Little Sadie

(Grateful Dead version)

Words & Music:

Traditional

 

Michael Stadler has a nice fingerstyle arrangement of this in Sawmill tuning (D G D G C D) in the December 2007 issue of Acoustic Guitar.  This arrangement is in standard tuning, but have fun playing with other tunings to get that "Old World" sound.

 

Dm             F               Dm  

Went down last night to take a look around,

C                      Am

Met little Sadie and I blew her down, went right home, went to bed.

A7                                Dm

Forty-four colt smokin' under my head.

 

And I began to think what a deed I'd done.

Grabbed my hat and away I run, made a good run, but a little too slow.

They overtook me in Jericho.

 

I'm standin' on the corner ringin' the bell.

Along came the sheriff from Thomasville.

Says "Young man, your name's Brown,

Remember the night you blew Sadie down?"

 

Oh, yes sir, my name is Lee,

I murdered little Sadie in the first degree.

First degree and the second degree,

Got any papers won't you read 'em to me.

 

They took me downtown all dressed in black.

Put me on the train and sent me back.

Sent me back to the county jail, I had nobody to go for my bail.

 

The judge and the jury they took the stand.

The judge hold the paper in his right hand.

Forty-one days, forty-one nights,

Forty-one years to wear the ball and stripes.