Home > Rock & Pop > Tom Waits >
Telephone Call From Istanbul Guitar Tablature
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 16:11:28 -0600 (MDT)
From: Lord High Ruler of the Universe 
Subject: TAB: Telephone Call From Istanbul by Tom Waits


This is the tab/chrords for the _Big Time_  version of...

Telephone Call From Istanbul    Tom Waits

(The FWY  version is either a 1/2 step up or down, i can't remember,
	this one is in the key of Fm)

the chords:

         Verse                            Chorus
  
      Fm    Bbm     C          Bbm7   Eb      Ab    Bbm*    C     Fm*
 e  --x--  --6--  --x--       --6--  --x--  --x--  --9--  --8--  --8--
 B  --9--  --6--  --8--       --6--  --6--  --9--  -11--  --8--  --9--
 G  -10--  --6--  --9--       --6--  --8--  --8--  -10--  --9--  -10--
 D  -10--  --8--  -10--       --6--  --8--  -10--  -11--  -10--  -10--
 A  --8--  --8--  -10--       --x--  --8--  -11--  --x--  -10--  --8--
 E  --x--  --6--  --x--       --6--  --x--  --x--  --x--  --8--  --8--
                                T                    
                                 
i like to play the verse chords with as many fingers as i can. (does 
that make any sense?) i think it allows for a more controled muting.  
it also sounds good to barre them.  of course it also sounds goo to playy 
the bass part of the verses.

it goes like this:

   Fm                Bbm               C                 Fm

e|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
B|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
G|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D|------------------|-------3-------3-|-------5-------5-|------------------|
A|-------3--------3-|-1-3/4---1-3/4---|-3-5/7---3-5/7---|-------3--------3-|
E|-1-3/4----1-3/4---|-----------------|-----------------|-1-3/4----1-3/4---|

      	repeat that a couple times

	(words: [Fm]all night long on the broken glass
	        [Bbm]living in a medicine chest
	        [C]mediteromainian hotel back
	        [Fm]sprawled across a roll top desk.
		etc...)


the chorus is like this:

		[Bbm7]sell me one of those if i shave my head
		[Eb]get me out of town is what fire ball said
		[Ab]never trust a man in a blue trench coat
		[Ab]never drive a car when you're dead
		
		[Bm*]Saturday's a festival, Friday's a gem
		[C]dye your hair yellow and raise your hem
		[Fm*]follow me to Beulah's on dry creek road
		[Fm*]i just got to wear the dress that my baby done sowed

for the last two Fm chords, i like to play this:
(these are straight quarter notes)

   Fm*                          Fm*
e|---------------------------|-----------------
B|---------------------------|-----------------
G|-10--10--9--9--8--8--7--7--|--6--6--5--5--4---   now solo over the verse
D|-10--10--9--9--8--8--7--7--|--6--6--5--5--4---   chords: Fm, Bbm, C, Fm
A|---------------------------|-----------------
E|---------------------------|----------------

i guess that's about everything...
have fun jamming, this is a wonderful song to improvise over.

any questions,comments,corrections,flames,stories,points of view or otherwise
please write:

[email protected]
Todd Olsen

 and also...   sorry if some of words are mixed up or spelled wrong, this 
all from memory.

and if you've never heard the Big Time album it's worth buying for this 
song alone (to say nothing of Raindogs!)
Previous guitar tablature in Tom Waits :: Next guitar tablature in Tom Waits