Little Red Rooster Chords & Tabs
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#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the#
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.#
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Author/Artist: Willie Dixon/Trad./Howlin' Wolf Burnette Version
Title: Red Rooster
Album: London Sessions/Rocking Chair Arrangement
Transcribed by: John M. (Dadfad)
Email: duolian@msn.com
This transcription is based mainly on the London Sessions version. Several
others were done by Wolf over the years, including his 1962 Rocking Chair
version, which I have incorporated into this tab, making a few minor re-
arrangements so this transcription would be more suitable for both solo and
band arrangements with only one or several guitars. The London Sessions
used at least two. That version was done in Open-A tuning (EAEAC#E). It
could also be done (and was done) in Open-G tuning (DGDGBD), often
used instead of A because it puts less tension on the guitar neck and strings.
This same tab would work for either Open-A or Open-G tuning using the same
fingerings. It would just be one step lower in pitch. It is suggested that when
starting to learn this tune, that notes be fingered first rather than slid in order
to become familiar with the "target notes" for sliding. Slid notes will be shown
with a / before the fret number. A suggested start-from fret may be shown,
such as 3/5, meaning slide from the 3rd to the 5th, but when shown these are
only suggested approximations. This is a very improvisational style and tab is,
at best, only a guide to playing it. Some repetitive licks will be numbered and
shown where to repeat this lick in its approximate location. A good rule in these
styles is "If it sounds good to you, that's the way you should do it."
----------/5|--------------------/5-|-----------------------------------------
------------|--1--1--1--0-----------|----------------1--------1---------1-----
--/3---0----|--0--0--0--0--/3--0----|----------------0--------3---------0-----
--/3---0----|--2--2--2--0--/3--0----|----------------2--------2---------2-----
--/3---0----|--0--0--0--0--/3--0----|-----------------------------------------
------------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------
(INTRO)(#1) Repeat 4 times (#2) > (Lick #3) Repeat lyric and
-----------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------
-----------------------|--0-----------5----5--0---1---3--|-1-1---1---1-1------
-----------------------|--0-----------5----5--0---2---2--|-3-3---0---3-3------
-----------------------|--0-----------5----5--0---0---0--|-2-2---2---2-2--/3--
-----------------------|--------------0----0-------------|----------------/3--
-----------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------
tab between > |'n when he struts into the barnyard the hens begin t'
------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------
------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------
---0--|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------
---0--|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------
---0--|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------
------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------
lay (Repeat Lick #3)
-|-------/5--/5----------------/5--/5----------------------------/5-----------
-|--3/5----------4/5-----3/5----------4/5-------------------------------------
-|--3/5--------------5---3/5--------------5--0--/3--0---/3---0------------0---
-|--------------------------------------------------0---/3---0-------/3---0---
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/w/wolf_howlin/little_red_rooster_tab.html ]
-|------------------------------------------------------/3---0-------/3---0---
-|-------------------------------------------------------------------/3-------
Solo Slide Part A .........................................................
---------/5-|---------------------------|------/7-/7----------|---------------
------0-----|---------------------------|-6/7---------6/7-----|---------------
-/3---0-----|---------------------------|-6/7--------------/7-|---------------
-/3---0-----|---------------------------|---------------------|---------------
-/3---------|---------------------------|---------------------|---------------
------------|---------------------------|---------------------|---------------
........ | Repeat Solo Slide Part A
-------/5--/5----------|----------------------/5-------------------/5-|
-4-/5---------4/5------|----------------------------------------------|
-4-/5--------------/5--|--0---/3---0---/3--0------------0---/3--0-----|
-----------------------|--0---/3---0---/3--0-------/3---0---/3--0-----|
-----------------------|------/3---0-------0-------/3---0---/3--------|
-----------------------|---------------------------/3-----------------|
Verse 2
The dogs begin to bark, the hounds begin to howl.
The dogs begin to bark, the hounds begin to howl.
You better lock up all your chickens,
Red Rooster's on the prowl.
Verse 3
So if you see my little red rooster, won't you please now drive him home.
Ya' you see my red rooster, won't you please now drive him home.
There's been no peace in the barnyard
Since that rooster's been gone.
THIS WILL BE AN ALTERNATIVE SLIDE SOLO FOR A MORE DRIVING SOUND BEST ON
ELECTRIC WITH A SECOND GUITAR PLAYING RHYTHM. APPROXIMATE LOCATONS OF
CHORDING TO LEAD WILL BE SHOWN AS BEST AS IS POSSIBLE. IF SHOWN IT IN THE
KEY OF A. BY SUBSTITUTING A=G, D=C AND E=D IT CAN BE TRANSPOSED TO KEY OF G.
--------/5--/5--/5--/5--/5--/5--/5-------/8--/8--/8--/8--/8-/8--/8-|----------
----/5--/5--/5--/5--/5--/5--/5--/5---/8--/8--/8--/8--/8--/8-/8--/8-|----------
----/5-------------------------------/8----------------------------|----------
-------------------------------------------------------------------|----------
-------------------------------------------------------------------|----------
-------------------------------------------------------------------|----------
------------------/5-----------/12--/12------------|-----------------------|--
---------------0----------/12------------/12-------|-----------------------|--
--------0--/3--0-------------------------------/12-|-----------------------|--
----/3--0--/3--0-----------------------------------|-----------------------|--
----/3--0--/3--------------------------------------|-----------------------|--
----/3---------------------------------------------|-----------------------|--
Now repeat those 4 bars
--/7--/7--/7---------/10------|-------/12--/12-------/12----------------|-----
--/7-----------/10--------/10-|--/12------------/12-----------/12-------|-----
------------------------------|--------------------------/12-------/12--|-----
------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----
------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----
------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----
--------------------/5------------/12--/12----------|-------------------------
--0------0---/3--0----------/12---------------------|-------------------------
--0--/3--0---------------------------------------/2-|-------------------------
--0--/3--0----------------------------------/12-----|-------------------------
----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------
----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------
(Now totals 12 bars)
