The January Man Chords & Tabs
Tabbed by Jamie Phillips (jamiephillips22@hotmail.com)
Artist: Bert Jansch
Track title: The January Man
Album: Moonshine
Tuning: EADGBE
This tune is one of Berts nicest arrangements, to compliment some of the most beautiful lyrics ever
written, by Dave Goulder. The recording has some really nice harp on it, but it sounds fantastic
with just guitar, too. You may find the rhythmic structure tricky at first but it really does flow
with the words. The main riff is in 3/4 but there are bars of different lengths within; the
asterisks are a guide. I've tabbed the intro and 1st verse, you may well find very slight
variations in the other verses and the instrumental but nothing too important. The only bit I think you may
find tricky is in the main riff where you slide down from the 7th to 5th on the high E string,
hitting the open G when you reach the 5th. But you get used to it. I hope you enjoy playing (and
singing) this very special song! :o)
Rhythm: 3/4, 4/4, 5/4
Intro:
Beat:* * * * * * * * *
E||--------7-\5--5-----|--------5--------|--------7-\5--5-----|
B||--------5--------3--|--------5--------|--------5--------3--|
G||-----5-----0--------|-----5-----------|-----5-----0--------|
D||--------------4-----|-----------------|--------------4-----|
A||--0-----------------|--0--------------|--0-----------------|
E||--------------------|-----------------|--------------------|
Verse:
* * * * * * * * * * *
E--------5--------|--------7-\5--5-----|--------0-----1p0---1--3--------|
B--------5--------|--------5--------3--|--------1-/3--------1-----3--1--|
G-----5-----------|-----5-----0--------|-----2----/4--------2-----------|
D-----------------|--------------4-----|--------------3-----0-----------|
A--0--------------|--0-----------------|--0-----------------------2--0--|
E-----------------|--------------------|--------------------------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/b/bert_jansch/the_january_man_tab.html ]
* * * * * * * * * *
E--------------------------|--------5--5h7-------|--------0--------------|
B--------------------0-----|--------5------0-----|--------1--------------|
G--------0-/4---5----------|-----5-----5h7----0--|-----2-----2-----------|
D-----0----/5-----3----/7--|---------------------|--------------2h3p2-0--|
A--------------------------|--0------------------|--0--------------------|
E--3-----------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
* * * * * * * * * * *
E--------3--5p-0-----|--------------------------------|--------0------------|
B-----0-----------3--|-----0-----0--1--0-----0--1--3--|--------1------------|
G--------------------|-/5-----2-----------2-----------|-----2-----2------2--|
D--2--------3--------|-/5-----------------------------|--------------0h2----|
A--------------------|--------------0-----------0--2--|--0------------------|
E--------------------|--------1--3-----3--1--3--------|---------------------|
* * * * * * * * *
E--------0----------------|--------5--7--------0--------------|
B--1--3-----0-------------|--------5-----8-----------1p0h1p0--|
G--------------------4----|-----5-----7--5-----0--------------|
D----------------0-----2--|-----------------7-----3--2--------|
A--0--2--3----------------|--0--------------------------------|
E-------------------------|-----------------------------------|
* * * * * * * * * * *
E-----------------------------------|--------5--5h7-------|--------0------------|
B-----------0---1----1--0--0h1p0----|--------5------0-----|--------1------------|
G--------0--0--------------------2--|-----5-----5h7----0--|-----2-----2------2--|
D-----0-----------3-----------------|---------------------|--------------0h2----|
A-----------------------------------|--0------------------|--0------------------|
E--3-----------------------1--------|---------------------|---------------------|
* * * * * *
E--------7-\5--5-----|--------0------------||
B--------5--------3--|--------1------------||
G-----5-----0--------|-----2-----2------2--||
D--------------4-----|--------------0h2----||
A--0-----------------|--0------------------||
E--------------------|---------------------||
TAB guide: h = hammer on, p = pull off
/ = slide into from below
\ = slide down to from above