Artist: Richard Thompson
Tuning: Drop D (DADGBE)
Capo on 3
Key of B flat (D relative to capo)
Chords (relative to capo):
D: 000232
D/B: X20232
D/A: X00232
D/G: 5X023X
D/D: X5023X [see notes below]
A: X02220
G: 5X0033 or 5X0003 or 550003 or 550033
Gmaj7: 5X403X
Em9/B: X24030
Bm7: X24232
D/F#: 4X02XX
Em: 222000
G/D: 02003X
Asus4: X02230
Asus2: X02200
Bm: X24432
Notes:
This transcription is based on a live recording on YouTube uploaded by Cleapatr on 30 Nov 2008.
Unfortunately it doesn’t say when or where it was recorded.
As with all his songs, Richard Thompson plays this a bit differently every time, mixing up the bass
notes and picking patterns. The verse in particular can be mixed up using different bass notes with
the D chords. You can also end the verses with A G D G instead of A A G G.
The D/D chord that I’ve listed above is obviously just a D major chord but I’ve transcribed it as D/D
to distinguish it from the more common D shape. RT seems to bend the 5th string a little when he plays
the D note.
RT holds a pick between his thumb and first finger which he uses to play the bass notes. He uses his
other fingers to pick the other strings. Lesser mortals might find it easier to play with thumb
and fingers or use a thumb pick.
At some stage I may add a full tab for the intro, solo and outro but for now I hope this is helpful.
Please point out any errors and I will correct them.
[INTRO]
[The intro is based around the following chords with a walk down from G to A via the F# and E bass notes]
[D] [G] [Asus2] [A] [Asus4] [Bm]
[D] [G] [Asus2] [A] [Asus4] [Bm] [G]
[VERSE 1]
I [D]was nine[D/B]teen when I [D/A]came to [D]town
They [D]called it the [D/B]summer of [D/A]love [D]
They were [D/A]burning [D/B]babies, [D/A]burning [D/G]flags
The [A]Hawks a[A]gainst the [G]Doves [G] [G] [G]
[VERSE 2]
[D]I took a [D/B]job in the [D/A]steamie [D]
[D]Down on [D/B]Caldrum [D/A]Street [D]
I [D]fell in [D/B]love with a [D/A]laundry [D/G]girl
Who was [A]working [A]next to [G]me [G] [G]
[CHORUS]
[G] She was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
So [Bm7]fine a [A]breath of [G]wind might [A]blow her [G]away
She was a [Em9/B]lost child, she was [D]running wild
She said, as [Bm7]long as [A]there's no [G]price on [A]love I'll [G]stay [D/F#]
And you [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want me [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4] [D]
[VERSE 3]
[D]Brown hair [D/B]zigzagged a[D/A]round her [D]face
And a [D]look of [D/B]half sur[D/A]prise [D]
Like a [D]fox caught [D/B]in the [D/A]headlights[D/D]
There was [A]animal [A]in her [G]eyes [G] [G] [G]
[VERSE 4]
She [D]said young [D/B]man, oh [D/A]can't you [D]see
[D]I'm not the [D/B]factory [D/A]kind [D]
If [D]you don't [D/B]take me [D/A]out of [D/G]here
I'll [A]surely [A]lose my [G]mind [G] [G]
[CHORUS]
[G] She was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
So [Bm7]fine that [A]I might [G]crush her [A]where she [G]lay
She was a [Em9/B]lost child, she was [D]running wild
She said, as [Bm7]long as [A]there's no [G]price on [A]love I'll [G]stay [D/F#]
And you [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want me [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4]
[SOLO]
[The solo starts the same as the intro and then moves up the neck picking notes from the B minor
pentatonic scale (relative to capo). It ends with an Em chord over which his picks the notes
[B] [D] [F#] [E] and [D] on the 1st and 2nd strings before returning the the D chord of the verse.]
[VERSE 5]
We [D]busked a[D/B]round the [D/A]market [D]towns
And [D]picked fruit [D/B]down in [D/A]Kent [D]
And [D]we could [D/B]tinker [D/A]lamps and [D/G]pots
And k[A]nives wher[A]ever we [G]went [G] [Gmaj7] [Gmaj7]
[VERSE 6]
And I [D]said that [D/B]we might [D/A]settle down[D]
[D]Get a few [D/B]acres [D/A]dug [D]
[D]Fire [D/B]burning [D/A]in the [D/D]hearth
And [A]babies [A]on the [G]rug [G] [G] [G]
[VERSE 7]
She [D]said oh [D/B]man, you [D/A]foolish [D]man
That [D]surely [D/B]sounds like [D/A]hell [D]
You [D]might be [D/B]lord of [D/A]half the [D/D]world
You'll [A]not own [A]me as [G]well [G] [G]
[CHORUS]
[G] She was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
So [Bm7]fine a [A]breath of [G]wind might [A]blow her [G]away
[G]She was a [Em9/B]lost child, she was [D]running wild
She said, as [Bm7]long as [A]there's no [G]price on [A]love I'll [G]stay [D/F#]
And you [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want me [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4] [D]
[VERSE 8]
We was [D]camping [D/B]down the [D/A]Gower one [D]time
[D] The work was[D/B] pretty[D/A] good [D]
She [D]thought we [D/B]shouldn't [D/A]wait for the [D/G]frost
And [A]I thought [A]maybe we [G]should [G] [Gmaj7] [Gmaj7]
[VERSE 9]
We was [D]drinking [D/B]more in [D/A]those days [D]
[D]Tempers [D/B]reached a [D/A]pitch [D]
And [D]like a [D/B]fool I [D/A]let her [D/G]run
[A]With the [A]rambling [G]itch [G]
[Repeat first half of intro]
[VERSE 10]
Oh the [D]last I [D/B]heard she's [D/A]sleeping [D]rough
[D]Back on the [D/B]Derby [D/A]beat [D]
[D] [D/B] [D/A] [D/D] > [C#]
White horse in her hip pocket
And a [A]wolfhound [A]at her [G]feet [G] [G]
[VERSE 11]
[G]And they [D]say she [D/B]even [D/A]married [D]once
A [D]man named[D/B] Romany [D/A]Brown [D]
But [D]even a [D/B]gypsy [D/A]cara---[D/D]van
Was [A]too much [A]settling [G]down [G] [G]
[VERSE 12]
[G]And they [D]say her [D/B]flower is [D/A]faded [D]now
[D]Hard weather [D/B]and hard [D/A]booze [D]
But [D]maybe that's [D/B]just the [D/A]price you [D/D]pay
For the [A]chains [A]you [G]refuse[G]
Modified chorus:
[G] Oh [G]she was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
And I [Bm7]miss her [A]more than [G]ever [A]words could [G]say
[G] If I could [Em9/B]just taste, all of her [D]wildness now
If [Bm7]I could [A]hold her [G]in my [A]arms to[G]day [D/F#]
Then I [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want her [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4] [D]
[The outro is similar to intro ending on a high D chord (0 0 0 14 15 14)]
Capo on 3
Key of B flat (D relative to capo)
Chords (relative to capo):
D: 000232
D/B: X20232
D/A: X00232
D/G: 5X023X
D/D: X5023X [see notes below]
A: X02220
G: 5X0033 or 5X0003 or 550003 or 550033
Gmaj7: 5X403X
Em9/B: X24030
Bm7: X24232
D/F#: 4X02XX
Em: 222000
G/D: 02003X
Asus4: X02230
Asus2: X02200
Bm: X24432
Notes:
This transcription is based on a live recording on YouTube uploaded by Cleapatr on 30 Nov 2008.
Unfortunately it doesn’t say when or where it was recorded.
As with all his songs, Richard Thompson plays this a bit differently every time, mixing up the bass
notes and picking patterns. The verse in particular can be mixed up using different bass notes with
the D chords. You can also end the verses with A G D G instead of A A G G.
The D/D chord that I’ve listed above is obviously just a D major chord but I’ve transcribed it as D/D
to distinguish it from the more common D shape. RT seems to bend the 5th string a little when he plays
the D note.
RT holds a pick between his thumb and first finger which he uses to play the bass notes. He uses his
other fingers to pick the other strings. Lesser mortals might find it easier to play with thumb
and fingers or use a thumb pick.
At some stage I may add a full tab for the intro, solo and outro but for now I hope this is helpful.
Please point out any errors and I will correct them.
[INTRO]
[The intro is based around the following chords with a walk down from G to A via the F# and E bass notes]
[D] [G] [Asus2] [A] [Asus4] [Bm]
[D] [G] [Asus2] [A] [Asus4] [Bm] [G]
[VERSE 1]
I [D]was nine[D/B]teen when I [D/A]came to [D]town
They [D]called it the [D/B]summer of [D/A]love [D]
They were [D/A]burning [D/B]babies, [D/A]burning [D/G]flags
The [A]Hawks a[A]gainst the [G]Doves [G] [G] [G]
[VERSE 2]
[D]I took a [D/B]job in the [D/A]steamie [D]
[D]Down on [D/B]Caldrum [D/A]Street [D]
I [D]fell in [D/B]love with a [D/A]laundry [D/G]girl
Who was [A]working [A]next to [G]me [G] [G]
[CHORUS]
[G] She was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
So [Bm7]fine a [A]breath of [G]wind might [A]blow her [G]away
She was a [Em9/B]lost child, she was [D]running wild
She said, as [Bm7]long as [A]there's no [G]price on [A]love I'll [G]stay [D/F#]
And you [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want me [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4] [D]
[VERSE 3]
[D]Brown hair [D/B]zigzagged a[D/A]round her [D]face
And a [D]look of [D/B]half sur[D/A]prise [D]
Like a [D]fox caught [D/B]in the [D/A]headlights[D/D]
There was [A]animal [A]in her [G]eyes [G] [G] [G]
[VERSE 4]
She [D]said young [D/B]man, oh [D/A]can't you [D]see
[D]I'm not the [D/B]factory [D/A]kind [D]
If [D]you don't [D/B]take me [D/A]out of [D/G]here
I'll [A]surely [A]lose my [G]mind [G] [G]
[CHORUS]
[G] She was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
So [Bm7]fine that [A]I might [G]crush her [A]where she [G]lay
She was a [Em9/B]lost child, she was [D]running wild
She said, as [Bm7]long as [A]there's no [G]price on [A]love I'll [G]stay [D/F#]
And you [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want me [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4]
[SOLO]
[The solo starts the same as the intro and then moves up the neck picking notes from the B minor
pentatonic scale (relative to capo). It ends with an Em chord over which his picks the notes
[B] [D] [F#] [E] and [D] on the 1st and 2nd strings before returning the the D chord of the verse.]
[VERSE 5]
We [D]busked a[D/B]round the [D/A]market [D]towns
And [D]picked fruit [D/B]down in [D/A]Kent [D]
And [D]we could [D/B]tinker [D/A]lamps and [D/G]pots
And k[A]nives wher[A]ever we [G]went [G] [Gmaj7] [Gmaj7]
[VERSE 6]
And I [D]said that [D/B]we might [D/A]settle down[D]
[D]Get a few [D/B]acres [D/A]dug [D]
[D]Fire [D/B]burning [D/A]in the [D/D]hearth
And [A]babies [A]on the [G]rug [G] [G] [G]
[VERSE 7]
She [D]said oh [D/B]man, you [D/A]foolish [D]man
That [D]surely [D/B]sounds like [D/A]hell [D]
You [D]might be [D/B]lord of [D/A]half the [D/D]world
You'll [A]not own [A]me as [G]well [G] [G]
[CHORUS]
[G] She was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
So [Bm7]fine a [A]breath of [G]wind might [A]blow her [G]away
[G]She was a [Em9/B]lost child, she was [D]running wild
She said, as [Bm7]long as [A]there's no [G]price on [A]love I'll [G]stay [D/F#]
And you [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want me [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4] [D]
[VERSE 8]
We was [D]camping [D/B]down the [D/A]Gower one [D]time
[D] The work was[D/B] pretty[D/A] good [D]
She [D]thought we [D/B]shouldn't [D/A]wait for the [D/G]frost
And [A]I thought [A]maybe we [G]should [G] [Gmaj7] [Gmaj7]
[VERSE 9]
We was [D]drinking [D/B]more in [D/A]those days [D]
[D]Tempers [D/B]reached a [D/A]pitch [D]
And [D]like a [D/B]fool I [D/A]let her [D/G]run
[A]With the [A]rambling [G]itch [G]
[Repeat first half of intro]
[VERSE 10]
Oh the [D]last I [D/B]heard she's [D/A]sleeping [D]rough
[D]Back on the [D/B]Derby [D/A]beat [D]
[D] [D/B] [D/A] [D/D] > [C#]
White horse in her hip pocket
And a [A]wolfhound [A]at her [G]feet [G] [G]
[VERSE 11]
[G]And they [D]say she [D/B]even [D/A]married [D]once
A [D]man named[D/B] Romany [D/A]Brown [D]
But [D]even a [D/B]gypsy [D/A]cara---[D/D]van
Was [A]too much [A]settling [G]down [G] [G]
[VERSE 12]
[G]And they [D]say her [D/B]flower is [D/A]faded [D]now
[D]Hard weather [D/B]and hard [D/A]booze [D]
But [D]maybe that's [D/B]just the [D/A]price you [D/D]pay
For the [A]chains [A]you [G]refuse[G]
Modified chorus:
[G] Oh [G]she was a [Em9/B]rare thing, fine as a [D]Beeswing
And I [Bm7]miss her [A]more than [G]ever [A]words could [G]say
[G] If I could [Em9/B]just taste, all of her [D]wildness now
If [Bm7]I could [A]hold her [G]in my [A]arms to[G]day [D/F#]
Then I [Em]wouldn't [D/F#]want her [G]any [D/A]other [G/D]way [A] [Asus4] [D]
[The outro is similar to intro ending on a high D chord (0 0 0 14 15 14)]
Used chords
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