Words and music Bob Dylan
Released on Blood on the Tracks (1975) and on Biograph (1985), and live on Real Live (1984)
Original New York version released on The Bootleg
Series 1-3 (1991)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem
Read my little essay on this song
Chords:
Evii 000897
Dv 000675
A 020120
B7 x02120
C#m 020020
E5 054000
B4 042000
Emaj7 004340
|: Evii Dv Evii Dv :|
Evii Dv Early one mornin' the sun was shinin', Evii Dv I was layin' in bed Evii Dv Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all A If her hair was still red. Evii Dv Her folks they said our lives together Evii Dv Sure was gonna be rough Evii Dv They never did like Mama's homemade dress A Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough. B7 C#m And I was standin' on the side of the road E5 B4' A Rain fallin' on my shoes B7 C#m Heading out for the East Coast E5 B4' A B7 Lord knows I've paid some dues gettin' through, Emaj7 B7 E Tangled up in blue.
She was married when we first met Soon to be divorced I helped her out of a jam, I guess, But I used a little too much force. We drove that car as far as we could Abandoned it out West Split up on a dark sad night Both agreeing it was best. She turned around to look at me As I was walkin' away I heard her say over my shoulder, "We'll meet again someday on the avenue," Tangled up in blue.
I had a job in the great north woods Working as a cook for a spell But I never did like it all that much And one day the ax just fell. So I drifted down to New Orleans Where I happened to be employed Workin' for a while on a fishin' boat Right outside of Delacroix. But all the while I was alone The past was close behind, I seen a lot of women But she never escaped my mind, and I just grew Tangled up in blue.
She was workin' in a topless place And I stopped in for a beer, I just kept looking' at the side of her face In the spotlight so clear. And later on as the crowd thinned out I's just about to do the same, She was standing there in back of my chair Said to me, "Don't I know your name?" I muttered somethin' underneath my breath, She studied the lines on my face. I must admit I felt a little uneasy When she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe, Tangled up in blue.
She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe "I thought you'd never say hello," she said "You look like the silent type." Then she opened up a book of poems And handed it to me Written by an Italian poet From the thirteenth century. And every one of them words rang true And glowed like burnin' coal Pourin' off of every page Like it was written in my soul from me to you, Tangled up in blue,
I lived with them on Montague Street In a basement down the stairs, There was music in the cafes at night And revolution in the air. Then he started into dealing with slaves And something inside of him died. She had to sell everything she owned And froze up inside. And when finally the bottom fell out I became withdrawn, The only thing I knew how to do Was to keep on keepin' on Like a bird that flew Tangled up in blue.
So now I'm goin' back again, I got to get to her somehow. All the people we used to know They're an illusion to me now. Some are mathematicians Some are carpenter's wives. Don't know how it all got started, I don't know what they're doin' with their lives. But me, I'm still on the road Headin' for another joint We always did feel the same, We just saw it from a different point of view, Tangled up in blue.
|A . Asus4 . | x4
A G
Early one mornin' the sun was shinin',
A G
I was layin' in bed
A G
Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all
D
If her hair was still red.
A G
Her folks they said our lives together
A G
Sure was gonna be rough
A G
They never did like Mama's homemade dress
D
Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough.
E F#m
And I was standin' on the side of the road
A D
Rain fallin' on my shoes
E F#m
Heading out for the East Coast
A D E
Lord knows I paid some dues gettin' through,
G D A
Tangled up in blue.
If you haven't got this one, do yourself a favor and get it.
Capo 4th fret (sounding key E major)
C Am
Early one mornin' the sun was shinin',
F C G
I was layin' in bed
C Am
Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all
F C G
If her hair was still red.
C Am
Her folks they said our lives together
F C G
Sure was gonna be rough
C Am
They never did like Mama's homemade dress
F C
Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough.
Em Am
And I was standin' on the side of the road
Em Am
Rain fallin' on my shoes
Em Am
Heading out for the East Coast
Em Dm G
Ready to pay some dues gettin' through,
C F C F
Tangled up in blue.
Standard tuning, capo 2nd fret (sounding key A major)
G F
Early one mornin' the sun was shinin',
G F
He was layin' in bed
G F
Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all
C /b Am
If her hair was still red.
G F
Her folks they said that their lives together
G F
Sure was gonna be rough
G F
They never did like Mama's homemade dress
C /b Am
Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough.
D Em C
And he was standin' on the side of the road
G C
Rain fallin' on his shoes
D Em C
Heading out for the lone East Coast
G C /b Am
Radio blastin' the news straight on through,
G C/g G
Tangled up in blue.
She was married when they first met, to a man four times her age. He left her penniless, in the state of regret, it was time to bust out of the cage. They drove that car as far as they could, abandoned it out west. splitting up on a dark, sad night, both agreeing that it was best. And she turned around to look at him as he was walking away. She said I wish I could tell you all the things that I never learned how to say. He said thats alright babe I love you too, but we were tangled up in blue.
He had a steady job and a pretty face, and everything seemed to fit. One day he could just feel the waste, he put it all down and split. And he headed down to New Orleans, where they treated him like a boy. He nearly went mad in Baton Rouge, he nearly drowned in Delacroix. And all the time he was alone, the past was close behind. he had one too many lovers then, and none of them were too refined, all except for you, but you were tangled up in blue.
She was working in the blinding light, and I stopped in for a drink. I just kept looking at her face so white, I didn't know what to think. Later on as the crowd thinned out, I was getting ready to leave. She was standing there, beside my chair, saying "What's that you got up your sleeve?" I said "nothing baby, and thats for sure" She leaned down into my face. I could feel the heat and the pulse of her as she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe, Tangled up in blue.
I lived with them on Montague street in a basement down the stairs. There was snow all winter and no heat, revolution was in the air. Then one day all his slaves ran free, and something inside of him died. The only thing I could do was be me, and get on that train and ride. And when it all came crashing down, I was already south. I didn't know whether the world was flat or round, I had the worst taste in my mouth, that I ever knew, Tangled up in blue.
Now I'm going back again, maybe tomorrow, maybe next year. I've got to find someone among the women and men whose destiny is unclear. Some are ministers of illusion, some are masters of the trade. All under strong delusion, all of their beds unmade. Me I'm heading toward the sun, trying to stay out of the joints. We always did love the very same one. We just saw her from a different point of view, Tangled up in blue.