Honky Tonk

Words & Music:

Buddy Flett

 

Yep, Buddy wrote it, but Kenny Wayne Shepherd's slide cover of this drove 'em wild.  This was fully transcribed in the September 2007 issue of Acoustic Guitar - even the solo (run for those back issues, boys & girls!).  Make it drive steady!

 

E  G  A  E 

 

        E

Well, I first heard the sound, I was a child.

E

Beat of the drums like to drive me wild.

A7                  A

Sound was a-coming 'cross the track.

E

Went on over & I never came back.

 

CHORUS:

E                              G

Yeah, the preacher taught him, daddy taught me.

A                      E

Singing the blues in a honky tonk key.

 

 

Well, turn up the singer on the sad songs.

Guitar man's got a Beale Street tone.

Girls up front make an old man moan.

Oh, what a night to go home alone.

 

CHORUS:

 

INSTRUMENTAL VERSE & CHORUS:  [chorus 2x]

 

CHORUS:  [2x]

 

Honky Tonk tab by Nate S.

Tuning: Gtr. 1 (Buddy Flett) DADF#AD - open D

        Gtr. 2 (KWS) DADGBE - drop D

INTRO:

                                                  pm-  sl---------

D ---------------------------------0-----------------0----------12-|

A ---------------------------00-00---3--------------------------12-|

F#---------------------------00-00-----1b--------------12\11-------|

D ---------------------------00-00---------3-0---------------12----|

A -0020020-3353335-5575557-0020020-------------3--0----------------|

D -0000000-3333333-5555555-0000000----------------0----------------|

                                                                   |

e -0000000---------3333333-0000-00---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0---|

B -3333333-1111111-3333333-3333-33---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3---|

G -2222222-2222222-0000000-2222-22---2-2-----2-2-----2-2-----2-2---|

D -0000000-3333333-0000000-0000-00---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0---|

A ---------3333333-2222222---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-|

D ---------------------------------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-|

 

                  pm-  sl---------

D -0-----------------0----------12-0-------------|

A ---3--------------------------12---3-----------|

F#-----1b--------------12\11-----------1b--------|

D ---------3-0---------------12------------3-0---|

A -------------3--0----------------------------3-|

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

                                                 |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----|

 

Verse 1

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------3---0-------------------------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------------3-0---------------------|

F#---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------------------1-------------------|

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0---------------------------3--0---0--------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4-----------------------3---2-3-4--|

D -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------0~------------------------------|

                                                                   |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

 

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------3---0-------------------------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------------3-0---------------------|

F#---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------------------1-------------------|

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0---------------------------3--0---0-2-3-4--|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4-----------------------3----------|

D -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------0~------------------------------|

                                                                   |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4--|

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm          sl--------------------        |

D ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5----------------------------------5--------|

A ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5-------------/8------8\7--5\4-----5--------|

F#---5-5-----5-5-----5-5-------------/8------8\7--5\4--------------|

D ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5----2-3-4----------------------5-----------|

A ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5------------------------------------2-3-4--|

D -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--------5--------------------------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

e ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4----0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------|

A -x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x---------x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x--2-3-4--|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

 

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------3---0-------------------------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------------3-0---------------------|

F#---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------------------1-------------------|

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0---------------------------3--0---0-----0--|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4-----------------------3---0-3----|

D -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------0~------------------------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--0-3----|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

 

Chorus 1

                                                  pm-  sl---------

D -----------------------------------0---------------0----------12-|

A -------------------------------------3------------------------12-|

F#---------------------------------------1b------------12\11-------|

D ---------------------------------0--------3-0--------------12----|

A -0020020-3353335-5575557-002-0-3--------------3-0----------------|

D -0000000-3333333-5555555-000--------------------0----------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

e -0000000---------3333333-000-------0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0---|

B -3333333-1111111-3333333-333-------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3---|

G -2222222-2222222-0000000-222-------2-2-----2-2-----2-2-----2-2---|

D -0000000-3333333-0000000-000-----0-0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0---|

A ---------3333333-2222222-----0-3-------x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-|

D ---------------------------------------x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-|

 

                  pm-  sl---------

D -0-----------------0----------12-0-------------|

A ---3--------------------------12---3-----------|

F#-----1b--------------12\11-----------1b--------|

D ---------3-0---------------12------------3-0---|

A -------------3--0----------------------------3-|

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

                                                 |

                                                 |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----|

Verse 2

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------3---0-------------------------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------------3-0---------------------|

F#---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------------------1-------------------|

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0---------------------------3--0---0--------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4-----------------------3---2-3-4--|

D -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------0~------------------------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

 

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------3---0-------------------------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------------3-0---------------------|

F#---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------------------1-------------------|

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0---------------------------3--0---0-2-3-4--|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4-----------------------3----------|

D -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------0~------------------------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4--|

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

 

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm          sl--------------------

D ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5----------------------------------5--------|

A ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5-------------/8------8\7--5\4-----5--------|

F#---5-5-----5-5-----5-5-------------/8------8\7--5\4--------------|

D ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5----2-3-4----------------------5-----------|

A ---5-5-----5-5-----5-5------------------------------------2-3-4--|

D -5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--------5--------------------------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

e ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4----0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------|

A -x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x---------x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x-x-2-2-x--2-3-4--|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

 

   pm    pm-     pm-     pm

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------3---0-------------------------|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-------------------3-0---------------------|

F#---0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----------------------1-------------------|

D ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0---------------------------3--0---0-----0--|

A ---0-0-----0-0-----0-0----2-3-4-----------------------3---0-3----|

D -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------0~------------------------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-------------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----------|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--2-3-4--x-----x-x-----x-x-----x--0-3----|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------x-----x-x-----x-x-----x---------|

Chorus 2  [no Solo tab, just straight to ----->]             Chorus 3 & Ending

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

A -------------------------------------3----------|          A ---------------------------00-00-|

F#---------------------------------------1b-------|          F#---------------------------00-00-|

D ---------------------------------0--------3-0---|          D ---------------------------00-00-|

A -0020020-3353335-5575557-002-0-3--------------3-|          A -0020020-3353335-5575557-0020020-|

D -0000000-3333333-5555555-000--------------------|          D -0000000-3333333-5555555-0000000-|

                                                  |                                             |

                                                  |                                             |

e -0000000---------3333333-000-------0-0-----0-0--|          e -0000000---------3333333-0000-00-|

B -3333333-1111111-3333333-333-------3-3-----3-3--|          B -3333333-1111111-3333333-3333-33-|

G -2222222-2222222-0000000-222-------2-2-----2-2--|          G -2222222-2222222-0000000-2222-22-|

D -0000000-3333333-0000000-000-----0-0-0-----0-0--|          D -0000000-3333333-0000000-0000-00-|

A ---------3333333-2222222-----0-3-------x-x------|          A ---------3333333-2222222---------|

D ---------------------------------------x-x------|          D ---------------------------------|

 

 

                                                  pm-  sl---------

D -----------------------------------0---------------0----------12-|

A -------------------------------------3------------------------12-|

F#---------------------------------------1b------------12\11-------|

D ---------------------------------0--------3-0--------------12----|

A -0020020-3353335-5575557-002-0-3--------------3-0----------------|

D -0000000-3333333-5555555-000--------------------0----------------|

                                                                   |

                                                                   |

e -0000000---------3333333-000-------0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0---|

B -3333333-1111111-3333333-333-------3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3---|

G -2222222-2222222-0000000-222-------2-2-----2-2-----2-2-----2-2---|

D -0000000-3333333-0000000-000-----0-0-0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-0---|

A ---------3333333-2222222-----0-3-------x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-|

D ---------------------------------------x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-|

 

                  pm-  sl---------                    sl---------

D -0-----------------0----------12-0----------------0----------12-|

A ---3--------------------------12---3-------------------------12-|

F#-----1b--------------12\11-----------1b-------------12\11-------|

D ---------3-0---------------12------------3-0--------------12----|

A -------------3--0----------------------------3-0----------------|

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

                                                                  |

                                                                  |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3-----3-3--|

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

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

A -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x------|

D -x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x-----x-x------|

 

                               sl------

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

A ---3-------------------------/12-/12~--|

F#-----1b----------------------/12-/12~--|

D ---------3-0---------------------------|

A -------------3--0--2-3-4-5~------------|

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

                                         |

                                         |

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

B ---3-3-----3-3--------------3~---------|

G ---2-2-----2-2--------------2~---------|

D ---0-0-----0-0--------------0~---------|

A -x-----x-x-----------------------------|

D -x-----x-x-----------------------------|

 

 




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