Black - Sabbath - A National Acrobat guitar tab
Title - A National Acrobat 1974
Artist - Black Sabbath
Album - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4/4 Time
Notation h = hammer on
p = pull-off
b = bend
\ = slide down
/ = slide up
. = staccato, don't let ring
r = rest
x = mute notes
Note - I worked this out on an acoustic guitar
So it is bound to have inaccuracies,
(especially with the hammer on and pull off)
Please add corrections
Riff 1 - 2 Bars - Intro repeat 4 times
e|--------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------2----------------|
D|----------------------3--2----------------5------2-3-2--|
A|3h5--5.-5---5-3-5-3-5------3-5-5-5-5-3------3-----------|
E|-----------------------------------------------5--------|
Riff 2 - 2 Bars
D F C G
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|7---7--7----------5---5--5----------|
D|7---7--7-3---3--3-5---5--5-5---5--5-|
A|5---5--5-3---3--3-3---3--3-5---5--5-|
E|---------1---1--1----------3---3--3-| + riff 1
I am the world that hides the universal secret of all time
Destruction of the empty spaces is my one and only crime
Riff 3 - 2 Bars
Bb ? F G
e|------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------|
G|1--1-1---2--2-2---------------------|
D|3--3-3---3--3-3---3--3-3---5--5-5---|
A|3--3-3---0--0-0---3--3-3---5--5-5---|
E|---------1--1-1---1--1-1---3--3-3---| + riff 1
I've lived a thousand times, I found out what it means to be believed
The thoughts and images, the unborn child that never was conceived.
Verse 2
When little worlds collide I'm trapped inside my embryonic cell
And flashing memories are casting into he never ending well
The name that scorns the face, the child that never sees the cause of man
The deathly darkness that belies the fate of those who never ran
Riff 4 - 2 Bars
e|-------------------------------------------------5----|
B|----------------------------------6\---x-x-x-x---6----|
G|----------------------------------5\---x-x-x-x---5----|
D|-----------------3----------------4\---x-x-x-x--------|
A|3h5.-r-r-3h5-3h5---5-3---3h5.-r-5-5\---x-x-x-x-5------|
E|-----------------------5----------------------------5-|
ran |try pull off to open strings on electric
Repeat Riff 4 for the rest of the lyrics and solo
Lyric
You've got to believe me. I'm talking to you
Well I know it's hard for you to know the reason why
And I know you'll understand more when it's time to die
Don't believe the life you have will be the only one
You have to let your body sleep to let your soul live on
I want you to listen. I'm trying to get through
Love has given life to you and now it's your concern
Unseen eyes of inner life will make your soul return
Still I look but not to touch, the seeds of life are sown
The curtain of the future falls, the secret stays unknown
Solo
Just remember love is life and hate is living death
Treat your life for what it's worth and live for every breath
Looking back I've lived and learned, but now I'm wondering
Here I wait and only guess what this next life will bring. Ha Ha
Riff 5 - 1 Bar
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|------------------------|
A|3/5--5-3--3-------------|
E|------------5\3--3-1--1-| X 3
Riff 6 - 1 Bar
e|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|
D|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
A|7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|
E|5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
Riff 7 - 2 Bars
e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------|
G|------4-------------4-7-4--------4-------------|
D|4-5-7----7--7-4-5-7--------4-5-7---7--5-4------|
A|-----------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------| X 2
Riff 8- 2 Bars As above but start at 9th fret
e|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------9---------------9-12-9\--------9--------------|
D|9-10-12----12---9-10-12--------9-10-12---9--10-9------|
A|------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
Then Riff 7
Riff 9
use 4th finger for 7,
1st finger for 5 then 3(stretch)
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|--------------5-----3---5-3---|
A|7---7-7-7-7-7-3-----1---3-1---|
E|5---5-5-5-3-0-----------------| X 4
Riff 10 - 1st 2 bars
e|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|----7-7-----5-7-----5-7---7-7p5----|
A|----------7-------7------------7---|
E|5----------------------------------|
2nd 2 bars
e|-----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------|
G|--------------9b--p7p5--9b--p7p5---|
D|----7-7-----5---------7---------7p5|
A|----------7------------------------|
E|5----------------------------------|
Repeat riff 10 X 2
Riff 11 - 1 bar
e|----------------|
B|----------------|
G|----------------|
D|777775777775----|
A|------------650-|
E|----------------| X 8
Riff 10
e|----------------|
B|----------------|
G|----------------|
D|5---4---5---4---|
A|3---2---3---2---|
E|----------------| X 4
Then strum 1/16 speed and slide up the neck
For 2 bars and finish on an A
