THE WANTON SONG
As recorded by Led Zeppelin
(From the 1975 Album PHYSICAL GRAFFITI)
Words and Music by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant
Thanks to Kerry O'Brien and Steve Gorenberg for transcribing the Power Tab
version of this. I decided to submit this because there was no better text
version of the song. Awesome song by the way.
Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Elec. w/dist'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Elec. w/dist'
Intro (0:00, 3:03)
Moderately Q=110
$
(G5) F7 F#7
4/4
Gtrs I, II
S S S S S S S S H 3x S S S S S S S S E E +S E.
||------------------------||-----------------------------|
||o----------------------o||-----------------------------|
||------------------------||-------------------2-(2)-3---|
||------5-5-----5-5-------||-----5-5-----5-5---1-(1)-2---|
||o----------------------o||-------------------3-(3)-4---|
||--3-3-----3-3-----------||-3-3-----3-3-------1-(1)-2---|
(G5)
S S S S S S S S H 3x
||------------------------||
||o----------------------o||
||------------------------||
||------5-5-----5-5-------||
||o----------------------o||
||--3-3-----3-3-----------||
N.C. Bb5
S S S S S S S S +S E S +S S S S S E S E S S +S S Q.
|-----------------------------------|------------------------||
|-----------------------------------|------------------------||
|-----------------------------------|-7---6---5-------x-3----||
|-----5-5-----5-5-(5)-----------3---|-------------------3----||
|---------------------3-4-(4)-5---5-|---5---4---3-(3)---1----||
|-3-3-----3-3-----------------------|------------------------||
Verses (0:20, 1:24, 3:23)
(G5)
Gtr I
S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S H
||-----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
||o----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
||-----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
||------5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5------|
||o----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
||--3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3----------|
F7 F#7 (G5)
S S S S S S S S E E +S E. S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S H
|----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------2-(2)-3--|----------------------|----------------------|
|-----5-5-----5-5---1-(1)-2--|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5------|
|-------------------3-(3)-4--|----------------------|----------------------|
|-3-3-----3-3-------1-(1)-2--|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3----------|
To Coda
S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S +S E S +S S S S
|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5-(5)-----------3---|
|----------------------|---------------------3-4-(4)-5---5-|
|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3-----------------------|
N.C. Bb5
S E S E S S +S S Q.
|-------------------------||
|-------------------------||
|-7---6---5-------x-3-----||
|-------------------3-----||
|---5---4---3-(3)---1-----||
|-------------------------||
(G5)
S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S H
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5------|
|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3----------|
F7 F#7 (G5)
S S S S S S S S E E +S E. S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S H
|----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------2-(2)-3--|----------------------|----------------------|
|-----5-5-----5-5---1-(1)-2--|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5------|
|-------------------3-(3)-4--|----------------------|----------------------|
|-3-3-----3-3-------1-(1)-2--|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3----------|
S S S S S S S S H S S S S S S S S +S E S +S S S S
|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----5-5-----5-5------|-----5-5-----5-5-(5)-----------3---|
|----------------------|---------------------3-4-(4)-5---5-|
|-3-3-----3-3----------|-3-3-----3-3-----------------------|
N.C. Bb5
S E S E S S +S S Q.
|-------------------------||
|-------------------------||
|-7---6---5-------x-3-----||
|-------------------3-----||
|---5---4---3-(3)---1-----||
|-------------------------||
(0:59, 2:03)
Fmadd2 Fm B°7 Cm7/E D#Bb5bC#°7 C D9
Gtrs I, II
H E E E E +H E E E E +H E E E E +H E E E E
|-^3----3-1-----|----------------|------------3---|---------------5-|
|-^1----1-1---3-|-(3)----3-4---4-|-(4)----4-6---5-|-(5)----5-6-/8-5-|
|-^1----1-1---1-|-(1)----1-----3-|-(3)----3-3---3-|-(3)----3------5-|
|-^3----3-3---3-|-(3)----------5-|-(5)----------5-|-(5)-------------|
|-^3----------2-|-(2)----------3-|-(3)----------4-|-(4)-------------|
|-^1------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
My favourite part:
D5Am7 C5/G Gm7 Bb/D Bb5/Bb5/F
+E S S E E S S E E E E S S E S S S S E E e
|-(5)-(5)-(5)------------------|--------------------------|
|-(5)h=6p==5----5-(5)(5)-------|--------------------------|
|-(5)-(5)-(5)-7-5-(5)(5)---5---|-3-(3)(3)-3-------3---3---|
|-------------7-5h=7p=5----5-7-|-3h=5p=3--3-x-x-x-3---3---|
|------------------------7-----|----------5-x-x-x---5---5-|
|------------------------------|--------------------------|
D9 D5Am7 Gm7
E S S E E +E S S E E +E S S E S S S S S S S S S S
|-5-(5)-(5)-----------------|----------------------------------|
|-5h=6p==5------------------|----------------------------------|
|-5-(5)-(5)-7-5-(5)-------3-|-(3)-(3)(3)-------3-------5-----5-|
|-----------7-5-(5)-7p5---3-|-(3)h=5p=3------------------------|
|-----------------------7---|------------5-4-5---4-5S7---6-7---|
|---------------------------|----------------------------------|
D9 Am7 C5/G Gm7 Bb/D Bb5/Bb5/F
E S S E E S S E E E E S S E S S S S E E e
|-5-(5)-(5)------------------|--------------------------|
|-5h=6p==5-------------------|--------------------------|
|-5-(5)-(5)---5-(5)(5)---5---|-3-(3)(3)-3-------3---3---|
|-----------7-5h=7p=5----5-7-|-3h=5p=3--3-x-x-x-3---3---|
|----------------------7-----|----------5-x-x-x---5---5-|
|----------------------------|--------------------------|
1.
D9 D5Am7 Gm7 Bb/F
Gtr I
<
E S S E E +E S S E E +E S S q S S Q.
|-5-(5)-(5)-----------------|-------------------------||
|-5h=6p==5------------------|-------------------3----o||
|-5-(5)-(5)-7-5-(5)-------3-|-(3)-(3)(3)--------3-----||
|-----------7-5-(5)-7p5---3-|-(3)h=5p=3---------3-----||
|-----------------------7---|------------5--3h5------o||
|---------------------------|-------------------------||
|
| Gtr II
| <
| E S S E E +E S S E E +E S S q H
|-5-(5)-(5)-----------------|-------------------------||
|-5h=6p==5------------------|---------------3--------o||
|-5-(5)-(5)-7-5-(5)-------3-|-(3)-(3)(3)----3---------||
|-----------7-5-(5)-7p5---3-|-(3)h=5p=3-----3---------||
|-----------------------7---|------------5-----------o||
|---------------------------|-------------------------||
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/l/led-zeppelin/40578.html ]
Guitar Solo (2:28)
2.
Bb5/Bb5/F Bb5 F/Bb5 C5
~
+E S S Q H Q Q e e e a E
|------------------------||--------------------|
|------------------------||-6b8--6-------------|
|-(3)--------------------||---------3-----3h5--|
|-(3)h5p3----------------||-----------3-5------|
|---------5--------------||--------------------|
|------------------------||--------------------|
|
| +E S S E S S S S E q Q Q E E E E
|------------------------||--------------------|
|------------------------||--------------------|
|-(3)-------------3---3--||--------------------|
|-(3)h5p3---x-x---3---3--||------3----3-3---5--|
|---------5-x-x-5---5----||-1----1--1-0-1---3--|
|------------------------||--------------------|
D5C5 F5 C/F5 G5
~~~ ~~~~~~~~
+H. Q E +S S Q e e S S E +H. E E
|-----------------|---------------------5---|------------------------|
|-----------------|-8b10r(8)p6-8------5---8-|-(8)--------------------|
|-(5)-------------|---------------5-7-------|-------------------5pb6-|
|-----------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|
| +Q Q E E E E Q Q E E E E +E E E S S E E E E
|-----------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-(5)--5--5-7-5---|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-(3)--3--3-5-3---|------------3--3-3-3---5-|-(5)-5-5-x-x---5-5-0----|
|---------------0-|-1----------1--1-0-1---3-|-(3)-3-3-x-x-0-3-3-0----|
Bb5 F/A Bb5 C5
~~~
|----3-----|
+Q q q e S T +T S S a E
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|-(5)pb7==5---5-5---5r(5)p3---3h5-|
|---------------------------5-----|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|
| Q Q E E E E
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|--3--------3---3-3-------3-----5-|
|--1--------1---1-0-------1-----3-|
|---------------------------------|
F5 C/F5 G5
~~~~~
|---3----| |--3--|
+Q. +E Q E E E e Q E E E E E E
|-----------------------6---7-|-8-8b10---8--------------|
|------------------8b10-------|------------6---6-----6--|
|-(5)-----(5)\----------------|--------------7---7------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
|
| +E E E E E E E E Q Q E E E E
|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-------------------------|
|-(5)-5-5--5---5-6-5----------|-------------------------|
|-(3)-3-3--3---3-5-3------0---|-3------3---3-3-3--------|
|-----------------------------|-1------1---1-0-1---3----|
G5/D G5 Bb5 F/A Bb5 C5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S S Q. +Q Q E E +S E. +E S +S +S S S S
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-8-8-8--------(8)--------|---------------18--(18)-----------------------|
|-------------------------|---17b19==(17)----------17r(17)-(17)-15-17-17-|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|
| e e e S S S E. E E Q Q E E E E
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|-5---5--5----------------|-3----------3--------3---3--------3------5----|
|-5---5--5-x-x--x--5--5-0-|-1----------1--------1---0--------1------3----|
|----------x-x--x--3--3-0-|----------------------------------------------|
~~~~
+H E E E E
|----------------------------|
|---------------17-18-18b20==|
|-(17)-------17--------------|
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|
|
| +E E E E E E E E
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|
|--(5)-5-5-5--5--6--5--------|
|--(3)-3-3-3--3--5--3--0-----|
|----------------------0-----|
F5 C/F5 G5
|--3--| |---3---|
+E E Q E +Q E E E S S S S Q +Q. E
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-(18)r-18-18b20-18-(18)---17------17s|=15----15----15---(15)-----18-----|
|-----------------------------17------|----16----16---------------17b19==|
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
| Q Q E E E e e e E e e e E E
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------------5----|--5-----5-------5---5--5----------|
|---3-------3---------3--3--3----5----|--5-----5-------5---5--5----0-----|
|---1-------1---------1--0--1----3----|--3-----3-----x-3---3--3-x--0-----|
Bb5 C5
+E Q E +E S S E S S
|----------------------------------------------------|
|-(18)--18------18-----(18)--18-18-18----------------|
|-(17)r-17b19---17b19==(17)r-17-17-17b19-17-17pb19===|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|
| Q Q E E E E
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|---3---------3----------3----------3-----5----------|
|---1---------1----------1----------1-----3----------|
|-----------------------------0----------------------|
D5 C5
~~~~
E +Q S S E e E e
|------------------------------|
|-18------------------------17-|
|-17r=(17)---17-17-17-17-17----|
|------------------------------|
|------------------------------|
|------------------------------|
|
| +E E E S S E E E E
|------------------------------|
|------------------------------|
|------------------------------|
|-(5)---5--5--5--5--5--7--5----|
|-(3)---3--3--3--3--3--5--3----|
|----------------------------0-|
D.S. al Coda
F5 G5 Gm7
<
Q Q a +E e S S E +H H
|----------------------------------------|-----------------||
|-18b20--18b20===18r(18)-17----17--------|------------3----||
|---------------------------17----17b19==|=(17)r------3----||
|----------------------------------------|------------3----||
|----------------------------------------|-----------------||
|----------------------------------------|-----------------||
|
| <
| Q Q E E E E +Q H.
|----------------------------------------|-----------------||
|----------------------------------------|--------3--------||
|----------------------------------------|--------3--------||
|----------------------------------------|--------3--------||
|--3------3-----------3---3--3-----5-----|--(5)------------||
|--1------1-----------1---1--1-----3-----|--(3)------------||
Outro (3:40)
&
N.C. Bb5 N.C. Bb5
Gtrs I, II
S E S E S S +S S S S S S E S E S E S S +S S S S S S E 5x
|-----------------------------||-------------------------------||
|-----------------------------||o-----------------------------o||
|-7---------------------------||-------------------------------||
|-------------------3-3-3-----||--------------------3-3-3------||
|---5-x-4-x-3-(3)-x-1-1-1-0-0-||o-x-5-x-4-x-3-(3)-x-1-1-1-0-0-o||
|-----------------------------||-------------------------------||
N.C. Bb5
S E S E S S +S S Q. +W
|------------------------|--------*|
|------------------------|--------*|
|-------------------3----|-(3)----*|
|-------------------3----|-(3)----*|
|-x-5-x-4-x-3-(3)-x-1----|-(1)----*|
|------------------------|--------*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
