Mobiusbandwidth.com Morphine transcriptions.

Return to song list page.


"Wishing well" 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?feature=player_embedded&v=wVgrZoyja2o you can also see the video embedded further down on this page, 2 versions actually. this transcription is based on the studio recording.

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: A E, Slide bass played with a pick, and a metal slide, for best effect. If you don't own a 2 string bass, you can play this on a 4 or 5 using the 2 highest strings retuned. 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

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

The sections, out of context:

Verse bassline; open A, slide up and then down in a minor chromatic jazz feel:

E-------------------------------------------------------------|
A-0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---0--12-11-10-9-8-10-7--------|

                                                    (the "turn-around")
E------------------------------------------------------------|
A-0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---8-8-7-8-9-10-10-9-10-11---|

Variant turn-around lick:
E-----------------------------------------------------|
A--------------------8-7-8-9-10-10\9-8-7----------|

Chorus; root, flat 7th up to octave, 3rd time to b6th then 5th

E |[----------0--10-10/12-----0--10-10/12----0---10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|
A |[--0--0--0---10-10/12--0--0--10-10/12--0-0--10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|

Bridge: goes to the 4th, with a descending line, 4 3 b3 1 repeats 8 times, last time goes up at the end; 4 3 4 #4 5 4 b3 2 to the root as turnaround

E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0-5-5-4-5-6-7-7-5-3-2--0--|

Form: Intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, verse, chorus.

Studio version

I also recommend studying this live performance. some lyrical fudges as Mark was wont to do.


Lyrics/Tab

Verse 1
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---0--12-11-10-9-8-10-7----0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---8-8-7-8-9-10-10-9-10-11----|

I move smooth underwater I know my way around
Everybody knows me I grew up in this town

see I got one million two million
I can't remember how many million, millions
And I'm exactly where I want to be right now

Chorus 1
E |[----------0--10-10/12-----0--10-10/12----0---10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|
A |[--0--0--0---10-10/12--0--0--10-10/12--0-0--10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|

Ah yea Mm mm
I got a call back from the wishing well
Ah yea all right
I got a call back from the wishing well

Verse 2

E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---0--12-11-10-9-8-10-7----0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---8-8-7-8-9-10-10-9-10-11----|

I don't even have to shoot
I don't even have to aim
I just smile deal me in

I got one million two million ah
I can't remember how many million, millions I'll tell ya
I'm exactly where I want to be right now

Chorus 2
E |[----------0--10-10/12-----0--10-10/12----0---10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|
A |[--0--0--0---10-10/12--0--0--10-10/12--0-0--10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|

All right OK
I got a call back from the wishing well

Bridge
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0--5-5-4-3-0-5-5-4-5-6-7-7-5-3-2--0--|

Oh!

Verse 3
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---0--12-11-10-9-8-10-7----0--12-11-10-9-8-7-6-7---8-8-7-8-9-10-10-9-10-11----|

I move smooth underwater, crisp like a waterfall
Smooth underwater I know my way around

See I got one million two million
I can't remember how many million, millions
And I'm exactly where I want to be right now

Chorus 3
E |[----------0--10-10/12-----0--10-10/12----0---10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|
A |[--0--0--0---10-10/12--0--0--10-10/12--0-0--10-10\8-8-8--7--7-----]|

All right, All right
I got a call back from the wishing well
Oh yea all right
I got a call back from the wishing well



Return to Top of page