POLICE - "message in a bottle5" Tablature

Artist: The Police
Song: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Album: Reggatta de Blanc ©1979



The Police began as a punk-rock band and if you listen closely to MESSAGE IN A
BOTTLE you will see that it has a very punkish rhythm. The chords in the pre-
chorus are all strummed downward very fast. Even though you form a full (A) and
(F#m) chord in the pre-chorus that doesn't mean you strike all the notes in the
chord. (As always listen to the recording to get the rhythm down correctly.)
The chords in the chorus are strummed and held for four beats each.



Main Riff (live version)/Verse:

E|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|-----8----------------------------|
D|---6---------9-------11-------6s7-|
A|-4---------7-------9--------4-----|
E|-------5-------7--------2---------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Just a castaway
An island lost at sea
Another lonely day
With no one here but me
More loneliness
Than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair-oh

Pre-Chorus: Chorus:
(2x) (3x) (3x)
A D E F#m D C#m7 A F#m
E|-5------|-----------||-2------|-------||-4------|--------||---------|
B|-5------|-7----9----||-2------|-------||-2------|--------||---------|
G|-6------|-7----9----||-2------|-------||-4------|--------||---------|
D|-7------|-7----9----||-4------|-------||-6------|--------||---------|
A|-7------|-5----7----||-4------|-------||-4------|--------||---------|
E|-5------|-----------||-2------|-------||--------|--------||---------|

I'll send an SOS to I hope that Message In A
the world someone gets my Bottle



Additional lyrics:

A year has passed since I wrote my note
But I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life
But love can break your heart

I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle

Walked out this morning
Don't believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles
Washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
A hundred billion castaways
Looking for a home

I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle



Tabbed by Michael Hatch (and his ex-guitar teacher)
email: watching_wheels@hotmail.com
Date: 7/13/02



Other tabs I've submitted:

Beatles: i should have known better.tab
Beatles: hard days night2.tab
Supertramp: give a little bit.tab
Romantics: what i like about you.tab
Rolling Stones: brown sugar2.tab