Few side notes before we get started, so first things first.
First: The entire song is played on the bottom two strings, the actual song has
one part where they just 'twang around on the first two, but it's stupid and
annoying so I've omitted it for your ear's sake.
Second: Brand new set of tuning, tune your 6th string down to a C and your 5th
string down to as slightly flat F (NOT F-flat), (tune 2nd string down to F and
1st string down to a G#). The song is played with the middle two strings removed,
but that's optional. The early B-52 setup was a rockin' (weird) fender strat., a
drumer, keyboard, a tambourine, vocals and a great cowbell. Get a cowbell.
FINAL NOTE: Set your tone switch to the middle/electric pickup for the classic
surfer guitar sound.
Key: p = Pull off, h = Hammer on, double notes (like 77) are to be played
extremely quick with no pause. That's about it.
The intro/main riff rocks out like this:
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
| | |
| | |
|----------------|3-0-3-2-------0-| <-- last note is an occasional filler
|0---2---3---2p0-|----------------|
The main verse is sung over that part. Then you get to the first
"rock lobster!" part and rock out the following hardcore twanging style.
|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
| | | | |
| -(3)- <--|-optional filler| | |2 times
|--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|10-10-10-10-10--|9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|
|0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
Then for a little twist, pick fast but make sure it goes for the same length
Now for the only part using the top two strings, twang on them both twice, then
proceed to the next riff.
|----------------|-------------------|
|----------------|-------------------|
| | |
| -(5)- <--|-optional filler |
|--2-2-2-5-5-5-5-|10-10-10-10-9-9-9-9|
|0-0-0-0-3-3-3-3-|8--8--8--8--7-7-7-7|
|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|----------------|
| | |
| | |
|----3-2-----3-2-|----3-2-3-2-3-2-| <--- increase 3-2's in speed
|0-3-----0-3-----|0-3-------------|
Congratulations, you've made it through verse one, now repeat that section again
for verse two (identically the same) and he'll start screaming about someone's
airhose broke, keep playing the "main riff" until he screams
"'SIN A GIANT CLAM!!!"(pre-down-down solo)
Now, rock out. (note my optional rhythm in arrow keys)
Play this quick, quick quick and smooth
(if you have a wah-wah peddle, turn it ON now)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/t/the_b-52s/rock_lobster_tab_ver_3.html ]
|--------|--------------------|----------------|
|--------|--------------------|----------------|
|v v |v ^ v ^ v v ^^ v| v ^ v ^ v
| | | |
|5---6---|7-7-7-7-7---7--77--7|----7-7-7-7-7---|
|--------|--------------------|----------------|
|--------------------|-----------|----------------|-----------------|
|--------------------|-----------|----------------|-----------------|
|v ^ v ^ v v ^^ v| v ^ v ^ v | (very fast) | (very fast) |
| | | | |
|--------------------|-----------|7-7-7-7---------|7-7-7-7----------|
|0-0-0-0-0---0--00--0|-0-0-0-0-0-|--------0-0-0-0-|---------0-0-0-0-|
|----------------|-------------------|
|----------------|-------------------|
| (slow) | |
| | |
|7-------7-------|7--7--7--7(slide)6-|
|----0-------0---|0--------0---------|
Here comes the "Down... Down..." part where you play from fret 12 of the
5th string all the way down to fret one, one fret at a time, pretty simple --
you'll hear the rhythm but here's the ending which I have to show you.
Here's the stupid part I omitted, this is traditionally played on the second
string, the ONE PART of the song where it's needed, but we'll substitute that for
the 5th since we're lazy and it sounds far better.
(if you have a wah-wah peddle, turn it OFF now)
|2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|0-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|0-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
|0-1-1-1-0-1-1-1-|0-1-0-1p0h1-0-1p0| <--- let ring drums kick in, SLAM down on
the main riff, (if you have a wah-wah peddle, turn it ON now)
--- MAIN RIFF TWICE ---
Okay, you're almost done. Just finish up with this once you play the main riff a
few times. (if you have a wah-wah peddle, turn it OFF now)
|----------------|-----------------|----------------|----------------|
|----------------|-----------------|----------------|----------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
|0---3---5-5-----|3---3---12th-12th|0---3---5-------|--3-3---5---12th|
|0---3---5-5-----|3---3---12th-12th|0---3---5-------|--3-3---5---12th|
then theres the "buzzer solo" where you rock between (fifth fret, two low
strings, eight times) with (third fret, two low strings, eight times)
And it concludes with a variety of animal noises and a riff that goes something like this
(if you have a wah-wah peddle, have FUN with it now)
|------------------------|----------------------|
|------------------------|----------------------|
| | |
| | |
|5(slide)10th--5---5--3--|3-3-3-3-8-8-8-7-7-7-65|
|5(slide)10th--5---5--3--|3-3-3-3-8-8-8-7-7-7-65|
"HO NO!!1, HERE IS COMING A BIKINI WHALE!!!2"
All credit goes to me, Jeremy Bright, and to Carlos Calvo.
Email us at drunkenjihader@netscape.net
I'm 110% sure this tab is correct, it rocks out the house and the band is
automatically required to jump into the pool after this song is played.
