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Sting

Message In A Bottle

Sting

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Song: Message In A Bottle - Live - Encore song 
Artist: Sting 
Key: C#m 
Film: Bring on the Night (1985) 
Where: Théâtre Mogador in Paris, France 
When: May 29, 1985 
Performance: https://youtu.be/aqwhGoEGy6E?t=5545 

This is the final song of the opening night concert shown in the  
1985 documentary Bring on the Night. It is tabbed as Sting played  
it in the film.  

All chords are finger-plucked unless a down-strum (D) is annotated  
above the chord. Arpeggios are finger-plucked, of course. He does  
play an open E instead of C# for most bars of the intro/verse/outro. 

My preferred, easier-to-play tab of the intro-verse-outro is found  
at the very end. 


 Intro 

           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-------------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| x 2 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-0-----------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


  
           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| x 8 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-0-----------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-6-----------------------------|-7-----------------------------| 
D|-7-----------------------------|-7-----------9-----------------| 
A|-------------------------------|-5-----------7-----------------| 
E|-5-----------------------------|-------------0-----------------| 
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  



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



e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|10-----------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|11-----------------------------|11-----------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------|12-----------------------------| x 3 
A|-9-----------------------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|10-----------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x---5---p---4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x---6---------------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------|  
A|-4-------x---4-----------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 
        
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-----------------7-------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| x 3 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-----------------7-------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  

                 
       .               .                                                        
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------------------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|-------------------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|-------------5-----------------| 
                       .                                        
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
                                                        

   D 
e|-------------------------------| 
B|-2-----------------------------| 
G|-2-----------------------------| 
D|-4-----------------------------| 
A|-4-----------------------------| 
E|-2-----------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   
 

  
           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| 
A|-4-------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-------------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 

           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| x 7 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-0-----------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-6-----------------------------|-7-----------------------------| 
D|-7-----------------------------|-7-----------9-----------------| 
A|-------------------------------|-5-----------7-----------------| 
E|-5-----------------------------|-------------0-----------------| 
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


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

  
                                   D 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|10-----------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|11-----------------------------|11-----------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------|12-----------------------------| 
A|-9-----------------------------|12-----------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|10-----------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


   D                               D 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|10-----------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|11-----------------------------|11-----------------------------| 
D|11-----------------------------|12-----------------------------| 
A|-9-----------------------------|12-----------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|10-----------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


   D                               D 
e|-9-----------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|10-----------------------------|10-----------------------------| 
G|11-----------------------------|11-----------------------------| 
D|11-----------------------------|12-----------------------------| 
A|-9-----------------------------|12-----------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|10-----------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-4-------x-------4-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------|  
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-----------------7-------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-4-------x-------4-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| x 4 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-4-------x-------4-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-----------------7-------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


       .               .                                
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------------------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|-------------------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|-------------5-----------------| 
                                                        
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
                                                        

   D 
e|-------------------------------| 
B|-2-----------------------------| 
G|-2-----------------------------| 
D|-4-----------------------------| 
A|-4-----------------------------| 
E|-2-----------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| 
A|-4-------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-------------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 


e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6--7--| x 7 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-0-----------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 
           .               .               . 
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| x 2 
A|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
   
 1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| x 3 
A|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

  
                                                       > 
                       .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-----------------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-5---------------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-6---------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4---------------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-----------------7-------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 

                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  

                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-----------------7-------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 


                                                       > 
       .               .                               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------x-----------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|---------x---------------------| x 2 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|---------x---5-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


       .               .                                 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-5-p-4---x-------5-p-4---------|---------------------0---------| 
G|-6-------x-------6-----------6-|---------------------6---------| 
D|-----------------------------7-|-------------------------------| 
A|-4-------x-------4-------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-----------------------------5-|-------------5-----------------| 
                                        
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
                                                        

   D 
e|-------------------------------| 
B|-2-----------------------------| 
G|-2-----------------------------| 
D|-4-----------------------------| 
A|-4-----------------------------| 
E|-2-----------------------------| 
    
   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  
 

Outro 

           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------6---7-| x 2 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9---------------4---------| 
E|-0-----------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 


           .               .               .   . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|---------8---------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-----6-------------------9-----|---------9---------------------| 
A|---------------------7---------|-----9-------------------------| 
E|-0-----------5---------------7-|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &  


e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| x 5 
A|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 



Here's my preferred way to play the intro-verse-outro (less pain) 

           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|---------4---------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-------------------------4-----|---------4---------------------| 
D|-----6---------------2---------|-----4-------------------6-/-7-| 
A|-4-----------0---------------2-|---------------------4---------| 
E|-------------------------------|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 


           .               .               . 
e|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| 
B|---------4---------------------|-------------------------------| 
G|-------------------------4-----|---------4---------------------| 
D|-----6---------------2---------|-----4-------------------6-/-7-| 
A|-------------0---------------2-|---------------------4---------| 
E|-0-----------------------------|-------------2-----------------| 

   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &   1   &   2   &   3   &   4   & 



Legend 
-------- 
/  slide up 
p  pull-off 
.  staccato 
x  dead note 
>  accent (with emphasis) 
D  down-strum
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