Chords for Robbie Robertson Talks About Bob Dylan and the Basement Tapes
Tempo:
115.5 bpm
Chords used:
Bb
Ab
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[Bb]
[Ab] We had moved up to Woodstock, New York, because in New York City we couldn't find a place
that we could work on our music without it being too expensive or bothering people or something.
So we go up there, Albert Grossman says, up there you can find a place that there's no
people around and you can do whatever you want.
We're thinking, oh my God, we desperately need that.
And there was some stuff that I was working on then with Bob Dylan up there too, some
film things that we were messing around with.
And so anyway, we went up there, we found this ugly pink house out in West Saugerties,
just on the outskirts of Woodstock, and on a hundred acres and there's nothing around.
And we think, all right, we can do this.
We get this place, some of the guys live there, and in the basement of this place I think,
okay, we'll set up our equipment here and this is where we'll work on our music.
So I have a friend of mine who knows about acoustics and recording and microphones and
all kinds of things.
So I say to him, take a look at this place and see because we're going to use this and
we just want to make sure that it's going to work.
At this time, you've got to remember, nobody was doing this.
It didn't exist that people would set up and now everybody does it.
But back then this was very rare.
It was like Les Paul did that.
And everybody else, if you were going to make a record, you went and made a record where
they make records.
So anyway, I have this friend of mine, this guy that I know, look at the thing in the
basement and he said, well, this is a disaster.
He said, this is the worst situation.
You have a cement floor, you have cinder block walls, and you have a big metal furnace in here.
These are all of the things that you can't have if you're trying to record something.
Even if you're just recording it for your own information, your own benefit, you can't do this.
This won't work.
You'll listen to it and you'll be depressed.
Your music will sound so bad that you'll never want to record again.
I'm like, holy jeez.
I said, well, what if we put down a rug?
He said, a rug?
He said, you don't need a rug.
You need everything here.
This is impossible.
So I thought, God, well, that's pretty depressing.
But we'd already rented the place.
We didn't have a choice.
And I was thinking, should we set up upstairs in the living room?
What should we do here?
So anyway, I thought, well, to hell with it.
We have no choice.
We don't have the flexibilities.
And we got this old rug, and we did put a rug down.
And we got a couple of microphones left over from the tour.
We had this little tape recorder.
And we were going to start writing and making this music for our record.
And so then Bob Dylan comes out and he sees us and he says, this is fantastic and everything.
He said, why don't we do some stuff together?
He's like, I want to record.
I need to make up some songs for the publishing company for other people to record.
And so in the meantime, Bob is taking care of all of us all of this time.
We owe him to do something just to, you know, because the idea was we were going to go and do another tour.
But he broke his neck in a motorcycle thing, and we couldn't do that.
So we're still on the payroll, and it's like going on and on and on.
So it was a way to do something, a gesture back.
So I said, yeah, OK, well, we'll do these things, and then we'll work on our stuff and everything.
So he starts coming out, but he comes out all the time.
It's like the clubhouse now, this place.
And we love it.
And we're laying down these things on tape.
And in their own way, they're like field recordings.
They sound fantastic in their own way.
So I think, you know what?
There is something about bringing the recording experience to you in your own comfort zone,
as opposed to going into somebody's studio that has a huge clock on the wall,
and the guys in the union there saying, hey, it's about dinner break and everything.
You make your own atmosphere.
There's something very creative about this.
So we do the stuff with Bob.
We do all kinds of stuff ourselves, everything.
The whole thing, it's like nobody's ever going to hear this thing.
And it becomes the first huge bootleg rock and roll music record ever.
And it was like, that wasn't the idea.
That wasn't supposed to.
It was only for the publishing company and the artists that might want
to record that particular song.
And so anyway, it became a whole other phenomenon.
And it's OK.
[Ab] We had moved up to Woodstock, New York, because in New York City we couldn't find a place
that we could work on our music without it being too expensive or bothering people or something.
So we go up there, Albert Grossman says, up there you can find a place that there's no
people around and you can do whatever you want.
We're thinking, oh my God, we desperately need that.
And there was some stuff that I was working on then with Bob Dylan up there too, some
film things that we were messing around with.
And so anyway, we went up there, we found this ugly pink house out in West Saugerties,
just on the outskirts of Woodstock, and on a hundred acres and there's nothing around.
And we think, all right, we can do this.
We get this place, some of the guys live there, and in the basement of this place I think,
okay, we'll set up our equipment here and this is where we'll work on our music.
So I have a friend of mine who knows about acoustics and recording and microphones and
all kinds of things.
So I say to him, take a look at this place and see because we're going to use this and
we just want to make sure that it's going to work.
At this time, you've got to remember, nobody was doing this.
It didn't exist that people would set up and now everybody does it.
But back then this was very rare.
It was like Les Paul did that.
And everybody else, if you were going to make a record, you went and made a record where
they make records.
So anyway, I have this friend of mine, this guy that I know, look at the thing in the
basement and he said, well, this is a disaster.
He said, this is the worst situation.
You have a cement floor, you have cinder block walls, and you have a big metal furnace in here.
These are all of the things that you can't have if you're trying to record something.
Even if you're just recording it for your own information, your own benefit, you can't do this.
This won't work.
You'll listen to it and you'll be depressed.
Your music will sound so bad that you'll never want to record again.
I'm like, holy jeez.
I said, well, what if we put down a rug?
He said, a rug?
He said, you don't need a rug.
You need everything here.
This is impossible.
So I thought, God, well, that's pretty depressing.
But we'd already rented the place.
We didn't have a choice.
And I was thinking, should we set up upstairs in the living room?
What should we do here?
So anyway, I thought, well, to hell with it.
We have no choice.
We don't have the flexibilities.
And we got this old rug, and we did put a rug down.
And we got a couple of microphones left over from the tour.
We had this little tape recorder.
And we were going to start writing and making this music for our record.
And so then Bob Dylan comes out and he sees us and he says, this is fantastic and everything.
He said, why don't we do some stuff together?
He's like, I want to record.
I need to make up some songs for the publishing company for other people to record.
And so in the meantime, Bob is taking care of all of us all of this time.
We owe him to do something just to, you know, because the idea was we were going to go and do another tour.
But he broke his neck in a motorcycle thing, and we couldn't do that.
So we're still on the payroll, and it's like going on and on and on.
So it was a way to do something, a gesture back.
So I said, yeah, OK, well, we'll do these things, and then we'll work on our stuff and everything.
So he starts coming out, but he comes out all the time.
It's like the clubhouse now, this place.
And we love it.
And we're laying down these things on tape.
And in their own way, they're like field recordings.
They sound fantastic in their own way.
So I think, you know what?
There is something about bringing the recording experience to you in your own comfort zone,
as opposed to going into somebody's studio that has a huge clock on the wall,
and the guys in the union there saying, hey, it's about dinner break and everything.
You make your own atmosphere.
There's something very creative about this.
So we do the stuff with Bob.
We do all kinds of stuff ourselves, everything.
The whole thing, it's like nobody's ever going to hear this thing.
And it becomes the first huge bootleg rock and roll music record ever.
And it was like, that wasn't the idea.
That wasn't supposed to.
It was only for the publishing company and the artists that might want
to record that particular song.
And so anyway, it became a whole other phenomenon.
And it's OK.
Key:
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Ab
Bb
Ab
Bb
Ab
Bb
Ab
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Ab] We had moved up to Woodstock, New York, because in New York City we couldn't find a place
that we could work on our music without it being too expensive or bothering people or something.
So we go up there, _ Albert Grossman says, up there you can find a place that there's no
people around and you can do whatever you want.
We're thinking, oh my God, we desperately need that.
And there was some stuff that I was working on then with Bob Dylan up there too, some
film things that we were _ messing around with.
And so anyway, we went up there, we found this ugly pink house out in West Saugerties,
just on the outskirts of Woodstock, _ and on a hundred acres and there's nothing around.
And we think, all right, we can do this.
We get this place, some of the guys live there, and in the basement of this place I think,
okay, we'll set up our equipment here and this is where we'll work on our music.
So I have a friend of mine who knows about acoustics and recording and microphones _ and
all kinds of things.
So I say to him, take a look at this place and see because we're going to use this and
we just want to make sure that it's going to work.
At this time, you've got to remember, nobody was doing this.
It didn't exist that people would set up and now everybody does it.
But back then this was very rare.
It was like Les Paul did that.
And everybody else, if you were going to make a record, you went and made a record where
they make records. _
So anyway, I have this friend of mine, this guy that I know, _ look at the thing in the
basement and he said, well, this is a disaster.
He said, this is the worst situation.
You have a cement floor, you have cinder block walls, and you have a big metal furnace in here.
These are all of the things that you can't have if you're trying to record something.
Even if you're just recording it for your own information, your own benefit, you can't do this.
This won't work.
You'll listen to it and you'll be depressed.
Your music will sound so bad that you'll never want to record again.
I'm like, holy jeez.
I said, well, what if we put down a rug?
He said, a rug?
He said, you don't need a rug.
You need everything here.
This is impossible.
_ So I thought, God, well, that's pretty depressing.
But _ we'd already rented the place.
We didn't have a choice.
And I was thinking, should we set up upstairs in the living room?
What should we do here?
So anyway, I thought, well, to hell with it.
We have no choice.
We don't have the flexibilities.
_ _ And we got this old rug, and we did put a rug down.
And we got a couple of microphones left over from the tour.
We had this little tape recorder.
_ And we _ were going to start writing and making this music for our record.
And so then Bob Dylan comes out and he sees us and he says, this is fantastic and everything.
He said, why don't we do some stuff together?
He's like, I want to record.
I need to make up some songs for the publishing company for other people to record.
_ And _ so in the meantime, Bob is taking care of all of us all of this time.
We owe him to do something just to, you know, _ because the idea was we were going to go and do another tour.
But he broke his neck in a motorcycle thing, and we couldn't do that.
So we're still on the payroll, and it's like going on and on and on.
So it was a way to do something, a gesture back.
So I said, yeah, OK, well, we'll do these things, and then we'll work on our stuff and everything.
So he starts coming out, but he comes out all the time.
It's like the clubhouse now, this place.
And we love it.
And we're laying down these things on tape.
And in their own way, they're like field recordings.
They sound fantastic in their own way.
So I think, you know what?
There is something about bringing the recording experience to you in your _ own comfort zone,
as opposed to going into somebody's studio that has a huge clock on the wall,
and the guys in the union there saying, hey, it's about dinner break and everything.
You make your own atmosphere.
There's something very creative about this.
So we do the stuff with Bob.
We do all kinds of stuff ourselves, everything.
The whole thing, it's like nobody's ever going to hear this thing.
And it becomes the first _ _ huge _ bootleg rock and roll music record ever.
And it was like, that wasn't the idea.
That wasn't supposed to.
It was only for the publishing company and the artists that might want
to record that particular song.
And so anyway, it became a whole other phenomenon.
_ And it's OK. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Ab] We had moved up to Woodstock, New York, because in New York City we couldn't find a place
that we could work on our music without it being too expensive or bothering people or something.
So we go up there, _ Albert Grossman says, up there you can find a place that there's no
people around and you can do whatever you want.
We're thinking, oh my God, we desperately need that.
And there was some stuff that I was working on then with Bob Dylan up there too, some
film things that we were _ messing around with.
And so anyway, we went up there, we found this ugly pink house out in West Saugerties,
just on the outskirts of Woodstock, _ and on a hundred acres and there's nothing around.
And we think, all right, we can do this.
We get this place, some of the guys live there, and in the basement of this place I think,
okay, we'll set up our equipment here and this is where we'll work on our music.
So I have a friend of mine who knows about acoustics and recording and microphones _ and
all kinds of things.
So I say to him, take a look at this place and see because we're going to use this and
we just want to make sure that it's going to work.
At this time, you've got to remember, nobody was doing this.
It didn't exist that people would set up and now everybody does it.
But back then this was very rare.
It was like Les Paul did that.
And everybody else, if you were going to make a record, you went and made a record where
they make records. _
So anyway, I have this friend of mine, this guy that I know, _ look at the thing in the
basement and he said, well, this is a disaster.
He said, this is the worst situation.
You have a cement floor, you have cinder block walls, and you have a big metal furnace in here.
These are all of the things that you can't have if you're trying to record something.
Even if you're just recording it for your own information, your own benefit, you can't do this.
This won't work.
You'll listen to it and you'll be depressed.
Your music will sound so bad that you'll never want to record again.
I'm like, holy jeez.
I said, well, what if we put down a rug?
He said, a rug?
He said, you don't need a rug.
You need everything here.
This is impossible.
_ So I thought, God, well, that's pretty depressing.
But _ we'd already rented the place.
We didn't have a choice.
And I was thinking, should we set up upstairs in the living room?
What should we do here?
So anyway, I thought, well, to hell with it.
We have no choice.
We don't have the flexibilities.
_ _ And we got this old rug, and we did put a rug down.
And we got a couple of microphones left over from the tour.
We had this little tape recorder.
_ And we _ were going to start writing and making this music for our record.
And so then Bob Dylan comes out and he sees us and he says, this is fantastic and everything.
He said, why don't we do some stuff together?
He's like, I want to record.
I need to make up some songs for the publishing company for other people to record.
_ And _ so in the meantime, Bob is taking care of all of us all of this time.
We owe him to do something just to, you know, _ because the idea was we were going to go and do another tour.
But he broke his neck in a motorcycle thing, and we couldn't do that.
So we're still on the payroll, and it's like going on and on and on.
So it was a way to do something, a gesture back.
So I said, yeah, OK, well, we'll do these things, and then we'll work on our stuff and everything.
So he starts coming out, but he comes out all the time.
It's like the clubhouse now, this place.
And we love it.
And we're laying down these things on tape.
And in their own way, they're like field recordings.
They sound fantastic in their own way.
So I think, you know what?
There is something about bringing the recording experience to you in your _ own comfort zone,
as opposed to going into somebody's studio that has a huge clock on the wall,
and the guys in the union there saying, hey, it's about dinner break and everything.
You make your own atmosphere.
There's something very creative about this.
So we do the stuff with Bob.
We do all kinds of stuff ourselves, everything.
The whole thing, it's like nobody's ever going to hear this thing.
And it becomes the first _ _ huge _ bootleg rock and roll music record ever.
And it was like, that wasn't the idea.
That wasn't supposed to.
It was only for the publishing company and the artists that might want
to record that particular song.
And so anyway, it became a whole other phenomenon.
_ And it's OK. _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _