Walkin' Blues
(Robert Johnson version)
Music & Lyrics by
Robert Johnson
Yet another simple blues
tunes that gets interesting when you give it an interpretation of your
own. Roy Rogers (the bluesman, not
the cowboy singer) has a great lesson on how to play this song in slide rock
style on his Homespun Tapes DVD.
See the performance notes with the tab to see how to play this like
Robert Johnson.
A
I woke up this mornin',
feelin' 'round for my shoes.
You know 'bout 'at I got these
old walkin blues.
Woke up this mornin', feelin'
'round all for my shoes.
E
D A
But you know 'bout 'at I got
these old walkin' blues.
Lord, I feel like blowin' my
woh-old lonesome horn.
Got up this mornin', my little
Bernice was gone, Lord.
I feel like blow-oowin' my
lonesome horn.
Well, I got up this mornin',
woh-all I had was gone.
Well, I'll leave this mornin'
if I have to ride the blind.
I feel mistreated and I don't
mind dyin'.
Leavin' this mornin', if I
have to ride a blind.
Babe, I been mistreated and I
don't mind dyin'.
Leavin' this morning, I had to
go ride the blinds.
I've been mistreated, don't
mind dying.
This morning, I had to go ride
the blinds,
I've been mistreated, Lord, I
don't mind dying.
Well, some people tell me that
the worried blues ain't bad.
Worst old feelin' I most ever
had.
Some people tell me that these
old worried, old blues ain't bad.
It's the worst old feelin' I
most ever had.
People tell me walkin' blues
ain't bad;
Worst old feeling I most ever
had.
People tell me the old walkin'
blues ain't bad.
Well it's the worst old
feeling, Lord, I most ever had.
She got a Elgin movement from
her head down to her toes.
Break in on a dollar most
anywhere she goes,
Ooooo-ooo, from her head down
to her toes.
Lord, she break in on a dollar
most anywhere she goes.
Walking Blues Tab - Robert Johnson version
[tabber unknown]
Robert Johnson recorded this
tune in the key of B, with his guitar tuned up to A-tuning (E-A-E-A-C#-E) and a
capo on the second fret. This
transcription is in the key of A.
This song apparently has its
roots in the rhythms of work songs that were used continuously from slave times
up through Reconstruction and preserved on the prison workfarms. "Walking Blues" is an example
of an 'axe song'. / = slide
Introduction:
A
A/G A/F# A/F
E--/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-------|--------------------|
C#-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-12-12-/12-------|----0---------------|
A------------------------------------11-12-|-12---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E------------------------------------------|-12---3-3-2-2-1-1-1-|
A------------------------------------------|----0---------------|
E------------------------------------------|------3---2---1-----|
A
I woke up this morning, feel round for my shoes
E----------------0-----|---------------|---------------|
C#---------------0-----|---------------|---------------|
A--0-------------------|--0-----0------|--0------------|
E--0-----0---0---------|--0-0-0-0------|--0-0-0-0------|
A----2/4---6/7-----2/4-|----0-0-0-2/4--|--0-0-0-0-2/4--|
E--0-----------0-------|---------------|---------------|
[n.c.]
Know bout got these, old walkin blues. Woke up this mornin
E-----------------------|-----5--5--5-5----------|-----------------|
C#---------0------------|--0---------------------|-----------------|
A-----------------------|--0---------------------|-----------------|
E--0---0---0---0--------|-------------0--0-------|-----------------|
A--0---0---0---0---2/4--|--------0----0--0--3/5--|-3/5-3/5-3/5-3/5-|
E-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------|
feelin round for my shoes
E------------------------|
C#-----------------------|
A------------------------|
E------------------------|
A--3/5----3/5----5----0--|
E------------------------|
A
But you know bout at I
E----------5---5-------|----------5---5-------|---------------------|
C#---------------------|----------------------|---------------------|
A------------0-------0-|----------------------|-----0---------0-----|
E--0-----0---0---0---0-|--0-----0---0---0-----|-3/5-0-3/5-3/5-0-5/7-|
A--0-2/4-----0---0-----|--0-2/4-----0---0-3/5-|---------------------|
E--0---------------2---|-0--------------------|---------------------|
E----------------|---------5---5-------|---------5---------|
C#---------------|---------------------|-------------------|
A------0---------|-----------0-------0-|-------------------|
E------0-------0-|-0-----0---0---0---0-|-0-----0---0-0-----|
A--5/7-0-3/5-5-0-|-0-2/4-----0---0-----|-0-2/4-----0-0-2/4-|
E--------------2-|-0---------------2---|-------------------|
Ending
E---/12-12-12-/12-/12-------------|--------5-5-|
C#--/12-12-12-/12-/12-------------|----3-3-----|
A---------------------12--12\-3/4-|-/4---------|
E---------------------------------|----------0-|
A---------------------------------|------------|
E---------------------------------|------------|