You know that feeling when a bassline just sticks in your brain and refuses to leave? That’s exactly what happens three seconds into a Le Tigre track. Specifically, everyone searches for we'll never have sex tabs because the song is a masterclass in lo-fi, feminist punk energy that sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. It’s gritty. It’s messy. It’s Kathleen Hanna at her most unapologetic.
If you’re picking up a guitar or bass to learn this, you aren't just looking for notes. You're looking for that specific "shambolic but tight" rhythm that defined the late 90s and early 2000s electro-punk scene. Most of the tabs you find on old archive sites are... well, they’re a bit of a disaster. People guess the tuning or miss the subtle slides that make the riff move. We're going to fix that.
Why the We'll Never Have Sex Tabs are Trickier Than They Look
On the surface, it’s a three-chord wonder. But wait. If you play it with standard open chords, it sounds like a folk song, which is the absolute last thing Le Tigre wanted. The magic is in the power chords and the palm muting.
Most people looking for we'll never have sex tabs get frustrated because the timing feels "off" when they play along to the track. That’s because JD Samson and Johanna Fateman weren't playing like session musicians; they were playing with an intentional, abrasive edge. The song relies heavily on a driving rhythm that mirrors the drum machine. If you aren't locked into that 4/4 electronic pulse, the guitar parts fall apart.
The Basic Structure
The song is essentially built on a few core movements. You've got the main riff, the "chorus" (if you can call it that in a song this punk), and the bridge where everything gets a little more chaotic.
For the main verse, you’re looking at a progression that centers around E, G, and A. But don’t just strum them. You need to hit those low strings hard. The "tabs" usually tell you to play:
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- E5 (022xxx)
- G5 (355xxx)
- A5 (577xxx)
But honestly? Use the slide. Moving from the G5 to the A5 with a quick, audible slide is what gives the track its "greasy" punk feel. If you play it too clean, it sounds like a rehearsal. You want it to sound like a basement show in 1999.
Breaking Down the Bassline
The bass is actually the star here. If you’re searching for we'll never have sex tabs for bass, you're likely trying to replicate that distorted, fuzzy growl. It’s thick. It’s almost synth-like in its consistency.
- Start on the low E string.
- The rhythm is relentless: 1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a. Constant eighth notes.
- The jump from the open E to the 3rd fret (G) needs to be snappy.
A lot of beginners make the mistake of letting the strings ring out too much. In Le Tigre’s world, silence is just as important as the noise. You have to use your fretting hand to kill the vibration of the strings between those punchy hits. This is "staccato" playing, but don't call it that in a punk club. Just call it "playing it tight."
The Gear Factor: Getting the Tone Right
You can have the most accurate we'll never have sex tabs in the world, but if you’re playing through a clean Fender Twin Reverb, it’s going to sound wrong. You need grit.
Kathleen Hanna and the band often used whatever was available, but the sound is characterized by mid-range distortion. Think ProCo Rat or a Big Muff with the tone dialed up to be a bit more "trebly" and biting. You want that "wasp in a jar" sound. If you’re using a plugin or a modeling amp, look for "British Overdrive" or "Lo-fi Punk" presets. Turn the gain up until the chords start to blur together just a little bit, but not so much that you lose the definition of the notes.
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Common Mistakes in User-Generated Tabs
I’ve spent way too much time looking at sites like Ultimate Guitar and Songsterr. Most we'll never have sex tabs listed there ignore the fact that there are actually two guitar layers on the studio recording.
One layer is doing the heavy lifting with the power chords. The second layer—the one people often miss—is a higher-pitched, almost scratchy rhythmic part that emphasizes the upbeats. If you're playing solo, stick to the power chords. If you're in a band, have your second guitarist just "scratch" the muted strings in rhythm with the snare drum. It adds a layer of percussion that makes the song feel much "faster" than it actually is.
Understanding the Context of the Track
Le Tigre emerged from the ashes of Bikini Kill. When they released their self-titled album in 1999, it changed everything because it mixed Riot Grrrl politics with dance-floor beats. We'll Never Have Sex is a cynical, funny, and biting take on relationship expectations.
When you're playing these tabs, keep that attitude in mind. The song isn't meant to be pretty. It’s meant to be a protest you can dance to. That’s why the "solo" sections aren't really solos in the traditional sense. They are rhythmic outbursts. If you try to overcomplicate the fingering, you’re missing the point of the genre.
The "Chorus" Shift
When the song hits the "We'll never have sex..." refrain, the intensity should ramp up. Don't change the chords—change how hard you're hitting the strings. This is a classic dynamic shift. In the verses, keep it slightly more contained. In the chorus, let the strings rattle against the frets. That "clank" is part of the percussion.
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Learning the "Bridge" Chaos
There’s a section where the song feels like it might go off the rails. If you’re looking at we'll never have sex tabs, this is often where the notation just says "feedback" or "noise."
To replicate this live:
- Use a slide or the edge of your pick.
- Run it down the E and A strings.
- Toggle your pickup selector switch if you have one (the Tom Morello trick).
- If you have a fuzz pedal, now is the time to stomp on it.
Actionable Tips for Mastering the Song
Don't just stare at the screen. Get the instrument in your hands and follow these steps to move beyond just reading the we'll never have sex tabs.
- Slow it down first: Use a tool like YouTube's playback speed setting (0.75x) to hear exactly when the slides happen.
- Focus on the right hand: Your strumming hand does 90% of the work here. It needs to be a jackhammer.
- Embrace the buzz: If your action is low and the strings buzz a bit, leave it. It fits the aesthetic.
- Record yourself: Play along to the track and record it on your phone. If your guitar sounds "too nice," you need more distortion.
- Check your tuning: It’s standard EADGBE, but if you drop the D string to an E (octave), you can get a thicker sound for the main riff.
The beauty of Le Tigre is accessibility. They wanted people to start bands. They wanted you to take these we'll never have sex tabs, learn them in ten minutes, and then go write your own song about something that makes you angry. The technicality is secondary to the message and the movement.
Start with the E5-G5-A5 progression. Get that slide smooth. Once you can play it for three minutes straight without your forearm cramping up, you’ve basically mastered the essence of the track. From there, it's just about the performance.
Grab your guitar, crank the gain, and stop worrying about being "perfect." Punk isn't about perfection; it's about being loud enough that no one can ignore you.