Bye And Bye, I'm Going To See The King
Words & Music:
Blind Willie Johnson
I discovered this song via Catfish Keith's Homespun Tapes
instructional DVD, but it is also on his "Rolling Sea" album. Like many early blues songs, you tune
your guitar to an open key and keep a drone going on the I chord while you play
the melody (or improvise a countermelody) above it with your fingers & a
bottleneck. To play the IV chord,
slide your barre finger or the slide up 5 frets & play over that drone.
I
I said, bye and bye, I'm going to
see the King.
IV
Bye and bye, I am going to see the
King.
I
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
I said, bye and bye, I'm going to
see the King.
Bye and bye, I am going to see the
King.
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
You know after death, you have got
to go by yourself.
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
I said, bye and bye, I'm going to
see the King.
Bye and bye, I am going to see the
King.
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
Bye and bye, I will hear the angel
sing.
Bye and bye, I will hear the angel
sing.
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
You know after death, you have got
to stand your test.
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
I said, bye and bye, I'm going to
see the King.
Bye and bye, I am going to see the
King.
And I don't mind dying, I'm a child
of God.
Catfish Keith's
version:
He tunes to Open D (D A D
F# A D) and lowers that a full step to Open C (C G C E G C) to get both that
full throaty sound and strings that love to bend. Don't worry about the number of bars for the I or IV chords,
just let the spirit move you and play it.
I
I said, bye and
bye, I'm gonna see the King.
IV
I
Bye and bye... [play
melody line over drone].
I
Bye and bye, I'm
gonna see the King.
I
And I wouldn't
mind dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
I
And I wouldn't
mind dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
I
Tell me, baby,
we're in the middle of the..., we're in the middle of the...,
We're in the
middle of the wheel.
IV
I
Getting back
there, baby, now. Getting back...
Getting
back...we're in the middle of the wheel.
And I wouldn't
mind dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
And I wouldn't
mind dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
Wouldn't mind
dying, wouldn't mind dying.
Wouldn't mind
dying, got to go by myself.
Wouldn't mind
dying, wouldn't mind dying.
Wouldn't mind
dying, got to go by myself.
Holy Roller, Holy
Ghost is His...
Holy Ghost is
His..., Holy Ghost is His...
IV
I
Holy Roller,
now... [play melody over drone]
Holy Roller, Holy
Ghost is His Name.
I wouldn't mind
dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
Wouldn't mind
dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
I said, bye and
bye, I'm gonna see the King, gonna see the King.
IV
I
Bye and bye... [play
melody line over drone].
I
Bye and bye, I'm
gonna see the King.
I
And I wouldn't
mind dying, 'cause I'm a child of God.
I
And I wouldn't
mind dying at all, 'cause I'm a child of God.