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Miserlou

Dick Dale

Text File

#----------------------------------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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: TomWBell@aol.com
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 1995 14:06:26 -0500
Subject: Dick Dale's Miserlou, again

********


Miserlou
(Aka "the theme from Pulp Fiction.")

Dick Dale and the Del-Tones popularized Miserlou in 1962.  Recently, the Pulp
Fiction soundtrack introduced another generation to the tune.  In fact,
though, Miserlou is a Greek folk tune from waaaaay back.  Dick Dale's '62
version largely defined the surf sound.  He played it on Fender outboard
spring reverb tank (along with a classic Stratocaster through a 1961 Showman
setup).  The original folk tune has lyrics, but -- as you surely know -- surf
music does *not* have lyrics!  Dick Dale just shouted "hu!" and "haa!" in a
couple of spots.

Dick Dale doublepicked Miserlou left-handed and upside-down at blinding
speed.  I've simplified this tab to emphasize Miserlou's melody.  The
original thus has about four times as many notes as you see here.  Dick Dale
apparently learned to speed-pick from his Lebanese uncle, who played an oud
with a turkey quill.  Dick Dale still tours -- don't miss him!

The popular '62 version of Miserlou sometimes *sounds* a semi-tone higher
than it appears here, especially in the lower ranges.  StratoCossack
attributes tuning and/or recording flukes to the '62 version, however.  Later
recordings and observationos at live performances bear out the approach set
forth here, which resolves in E and puts exactly two octaves between the
first and second guitar passages.  If you want to mimic the '62 sound, trying
bumping up the first guitar passage, on the low E string, by a semi-tone.

Recorded:  Dick Dale and the Del-Tones, 1962
Tabbed:  Tom W. Bell , 1995 (with "Team Cowabunga," esp.
StratoCossack, helping with the lead guitar, and Rick Weber helping with the
trumpet)

h --> hammer-on (and, sometimes, play in same beat)
p --> pull-off (aka hammer-off) (and, sometimes, play in same beat)
s --> slide
# --> rest
= --> hold note a beat
1pick --> singlepick
2pick --> doublepick
"hu!"; "haa!" --> various shouts

Tempo:  Presto con huevos!
(Doublepick all guitar passages unless otherwise indicated.)

E|---------|---------|---------|
B|---------|---------|---------|
G|---------|---------|---------|
D|---------|---------|---------|
A|---------|---------|---------|
E|-#-#-7s0-|-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-|

             "hu!" "hu!"  "haa!"
E|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
B|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
G|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
D|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
A|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
E|-0-0h1-4-5-|-7-7h8-11-8-|-7-7-7-7-|7-7-s-0-|


E|-----------|------------|---------|---------|
B|-----------|------------|---------|---------|
G|-----------|------------|---------|---------|
D|-----------|------------|---------|---------|
A|-----------|------------|---------|---------|
E|-0-0h1-4-5-|-7-7h8-11-8-|-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-|


E|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
B|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
G|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
D|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
A|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
E|-8-7h8-7-5-|-7-5h7-5-1-|-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-|

                           1pick
E|-------------|-----------|---------|-7sssss0-|
B|-------------|-----------|---------|---------|
G|-------------|-----------|---------|---------|
D|-------------|-----------|---------|---------|
A|-------------|-----------|---------|---------|
E|-5h8-7h8-7-5-|-7-5h7-5-#-|-1-4-0-0-|---------|


E|-0-0h1-4-5-|-7-7h8-11-8-|-7-7-7-7-|7-7-7s0-|
B|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
G|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
D|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
A|-----------|------------|---------|--------|
E|-----------|------------|---------|--------|


E|0-0h1-4-5-|-7-7h8-11-8-|-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-|
B|----------|------------|---------|---------|
G|----------|------------|---------|---------|
D|----------|------------|---------|---------|
A|----------|------------|---------|---------|
E|----------|------------|---------|---------|


E|-8-7h8-7-5-|-7-5h7-5-1-|-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-|
B|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
G|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
D|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
A|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|
E|-----------|-----------|---------|---------|

                         singlepick
E|-8-7h8-7-5-|-7-5h7-5-#-|-1-4-0-0-|
B|-----------|-----------|-------0-|
G|-----------|-----------|---------|
D|-----------|-----------|---------|
A|-----------|-----------|---------|
E|-----------|-----------|---------|

  trumpet solo (2pick all, or 1pick vibrato & 2pick trills):

E|-----------------|-----|----------|-----|---------|---------|
B|-----------------|-----|----------|-----|---------|---------|
G|-----------------|-----|----------|-----|---------|---------|
D|-----------------|-----|----------|-----|---------|---------|
A|-----------------|-0===|==------0-|-2===|==-#-0h2-|-3==-2h3-|
E|-#-0-1-3-4-0-1-3-|-----|---55p4---|-----|---------|---------|


E|-------|-----|-----|---------------|-----------------|-----|
B|-------|-----|-----|---------------|-----------------|-----|
G|-------|-----|-----|---------------|-----------------|-----|
D|-------|-----|-----|---------------|-----------------|-----|
A|-6==-6-|-7===|====-|-#-8p7h8-777-5-|-777-7p5h7-555-3-|-2===|
E|-------|-----|-----|---------------|-----------------|-----|


E|-----|--------------|---------|-------|-----------------|
B|-----|--------------|---------|-------|-----------------|
G|-----|--------------|---------|-------|-----------------|
D|-----|--------------|---------|-------|-----------------|
A|2===-|#-5p3h5-333-2-|-2-0-2-0-|-------|---------------0-|
E|-----|--------------|---------|-1-0==-|-0-1-3-4-0-1-3---|


Guitar, basically repeating the trumpet passage, here tabbed
to indicate doublepicking:

                                  hu!hu!          hu!
E|---------|-----------|---------|-----------|-----------|
B|---------|-----------|---------|-----------|-----------|
G|---------|-----------|---------|-----------|-----------|
D|---------|-----------|---------|-----------|-----------|
A|-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-----|-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-0h2-|-3-3-3-2h3-|
E|---------|-------4h5-|---------|-----------|-----------|

   hu!
E|-----------|---------|---------|-----------|-----------|---------|
B|-----------|---------|---------|-----------|-----------|---------|
G|-----------|---------|---------|-----------|-----------|---------|
D|-----------|---------|---------|-----------|-----------|---------|
A|-6-6-3h6-6-|-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-|-8-7h8-7-5-|-7-5h7-5-3-|-2-2-2-2-|
E|-----------|---------|---------|-----------|-----------|---------|

                            1pick      piano enters
E|---------|-------------|---------|---------|---------|
B|---------|-------------|---------|---------|---------|
G|---------|-------------|---------|---------|---------|
D|---------|-------------|---------|---------|---------|
A|-2-2-2-2-|-5-3h5-3-2p0-|-#-0-2-0-|---------|---------|
E|---------|-------------|---------|-1-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-|


(Piano trills continue for 3 measures)
(base and rhythm continue for 3 more measures)

Repeat high E-string guitar passage, with piano embellishments.