Delia
Traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan
Released on World Gone Wrong (1993)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem
Read John Garst’s story about Delia Green, age 14, shot down on Christmas Eve 1900 by her boyfriend “Cooney” Houston.
Capo 2nd fret (original key D major)
Chords:
C x32013 in the intro,otherwise x32010
F9 xx3213 in the intro, otherwise normal F
Cviii xxx988
Fv xxx565
Ciii xxx553
Giii xxx433
C/g 332010
It should be mentioned that Dylan isn’t always dead certain about neither how long to strum F before “all the friends I ever had are gone”, nor about now to play the descending riff. But hey, he’s an artist, man, you gotta give him that.
If your pinky is strong enough, I’d suggest to play the figure in the second line as a half-barre on the eight fret with the middle finger on the ninth, then let that slide down to form the basis of the “D-shape” chord on the fifth fret, with the rest of the strings fingered with the ring- and little fingers. That way, it’s possible to play it quickly and smoothly. At least that’s how I play it.
Intro (same accompanying pattern in all the verses):
C F9 C F9 C
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3-------3-------|-3---------------|
|-1---------------|-1---------------|-1-------1-------|-1---------------|
|-0---------------|-2---------------|-0-------2-------|-0---------------|
|-2---------------|-3---------------|-2-------3-------|-2---------------|
|-3---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Ciii
Cviii Fv Giii Giii F
: . . . : . . . . . . : . . .
|-----8---5---3---|-3-3---1---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----8---6---3---|-5-3---1---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----9---5---4---|-5-4---2---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------3---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|------(3)--------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|------(1)--------|-----------------|---------0---1---|
C "G7" C Csus4 C
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-0---------------|-0---0---0---0---|-0---------------|-----------------|
|-1---------------|-1---1---1---1---|-1---------------|-----------------|
|-0---------------|-0---0---0---0---|-0---------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-0---3---2---0---|-2---------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-x---x---x---x---|-3---------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-3---3---3---3---|-x---------------|-----------------|
C F9 C F9 C
Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around
Cviii Fv Giii Ciii Giii F
De- lia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
C/g "G7" C Csus4 C
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out West
When she returned, little Delia'd gone to rest.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia's Daddy weeped, Delia's momma moaned
Wouldn't have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis's looking high, Curtis's looking low
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
High upon the housetops, high as I can see
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone
Men in Atlanta, trying to pass for white
Delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Judge says to Curtis, "What's this noise about?"
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis said to the judge "What might be my fine?"
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis' in the jailhouse, drinking from an old tin cup
Delia's in the graveyard, she ain't gettin' up.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
Delia, oh Delia, how could it be?
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.