WATCHING THE DETECTIVES As recorded by Elvis Costello (From the 1977 Album MY AIM IS TRUE) Words and Music by Elvis Costello Transcribed by Slowhand Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Elvis Costello - Electric Guitar' Intro Q=137(8=s8) N.C. 4/4 Gtr I W Wx4 |----------|--------| |----------|--------| |----------|--------| |----------|--------| |----------|--------| |----------|--------|

Q ^Ame e E e e e E e e e E e e e E ^Fe e e E e e e E e e e E e e e |----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-| |----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-| |----------2-----|---2-------2-----|---3-------3-----|---3-------3-----| |----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

E ^Ame e e E e e e E e e e E e e e E ^Fe e e E e e e E e E e E e E e |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|| |-----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-|---1---1---1---1-|| |-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-|---2---2---2---2-|| |---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|---3-------3-----|-----------------|| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||

1st Verse

Q ^Ame e E e E e E e e e E e e E E ^Fe e e E e e e E e e e E e e e |----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----1-1---1---1-|---1-1-1---1-1-0-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-| |----2-2---2---2-|---2-2-2---2-2-0-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-| |----------------|-----------------|---3-------3-----|---3-------3-----| |----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

E ^Ame e e E e E e E e E e E e Q Q ^Fe e E e e e E e e e E e e e |-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------| |---1-1-----1---1-|---1---1--------|----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-| |---2-2-2---------|-----------2----|----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-| |-----------------|----------------|----------3-----|---3-------3-----| |-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|

^Ame e e e e e e e Q e e E e E E E ^Fe Q E e E E +Q e e E e e e |-----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|| |---1---1-----1-1-|----1-1---1---0-|---1------1---1-|-(1)--1-1-------1-|| |---2---2---2-2-2-|----2-2---2---0-|---2------2---2-|-(2)--2-2---2-----|| |-2---2---2-------|----------------|----------------|------------------|| |-----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|| |-----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------||

Chorus

H Q ^Ce e e e e e e e e e H Q E

N.C.

e Q e e E e e e ||--------------|-----------------|-------------|-----------------| ||o---------1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----------3-|----3-3---3-3-3--| ||----------0-0-|-----------------|-------------|-----------------| ||--------------|---2-------2-----|-------------|-----------------| ||o-------------|-3-------3-------|-------------|-----------------| ||--------------|-----------------|-------------|-----------------|

W E e e e Q E e Q ^G5Q H ^F5H ^DQ Q |----------|----------------|------------|---------2--|| |----------|-------1--------|----3-------|------3--3--|| |----------|---0----------0-|----0-------|-5----2--2--|| |----------|----------------|-------2----|-3----------|| |----------|----------------|------------|------------|| |----------|----------------|------------|------------||

Bridge Am 2/4 Q Q H W W W |------------|----------|----------|------| |-1----------|----------|----------|------| |-2----------|----------|----------|------| |------------|----------|----------|------| |------------|----------|----------|------| |------------|----------|----------|------| 1. C G 4/4 Q e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e Q e e e e e e e e e e |----------------|-----------------|----------------|------------------|| |----------------|-----------------|-------3--------|-------3-----3----|| |----0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-------4----4-4-|-----4-4-----4-4--|| |----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----5------5-5-|-5-5-5---5-5---5--|| |--------3-3-----|-3-3-----3-3-----|----------------|------------------|| |----------------|-----------------|-3-3------------|------------------|| 2nd Verse

N.C.

e e e E Q E e E e e E Q e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e |----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----------------|-----2--------0-|-----------------|-----------------| |-2-2-2--------2-|---2-2------2---|-----------------|-----------------| |----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----------------|----------------|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|

E e e e E e e e E e e e E e e e q q q e e q q q e e |-----------------|-----------------|--------------|--------------| |-----------------|-----------------|--------------|--------------| |---2-2-2---2-2-2-|---2-2-2---2-2-2-|--------------|----------0-0-| |---2-2-2---2-2-2-|---2-2-2---2-2-2-|--------------|----------0-0-| |-----------------|-----------------|----------3-3-|--------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-1--1--1------|-1--1--1------|

Q e e Q e e Q e e Q e e ^Fe e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e |---------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------| |---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------1-----1-0-| |----2-2----2-2-|----2-2----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-2-2-2-2-----2---| |----2-2----2-2-|----2-2----2-2-|-----3-3-----3-3-|-3-3-3-----------| |---------------|---------------|-----------------|-----------------| |---------------|---------------|-1-1-----1-1-----|---------1-1-----|

^Ame e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ^Fq q e e E e E E e e e e e e |-----------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------| |-----1-1-----1-1-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-------------1-|---1-------------| |---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|---------------|---2-------------| |-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|---------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-1--1--1-1-1---|-----1---1-1-3-3-|

^Amq e e q e e q e e q e e ^Fe e e e e e e e e e q e e q |---------------|---------------|-----------------|----------------|| |---------------|---------------|-----------------|---------------o|| |---------------|---------------|---------------2-|----------------|| |-2--2-2-2--2-2-|-2--2-2-2--2-2-|---------------3-|----------------|| |-0--0-0-0--0-0-|-0--0-0-0--0-0-|-----------------|---------------o|| |---------------|---------------|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1---|-1-1-1--1-1-1---||

3rd Verse 2.

E ^Ce e E E e e E E ^Ge e e E e e e E e e e E e e e ^Amq e e q e e |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||---------------| |-------1---------|-----0-0---0-0-0-|-----0-0---0-0-0-||---------------| |-------0-----0---|---0-0-0---0-0-0-|---0-0-0---0-0-0-||----2-2----2-2-| |---2-2-----2-2---|-----------------|-----------------||----2-2----2-2-| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||-0------0------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||---------------|

q e e q e e ^Fq q q e e e e e e e e e e E ^Ame e e E e e e |---------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------| |---------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------| |----2-2----2-2-|--------------|-----------------|---2---2---2---2-| |----2-2----2-2-|--------------|---3---3-3-3-5-5-|-----2-------2---| |-0------0------|-3--3--3--3-3-|-----------------|-----0-------0---| |---------------|-1--1--1--1-1-|-1---1-----------|-----------------|

e e e e e e e e ^Fq e e q e e q e e q e e ^A5e e e e e e e e |-----------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------| |---1-------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------| |-------2---2---0-|------2------2-|------2------0-|-----------------| |-----------------|---------------|---------------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-| |-0---------------|-3--3---3--3---|-3--3---3--3---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-| |-----------------|-1--1---1--1---|-1--1---1--1---|-----------------|

e e e e e e e e ^F5e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e ^AmQ e e Q. e |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------| |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-2----2------2-| |-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-----------------|-----------------|-2----2------2-| |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|----0---0------| |-----------------|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|---------------|

Outro F C 2/4 4/4 |3| e e e e e e e E e e Q e e e e E Q Q Q e e Q e e |-----------------|----------------|--------||---------------| |-----------------|-1--------------|--------||---------------| |---2---2---2-----|----------------|--------||----0-0----0-0-| |-----------------|----------------|--------||----2-2----2-2-| |-0---0---0---0---|----------------|--------||---------------| |-----------------|---1----1-1---1-|-1-1-1--||---------------|

Q e e Q e e Q ^Ge e Q e e Q e e Q e e

N.C.

W |---------------|---------------|---------------|-------| |---------------|----0-0----0-0-|----0-0----0-0-|-------| |----0-0----0-0-|----0-0----0-0-|----0-0----0-0-|-------| |----2-2----2-2-|---------------|---------------|-------| |---------------|---------------|---------------|-------| |---------------|---------------|---------------|-------|

E e Q H W E e E e E e e E ^AmQ Q H |-------------|----------|-----------------|------------| |-------------|----------|-----------------|-1----------| |---0---------|----------|---0---0---0-0---|-2----------| |-------------|----------|-----------------|------------| |-------------|----------|-----------------|------------| |-------------|----------|-----------------|------------|

C 2/4 4/4 H Q Q W W H Q. e |------------|----------|------|-------------| |------------|----------|------|-----------1-| |------------|----------|------|-----------0-| |------------|----------|------|-------------| |------------|----------|------|-------------| |---------3--|----------|------|------3------|

E e e e E e e e ^GQ Q Q Q E e e E E E Q ^AmQ e e Q e e |-----------------|-------------|----------------|---------------| |-----------------|-------------|-------------0--|-1-------------| |---0-0-0---0-0-0-|-------------|---0-0-------0--|-2--2-2----2-2-| |-----------------|-------------|----------------|---------------| |-----------------|-------------|----------------|---------------| |-----------------|-3--3--3--3--|-3-------3------|---------------|

E e e e E e e e Q ^Fe E Q q E e e e E e e E ^AmE e e e E e e e |-----------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|--------------|-----------------|---1-1-1---1-1-1-| |---2-2-2---2-2-2-|--------------|-----------------|---2-2-2---2-2-2-| |-----------------|----3---------|---3-3-3---3-3---|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------3--|---3-3-3---3-3---|-0-------0-------| |-----------------|--------------|-----------------|-----------------|

E e e e E e e e ^FQ e E Q e e q e e q e e Q ^Ame e Q e E |-----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| |---1-1-1---1-1-1-|---------------|---------------|----1-1----1---| |---2-2-2---2-2-2-|---------------|----5-5----5-5-|----2-2----2---| |-----------------|----3------3-3-|----3-3----3-3-|---------------| |-0-------0-------|----3------3-3-|---------------|---------------| |-----------------|-1-------------|---------------|---------------|

Q e e e e e e E ^Fe e e Q e E Q e e E e e e Q ^Ame e E e q |----------------|----------------|----------------|---------------| |------------1-1-|---1-1-1----1---|----1-1---1-1-1-|----1-1---1-1--| |----2-------2-2-|---2-2-2----2---|----2-2---2-2-2-|----2-2---2-2--| |------2---------|---3-3-3----3---|----3-3---3-3-3-|---------------| |--------0-0-----|----------------|----------------|---------------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|---------------|

E e e e E e e e ^FQ e e Q e e Q e e E e q |-----------------|---------------|---------------*| |---1-1-1---1-1-1-|----1-1----1-1-|----1-1---1-1--*| |---2-2-2---2-2-2-|----2-2----2-2-|----2-2---2-2--*| |-----------------|---------------|---------------*| |-----------------|---------------|---------------*| |-----------------|---------------|---------------*|

Duration Legend --------------- W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura + - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration) Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi- bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low melody durations appear below the staff Tablature Legend ---------------- h - hammer-on p - pull-off b - bend pb - pre-bend r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately) /\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere") s - legato slide S - shift slide - natural harmonic [n] - artificial harmonic n(n) - tapped harmonic ~ - vibrato tr - trill T - tap TP - trem. picking PM - palm muting \n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip \n - tremolo bar down n/ - tremolo bar up /n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip = - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls <> - volume swell (louder/softer) x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash Misc Legend ----------- | - bar || - double bar ||o - repeat start o|| - repeat end *| - double bar (ending) : - bar (freetime) $ - Segno & - Coda Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths

Elvis Costello - Watching the detectives