TAB: Doc Watson, "Tom Dooley"
Steve Wyrick
early 60's. Doc learned this from a neighbor or relative, I believe, who
felt that Tom Dooley was innocent of the murder of Laurie Foster, and
that the sheriff was the guilty party.
Tom Dooley - Doc Watson
From the "Doc Watson" Album on Vanguard, transcribed by Steve Wyrick
Tab explanation:
I notated this in 2:4 time, speed is about quarter note = 100 (8th note =
200). Beat marks are on each 8th note.
I've written this out in G, but Doc capos 2 and plays it in A.
I use h to represent a hammer-on, and / to represent an upward slide.
Doc accompanied himself on a harmonica on the recording. The harmonica
break is very similar to the guitar break; the latter can be substituted
for the former. I noted where each occurs on the recording. In most of
the breaks, the tab below is repeated.
Intro/break:
G C
e|-----3-3-----3--------0-0-----0-------------------
B|-----0-0-----0--------1-1-----1-------------------
G|-----0-0-----0--------0-0-0---0---0---0-2-0-------
D|-----0-0-0---0----0h2---------------2---------2---
A|-0h2----------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------
^ . . . ^ . . . ^ . . .
G D G
e|-----3-----3-3------------------------------------
B|-----0-----0-0-----3-----3---0--/3---1---0--------
G|-----0-----0-0-----2-----2---0--/4---2---0--------
D|-0---------0-0---0-----0---------------------0----
A|--------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------
^ . . . ^ . . . ^ . . .
C G
e|---------------------3-----3-3--
B|---------------------0-----0-0--
G|---0-----0-----------0-----0-0--
D|-2-----2-----2---0---0-----0-0--
A|--------------------------------
E|--------------------------------
^ . . . ^ . . .
(play twice for intro)
Chorus:
G C G
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, Hang your head and cry;
D G
You killed poor Laurie Foster,
C G
and you know you!re bound to die
Verses:
G C G
You left her by the roadside, where you begged to be excused
D G C G
You left her by the roadside, and you hid her coat and shoes
(Chorus) (Harmonica break x 2)
You took her on the hillside, for to make her your wife
You took her on the hillside, and there you took her life
You dug the grave four feet long,
and you dug it three feet deep
You rolled the cold clay over her,
and you tromped it with your feet
(Chorus)(harmonica break x 2)
Trouble, it's trouble, a rollin' through my breast
As long as I'm a-livin', boys, they ain't a-gonna let me rest
I know they're gonna hang me, tomorrow I!ll be dead,
Though I never even harmed a hair
on poor little Laurie!s head
(Chorus)(Guitar break x 2)
In this world, then one more, and reckon where I'll be,
If it weren't for sheriff Grayson, I'd be in Tenessee
You can take down my old violin, and play it all you please,
For at this time tomorrow, boys, it'll be of no use to me.
(Chorus)(Harmonica break x 2)
At this time tomorrow, where do you reckon I'll be?
Way down yonder in the hollow, hangin' on a white oak tree.
(Chorus)(Harmonica break)
---------------------------------------------
"The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced;
the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled.
Payments to foreign governments must be reduced, if the nation doesn't
want to go bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living
on public assistance." - Marcus Tullius Cicero, 55 BC
Steve Wyrick (sjwy...@lbl.gov)