Transcribed by John McGann.
This song was originally written by Jackson C. Frank, but Paul worked his
magic on it to give us this beautiful version. It's really quite easy
after you get the intro down. The verses are just Travis picked over
alternating G and C chords. Notice Paul's tasteful use of the high E
string throughout the verses.
Make a light slide down with the three fingers on the fretboard for the D
to C transition, third bar from the end of the verse. After the 7th verse
(refrain), skip from % to the ending.
Capo 4th fret
G Am/G
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----0----0--h1--|---1---------1---|----1----1-------|---1---------1---|
G:|------------0h2--|------2--2-----2-|----2---------2--|------2--2-----2-|
D:|-----0-----------|-----------------|-----------0-----|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--3-----3--------|--3--------3-----|--3----3---------|--3---------3----|
G Am/G G Am/G
e:|-----------------|------3----------|-----------------|--3--------------|
B:|----0h1---1------|-----------------|--0h1----1---1---|------------1----|
G:|---------------0-|----------0-0----|---h2------0-----|--------2--------|
D:|----0h2-----2----|-----------------|--0--------------|-----0--------0--|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--3-----3--------|--3---3--------3-|------3-------3--|--3-------3------|
G Am/G G * G C
e:|-----------------|----------3------|--3--------------|-----------------|
B:|-----0h1---1-----|-----0--------0--|------------0----|--1---------1----|
G:|-----------------|-----------------|--------0--------|--------0--------|
D:|-----0h2-----2p0-|-----0------0----|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--3-------3------|
E:|--3------3-------|--3-----3--------|--3-------3------|-----------------|
Catch a boat to England baby
G C G C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|--3--------------|-----------------|
B:|--0---------0----|--1---------1----|------------0----|--1---------1----|
G:|--------0--------|--------0--------|--------0--------|-------0---------|
D:|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|
A:|-----------------|--3-------3------|-----------------|--3-------3------|
E:|--3-------3------|-----------------|--3-------3------|-----------------|
maybe to Spain wherever I have gone
G C G C %
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--0---------0----|--1---------1----|--0---------0----|--1---------1----|
G:|--------0--------|--------0--------|--------0--------|-------0---------|
D:|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|
A:|-----------------|--3-------3------|-----------------|--3-------3------|
E:|--3-------3------|-----------------|--3-------3------|-----------------|
wherever I've been and gone wherever I have gone the
D C G C/G
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--3---------1----|-----0----0--h1--|----1-------1----|
G:|--------0--------|-----------------|--------0--------|
D:|-----4--------2--|-----0------0h2--|------2-------2--|
A:|--5-------3------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|--3-----3--------|--3-------3------|
blues run the game
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/simon_and_garfunkel/blues_run_the_game_tab.html ]
This bridge is used after verses 1, 2, 4, and 5:
G C/G
e:|--3--------------|-----------------|
B:|------------0----|--0h1--------1---|
G:|--------0--------|---------0-------|
D:|-----0--------0--|------2-------2--|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--3-------3------|--3--------3-----|
(return to * and repeat)
Alternate bridge used after verses 3 and 6:
G Am/G Am7/G G C/G
e:|--3--------------|-----------------|--3--------------|-----------------|
B:|------------0----|--0h1--------1---|------------1----|----0h1---1--p0--|
G:|--------0--------|---h2----2-------|--------2--------|-----------------|
D:|-----0--------0--|------0--------0-|-----0--------0--|----0h2-----2p0--|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--3-------3------|--3--------3-----|--3-------3------|--3-----3--------|
G
e:|------3----------|
B:|-----------------|
G:|-------------0---|
D:|----------0------|
A:|-----------------|
E:|--3---3--------3-|
(return to * and repeat)
% Ending (after 7th verse):
D C G C/G
e:|-----------------|--5--------------|--3--------------|-----------------|
B:|--3---------3----|------------1----|------------0----|--1---------1----|
G:|--------0--------|-------0---------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
D:|-----4--------4--|-----4--------2--|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|
A:|--5-------5------|--5------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|--3------3-------|--3------3-------|
blues are all the same
G C/G G Am/G
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|--0---------0----|--1---------1----|--0---------0----|--0h1---1-----1--|
G:|--------0--------|-------0---------|--------0--------|----------2------|
D:|-----0--------0--|-----2--------2--|-----0--------0--|------0--------0-|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--3-------3------|--3------3-------|--3-------3------|--3---------3----|
Am7/G G
e:|--3--------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|------------1----|--0----0h1p0-0---|---0h1p0-0-------|---0h1p0-0-------|
G:|--------2--------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:|-----0--------0--|-------0h2p0-0---|---0h2p0-0-------|---0h2p0-0-------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|--3-------3------|--3--------------|-----------------|-------------3---|
Lyrics:
Catch a boat to England, baby
Maybe to Spain,
Wherever I have gone,
Wherever I've been and gone,
Wherever I have gone,
The blues run the game.
Send out for whiskey, baby,
Send out for gin,
Me and room service, honey,
Me and room service, babe,
Me and room service,
For we're livin' the life of sin.
When I ain't drinkin', baby,
You are on my mind,
When I ain't sleepin', honey,
When I ain't sleepin', babe,
When I ain't sleepin', well,
You know you'll find me crying.
Catch a boat to England, baby
Maybe to Spain,
Wherever I have gone,
Wherever I've been and gone,
Wherever I have gone,
The blues run the game.
Livin' is a gamble, baby,
Lovin's much the same,
Wherever I have played,
Wherever I've thrown those dice,
Wherever I have played,
The blues run the game.
Maybe when I'm older, baby,
Someplace down the line,
I'll wake up older,
So much older, mama,
Wake up older and I'll just stop all my tryin'.
Catch a boat to England, baby
Maybe to Spain,
Wherever I have gone,
Wherever I've been and gone,
Wherever I have gone,
The blues run the game.
