Bessie Smith Chords & Tabs
Emily Jane White - Bessie Smith
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Standard Tuning, No Capo)
----------------
| Chords |
|--------------|
| Dm xx0231 |
| G 320033 |
| G6 650066 |
| G5 540055 |
----------------
Intro picking pattern:
Dm
|---------1-|
|---3-------|
|-----0h2---| x7
|-0---------|
|-----------|
|-----------|
Verse picking pattern:
Dm G G6 G5
|---------1---------1---------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-|
|---3---------3-----------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-----|
|-----0h2-------0h2---------0-------0---------0-------0---------0-------0---|
|-0---------0---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------2-----------------5-----------------4-------|
|-----------------------3-----------------6-----------------5---------------|
Dm G G6 G5
|---------1---------1---------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-|
|---3---------3-----------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-----|
|-----0h2-------0h2---------0-------0---------0-------0---------0-------0---|
|-0---------0---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------2-----------------5-----------------4-------|
|-----------------------3-----------------6-----------------5---------------|
Dm
|---------1---------1---------1---------1-|
|---3---------3---------3---------3-------| (You only play this when the
|-----0h2-------0h2-------0h2-------0h2---| sentence ends in a Dm Chord)
|-0---------0---------0---------0---------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
Best of luck! And here's the song:
Intro:
Dm hammer on x7
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/e/emily_jane_white/bessie_smith_crd.html ]
Verse:
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, Bessie Smith why do you hang your head so low?
G6 G5 G6 G5 Dm
I would die in heaven, I would die in heaven just to meet your soul
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, Bessie Smith why do you hang your head so low?
G6 G5 G6 G5
I would die in heaven, I would die in heaven just to meet you
Dm G G6 G5
Shot to the ego boy it's where this knife runs through
G6 G5 Dm
Three wise men call Bessie down for a dual
Dm G G6 G5
Shot to the ego boy it's where this knife runs through
G6 G5 Dm
Three wise men call Bessie down for a dual
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, father lay me down
G6 G5 Dm
Down on this sunken ground
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, father lay me down
G6 G5 Dm
Down on this sunken ground
(Starts escalating downward strumming)
Dm G G6 G5 x2
Dm G G6 G5
But she's got a crucifix hidin' way down in this pit, oh
Dm G G6 G5
If you wish to call her out. Call her with your bravest shout
(Then calmer strumming)
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, father lay me down
G6 G5 Dm (hammer ons while strumming)
Down on this sunken ground
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, father lay me down
G6 G5 Dm
Down on this sunken ground
(Back to picking)
Dm G G6 G5
I said oh oh, Bessie Smith why do you hang your head so low?
G6 G5 G6 G5
I would die in heaven, I would die in heaven,
G6 G5
I would die in heaven just to meet your soul
Outro:
Dm
|---------1---------1---3---1-|
|---3---------3---------3---3-|
|-----0h2-------0h2-----2---2-|
|-0---------0-----------0---0-|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
Thanks to Emily Jane White!
