Death Don't Have No Mercy

Words & Music:

Rev. Gary Davis

 

Like so many old blues tunes, this has a zillion variations on both chords and lyrics.  I'm kind of partial to the Hot Tuna version.  So, that's what you'll find here.  Shuffle the verses, or add what words & blues chord substitutes you will to this no-frills version.

 

Em                  Am   B7          Em

Death don't have no mercy--- in this land.

        Em                  D             G    B7

I said, Death don't have no mercy in this land.

 

CHORUS:

            Em

Well, he'll come to your house and he won't stay long.

       Am                            Em (can sub C7)

You'll look 'round the room and your family will be gone.

     Em                  Amn   B7         Em    B7

Say, Death don't have no mercy--- in this land.

 

Well, Death will go in any family in this land.  [2x]

 

CHORUS:

 

Well, old Death never takes a vacation in this land.  [2x]

 

CHORUS:

 

Well, Death'll leave you standin' & cryin' in this land.  [2x]

 

CHORUS:

 

Old Death always in a hurry in this land.  [2x]

 

CHORUS:

 

Well, he won't give you time to get ready in this land.  [2x]

 CHORUS:

 

A quickie tab of the Hot Tuna version:

(from the now defunct "Delight of the Moon Guitar Tab Archive")

 

Tab signs used: / = slide

 

When a chord has to be played listen to the song for know how many times

you must play it.

 

-------

 Intro

-------

 

 

e-----------------5|--7---5---------------|----------------------------------0|

B--5/7--5---5--5---|-----------5--3-------|----------------------------------0|

G------------------|------------------4--2|-2/4---0----------0---------------0|

D------------------|----------------------|----------2---2----2--0--------2--2|

A------------------|---------------------0|---0--------------------2----2----x|

E--0----0---0--0--0|--0---0---0-----------|----------0---0------------3------x|

 

                              D          G                    B7

e-------0-0-0-0-0-0---|-------2----------3|--------------------2--------------|

B--5/7--5-5-5-5-5-5--0|-------3----------3|--------------------0----------0---|

G---------------------|-------2----------0|--------------------2----------0---|

D---------------------|-------0----------0|--------------------1----------0---|

A---------------------|------------------2|-------0--1/2--2----2--------------|

E--0----0-0-0-0-0-0---|------------------3|----3---------------x--------------|

 

                                              Am                            Em

e------------------------0---|-----------------0--|--------------------------0|

B---5/7---5/7----5/7--0--0--5|---3-------------1--|--3/5--5--3---------------0|

G----------------------------|------4\2--0-----2--|-------------4---2--0-----0|

D----------------------------|-----------------2--|----------------------2---2|

A----------------------------|-----------------0--|--------------------------2|

E---0-----0----0------0--0--0|-----------------x--|--------------------------0|

 

                       Am       E7    Em                                     Em

e-----------------------0-------2-----0-----|--------------------------------0|

B-----------------------1--0----0-----0-----|--------3-----------------------0|

G---2/4---4--2--0-------2--0----2-----0-----|--2/4------2--2\4--0----0-------0|

D-------------------0---2--0----1-----2-----|----------------------2-----2---0|

A-----------------------0-------2-----2-----|--------------------------------2|

E--0--------------------x-------x-----0-----|--0-------------------------0---2|

 

Well.... death don't have no mercy

in this land.

 

I said...