Ballad Of Thunder Road

	  		 
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Intro Riff: 
 
E -----------------------------------------0-- 
B -----------------------------------------0-- 
G --------------0--------------------------1-- 
D --2-2-2---4-------4---2------------------2-- 
A --------------------------2/3---0--------2-- 
E -----------------------------------2/3---0--  (hold last chord with lots of 
reverb and tremolo) 
 
Common Riff: 
 
E ------0-----0-----0-----0-------------- 
B --------------------------------------- 
G --3>4---3>4---3>4---3>4---3p2p0-------- 
D ----------------------------------2p0-- 
A --------------------------------------- 
E --------------------------------------- 
 
Solo Riff: 
 
E 
------------------------------------------------------------------------5---- 
B 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
G 
----------------------------0-----------------------1>7------------7--------- 
D 
------------------------0-2---4-2-------2-----2------------------------------ 
A 
--0-0---0-0-------2>4-------------4-2---------------------------------------- 
E 
--------------------------------------0---0h4---0---------------------------- 
 
E 
-4h5p4---7---5---4h5-----------10----10----10----10----10----10----10-------- 
B 
-------------------------11>12----12----12----12----12----12----12----12>>>0- 
G 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
D 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
A 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
E 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
V1: 
 
(E) Now let me tell the story and I can tell it all 
It's (B) about a mountain boy who ran (E) illegal alcohol 
His daddy made the moonshine while he drove the load 
And (B) when his engine roared, they called the highway Thunder (E) Road. 
 
V2: 
 
Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis town 
Well the (B) revenuers chased him, but they (E) could not run him down 
Just when they thought they had him, his engine would explode 
And (B) he'd blow by like they were standin' still on Thunder (E) Road. 
 
CH: 
 
There was (A) thunder, thunder, (E) on that Thunder Road 
(B) Thunder was his engine, white (E) lightning was his load 
There was (A) moonshine, moonshine to (E) quench the ol' Devil's thirst 
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first. 
 
(Solo) 
 
======Optional====== 
 
V3: 
 
On the first of April, nineteen fifty-four 
A (B) Federal man sent word he'd better (E) make his run no more 
He said two hundred agents were coverin' the state 
Which-(B)-ever road he tried to take, they'd get him sure as (E) fate. 
 
V4: 
 
Son, his Daddy told him, make this run your last 
The (B) tank is filled with hundred-proof, you're (E) all tuned up and gassed 
Now, don't take any chances, if you can't get through 
I'd (B) rather have you back again than all that mountain (E) dew. 
 
CH: 
 
There was (A) thunder, thunder, (E) on that Thunder Road 
(B) Thunder was his engine, white (E) lightning was his load 
There was (A) moonshine, moonshine to (E) quench the ol' Devil's thirst 
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first. 
 
(Solo) 
 
======End Of Optional====== 
 
V5: 
 
Roarin' out of Harlan went the whippoorwill 
He (B) shot the gap at Cumberland, and (E) screamed through Maynardsville 
With G-men on his taillights, and roadblocks up ahead 
That (B) mountain boy took roads that even angels feared to (E) tread. 
 
V6: 
 
Blazin' right through Knoxville, on down Kingston Pike 
It was (B) just outside of Bearden, where they (E) made the fatal strike 
He left the road at ninety, that's all there is to tell 
The (B) Devil sent the moonshine and the driver straight to (E) hell! 
 
CH: 
 
There was (A) thunder, thunder, (E) on that Thunder Road 
(B) Thunder was his engine, white (E) lightning was his load 
There was (A) moonshine, moonshine to (E) quench the ol' Devil's thirst 
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first. 
 
Tag: 
 
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first.