Quit Your Low Down Ways
Words and music Bob Dylan (but to some extent based on Bob Wills’ Brain
Cloudy Blues)
Recorded Jul 9, 1962, during the Freewheelin’
sessions, released on The Bootleg Series
1-3 (1991)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem
This one eluded me for a while; I thought it was in open g tuning for a
while (because of the G7 chord), but couldn’t then find a practical way
of playing the other chords. I’m pretty confident about the 5x0003
shape, though. I haven’t heard Dylan use it elsewhere in this tuning
(but he uses a similar shape in Barbara Allen, in simple Drop D
tuning), but nothing happens during that chord, and that’s evidence that
it is fingered in a way that prevents things from happening, such as the
suggestion. Besides, it works.
The real tricky part is the rhythm, of course, with its constant changes
between triple and duple time. I’ve noted in the verses where the riff
(first bar of intro) begins, and where the beats fall in the text
(usually the riff begins with an upbeat 3—–; I’ve marked that with a
comma).
According to Vince Cancilla, the “You’re gonna need my help someday” part is copied exactly – text and melody – from Bob Wills’ “Brain Cloudy Blues” from the 1940’s. “The last two lines also follow the same melody. He even sings it the same way, with that high pitched – neeeed.” (V.C.)
Double dropped d tuning (D-A-d-g-b-d’; tune down the first and the sixth string one whole step), capo 5th fret.
Chords:
D5 000230
D7sus4 000010
G xx0000
G7 5x0003
A 202222 (w/thumb)
C9 030030
Intro (1st bar=riff):
: . . : . . : .
|-----3---0---0-0-0-0-----|----|-----3---0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0-------0-0-0-0--
|---------0---1-1-1-1-----|----|-------------1-1-1-1-0---|-3-------3-3-3-3--
|-------------0-0-0-0-----| x4,|-------------0-0-0-0-0---|-2-------2-2-2-2--
|-------------0-0-0-0-----|then|-------------0-0-0-0-0---|-0-------0-0-0-0--
|-------------0-0-0-0-----|----|-------------------------|-0-------0-0-0-0--
|(0)------------------3---|----|-0-----------------------|-0-------0-0-0-0--
Well, you can
D5 riff . .
Well, you can read out your Bible,
. , riff . .
You can fall down on your knees,
, riff . .
And pray to the Lord, pretty mama,
, riff . . D7sus4-G
But it ain't gonna do no good.
G7 *) . . . riff . .
You're gonna need_________
. ,riff . . ,riff . .
my help someday
D5 A . . .
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
**) . . , riff x2
Please quit your low down ways.
*)
: . : . : . : .
|-3---3-3-3-3-3---|-3---3-3-3-3-3---|-----3---0---0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-----3--
|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-------------1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-0---|--------
|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-------------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|--------
|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-------------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0---etc
|-----------------|-----------------|-------------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0------
|-5---------------|-5---------------|-5-----------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0------
nee - - - - - - ee - - - heed my help some day
need, you're gonna need___________ my help some day
**)
: . . . . : . .
|-----3---0-------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0------|-----3---0---0-0-0-0-0---
|-----------------1-------1-1-1-1-1-1------|-------------1-1-1-1-0---
|-----------------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0------|-------------0-0-0-0-0---
|-----------------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0------|-------------0-0-0-0-0---
|-------------0----------------------------|-------------------------
|-0-----------0-----------------------3----|-0-------------------3---
please______________ quit yr lowdown ways
D5 riff . .
You can run down to the desert,
. riff . .
you can stick your head in the sand
riff . . riff . .
You can raise up your right hand, but your good man ain't a-comin' home,
riff D7sus4
you better understand
G G7
You're gonna need
riff
You're gonna need my help someday
. . . riff . . D5
(someday, you're gonna need my help, someday)
A
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
riff . . . . riff x2
Please quit your low down ways.
D5 /c riff . .
Now, you can run down to the White House,
. riff . .
You can gaze on the Capitol Dome,
riff . . riff
You can knock on the President's gate, pretty mama,
. /f /d /f /d
But you know it's gonna be too late.
/f /d G7 *)
You're gonna need
riff . .
You're gonna need my help someday
. riff . . D5
(my help someday)
A
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
riff . . . . riff
Please quit your low down ways.
riff . .
And you can hitchhike on the highway,
. riff . . .
You can stand all alone by the side of the road.
riff . . .
try to flag a ride back home, pretty mama,
riff . . . .
But you ain't a-gonna ride in my car no more.
G7
You're gonna need
riff .
You're gonna need my help someday
. .
(oh yes, yeah)
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
Please quit your low down ways.
So, you can read out your Hymn book,
You can fall down on your knees
And pray to the Lord, pretty mama,
But it ain't gonna do no good.
You're gonna need
You're gonna need my help someday
(oh, wait and see)
if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
Please quit your low down ways.
D5 C9 D5
: . .
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-------||
|-3---3-3---3-3---3-------||
|-2---2-2---2-0---2-------||
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-------||
|-0---0-0---0-3---0-------||
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-------||