Papa Ain’t Salty | TAB
Before we get our teeth into the lead work, let’s spend some time working out what the band’s rhythm guitarist is playing — it’s superb!
Intro (rhythm)
Here, we play a bass line riff using the 6, hence naming the chords G6, C6, and D6. The dots above the stems mean “play short”.
Verse
As the verses begin, we include the b7 and rearrange the notes:
Verse 3 returns to the intro idea but stops after the D6:
Solo (rhythm)
The first solo mainly uses dominant 7 chords; only the IV chord is played as a 9, it’s also a quick change, and we stay on the V chord.
The second solo feels more like a comping feature, where we slide from 6 to 9 chords. Here’s the first rhythm guitar:
And here’s T-Bone answering using the same lick, but with a darker tone:
Let’s now take a look at the lead playing.
Intro solo
Here’s the complete intro solo, note for note! make sure you practise this until it’s bang on.
Rather than now moving on, memorising the next solo, instead, let’s focus on the note choices. The rhythm is pretty much triplets and broken triplets so that’s easy to just keep going with, but what notes does T-Bone chose?
- The first lick is a G minor blues scale, Starting on the b5, ending on the b7, it generates tension.
- The next few licks are a blend of the minor blues scale and the maj 3rd. make sure you can see all intervals.
- As we move out of the IV chord the 6th of C/9th of G appear for the first time, just before the G chord return.
- Over the returning G chord we don’t play a minor blues scale anymore, instead it is the 6th and maj 3rd that is added to the minor pentatonic.
- Over the D6 and C6, it’s all G minor blues scale.
- The final lick is G minor pentatonic with a maj 3rd added.
So, with all that knowledge (memorised the solo, and understood the intervals chosen), can you now play these kind of solos?
The answer is yes, if you keep practising – to the backing tracks!
Papa Ain’t Salty Backing Tracks + TAB | Related Pages
Papa Ain’t Salty | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn to play Papa Ain’t Salty by T-Bone Walker using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, and the original recording.
| G9 | G9 | G9 | G9 |
Come home little girl, your papa ain’t salty no more…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
