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7 <title>Blind Willie McTell
</title>
8 <link rel=
"stylesheet" type=
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13 <h1 class=
"songtitle">Blind Willie McTell
</h1>
16 <p>Words and music Bob Dylan (the melody loosely based on
“St James
17 Infirmary Blues
”)
<br />
18 Recorded during the
<a class=
"recordlink" href=
"../25_infidels/index.htm">Infidels
</a> sessions (
1991), but not released
19 until
<a class=
"recordlink" href=
"index.htm">The Bootleg Series
1-
3</a> (
1991)
<br />
20 Tabbed by Eyolf
Østrem
</p>
22 <p>Guitar tuned down one half step (sounding key Eb minor) (Otherwise:
23 put a capo on the
1st fret and play in Dm
– see chords below).
</p>
25 <p>The guitar part is played on a
12-string, so it's impossible to be
26 certain about the exact picking pattern. The following is a
27 suggestion, where only the most prominent tones have beee indicated --
28 the rest is picking over the indicated chords.
<br />
29 Since the
12-string has string pairs tuned an octave apart for the
30 lowest strings, the highest notes in the figure *) below are actually
31 played on the
4th string. Too bad for all you
6-stringers out there,
32 but that's the bitter truth: you won't be able to get that
33 sound... (Actually there is a way
– see bottom of page)
</p>
37 : . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
38 |---
0-------
0-----|---
0-------------|---------
3-------|-----------------|---
39 |-------
0-------
0-|-----------------|--faster picking-|-----------------|---
40 |-----
0-------
0---|-------
0---------|-----------------|-----------------|---
41 |-
2-------
2-------|-
2--/
4---
4-
2-
0---|-
2---
2-----------|-
2---------------|-
2-
42 |-----------------|---------------
2-|---------------
2-|--------h2-------|---
43 |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---
48 Seen the arrow on the doorpost *) |-
0---
0-----------|
49 Em B7 Em *) |---
0---
3-
5---
3---|
50 Saying,
"This land is condemned |----
0------------|
51 Em B7 D A |-
2-----
4-
5---
4---|
52 All the way from New Orleans |-----------------|
53 C D Em |-----------------|
56 I traveled through East Texas
58 Where many martyrs fell
60 And I know no one can sing the blues
62 Like Blind Willie McTell **) **) |----
0-----
0------|
68 Well, I heard the hoot owl singing
69 As they were taking down the tents
70 The stars above the barren trees
71 Were his only audience
72 Them charcoal gypsy maidens
73 Can strut their feathers well
74 But nobody can sing the blues
75 Like Blind Willie McTell
77 See them big plantations burning
78 Hear the cracking of the whips
79 Smell that sweet magnolia blooming
80 (And) see the ghosts of slavery ships
81 I can hear them tribes a-moaning
82 (I can) hear the undertaker's bell
83 (Yeah), nobody can sing the blues
84 Like Blind Willie McTell
86 There's a woman by the river
87 With some fine young handsome man
88 He's dressed up like a squire
89 Bootlegged whiskey in his hand
90 There's a chain gang on the highway
91 I can hear them rebels yell
92 And I know no one can sing the blues
93 Like Blind Willie McTell
95 Well, God is in heaven
96 And we all want what's his
97 But power and greed and corruptible seed
98 Seem to be all that there is
99 I'm gazing out the window
100 Of the St. James Hotel
101 And I know no one can sing the blues
102 Like Blind Willie McTell
107 <p>Version in Dm (capo
1st fret):
</p>
110 Seen the arrow on the doorpost
112 Saying,
"This land is condemned
114 All the way from New Orleans
118 I traveled through East Texas
120 Where many martyrs fell
122 And I know no one can sing the blues
124 Like Blind Willie McTell
129 <p>End-of-the-line lick for
6-stringers:
</p>