Chords for Blind Willie McTell talking about his life and the blues
Tempo:
122.15 bpm
Chords used:
F
D
C
G
Gm
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
I am talking about the days of years ago, count from 1908 on up to the original years.
Back in the years of those days, blues had started to be original in 1914.
From then until the war time, people always had
[G] times from blues on up to [C] original blues.
Then on up to [F] 1920, the [Bbm] change blues.
[Dm] After then, there was [D] more blues.
[G] After then, it comes [C] the jazz [Gm] blues, something like this.
[F] And after then, there's more blues, comes the fast pieces.
[D]
[Gm] [F] And after then, it comes [Am] the blues of change, [A] getting in the alley more.
People call it the alley.
[D]
Now, [C] we take our white race of the southern [D] states, they play a little [F] different when we color [D] people.
Now, [C] here's some of their pieces.
[F]
[Dm] [F] That's the idea of [D] the white people.
[G] Now, you come back to the color, they [Gm] have a different [F] type of playing.
Now, we [Abm] have some pieces that [D] goes like this.
[C] [F] Now, that's the color.
Here's our [E] color again.
[C]
And still, we are [G] still down in the alley of blues, just like the white [F] when they play the [C] yodeling song.
But we have [Em] our blues, a little different.
[C] Now, thanks.
[N] Now, where did you grow up, Blind Willie?
I grew up down in South Georgia.
Statesboro, Georgia was my red home.
I was born at Thompson, Georgia, 134 miles of Atlanta, 37 miles west of Augusta.
How long have you been a musician?
Well, I've taken music when I was quite a child, but in the period of time, I quit for eight years.
After the eight years, I went back to playing as I entered into Blind School, Macon, Georgia.
[D] I continued my playing up until 1927, the 18th day of October, when I made records for the Victor [N] Record People.
And from then up until 1932, I played for the Victor People alone by myself.
But in the period of time, in 1929, I made records for the Columbia People, changing my name to Blind Samuel.
I was authorizing this song to come around to my house mama, cigarette blues, and the Atlanta Struts and so on.
And after then, I worked with the Vocalium People of 19 and 33, taking up odd jobs.
They're paying you a small sum of money, $50 a week.
But they was getting all the records for blues that they can, which we called the alley.
And after the period of time, I picked up another job with the Decca Record Company.
Wanting the blues, they give you a small sum of money, but get paid expense.
And after the period of time, I returned back to Augusta, Georgia, where they had Moodle the Machine,
where they made a gang of [D] blues there in the summer [F] of June of [N] 1936.
And after the period of time, I haven't made any more records, but I had lots to be released.
And in the meantime, my different managers that I worked under started under Mr.
Ralph S.
Pierre, 1619 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under W.R. Calloway, 1870s, 1776 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under Dave Kaupp, of 666 Lake Shoe Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Well, tell me more about your blindness.
Who ran this school down in Macon?
Well, it was run by the state of Georgia.
The principal was Professor L.H. Williamson, that stayed in town that I was in.
And how long did you stay in that school?
From 1922 up until 1925.
When I returned to New York, I went to a little independent blind school out there.
From there, I went to a friend of mine in Michigan and studied over there as a blind lead the braille.
And in the meantime, I returned back to Georgia on my travel.
I followed shores, different shores around, medicine shores, carnivals, and all different types of loose, funny shores after a period of record making.
What do you know about Blind Willie [Gb] Johnson?
Blind Willie Johnson was a personal pal of mine.
He and I played together over many different [Ab] parts of the states, different parts [N] of the country, from Maine to the Mobile Bay.
But I returned, departed from him in Union, Missouri.
He and I met up again in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Well, now, what do you consider his best music?
Well, sacred music.
He has a heavy voice, more sound like a preacher.
And does he play the guitar with his sacred music?
He plays the guitar with the sacred music with the steel ring.
And you think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, do you?
I think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, [D] according to a letter I got from his wife.
He was a very good friend of mine, and he was a notable singer, and his type of singer.
Did he play a 12-string guitar?
Only a 6-string guitar.
Was he a good guitar picker?
Excellent.
[N]
Back in the years of those days, blues had started to be original in 1914.
From then until the war time, people always had
[G] times from blues on up to [C] original blues.
Then on up to [F] 1920, the [Bbm] change blues.
[Dm] After then, there was [D] more blues.
[G] After then, it comes [C] the jazz [Gm] blues, something like this.
[F] And after then, there's more blues, comes the fast pieces.
[D]
[Gm] [F] And after then, it comes [Am] the blues of change, [A] getting in the alley more.
People call it the alley.
[D]
Now, [C] we take our white race of the southern [D] states, they play a little [F] different when we color [D] people.
Now, [C] here's some of their pieces.
[F]
[Dm] [F] That's the idea of [D] the white people.
[G] Now, you come back to the color, they [Gm] have a different [F] type of playing.
Now, we [Abm] have some pieces that [D] goes like this.
[C] [F] Now, that's the color.
Here's our [E] color again.
[C]
And still, we are [G] still down in the alley of blues, just like the white [F] when they play the [C] yodeling song.
But we have [Em] our blues, a little different.
[C] Now, thanks.
[N] Now, where did you grow up, Blind Willie?
I grew up down in South Georgia.
Statesboro, Georgia was my red home.
I was born at Thompson, Georgia, 134 miles of Atlanta, 37 miles west of Augusta.
How long have you been a musician?
Well, I've taken music when I was quite a child, but in the period of time, I quit for eight years.
After the eight years, I went back to playing as I entered into Blind School, Macon, Georgia.
[D] I continued my playing up until 1927, the 18th day of October, when I made records for the Victor [N] Record People.
And from then up until 1932, I played for the Victor People alone by myself.
But in the period of time, in 1929, I made records for the Columbia People, changing my name to Blind Samuel.
I was authorizing this song to come around to my house mama, cigarette blues, and the Atlanta Struts and so on.
And after then, I worked with the Vocalium People of 19 and 33, taking up odd jobs.
They're paying you a small sum of money, $50 a week.
But they was getting all the records for blues that they can, which we called the alley.
And after the period of time, I picked up another job with the Decca Record Company.
Wanting the blues, they give you a small sum of money, but get paid expense.
And after the period of time, I returned back to Augusta, Georgia, where they had Moodle the Machine,
where they made a gang of [D] blues there in the summer [F] of June of [N] 1936.
And after the period of time, I haven't made any more records, but I had lots to be released.
And in the meantime, my different managers that I worked under started under Mr.
Ralph S.
Pierre, 1619 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under W.R. Calloway, 1870s, 1776 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under Dave Kaupp, of 666 Lake Shoe Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Well, tell me more about your blindness.
Who ran this school down in Macon?
Well, it was run by the state of Georgia.
The principal was Professor L.H. Williamson, that stayed in town that I was in.
And how long did you stay in that school?
From 1922 up until 1925.
When I returned to New York, I went to a little independent blind school out there.
From there, I went to a friend of mine in Michigan and studied over there as a blind lead the braille.
And in the meantime, I returned back to Georgia on my travel.
I followed shores, different shores around, medicine shores, carnivals, and all different types of loose, funny shores after a period of record making.
What do you know about Blind Willie [Gb] Johnson?
Blind Willie Johnson was a personal pal of mine.
He and I played together over many different [Ab] parts of the states, different parts [N] of the country, from Maine to the Mobile Bay.
But I returned, departed from him in Union, Missouri.
He and I met up again in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Well, now, what do you consider his best music?
Well, sacred music.
He has a heavy voice, more sound like a preacher.
And does he play the guitar with his sacred music?
He plays the guitar with the sacred music with the steel ring.
And you think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, do you?
I think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, [D] according to a letter I got from his wife.
He was a very good friend of mine, and he was a notable singer, and his type of singer.
Did he play a 12-string guitar?
Only a 6-string guitar.
Was he a good guitar picker?
Excellent.
[N]
Key:
F
D
C
G
Gm
F
D
C
_ _ _ _ I am talking about the days of years ago, count from 1908 _ on up to the original years.
Back in the years of those days, blues had started to be original in 1914.
_ From then until the war time, people always had _ _
[G] times from blues on up to [C] original blues. _
Then on up to [F] 1920, _ the [Bbm] change blues.
[Dm] After then, there was [D] more blues.
[G] _ After then, it comes [C] the jazz [Gm] blues, something like this.
_ _ [F] _ And after then, there's more blues, comes the fast pieces.
[D] _ _ _
[Gm] _ _ [F] And after then, it comes [Am] the blues of change, _ [A] getting in the alley more.
People call it the alley.
_ [D] _ _
_ _ Now, [C] _ we take our white race of the southern [D] states, they play a little [F] different when we color [D] people.
Now, [C] here's some of their pieces.
_ [F] _ _
_ _ _ [Dm] _ _ [F] That's the idea of [D] the white people.
[G] Now, you come back to the color, they [Gm] have a different [F] type of playing.
Now, we [Abm] have some pieces that [D] goes like this.
_ _ [C] _ [F] Now, that's the color.
Here's our [E] color again.
_ _ _ [C] _
And still, we are [G] still down in the alley of blues, just like the white [F] when they play the [C] yodeling song.
But we have [Em] our blues, a little different.
_ [C] Now, thanks. _
[N] Now, where _ _ did you grow up, Blind Willie?
I grew up down in South Georgia.
Statesboro, Georgia was my red home.
I was born at Thompson, Georgia, _ 134 miles of Atlanta, _ 37 miles west of Augusta.
How long have you been a musician?
Well, I've taken music when I was quite a child, but in the period of time, I quit for eight years.
After the eight years, I went back to playing as I entered into Blind School, Macon, Georgia.
[D] I continued my playing up until _ _ 1927, the 18th day of October, when I made records for the Victor [N] Record People.
And from then up until _ 1932, I played for the Victor People alone by myself.
But in the period of time, in 1929, I made records for the Columbia People, changing my name to Blind Samuel.
I was authorizing this song to come around to my house mama, _ cigarette blues, and the Atlanta Struts and so on.
And after then, I worked with the Vocalium People of 19 and 33, taking up odd jobs.
They're paying you a small sum of money, $50 a week.
But they was getting all the records for blues that they can, which we called the alley.
And after the period of time, I picked up another job with the Decca Record Company.
Wanting the blues, they give you a small sum of money, but get paid expense.
_ And after the period of time, I returned back to Augusta, Georgia, where they had Moodle the Machine,
_ where they made a gang of [D] blues there in the summer [F] of June of _ _ [N] 1936.
_ _ And after the period of time, _ I haven't made any more records, but I had lots to be released.
_ And in the meantime, my different _ managers that I worked under started under Mr.
Ralph S.
Pierre, 1619 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under W.R. Calloway, 1870s, _ 1776 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under Dave Kaupp, of 666 Lake Shoe Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Well, tell me more about your blindness.
Who ran this school down in Macon?
Well, it was run by the state of Georgia.
The principal was Professor L.H. Williamson, that stayed in town that I was in.
And how long did you stay in that school?
From _ 1922 up until 1925.
When I returned to New York, I went to a little independent blind school out there.
From there, I went to a friend of mine in Michigan and studied over there as a blind lead the braille.
_ And in the meantime, I returned back to Georgia on my travel.
I followed shores, different _ shores around, medicine shores, carnivals, and all different types of loose, funny shores after a period of record making.
What do you know about _ _ Blind Willie [Gb] Johnson?
Blind Willie Johnson was a personal pal of mine.
He and I played together over many different [Ab] parts of the states, different parts [N] of the country, from Maine to the Mobile Bay.
But I returned, departed from him in Union, Missouri.
He and I met up again in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Well, now, what do you consider his best music?
Well, sacred music.
He has a heavy voice, more sound like a preacher.
_ _ _ And does he play the guitar with his sacred music?
He plays the guitar with the sacred music with the steel ring.
And you think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, do you?
I think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, [D] according to a letter I got from his wife. _ _ _ _ _ _
He was a very good friend of mine, and he was a notable singer, and his type of singer.
Did he play a 12-string guitar?
Only a 6-string guitar.
Was he a good guitar picker?
Excellent.
_ _ _ [N] _ _
Back in the years of those days, blues had started to be original in 1914.
_ From then until the war time, people always had _ _
[G] times from blues on up to [C] original blues. _
Then on up to [F] 1920, _ the [Bbm] change blues.
[Dm] After then, there was [D] more blues.
[G] _ After then, it comes [C] the jazz [Gm] blues, something like this.
_ _ [F] _ And after then, there's more blues, comes the fast pieces.
[D] _ _ _
[Gm] _ _ [F] And after then, it comes [Am] the blues of change, _ [A] getting in the alley more.
People call it the alley.
_ [D] _ _
_ _ Now, [C] _ we take our white race of the southern [D] states, they play a little [F] different when we color [D] people.
Now, [C] here's some of their pieces.
_ [F] _ _
_ _ _ [Dm] _ _ [F] That's the idea of [D] the white people.
[G] Now, you come back to the color, they [Gm] have a different [F] type of playing.
Now, we [Abm] have some pieces that [D] goes like this.
_ _ [C] _ [F] Now, that's the color.
Here's our [E] color again.
_ _ _ [C] _
And still, we are [G] still down in the alley of blues, just like the white [F] when they play the [C] yodeling song.
But we have [Em] our blues, a little different.
_ [C] Now, thanks. _
[N] Now, where _ _ did you grow up, Blind Willie?
I grew up down in South Georgia.
Statesboro, Georgia was my red home.
I was born at Thompson, Georgia, _ 134 miles of Atlanta, _ 37 miles west of Augusta.
How long have you been a musician?
Well, I've taken music when I was quite a child, but in the period of time, I quit for eight years.
After the eight years, I went back to playing as I entered into Blind School, Macon, Georgia.
[D] I continued my playing up until _ _ 1927, the 18th day of October, when I made records for the Victor [N] Record People.
And from then up until _ 1932, I played for the Victor People alone by myself.
But in the period of time, in 1929, I made records for the Columbia People, changing my name to Blind Samuel.
I was authorizing this song to come around to my house mama, _ cigarette blues, and the Atlanta Struts and so on.
And after then, I worked with the Vocalium People of 19 and 33, taking up odd jobs.
They're paying you a small sum of money, $50 a week.
But they was getting all the records for blues that they can, which we called the alley.
And after the period of time, I picked up another job with the Decca Record Company.
Wanting the blues, they give you a small sum of money, but get paid expense.
_ And after the period of time, I returned back to Augusta, Georgia, where they had Moodle the Machine,
_ where they made a gang of [D] blues there in the summer [F] of June of _ _ [N] 1936.
_ _ And after the period of time, _ I haven't made any more records, but I had lots to be released.
_ And in the meantime, my different _ managers that I worked under started under Mr.
Ralph S.
Pierre, 1619 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under W.R. Calloway, 1870s, _ 1776 Broadway of New York.
After the period of time, I worked under Dave Kaupp, of 666 Lake Shoe Drive in Chicago, Illinois.
Well, tell me more about your blindness.
Who ran this school down in Macon?
Well, it was run by the state of Georgia.
The principal was Professor L.H. Williamson, that stayed in town that I was in.
And how long did you stay in that school?
From _ 1922 up until 1925.
When I returned to New York, I went to a little independent blind school out there.
From there, I went to a friend of mine in Michigan and studied over there as a blind lead the braille.
_ And in the meantime, I returned back to Georgia on my travel.
I followed shores, different _ shores around, medicine shores, carnivals, and all different types of loose, funny shores after a period of record making.
What do you know about _ _ Blind Willie [Gb] Johnson?
Blind Willie Johnson was a personal pal of mine.
He and I played together over many different [Ab] parts of the states, different parts [N] of the country, from Maine to the Mobile Bay.
But I returned, departed from him in Union, Missouri.
He and I met up again in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Well, now, what do you consider his best music?
Well, sacred music.
He has a heavy voice, more sound like a preacher.
_ _ _ And does he play the guitar with his sacred music?
He plays the guitar with the sacred music with the steel ring.
And you think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, do you?
I think Blind Willie Johnson is dead, [D] according to a letter I got from his wife. _ _ _ _ _ _
He was a very good friend of mine, and he was a notable singer, and his type of singer.
Did he play a 12-string guitar?
Only a 6-string guitar.
Was he a good guitar picker?
Excellent.
_ _ _ [N] _ _
Facts about this song