Mobiusbandwidth.com Morphine transcriptions.

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"All wrong" by Mark Sandman, as recorded by his band Morphine
This is an academic, but not exact note for note transcription in tablature form, for 2 string slide bass guitar, by James Möbius, based on a live performance.

As of publication date, you can view this video at this url:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1iTZItBzGY you can also see the video embedded on this page.

This is posted for music education purposes and the promotion of Morphine music only, no copyright infringement is intended. If you like this song enough to read this transcription and don't already own a legally obtained copy, please purchase one, you can find it on iTunes, or in record stores if there are any of those left. Transcript © mobiusbandwidth.com 2012. Song © Mark Sandman 2012 hi-n-dry.com

Tuning: D A (the "standard") Slide bass played with a pick, and a metal slide, for best effect. Note: this is not a "dropped D" tuning below the low E string on a standard bass, but the open D string. If you don't own a 2 string bass, you can play this on a 4 or 5 using the 2 highest strings, retune the G string up to an A, you will find the action too low to use a slide without fret buzz, to solve this problem some people dedicate an old 4 string bass for slide, moving the D and G strings to the center position and installing something to raise the nut 1/4". I made my own 2 string slide bass from scratch, you can see that project on this page: the Bat Bass

This live video features 2 songs, All wrong, and Whisper, I'll be transcribing Whisper later, it's in a minor 3rd tuning so don't try to jump right in!

Tablature has lyrics interjected for ease of reading and reference but does not detail the rhythms, which you will have to glean by ear. Timeline is indicated throughout at start of each section. Full tab with lyrics is below video.

The sections, out of context:

Form: Intro A, Verse B, A, B, A, Chorus 1 C, A, B, A, C2, A, A, Bridge D, B, A, Chorus C3.


All Wrong

She had black hair like ravens crawling over her shoulders
All the way down
She had a smile that swerved
She had a smile that curved
She had a smile that swerved all over the road

It's all wrong all wrong
All wrong all wrong

She had a way of making people feel
good to be around her
As it should be

It's all wrong all wrong
All wrong all wrong (x2)
All wrong

And when she laughs I travel back in time
Something flips the switch and I collapse inside

It's all wrong all wrong
All wrong all wrong (x2)
All wrong

Tuning: DA (Standard)
Transcription for 2 string slide bass (or upper 2 strings of a 4 string, tune G string to A )
/ = slide up \ = slide down
Tablature is approximate, this is a live recording transcription, and may vary from studio versions, every live version is going to be a little different, but this is close enough to get you playing the song reasonably well.



0:00 Intro "A"

A-------0-5-0-3--3-------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-0------------3--0-0------------------0-0-------------------------------------0-3/5---| (4X)

0:27 Verse "B"
She had black hair like ravens crawling over her shoulders
All the way down

A-----5\3-/-5----------5\3-3-5--------0-5-0-3----0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-----------0-0-0-------------0-0----------------------------------------0-3/5---|

0:36 A

A-------0-5-0-3-------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-0------------0-0--------------------0-0-----------------------------------0-3/5---|

0:44 B

She had a smile that swerved
She had a smile that curved
She had a smile that swerved all over the road

A-----5\3-/-5----------5\3-3-5--------0-5-0-3--------2/3\2------------|
D--0-----------0-0-0-------------0-0-----------------------------2/3---|

0:54 A

A-------0-5-0-3-------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-0------------0-0--------------------0-0-----------------------------------0-3/5---|

1:02 Chorus C
It's all wrong all wrong All wrong all wrong

A-----------------------------------------------3\2--|
D---5\3-5\3--2-0-/3---5\3-5\3--2--/3---------------|

1:11 A

A-------0-5-0-3-3------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0-------------------|
D--0-0-----------3-0-0--------------------0-0------------------------------------------0-3/5---| (2X)

1:29 B
She had a way of making people feel
good to be around her
As it should be

A-----5\3-/-5----------5\3-3-5--------0-5-0-3--------2/3\2----------------|
D--0-----------0-0-0-------------0-0---------------------------------2/3---|

1:38 A

A-------0-5-0-3-------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-0------------0-0--------------------0-0-----------------------------------0-3/5---|

1:48 Chorus 2 C
It's all wrong all wrong
All wrong all wrong all wrong all wrong
All wrong

A------------------------------------------|
D---5\3-5\3--2-0-/3---5\3-5\3--2-0/3----| 3X

A---------------------------------------------3\2----|
D---5\3-5\3--2-0-/3---5\3-5\3--2-/-3---------------|

2:07 A

A-------0-5-0-3--3-------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-0------------3--0-0------------------0-0-------------------------------------0-3/5---|

2:15 A (with variant ending)

A-------0-5-0-3--3------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--/12-8--15-8--12-15-------------| (roughly)
D--0-0------------3--0-0--------------------0-0------------------------------------------|

2:24 Bridge D

A-0-0-0-3-0-5-0-6-5-3---------| play 3X
D-0-0-0-3-0-5-0-6-5-3---------|

A-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-----------| 1X
D-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-----------|

A-0-0-0-3-0-5-0-6-5-3---------| play 3X
D-0-0-0-3-0-5-0-6-5-3---------|

A-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-----------| 1X
D-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-----------|

2:41

A-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-0-5-0-3/5-----|
D-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-0-5-0-3/5-----|

A-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-345----|
D-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-345----|

2:51

A-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-0-5-0-3/5-----|
D-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-0-5-0-3/5-----|

A-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-345----|
D-0-0-5-0-3/5--0-0-5-0-345----0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-345----|

3:00 B
And when she laughs I travel back in time

A---3\2------|
D----------0-|

3:04
Something flips the switch and I collapse inside

A---2/3\2--------|
D------------/3--|

3:08 A

A-------0-5-0-3--3-------0-5-0-3-5-3-8------0-5-0-3--0-2-0-2-2-3--3-3\2-0------------|
D--0-0------------3--0-0------------------0-0-------------------------------------0-3/5---|

3:17 Chorus 3 C
It's all wrong all wrong
All wrong all wrong all wrong all wrong
All wrong

A-------------------------------------------3-(last x only)--|
D---5\3-5\3--2-0-/3---5\3-5\3--2-0/3---------------------| 3X

A-----------------------|
D---5\3-5\3--2/--------|

3:37 (applause!)

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