Most of the Time

Words and music Bob Dylan.
Released on Oh Mercy (1989) and in an outtake version on Tell Tale Signs (2008).
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

F

|:C . . . |F . . . :|

            C
Most of the time
    F
I'm clear focused all around
            C
Most of the time
           F
I can keep both feet on the ground
Am                      F
  I can follow the path,  I can read the sign
Am                   F
  Stay right with it   when the road unwinds
                 C                F
I can handle whatever I stumble upon
             Am             F
I don't even notice   she's gone
            C
Most of the time.

Most of the time it's well understood
Most of the time I wouldn't change it if I could
I can make it all match up
I can hold my own
I can deal with the situation right down to the bone
I can survive and I can endure
And I don't even think about her
Most of the time.

Most of the time my head is on straight
Most of the time I'm strong enough not to hate
I don't build up illusion 'til it makes me sick
I ain't afraid of confusion no matter how thick
I can smile in the face of mankind
Don't even remember what her lips felt like on mine
Most of the time.

Am
  Most of the time
C
  she ain't even in my mind
Am
  I wouldn't know her if I saw her
C
  She's that far behind
E
  Most of the time
Am
  I can't even be sure
E
  If she was ever with me
Am                      F/g
  Or if I was ever with her

Most of the time I'm halfway content
Most of the time I know exactly where it went
I don't cheat on myself I don't run and hide
Hide from the feelings that are buried inside
I don't compromise and I don't pretend
I don't even care if I ever see her again
Most of the time.

Tell Tale Signs version

The chord that I have written as /g changes through the song, from a simple Am/g (3x2210) to a full C/g, played as 3x2013, which at one point is played 3x203x, quickly changed to the correct form, which gives an interesting variation …

Also worth noting is the slowing down of the harmonic rhythm in the last verse, which brings the song closer to the album version in a way which reminds of On A Rainy Afternoon from Eat The Document.

G11 is played 3x3211.

Intro, something like:

   C                                   F
   :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .
||------------------|-----------------|---1-------------|-------1----------||
||*-----------------|-----------------|---1-------------|---1-------1---0-*||
||------0-----------|-----------------|---2-2---2---2---|-----------2------||
||--2-------2---2h3~|~~---0h2-----0---|-3---3---3---3---|-3---3------------||
||*-3---------------|-3---3-----------|-3---3---3---3---|-3---3---3-------*||
||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||

            C
Most of the time
                       F
I'm clear focused all around
            C
Most of the time
           F                C
I can keep both feet on the ground
      Am         /g          F
I can follow the path, I can read the signs
Am         /g               F      C
stay right with it when the road unwinds
         Am         /g        F
I can handle what I stumble upon
Am            /g          F
I don't even notice she's gone
            C
Most of the time

            C
Most of the time
                F
I'm-a cool underneath
            Am
Most of the time
/g              F                C
  I can keep it right between my teeth
      Am        /g            F
I can solve any riddle, I can hold my own
     Am           /g          F           C
deal with the situation right down to the bone
      Am       /g      F
I can survive, I can endure
Am           /g          F
I don't even think about her
            C
Most of the time

Most of the time
my head is on straight
Most of the time
I'm strong enough not to hate
I got enough faith and I got enough strength
I keep it all away, way beyond arm's length
I can smile in the face of mankind
Don't even remember what her lips felt like on mine
Most of the time

Am                G
 Most of the time
C                          /b
 she ain't even in my mind
Am                               G
 I wouldn't know her if I saw her,
C
 she's that far behind
E
 Most of the time
Am
 I can't even be sure
E                       G
If she was ever with me
Am                      G11
 or if I was ever with her
 

            C
Most of the time
F
 I'm halfways content
            Am   C/g
Most of the time
         F                    C
I know exactly where it all went
Am                  C/g
I don't cheat on myself,
F                  C
 I don't run and hide
Am                C/g
 Hide from the feelings
F                  C
 that are buried inside
Am             C/g        F
 I don't compromise or pretend
Am                      C              F
 I don't even care if I  ever see her again
            C
Most of the time.

*Tell Tale Signs* version

Tell Tale Signs version