34_bootleg/blind_willie_mctell.htm

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   7 <title>Blind Willie McTell</title>
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  12
  13 <h1 class="songtitle">Blind Willie McTell</h1>
  14
  15
  16 <p>Words and music Bob Dylan (the melody loosely based on &ldquo;St James
  17 Infirmary Blues&rdquo;)<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 &Oslash;strem</p>
  21
  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 &ndash; see chords below).</p>
  24
  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 &ndash; see bottom of page)</p>
  34
  35 <pre class="tab">
  36   Em                              B7  Em
  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 |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---
  44 </pre>
  45 <pre class="verse">
  46                                                Em    D Em  D
  47          Em    B7     Em       *)              :   .   .   .
  48 Seen the arrow on the doorpost            *) |-0---0-----------|
  49 Em            B7         Em    *)            |---0---3-5---3---|
  50 Saying, &quot;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                                 |-----------------|
  54  To Jerusalem.&quot;
  55   Em       B7           Em       *)
  56 I traveled through East Texas
  57 Em         B7      Em       *)
  58 Where many martyrs fell
  59       Em      B/      D        A
  60 And I know no one can sing the blues
  61 C           D           Em                     :   .   .   .
  62  Like Blind Willie McTell   **)          **) |----0-----0------|
  63                                              |*-----0-3-------*|
  64                                              |-----0-------0---|
  65                                              |--2---------2----|
  66                                              |*------------h2-*|
  67                                              |-----------------|
  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
  76
  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
  85
  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
  94
  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
 103 </pre>
 104
 105 <hr />
 106
 107 <p>Version in Dm (capo 1st fret):</p>
 108 <pre class="verse">
 109          Dm    A      Dm           C
 110 Seen the arrow on the doorpost
 111 Dm            A          Dm        C
 112 Saying, &quot;This land is condemned
 113 Dm      A        C     G
 114 All the way from New Orleans
 115 Bb    C   Dm
 116  To Jerusalem.&quot;
 117   Dm       A            Dm         C
 118 I traveled through East Texas
 119 Dm         A       Dm              C
 120 Where many martyrs fell
 121       Dm      A       C        G
 122 And I know no one can sing the blues
 123 Bb          C           Dm
 124  Like Blind Willie McTell
 125 </pre>
 126
 127 <hr />
 128
 129 <p>End-of-the-line lick for 6-stringers:</p>
 130 <pre class="tab">
 131 |---0---2-3---2---|
 132 |-----0-3-5---3---|
 133 |----0------------|
 134 |-2-----4-5---4---|
 135 |-----------------|
 136 |-----------------|
 137 </pre>
 138
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