Nobody's Fault But Mine

(original Blind Willie Johnson version)

Words & Music:

Joseph "Blind Willie" Johnson

Transcribed by: Pete Millett

 

Key of E:

|--7-------7--7-----------------------------0--|

|--9-------9--7-----------------------------0--|

|--9-------9--8-------9-7-6--5-4---4--------1--|

|--9-------9--9-------9-7-6--5-4---4-2-2----2--|

|--7-------7--9-------7-5-4--3-2---2-0-0----2--|

|-------------7-----------------------3-3---0--|

   E       E  B       E D C# C B     A      E

 

E                                                 B

Nobody's fault but mine.  It's nobody's fault but mine.

   E       D       C#        C     B        A         E

If I don't read my soul gets lost; nobody's fault but mine.

 

Had a Bible in my hand, had a Bible in my arm

If I don't read my soul gets lost; nobody's fault but mine.

 

My mother taught me how to read, my mother taught me how to read.

If I don't read my soul gets lost; nobody's fault but mine.

 

My mother taught me how to sing, y daddy taught me how to play.

If I don't play & sing all night long, it's nobody's fault but mine.

 

 

Led Zeppelin Cover:

Originally tabbed by Charles Eric Horowitz with additions by Jimmy Pena.

 

[Intro] /w phaser (doubled by two guitars playing [Intro2])

 

e:-------------------------------|-------------------------------------|

B:-15p12-12-15p12-12-15-15b17~---|-15p12-12-15p12-12-------------------|

G:-------------------------------|-------------------12-14b16~---------|

D:-------------------------------|-------------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------|-------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------|-------------------------------------|

 

e:----------------------------------|--------------------------------|

B:-15p12-12-15~--15b17---15-12------|--------------------------------|

G:-----------------------------14p12|-14p13-13-14p13-13-14-14b16r14--|

D:----------------------------------|--------------------------------|

A:----------------------------------|--------------------------------|

E:----------------------------------|--------------------------------|

 

e:--------------------|

B:--------------------|

G:-13-----------------|

D:----14~-------------|

A:--------------------|

E:--------------------|

 

[Intro2] also /w phaser

 

e:-----------------------|----------------------|--------------------|

B:--3p0-0-3p0-0-3--3b5~--|-3p0-0-3p0-0----------|-3p0-0-3~--3b5--3-0-|

G:-----------------------|-------------0--2b4~--|--------------------|

D:-----------------------|----------------------|--------------------|

A:-----------------------|----------------------|--------------------|

E:-----------------------|----------------------|--------------------|

 

e:------|------------------------------------------------------------|

B:------|------------------------------------------------------------|

G:-2p0~-|-2p1-1-2p1-1-2--2b4r2--1---1~-------------------------------|

D:------|---------------------------2~-------------------------------|

A:------|---------------------------2~-------------------------------|

E:------|---------------------------0~-------------------------------|

 

[Riff 1]

 

e:-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|

B:-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|

G:----------7------------------|-----------7-------------------------|

D:--9p7-----7------------------|---9p7--7--7------------2~-----------|

A:--7p5--7--5p2--2-------------|---7p5--5--5----0-------0~-----------|

E:------------------3b---0~----|--------------------3b---------------|

 

[Riff 2]

 

e:-------------------------|-----------------------------------------|

B:-------------------------|-----------------------------------------|

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

D:-2p0-0-------------------|--2p0-0---------------2~-----------------|

A:-------2p0---------------|--------2p0--0--------0~-----------------|

E:-----------0---3b---0~---|----------------3b4----------------------|

 

[Riff 3] Freely

 

e:-----------------------|-------------------------------------------|

B:-----------------------|-------------------------9-9-10-10--9-10---|

G:-7-----7-7-----9-x-x-9-|--7-----7---7---------9--9-9--9--9--9--9---|

D:-7-----7-7---9-9-x-x-9-|--7-----7---7--------11--9-9-11-11--9-11---|

A:-5-0-0-5-0-0-7-7-x-x-7-|--5-0-0-5-0-0--10-11-----------------------|

E:-------------0---------|-------------------------------------------|

Song progression:

Fade into [Intro] and [Intro2] (/w phaser!) played FOUR times

Repeat lyrics two times, with [Intro] and [Intro2]

 

Aah aah aah aah.  Aah aah aah aah.

Aah aah, aah aah aah aah aah.  Aah aah aah ah ah ah aah.  [phaser off]

 

[Riff 1] x1  -  [Riff 3] x2  -  [Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:

 

Oh, nobody's fault but mine, oh, nobody's fault but mine, yeah.

[strum]

  E            F#5     G5     A5

    tryin' to save my soul, Delilah, oh, it's nobody's fault but mine.

 

[Riff 2] x1  -  [Riff 3] x2  -  [Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:

 

Devil he taught me to roll, the Devil he taught me to roll,

[strum]

  E        F#5       G5    A5

    how to roll the log, Delilah, oh it's nobody's fault but mine.

 

[Riff 2] x1  -  [Riff 1] x1

Repeat lyrics *three* times, with [Intro] and [Intro2] (and phaser)

 

Aah aah aah aah.  Aah aah aah aah.

Aah aah, aah aah aah aah aah.  Aah aah aah ah ah ah aah.  [phaser off]

 

[Riff 1] x2

During Harmonica solo, guitar plays: [Riff 3] x9 1/2 times freely

[Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:

 

Brother he showed me the gong, brother he showed me the ding-dong, ding-dong,

[strum]

  E         F#5       G5     A5

    how to kick that gong, Delilah, oh, it's nobody's fault but mine.

 

[Riff 2] x1  -  [Riff 3] x2  -  [Riff 3] x1 /w lyrics:

Gotta monkey on my back, a m-m-m-m-monkey on my back back, back, back.

[strum]

  E         F#5       G5    A5

    Vow to change my ways Delilah.  Nobody's fault but mine.

 

 

[Guitar Solo]

 

Rhythm for guitar solo is: [Riff 1] x2, then [Riff 3] x8

 

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

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

G:--2b4r3b4~---------2b3r2b3r2p0------0~~----0b2r0b2r0---------------|

D:----------------------------------2-------------------2~-----------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

                                            /\

                               (bend the open note behind the nut)

 

e:-------3-----3----5h6---5--3---5--3-----3--------------------------|

B:-----3---5~----5--------------------5------------------------------|

G:-2h4-------------------------------------------------------9~------|

D:------------------------------------------------------9h11---------|

A:-------------------------------------------------7h11--------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:------------------------------------------12-9----9----------------|

B:-----------------------------------------------12---12-9--------12-|

G:-11b13r11b13r11p9----11--9----9~-------------------------11b13-----|

D:---------------------------11----11--------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-9----9------------------------------------------------------------|

B:---12---12~-9--------------------------------------12b14r12b14~----|

G:--------------11--11b13--11-9----9-9----9~-9-----------------------|

D:------------------------------11-----11------11--------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

B:-12--11b12---10---------10-------------------12b14r12b14~------12--|

G:----------------12b14------12-11-9-9~--9---------------------------|

D:-----------------------------------------11------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

B:--9----9~--x--10------11b12------11b12-----11b12------11b12--------|

G:----11---------9--------------x----------x---------x----------x----|

D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-------------------------------------------------12----------------|

B:-11b12------11b12-----------------------------12-----15b17~~-------|

G:---------x----------x--x---9----9----9--11h13----------------------|

D:-----------------------------11---11-------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-15.--------15.--------15---------------15.---------15.------------|

B:----15b17------15b17------15----------------15b17-------15b17r15---|

G:-----------------------------14b15r14------------------------------|

D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

 

e:------------------------------------12-----------------------------|

B:-12------------------------------------15~--------12-12-15---------|

G:----14b15----12-14-12b13------12h13---------12s13------------------|

D:---------------------------14--------------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

B:-------12-12-15~-----------------------------------------------9---|

G:-12s13------------14b16r14b16r14-----------9--9----9---11b13-------|

D:-----------------------------------14-x---------11-----------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-9----------------------------------------------14b16----14--12~---|

B:----12p9-12p9----9---------------------------12--------------------|

G:--------------11---11p9-11p9----9----9-11s13-----------------------|

D:-----------------------------11---11-------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-12------------12--14b16----14--12----12--------12--14b16----------|

B:----15------12---------------------15---------12-------------------|

G:---------13---------------------------------x----------------------|

D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

e:-14b16r14---12---12~--12p9-----------------------------------------|

B:---------------x-----------12-9-----------------------10-----------|

G:------------------------------------9----11----9----9-11-9--9~~----|

D:---------------------------------11---11----11---11----------------|

A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

Repeat lyrics *two and one half* times, with [Intro] and [Intro2] (& phaser)

 

Aah aah aah aah,

Aah aah aah aah.

Aah aah, aah aah aah aah aah,

Aah aah aah ah ah ah aah.

 

[phaser off]

 

[strum]

  E           F#5    G5     A5

  I will get down rollin' tonight.  N-n-n-n-n-n-n nobody's fault...

 

OUTRO:

e:----------------------|--------------------------------------------|

B:----------------------|--------------------------------------------|

G:--7-----7-7---7--9~---|--------------------------------------------|

D:--7-----7-7---7--9~---|--9s7--7--7s4--4--4s2--2--------------------|

A:--5-0-0-5-0-0-5--7~---|--7s5--5--5s2--2--2p0--0---5-5-5--2-2-2-2---|

E:----------------------|---------------------------3-3-3--0-0-0-0---|