Freddie King's Palaceof the King - Ending Clarification needed!

[Big Alex]

We have been playing this song for a some time and we are always trying to get it better and better.

Recently I've found out that in the ending after 4 major breaks in E when the song returns to the main chorus (...Living in the palace of the king... - around 2:55), the bass goes up 2 steps and a half and makes the same pattern of the main bass line. Then he keeps switching between them until fade out.

Something like the following:

D A
E)----------------8-----------------------
B)----------------8----------------------
G)---------------------------------------
D)------7---7---7-----7---7---7-------------
A)----9---9---9-----9---9---9---0--------
E)----------------------------------------
Livin' in the palace

E
E)----------------3-----------------------
B)----------------3----------------------
G)----------------0----------------------
D)------2---2---2-----2---2---2-------------
A)----4---4---4-----4---4---4-----------
E)------------------------------0----------
Of the king

In our band there are two guitars. One keeps filling as Freddie does and the other(myself)focus on the chords and doubles the bass main line.

So far I have been just playing the chord progression for this part (D A E) but when I realised this change in the bass line and showed to the bass player we both started to play the new line and I stopped playing the chords.

The singer then became annoyed for not listening to chords and wasn't able to sing comfortably telling that something was strange and he preferred the old way.

I know that in the main version there is just one guitar filling the voice gaps and so I thought that having me doubling the bass could be too much and decided to go back to the chords as I have always played (D A E)

Then the bass player said that in his opinion there is no D chord since he was bouncig back and forth 2 steps and a half ( E and A solely).

I don't think so since this chorus is repeated in the middle of the song and for me it is clear that there is a D chord in the head of the sentence.

Can anyone could comment on this? It would be very appreciated.

And sorry for the long post.

Thanks in advance!

[klasaine]

I don't think the end is D - A - E.

I think it's just an A chord with the bass lick and FK (or another guitar player) is hitting a C and/or C# (wiggling between them) the first time and then a low A the second time. And then back to E as in the main riff.

So basically as I hear it on my recording it's just and A to E repeating progression at the end vamp.

Like this for the A chord ...

E)------------------------------------------
B)-------------------------------------------
G)--------------------------------------------
D)------7---7---7--10-----7---7---7--------
A)----9---9---9---------9---9---9----0------
E)--------------------------------------------

* shake or bend up slightly that 10th fret note.

[JayFreddy]

Your bass player's right. No D at the end. After 3:00, it just alternates between A and E.

[Big Alex]

Maybe you're right. I got so used to the mid song chorus ( where there is a clear D) that I thought the same would occur in the ending.

[strat a various]

You're hearing the backup singers singing these chords over the A7 and E7: D/A, A/C#, E7.

[Big Alex]

Hey Strat!!

You nailed it!!

[Big Alex]

I guess I need to go back to my perception course!