|------9----------|------9----------|-1/2-------------|
D|-14/11--11\9-9-7-|-9/11---11\9-9-7-|-9/11---11\9-9\2-|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

OUTRO SOLO - Guitar 2

Note - This outro chord progression is VERY long and complicated … these
are the correct chords for the rhythm guitar and the majority of them are
one chord per 2 bars … you’ll have to listen to the solo to get the chord
changes

OUTRO Chord Progression - Guitar 1 (palm mute)

C#5/F#5/B5/E5
A5/F#5/B5/E5
A5/F#5/B5/E5
A5/F#5/B5/E5/A
A/E-A/F#m7/E-F#
F#m7/E-F#/Bm7
E/E7sus4

That's it! Hope you enjoyed this in all it's simplicity!


| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
============================================================================
Song info
Rough Boy
ZZ Top
2001
  • Electronic
  • Rock
  • Soft Rock
  • Southern Rock
  • Synth-pop
Alternative tracks
Similar songs
Casablanca - Bertie Higgins
Make Me Smile - Chicago

Hi! Hope you enjoy backing track experience.
If you want to help us in the development of the project, feel free to donate!