Artist: Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mescaleros
Song: Get Down Moses (Live)
Written: Joe Strummer
Album: Streetcore
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj50hRgLkRw
Performed: Live At The Bridgewater Palace Theatre, UK, November 17th, 2002
Background: This was an early live performance of this song as it was being developed by
and the Mescaleros prior to their studio recording, as some of the lyrics are
in the video. Thanks to the numerous lyric authors and video recordings that I've
upon to assemble what I understand is the intent of the original musical and lyrical structure.
Author: Richard Grosser (grosserr@gmail.com)
Tuning: Standard
Alternative Tuning: Capo on 5th fret
(Transposing chords to suit, so that Am = Em, etc.)
Chords:
Am: ======= X02210
C: ======= 332010
F: ======= 133211
Dm: ======= XX0231
G: ======= 320003
(Intro)
See 'Get Down Moses (intro) Tab':
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/j/joe_strummer_and_the_mescaleros/get_down_moses_intro_tab.htm
Verse 1:
Am C Am C
When I got to the mountain top, tell you what I could see,
Am C F Am
All the altar boys running from the priests of iniquity
Am C Am C
Where the hell was Elijah, ...any one of you would do!
Am C F Am
Cloudbursts on the mountain top, the prophecy came was true
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
Am C
Bounce the echo on the walls of Jericho
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
F Am
Put your lips together and blow
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
F Am
There's a cave at the very top
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
Am Dm F Am
The truth crystallizes iike jewels in the rock
Am C Am
(Pause) Oh ...El-jah
Chorus 1:
Am G
Get Down Moses, ...part another sea
Dm G Am
Carve another tablet out of L.S.D.
Am G Am
Get Down Moses, ...down in the street
(Guitar Lead: A G# G F# F A)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/misc_unsigned_bands/the_mescaleros_get_down_moses_crd.html ]
Am G
Get Down Moses, ...down with the dreads
Dm G Am
Got a lotta reasoning in their dread head
Am F Am
Get Down Moses, ...down in Tennessee
(Guitar Lead: A G# G F# F A)
(Guitar Riff - repeat)
Verse 2:
Am C Am C
Yeah, I won a ticket in a raffle, to the City of Sin,
Am C F Am
The tour guide took a handful of bribes, then shut us in
Am C Am C
Bus stop on your itinerary, ...is a 'mother and child crack ghetto'!
Am C F Am
Put another role up on the ' Roll, you could win the State Lotto
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
Am C
We gotta take take the walls of Jericho
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
F Am
So Put your lips to that thing and blow
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
F Am
Get to the the cave at the top
Am C Am
(Nah, nah-nah, nah, nah-nah-nah, nah)
Am Dm F Am
'Truth crystallizes ...like jewels in the rock,
Am C Am
(Pause) Oh ...El-jah
Chorus 2:
Am G
Get Down Moses, ...out in the street
Dm G Am
Blood is washing down all the gravel to our feet
Am G Am
Get Down Moses, ...down in the pit
(Guitar Lead: A G# G F# F A)
Chorus 3:
Am G
Get Down Moses, ...eagle's eyrie
Dm G Am
They're no different to our old enemy
Am G Am
Get Down Moses, ...something to see
(Guitar Lead: A G# G F# F A)
Chorus 4:
Am G
Get Down Moses, ...down with the dreads
Dm G Am
They got a lotta reasoning in their limited head
Am G Am
Get Down Moses, ...down in the street
(Guitar Lead: A G# G F# F A)
Chorus 5:
Am G
Get Down Moses, ...down in 'the head'!
Dm G Am
They get a room-mate to lu-na-cy...
Am G Am
Get Down Moses, ...make it for peace!
(Guitar Lead: A G# G F# F A)
...Thank You!
(End)
