Written by Robert Johnson
The song structure is: 1st verse, 2nd verse, solo, 3rd verse, ending Rhythm guitar This is the basic riff, played with some variations. You can use also other fitting riffs or start with playing chords. Try them out! E7 A7 B7 I-------------------I I-------------------I I------------------- )I I-------------------I I-------------------I I----0-0--0-0--0---- )I I-------------------I I-------------------I I------------------- )I I-------------------I I--2-2-4-4-5-5-0----I I------------------- )I I--2-2-4-4-5-5-0----I I--0-0-0-0-0-0---4--I I--2---2------------ )I I--0-0-0-0-0-0---3b-I I-------------------I I----------------3-- )b-I Intro The intro starts with with a double stop (two notes played together) combined with a bending on one of the notes, followed by some common Blues licks: 0tr1 means a triller: fast hammer-on and pull-off (0h1p0h1p0 etc.) I---7--7--I-7--7--7----0-I-----------------------I-----------I------------------ )I I---8b-8b-I-8b-8b-8------I-----------------------I-----------I------0---0-0----- )I I---------I---------------I-----------------------I---0h1-2-3-I-4--------------- )I I---------I---------------I-0tr2--0h2-------------I-2---------I------------------ )I I---------I-----------2---I-----------2-1-0-------I-----------I----2---2-----2h4- )I I---------I---------------I-----------------3b-0--I-----------I--------------0--- )I |- piano starts here I've got First Verse E7 A7 E7 E7 I-------------------I--------------------I-------------------------I------------------------- )I I-------------------I--------------------I-------------------------I------------------------- )I I-------------------I--------------------I-----0tr1-2-0tr1---------I-----0tr1-2 0tr1--------- )I I-------------------I--2-2-4-4-5-5-0-----I-------------------0-1-2-I-------------------0-1-2- )I I-2-2-4-4-5-5-0-----I--0-0-0-0-0-0---4---I-----------------2-------I-----------------2------- )I I-0-0-0-0-0-0---3b--I--------------------I-0-0---------------------I-0-0--------------------- )I ramblin' I've got ramblin' I've got all on my mind A7 A7 E7 E7 I-------------------I--------------------I-------------------------I------------------------- )I I-------------------I--------------------I-------------------------I------------------------- )I I---------------2---I---------------2----I-----0tr1-2 0tr1---------I-----0tr1-2 0tr1--------- )I I-2-2-4-4-5-5-4---2-I-2-2-4-4-5-5-4---2--I-------------------0-1-2-I-------------------0-1-2- )I I-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0-I-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0--I-----------------2-------I-----------------2------- )I I-------------------I--------------------I-0-0---------------------I-0-0--------------------- )I ramblin' I've got ramblin Is to leave all on my mind B7 A7 A7 A7 I-------------------I---------------------------I-------------------------I------------------- )I I---0-0--0-0--0-----I---------------------------I-------------------------I----0---0---------- )I I-------------------I---------------------------I-------------------------I----2-2-2---------- )I I-------------------I-2---2----2--4b-2-4-2---2--I------0-1-2-0------------I--2----------0-1-2- )I I-2---2---------3b--I-0-0---/4-------------4----I--------------2-1-0------I-----------2------- )I I-------------------I---------------------------I--0-0---------------3b-0-I------------------- )I my baby, 'cause she treats me so unkind I'm goin' Second verse (I'm goin') down to the station, catch that old fast milk train, you'll see. I'm going down to the station, catch that old fast milk train, you'll see. I've got the (continued as following:) B7 I-----------2---2-------I---------------------------I-0-----------------------I--------------- )I I---0-0---0---0---------I---------------------------I--------------------0----I---0---0-0--0-- )I I-------2---------------I---------------------------I------0tr1-1-2-2-3-------I--------------- )I I-----------------2-0-1-I-2-2--4-4--5-5--0----------I-------------------------I--------------- )I I-----------------------I-0-0--0-0--0-0-------------I-----------2-3-3-4-------I-2---2---2----- )I I-----------------------I------------------0--------I-0--0--------------------I--------------- )I Blues about Miss So 'n So, and the sun got the Blues 'bout me. Solo He plays around 1 note (!) doing full, half and quarter bends. To keep the tab in a comfortable length, I've used (only for this song) bf for a full-tone bend, bh for a half tone bend, bq for a quarter tone bend and hb for hold bend, that means pick the string after bending it. It's a good idea to practice these bends before playing the solo. I think it's impossible to make an absolute exact tab of this solo, you must listen to the record... OK, now let's try it: I----------------I---------------------------------- )I I----8bh---8bh---I-10bf-10hb-10--------------------- )hb-(repeat 7 times)-I I-/9-----9-------I---------------------------------- )I I----------------I---------------------------------- )I I----------------I---------------------------------- )I I----------------I---------------------------------- )I I----------------------------------------------- )I I-10hb-10hb-10hb-8-8bh-10hb-10bh-10bq-10br-8-10- )I I----------------------------------------------- )I I----------------------------------------------- )I I----------------------------------------------- )I I----------------------------------------------- )I (If you have problems with the scale at this position, you can also play it like I--------------------I---------------------------- )I I--------------------I---------------------------- )I I-----12bh-----12bh--I-14bf-14bh-14bh-etc.-------- )I I-/14------/14-------I---------------------------- )I I--------------------I---------------------------- )I I--------------------I----------------------I -- ) I-----------------------I-7-5--------------------------I--------------- )I I-10br-8---8-10-8-----5-I-----7rb-5---7-7bf-bh-7-5-7---I-7bf-7hb-7br-5- )I I--------9---------/6---I-----------6----------------6-I--------------- )I I-----------------------I------------------------------I--------------- )I I-----------------------I------------------------------I--------------- )I I-----------------------I------------------------------I--------------- )I I-----7---------7--------------------------------------I------------------------------ )I I-7bf---7hb-7bf---7hb-5----5-7--7bf-7bf-5-5-5--7bh-----I----3-3----------------------- )I I------------------------6--------------------------6--I-/4-----2-2-2tr0------------- )I I------------------------------------------------------I------------------2---0h2----- )I I------------------------------------------------------I--------------------2--------- )I I------------------------------------------------------I------------------------------ )I I-----0--0-----0-0-----0-0---I---------------- )I I---0----0-------0-------0---I-0---0--0---0--- )I I----------3p2-----3p2-------I-1--------2----- )I I----------------------------I---------------- )I I----------------------------I---2-2------2--- )I I-0--------------------------I---------------- )I Third verse (Played same as first) (I got) mean things, I've got mean things all on my mind. Little girl, little girl, I've got mean things all on my mind. Is to leave my baby, cause she treats me so unkind. Ending I------------------------------3/4---- )I I------------------------------2/3---- )I I---0tr1-------2----3----4----3/4---- )I I------------------------------------- )I I------2-------3-3--4-4--5----------- )I I-0-------3b-0------------------------ )I