Mobiusbandwidth.com Morphine tablature transcriptions

Mobiusbandwidth.com Morphine transcriptions.

"Honey White" 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 performance on MTV's show "Effected".

As of publication date, you can view this video at this url:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mE0MLB1X5Y you can also see the video embedded on this page. -whoops, it's been taken down. well if you search youtube you can find other copies, live and studio versions.

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

The song opens with a brief (4 second) atonal baritone saxophone trill intro, the lyrics, incidentally, seem to be an allegory about the folly of drug use. At first listen the bass line is deceptively simple, but it evolves over the form of the song somewhat, and the arrangement bears paying attention to, obviously, if you are interested in playing the song as it was written. 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:

Intro line (I'll call this "A")

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

Verse line played under vocals, (call this part "B")

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

Chorus "C" the A string is not hit when playing the 5th fret but can be hit with the open D string otherwise.

A---0-(Let ring) ---------------------------------------------|
D--0-0--0-0---5--0-0--0-0-5--0-0--0-0-5--0-0-0-0-------|

Bridge "D", fast glissandos between riffs, 9\7 is muted

A--5-5-5-5-5-6--7/11----5-5-5-5-5-3---5/16--555--5-5-5-5-6---------------5-5-5-5-5-3--------------------|
D--5-5-5-5-5-6--7/11----5-5-5-5-5-3-----------555--5-5-5-5-6--(9\7)--55-5-5-5-5-5-3--5/6\5-3-5/6-3-0--|

Jam verse variation "E" (similar to groove from the "Munsters" TV show theme)

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

Form: intro A, Verse B, A, B, A, Chorus C, A, A, Bridge D, A, E sax solo, E verse 4x, C.

Lyrics:

Honey white (x3)
Made a deal for some angel food yeah
Honey white (x2)
Everybody told her it was sweet and good yea
Oh honey (x4)
She said you'll see me later will you see me later
You'll see me later see me all too soon
And then he smiles he knows honey's coming back
Honey's going to want some more angel food
Devil made of honey (x4)
She said you'll get me when I'm old and wizened
And not a day before that
The devil said honey it won't be that long
Besides I like to see a little more fat
Yea I like to see a little more fat
You know I like to see a little more fat
Honey white (x4)
Uh tell me how is your angel food
Honey white oh honey white
She says it's sweet and good
Honey white honey white uh honey white
The sweetness starts to fade
Honey white (x2)
Thought you could get away
Poor honey (x4)

0:00 Sax intro

0:04 Intro A (preceed with a descending slide from the 12th fret)

A--0-2-0-/3-2-0-2-0-2/3\2-0-0--0-2-0-/3-2-0--5-5-5-5-3-0----|
D--0-2-0-/3-2-0-2-0-2/3\2-0-0--0-2-0-/3-2-0--5-5-5-5-3-0----| (x2)

0:16 Verse B

Honey white, Honey white, Honey white
Made a deal for some angel food yeah

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

(This is followed by an abrupt glissando (slide) up from about the 7th to 14th fret )

0:23 A

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

0:29 B

Honey white, Honey white
Everybody told her it was sweet and good yea

A--0-2-0-/3-2-0----0-2-0-/3-2-0----0-2-0-/3-2-0--5-5-5-5-3-0---(7/14)--|
D--0-2-0-/3-2-0----0-2-0-/3-2-0----0-2-0-/3-2-0--5-5-5-5-3-0---(7/14-)-|

0:35 A

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

0:42 Chorus 1 C

Oh honey Oh honey Oh honey Oh honey

A---0-(Let ring) ---------------------------------------------|
D--0-0--0-0---5--0-0--0-0-5--0-0--0-0-5--0-0-0-0-------|

0:54 A

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

1:07
She said you'll see me later will you see me later
You'll see me later see me all too soon

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

1:13
And then he smiles he knows honey's coming back
Honey's going to want some more angel food

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

1:19 Bridge 1 D (fast glissandos between riffs, 9\7 slide is muted)

Devil made of honey, Devil made of honey, Devil made of honey, Devil made of honey -Oh!

1:32 A

A--0-2-0-/3-2-0-2-0-2/3\2-0-0--0-2-0-/3-2-0--5-5-5-5-3-0----|
D--0-2-0-/3-2-0-2-0-2/3\2-0-0--0-2-0-/3-2-0--5-5-5-5-3-0----| (x2) slide up 2nd x

1:45
She said you'll get me when I'm old and wizened
And not a day before that
The devil said honey it won't be that long
Besides I like to see a little more fat
Yea I like to see a little more fat
You know I like to see a little more fat

(drums only, bass may play muted rhythm hits with drums)

2:03

A--9/16-------|
D--------------|

(Fling a strange wide eyed expression accross your face as you play that, while tilting head at odd angle)

2:04 E section, sax solo

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

2:10 2nd x, first half is different

A--0-0-3/5/7--0-3-5-0-0-3/5/7--0-3-5--0-0-2/3-0--0-0-2/3-5-0-3/5-5-3---|
D--0-0-3/5/7--0-3-5-0-0-3/5/7--0-3-5--0-0-2/3-0--0-0-2/3-5-0-3/5-5-3---|

2:17 (same as first part of E)

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

2:29 (Rather than return to the original verse bassline, this verse continues with the E section bassline, maintaining the song's increased driving energy. )

Honey white Honey white Honey white Honey white
Uh tell me how is your angel food

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

2:35
Honey white oh honey white
She says it's sweet and good

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

2:42
Honey white honey white uh honey white
The sweetness starts to fade

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

2:48 (turn-around on this one resumes original opening riff leading into outro chorus)

Honey white Honey white
Thought you could get away

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

2:54 C
Poor honey Poor honey Poor honey Poor honey

A---0-(Let ring) ------------------------------------------------------|
D--0-0--0-0---5--0-0--0-0-5--0-0--0-0-5--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0--|

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