Sloppy Drunk

Written by David Bromberg
Recorded by Bob Dylan during the Bromberg Sessions, early/mid June 1992
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem (thanks to esmith for corrections and details)

The song is frequently ascribed to Jimmy Rogers (the bluesman, not the country artist Jimmie Rodgers), because of his song of the same title (which again has taken some “inspiration” (whatever that means in the blues world) from Sonny Boy Williamson I and his “Sloppy Drunk Blues”), but Bromberg is registered as the copyright holder (thanks to Alan Fraser for notifying me), and apart from the title, the two songs have little in common.

The Eb7 in the turnaround could be played xx1323, x6564x, or, simpler, and perhaps even more correctly, xx1003.

  G/d     G7/f      Em      Eb7       G/d D7
  :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .
|-3---3---3---3---|-3---3---3---3---|-3---------------|-----------------
|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0--(2---2)--|-0---3---3---3---|-----------------
|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---3---3---|-0---5---5---5---|-----------------
|-0---0---3---3---|-2---2---1---1---|-0---4---4---4---|-----------------
|-----------------|-----------------|-----5---5---5---|-----------------
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------

        G
I don't want no reefer right now, I never touch no junk

Just give me a bottle of Jack Daniels, child, I'll get sloppy drunk
        C                                   G
I don't want no reefer, I never touch no junk
          D7                             C7
Give me a bottle of good bourbon, darling, yes, I'll get sloppy drunk

G/d  .  G7/f  .  Em  .  Eb7 .  G/d D7  .  .  .  .  .  .

Well, I love my whiskey, great god, gotta have my gin
come on, let's do something nasty, gal, watch the walls break in
Well, I love my whiskey, I got to have my gin
come on, let's do something nasty, gal, until the walls break in

Well, look here Firmin,*) god knows, you're a mess
Folks that say they don't drink no more, I know they don't drink no less
Well, my good friend Firmin over there, aah, he's a mess
Well, he says he don't drink no more, I know he don't drink no less

Well, I'm leavin' town, baby, go on pack my trunk
I got no good bourbon, got no, but this blues got me sloppy drunk
[Rose,] I'm leavin' Frisco, come on, pack my trunk
I never touch no whiskey, but the blues, great god! got me sloppy drunk

G  .  G7/f  .  Em  .  Eb  .  G  F  F# G

*) Firmin: John Firmin, the sax player in Bromberg’s band (thanks to esmith for notifying me)