Games People Play (Diatonic)

How hard is it?

Listen to the song— a recording linked by the tab’s author

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How to read this tab — notation key

+: Blow note
−: Draw note
b or ': Half-step bend
bb or '': Two half-step bend
bbb or ''': Three half-step bend
(###): Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *: Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab

Games People Play (Diatonic Solo)
Words & Music by Joe South
Key of A Major      Range F#4 to A5
Perfect for an A major Richter tuned diatonic
(will also work with almost any key diatonic)

Notations:    none = blow    - = draw
____ = hold; sustain    ” = full step bend
 = slur; slide smoothly from note to note. 


5  -4 5  -4 4  4___ -3” 4___
Na-na na na na na__ na  na__
5  -4 5  -4 4  -4__ 4  -4___
Na-na na na na na__ na na___
5  5  6  -6 6  -6 
Na-na na na na na
5  -4 5  -4 4  -4 -4____
Na-na na na na na na____

5  6   5     -4  4   4___  4____
Oh the games peo-ple play, now,_
5   6  5     -4  -4  4  -4__ -4____
ev-‘ry night and ev-‘ry day, now,__
4   4  5    5   6    6    -6_6  -6__
nev-er mean-in’ what they say,_ now_
5   6  5   -4  4    -3”  4_____
nev-er say-in’ what they mean._

5     6    5    -4  4   -3” 4  4____
While they wile a - way the ho-urs__
5  6     5 -4 4 -4  -4
in their i–vo-ry tow-ers__
4    4       5   5    6  6    -6_6__ -6__    
till they're cov-ered up with flow__-ers_
5  6   -6   5   6  5     -4  -3” 4____ -4 4
in the back of  a  black lim-ou-sine._ Whoa.

5  6  5  -4 4  4___ -3” 4___
Na-na na na na na__ na  na__
5  -4 5  -4 4  -4__ 4  -4____
Na-na na na na na__ na ne____
5    5    6    -6  6    -6___
Talk-in’ 'bout you and_ me,__
5   6   5     -4  4   4_____
and the games peo-ple play._

5   6  5    -5  4  4 -3”  4____
Oh, we make one an-o-ther cry._
5     6 5      -4   4  4   -3”  4___
Break a heart, then we say good-bye.
4     4   4      5   5  6    6  -6_6__  
Cross our hearts and we hope to die,__
5    5   5 5    -4  4  4      -4 4
that the o-ther was to blame. Whoa,

5   -4   5   -4   4  -3” 4    4
Nei-ther one will ev-er give in,
5  5  5    -4 4   -4    4  -4
so we gaze at our eight by ten,
4     4    5    5   6      6    -6    6    -6
think-in’ 'bout the things that might have been.
5    5 5   5  -4  4   4      -4 4
It's a dir-ty rot-ten shame. Whoa.

5  -4 5  -4 4  4___ -3” 4___
Na-na na na na na__ na na___
5  -4 5  -4 4  -4__ 4  -4____
Na-na na na na na__ na ne____
5    5    6    -6  6    -6___ 4  4
Talk-in’ 'bout you and  me,__ brother, 
5   6   5     -4  4   4_____
and the games peo-ple play._

(Interlude – optional)
-6____6__-5_______ -6___6__-5__5__-4____
Whoa,_____________ whoa,________________
-6___6__-5__ -6__6__-5___ -6___6__-5__5__-4
whoa,_______ whoa,_______ whoa.____________


5   -4  5    -4  4  -3” 4__  4____
Peo-ple walk-in’ up (a) to_ you___
5    6    5  -4 -4  4  -4 -4____
sing-in’ “Glory Hal-le-lu-jah!”_
-4  -4      5      5  6    6  -6 -6  
And they're tryin’ to sock it to you
5  5   5    4  4   4___
in the name of the Lord.

5       5   5  5     -4  4   -3” 4 -3” 4
They're gon-na teach you how to  me-di-tate,
5    -4   5  -4 -4     4   -4__  4    -4  
read your hor-o-scope, and cheat your faith,
4   5   5    6    6  -6   6    -6
and fur-ther more to hell with hate.
5    6  5   5   -4_4 -3”    -4 4
Come on and get on__ board. Whoa.

5  -4 5  -4 4  4___ -3” 4___
Na-na na na na na__ na  na__
5  -4 5  -4 4  -4__ 4  -4____
Na-na na na na na__ na ne____
5    5    6    -6  6   -6___
Talk-in’ 'bout you and me___
5   6   5     -4  4   4_____
And the games peo-ple play__

5   -4 5     -4   4  4    4   -3”
Look a-round tell me what you see.
5      -4  5   -4  4   4  -4  4   -4
What's (a) hap-pen-in’ to you and me?
-4  5     5  6   6   -6 6 -6
God grant me the ser-en-i-ty
5  5    5  5   5   -4  4 4   -4 4
to just re-mem-ber who I am. Whoa

 5     -4     5   -4  4  -3”  4  -3” 4
‘Cause you're giv-in’ up your san-i-ty
5   -4   5     -4  4    4  -3”4
for your pride and your van-i-ty.
-4   -4   5    6  5  -6  6 -6
Turn your back on hu-man-i-ty,
5   5   5     -4   4 5  -4 5  -4 5  -4
oh, you don't give a da da da da da da

5  -4 5  -4 4  -3” 4   4__
Na-na na na na na_ na  na_
5  -4 5  -4 4  -4__ 4  -4__
Na-na na na na na__ na ne__
5    5    6    -6  6   -6
Talk-in’ 'bout you and me
5   5   5     -4  4   4     -4 4
And the games peo-ple play. Whoa (Repeat chorus to fade)


OPTIONS:
Trouble with the draw 3 full step bend?
Replace it with blow 4. It’ll still sound good.

Here's another version with a slightly longer intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAGyENr3_44

Play on a harmonica— watch which holes to blow & draw, with sound