Murder By Numbers Tabbed by Ian Wakeham This song was difficult to tab because - if my ears aren't deceiving me - there seems to be two basses playing simultaneously on the album recording! Sting often double-tracks his basslines when recording and here it sounds as though there is a stand-up bass and possibly a fretless both playing similar but subtly differing lines (you need to listen carefully through a good set of headphones to really hear it). Because of this, I have resorted to picking out the notes that are easiest to distinguish, regardless of which bass they are played on. Although it isn't note-perfect, it should sound like the record and be suitable for a live performance. 1st Verse: Once that you've decided on a killing First you make a stone of your heart And if you find that your hands are still willing Then you can turn a murder into art 2nd Verse (Bass enters): G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D-----7---5------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A-------------7-------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-----------------------------------5----------7-----------------5----7----6------------- There really isn't any need for bloodshed G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D------7---5----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A--------------7------------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------5------------5---7-----------------5----7----6------ You just do it with a little more finesse G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D----7---5------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A-------------7-------------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------5-----------7-------------------------5----7----6------ If you can slip a tablet into someone's coffee G----------------------------------------------------------------| D----------------------------------------------------------------| A----------9---------8-------------------------------------------| E------------------------------------------7----7---7---7--------| Then it avoids an awful lot of mess 1st Chorus: G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D-----------7---5-------------------------4--------------4---5-----------------7--5--4--- A--------------------7-------------5---7-------------7----------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be-cause it's mur-der by num-bers One two three G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D----------7---5--------------------------4--------------4---5-----------------7--5--4--- A-------------------7-------------5---7--------------7----------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's as eas-y to learn as your A B C G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D-----7---5--------------------------4--------------4---5-----------------7--5--4-------- A--------------7-------------5---7--------------7---------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's mur-der by num-bers One two three G------------------------------------------------------------------------| D----------7---5-----------------------4---------------------------------| A-------------------7----------5---7-------------------------------------| E---------------------------------------------------3-------5-------7----| It's as eas-y to learn as your A B C 3rd and 4th Verses (play exactly as per 2nd verse). 2nd Chorus (play exactly as per 1st chorus). 5th Verse: G----------------------------------------------------------------------- D-------7---5----------------------------------------------------------- A---------------7------------------------------------------------------- E-----------------------------5--------7-----------------5----7----6---- Or you can join the ranks of the illustrious G----------------------------------------------------------------------- D-------7---5----------------------------------------------------------- A---------------7------------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------5-----5---7-----------------5----7----6---- In history's great dark hall of fame G----------------------------------------------------------------------- D----7---5-------------------------------------------------------------- A-------------7--------------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------5----------7-----------------5----7----6--- All our greatest killers were industrious G-----------------------------------------------------------------------| D-----------------------------------------------------------------------| A-------------------------------------------rest------------------------| E-----------------------------------------------------------------------| At least the ones that we all know by name 6th Verse (play exactly as per 2nd Verse). 3rd Chorus: G------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D--------7---5-----------------------4----------------4---5-----------------7--5--4--- A-----------------7-----------5---7---------------7----------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be-cause it's mur-der by num-bers One two three G---------------------------------------------------------------------------- D--------7---5-----------------------4--------------4---5----------7--5--4--- A-----------------7---------5---7-------------7------------------------------ E---------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's as eas-y to learn as your A B C G------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D---------7---5------------------------4--------------4---5-----------------7--5--4-- A------------------7-----------5---7-------------7----------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mur-der by num-bers One two three G------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D----------7---5---------------------------4----------------------------------------- A-------------------7-------------5---7-----------------------------------------5---- E------------------------------------------------------3-------5-------7------------- It's as eas-y to learn as your A B C D... G------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A----------7------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------5------5---7----------------5---7---6-------------- ..E One, two... G------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---7---5----------------------------------------------------------------------- A-----------7---7---7----------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------5---5---5--------7---7---7---6---------------- ...three A, B... G------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---7---5----------------------------------------------------------------------- A-----------7------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------5------5---7----------------5---7---6--------------- ...C One, two... G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A-----------9----9--------------------------9-------------------------------------------- E-------------------------------------------------------7---7--------7---------7---7----- ...three A,B... G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---7---5-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------7--------------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------5----------7-----------------5----7----6--------- ...C One, two... G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---7---5-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A-------------7-------------------------------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------5------5---7----------------5---7---6----------------------- ....three A,B... G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---7---5-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------7---7---7------------------------------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------5---5---5---------7---7---7-----------6---------- ...C G----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| A----------9----9----9--------9---9---9--------------------------------------------------| E----------------------------------------------------7------7---7-----7---7--------------| I say... 4th Chorus: G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D----------7---5----------------------4--------------4---5---------------7--5--4--------- A-------------------7---------5---7-------------7---------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's mur-der by num-bers One two three G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---------7---5-------------------------4--------------4---5-------------7--5--4--------- A-------------------7----------5---7------------7---------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's as eas-y to learn as your A B C G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D----------7---5----------------------4--------------4---5---------------7--5--4--------- A-------------------7---------5---7-------------7---------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mur-der by num-bers One two three G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D----------7---5------------------------------------------------------------------------- A-------------------7-----------------------------------------------------------5-------- E-----------------------------------2----------------3--------5--------7----------------- It's as eas-y to learn as your A B C D... G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A-------7--(hold)-------------------7--7--7--7----7--7--7--7----7--7--7--7----7--7--7--7- E---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ..E G-----------9--(slide down)-------------------------------------------------------------| D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| E---------------------------------------------------0------------------------------------|