"Parole" Todd Rundgren From "The Ballad of Todd Rundgren" (1971) Transcribed by Brian Canfield This song has a couple cool riffs, and I've been meaning to write them down for awhile.. Main Riff: E---------------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------------------------------------- Riff #1 D---------------4----5-----4h5p4------4-------------------------- A---------4--7--------------------7------------------------------ E------5----------5-----5---------------------------------------- 2 1 4 1 2 3 2 1 3 1 4 1 <-- suggested fingering 1 = index finger 2 = middle finger 3 = ring finger 4 = pinky finger The Riff is also played in D, later in the song: E---------------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------------------------------------- G-------------4----5-----4h5p4-------4--------------------------- Riff #2 D------4--7----------------------7------------------------------- A---5-----------5-----5------------------------------------------ E---------------------------------------------------------------- This Riff is played when he sings, "I'll be down in the slammer.." The riff sort of echoes the vocal melody of those words. E---------------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------------------------------------- Riff #3 D---7--5-----7--5------------------7v----------------------------- A---------7---------7--6--5-----5-------------------------------- E----------------------------8----------------------------------- "..down in the slammer before you count to nine" This is a little linking riff that takes the song into the chorus: E---------------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------------------------------------- Riff #4 D----5-----5------4-----4---------------------------------------- A-------5------------4------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- "..it aint easy being on.." (The chords for that part are roughly G5 and F#5) Chorus: There's no discernable riff for the chorus. The chords are E, A, and D basically. For E, play a regular open E, and use your pinky to hammer on and off the G string on the second fret. For A, play an open A, and hammer on and off the B string on fret 3. Basically E, Esus4 and A, Asus4 --------------------------------------------- Here's the song structure, with all the lyrics: A (Riff #1) Put down that phone and listen Baby how can you be so unkind If they catch me out of line only one more time (Riff #3) I'll be down in the slammer 'fore you count to nine D (Riff #2) I didn't mean to step out without you And I'm sorry way down in my soul (Riff #4) G5 F#5 But it ain't easy being on E Parole with you baby, Parole with you baby A Parole with you baby..parole with you baby.. D Before they throw me in the hole A I got to get my dose of Rock and Roll (Riff #4) G5 F#5 And it ain't easy being on E (Riff #1) Parole with you baby, let go [The rest of the song repeats previous parts] Solo: b = bend v = vibrato p = pull-off h = hammer-on r = release bend example 7b8(r7)p5 - bend up a half-step, release the bend, the immediately pull-off.. (Begins at about 1:53 on the recording) E---------------------------------------------------------------- B-------------------7b8(r7)p5---7v--5--5------------------------- G------5----------------------------------5s6-------------------- D--7------7--7--------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- E--------5------------------------------------------------------- B--5--7-----7p5--7v--5--7--5------------------------------------- G-----------------------------5b6(r5)---------------------------- D--------------------------------------7v------------------------ A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- B--5--7--8--7--7--5--7v------5--7-------------------------------- G------------------------6---------5b6(r5)----------------------- D--------------------------------------------7v------------------ A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- (2:02) E--------------------------------------------------12-------------- B--------------------------------------------------15b17v---------- G---9--12------9-----7-----5--------------------------------------- <--no clue how Todd D----------12----10-----7-----7--5--------------------------------- plays that fill so fast.. A-----------------------------------7--5--0------------------------ E------------------------------------------------------------------ E---------------------------------------------------------------- B-----10--12p10--12b13--10--12--10----12b13(r12)--10--12p10------ G--11------------------------------------------------------------ D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- E--------------------------------8--8------10b12(r)p8------------ B---12b13(r)p10--12--10----8s10--------10--------------10v------- G---------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- (2:11) E------------------12--10---------------------------------------- B------10--12--12----------12--10-------------------------------- G--12------------------------------12--9------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- E-------9---12--12v------9---12p9--12b14--12--------------------- B---12---------------12------------------------------------------ G---------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- E-----------12-----14b16--12--14----12v-------------------------- B---12--14------14---------------14------------------------------ G---------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- (2:19) E-----15b17---15b17---15b17v--15--12----------------------------- B-------------------------------------15b17(r)p13--15-------13--- G-------------------------------------------------------14------- D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- (2:22) E---------------------------------------------------------------- B--15b17--15--13--15------13------------------------------------- G---------------------14------14v--(slide down)------------------ D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------10--8---------------------------------------------------- B--8--10---------10--8--------------------------------------------- G-----------------------10--7-------------------------------------- D--------------------------------7--5------5----------------------- A---------------------------------------8----5---8v---------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------ (2:29) E--------5-------------------------------------------------------- B--5--8----8p5-------------------8---8---8------------------------ G----------------7--5-------7s9----9---9-------------------------- D----------------------7------------------------------------------ A----------------------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------------------------------------------- (2:31) E-----------12--10-------------------------------------------------- B---10--12---------12--10s8------------------------8--9------------- G----------------------------9---9v--7-----9p7-----------9--7--9---- D---------------------------------------9------9-------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------- E----10b12--10--7--10b12v---------------------------------------- B---------------------------------------------------------------- G---------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------- This is immediately followed by Riff #1, at about 2:36 in the recording. The solo probably has a ton of mistakes in it.. ==================================== Note from charles maraia I was looking at Brian's TAB of Parole and I think Riff #3 is wrong. I got: I'll be down in the slam..... e B G D 5 7 5 7 5 7 A 7 7 7 6 5 5 E 8