Joe Walsh is a weirdo. I mean that with the utmost respect, honestly. While the rest of the 70s rock elite were busy being brooding poets or dark occultists, Joe was out there wearing a snorkel mask on album covers and complaining about his Maserati doing 185. It's that specific sense of humor—that "I'm rich but also kind of a mess"—that makes the life's been good tab one of the most sought-after pieces of guitar music for anyone trying to move past basic open chords.
It isn't just a song. It’s a vibe.
If you’ve ever sat down with a guitar and tried to figure out that opening riff, you know it’s deceptive. It sounds lazy. It sounds like something Joe just stumbled into while waiting for a delivery. But when you actually pull up a life's been good tab, you realize it’s a masterclass in phrasing and slide guitar technique. It’s easy to play badly and remarkably difficult to play with the correct "stank."
Most people think they can just hit the chords and be done with it. They’re wrong.
The Anatomy of the Main Riff
The heart of the song is that iconic acoustic opening. It’s played in standard tuning, which is actually a bit of a surprise to some people who assume it’s an open tuning because of how resonant it sounds. When you look at a reliable life's been good tab, the first thing you notice is the use of the open A and D strings. It gives the riff a massive, ringing quality that fills the room.
It starts with an A major shape, but it’s not the campfire chord you learned in week one. You’re sliding into those notes. Specifically, you're sliding from the 2nd to the 4th fret on the G and B strings. This "sliding sixth" interval is a classic Joe Walsh move. It’s what gives the song its swagger. If you just strum the chords, you lose the attitude. You have to slide.
- The rhythm is loose.
- The accents are on the off-beats.
- The open strings need to ring out, but you have to mute them exactly when the phrase ends.
If you let it bleed too much, it sounds like a mess. If you cut it too short, it sounds robotic. Joe Walsh doesn't do robotic. He sounds like he’s leaning back in a lawn chair with a drink in his hand. That’s the feeling you’re chasing when you practice this tab.
Why Most Tabs Get the Bridge Wrong
There’s a section in the middle—the "it’s hard to leave when you can’t find the door" part—where things get harmonically interesting. A lot of the free tabs you find on the internet just list these as simple power chords. That's lazy. If you listen closely to the 1978 original from But Seriously, Folks..., there’s a lot more nuance.
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Walsh is using triads here. He’s layering parts.
If you're playing this solo on one guitar, you have to make a choice. Do you follow the bass line or the lead fills? A high-quality life's been good tab will show you how to incorporate those little melodic stabs between the vocal lines. It’s those tiny details—the little half-step bends and the vibrato on the G string—that separate the pros from the hobbyists.
I’ve seen people try to play this with a heavy metal distortion. Please don't do that. It needs a clean, slightly pushed "edge of breakup" tone. Think a Fender Tweed or a Vox AC30. You want it to bark when you dig in but stay glassy when you play soft.
Mastering the Slide Solo
The second half of the song is where the electric guitar takes over. This is Joe's playground.
For the slide section, many guitarists prefer to switch to Open E or Open G tuning. However, the life's been good tab is usually written for standard tuning because Walsh was famous for being able to play slide in standard without breaking a sweat. It’s harder because you have to be incredibly precise with your muting. You only want the strings you're touching with the slide to ring out.
- Use a heavy glass or brass slide.
- Keep the slide exactly over the fret wire, not behind it.
- Use your fingers to pluck, not a pick. It gives you more control over the dynamics.
The solo isn't about speed. It's about "singing." Every note Joe plays feels like a vocal line. When you're looking at the tab for the solo, pay attention to the sustain. He holds notes longer than you think he will. He lets them bloom.
The Reggae Breakdown
Then there’s the reggae-inflected middle section. It’s such a weird shift, but it works perfectly. For this part, your life's been good tab should indicate upstrokes.
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If you play downstrokes, it sounds like a polka. You don't want to play a polka. You want that sharp, percussive "chack" sound on the 2 and 4 beats. Keep your fretting hand light. You’re basically just touching the strings to mute them immediately after you hit them.
The Gear Behind the Sound
You can't talk about this song without talking about the gear. Joe Walsh has always been a "guitarist's guitarist." During the recording of this track, he was using a variety of gear, but the core of his sound was often a Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster.
The secret sauce? A Leslie speaker cabinet.
That swirling, watery sound you hear on the lead parts? That’s not a pedal. It’s a physical wooden cabinet with a rotating horn inside. Now, most of us don't have a 150-pound Leslie cabinet in our bedrooms. You can get close with a good Univibe or a rotary simulator pedal. If you're looking at a life's been good tab and wondering why your version sounds "flat," it’s probably because you’re missing that modulation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve heard a thousand people play this in guitar stores. Here’s what they usually mess up:
The Tempo: People rush it. They get excited because the riff is fun, and they start playing it at 110% speed. "Life's Been Good" is a mid-tempo crawl. It’s about 96 BPM. It should feel relaxed.
The Bends: Joe Walsh doesn't just bend notes; he coaxes them. He often uses "pre-bends" where he pushes the string up before he hits it, then lets it down. A basic life's been good tab might not show that, but your ears will hear it.
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The Outro: The "uh-oh" part. It’s a simple descending line, but it has to be tight. It’s the punchline to the whole song.
Actionable Steps for Learning
If you're serious about mastering this, don't just stare at a screen.
Start by listening to the song on repeat for fifteen minutes. Don't touch the guitar yet. Just internalize the groove. Notice where the drums hit and where the guitar leaves space. Space is the most important note in this song.
Next, find a version of the life's been good tab that includes the notation for the "talk box" or the synthesizer parts if you're feeling adventurous. Even if you aren't going to play them, understanding how they interact with the guitar part will help you stay in time.
Practice the acoustic intro until you can play it without looking at your left hand. It should be muscle memory. Once you have the mechanics down, start adding the "soul." Move your hand slightly closer to the bridge for a brighter sound, or further away for a warmer tone.
Finally, record yourself. This is the part everyone hates. Play along to the track, record it on your phone, and listen back. You’ll probably notice that you’re playing too "straight." You need to add that Walsh-esque lag.
Joe Walsh once said that he never wanted to be the fastest guitar player, just the one with the most interesting stories. This song is a story. It’s a satirical look at rock stardom, and the guitar reflects that—it’s flashy but grounded, technical but accessible. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a challenge or an experienced player looking to refine your slide technique, working through a life's been good tab is one of the most productive ways to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Grab your guitar. Turn up the gain just a hair. And remember: your Maserati probably doesn't go 185, but your guitar can certainly sound like it does.
- Step 1: Focus on the acoustic intro's sliding sixths to nail the signature "swagger" of the track.
- Step 2: Use a light touch and upstrokes during the reggae bridge to avoid the common mistake of sounding too "heavy."
- Step 3: Practice your slide technique in standard tuning, focusing on finger muting to keep the melody clean.
- Step 4: Record your playing against the original 1978 track to check if your timing is too "on the beat"—the song requires a slightly behind-the-beat feel.