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Grateful Dead : Workingman's Dead
1970

  1. Uncle John's Band
  2. High Time
  3. Dire Wolf
  4. New Speedway Boogie

  5. Cumberland Blues
  6. Black Peter
  7. Easy Wind
  8. Casey Jones

Uncle John's Band

|
G
|
x2
|
G
D
|
C
D
|
x2
G
C
G
C
G
Well the first days are the hardest days, don't you worry any more
G
C
G
C
G
'Cause when life looks like easy street, there is danger at your door
Am
Em
C
D
Think this through with me, let me know your mind
C
D
G
D
C
G
D
G
Whoa-oh, what I want to know, is are you kind? It's a buck dancer's choice my friend, better take my advice You know all the rules by now, and the fire from the ice Will you come with me, won't you come with me? Whoa-oh, what I want to know, will you come with me?
G
C
G
Am
G
D
Goddamn, well I declare, have you seen the like?
C
G
D
C
D
Their walls are built of cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me
G
C
Am
G
D
Come hear Uncle John's Band, playing to the tide
C
G
D
C
D
Come with me, or go alone, he's come to take his children home It's the same story the crow told me, it's the only one he knows Like the morning sun you come, and like the wind you go Ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait Whoa-oh, what I want to know, where does the time go? I live in a silver mine, and I call it Beggar's Tomb I got me a violin, and I beg you call the tune Anybody's choice, I can hear your voice Whoa-oh, what I want to know, how does the song go? Come hear the Uncle John's Band, by the riverside Got some things to talk about, here beside the risin' tide Come hear Uncle John's Band, playing to the tide Come on along or go alone, he's come to take his children home
C
D
G
D
C
G
D
G
Whoa-oh, what I want to know, how does the song go? Come hear the Uncle John's Band, by the riverside Got some things to talk about, here beside the risin' tide Come hear Uncle John's Band, playing to the tide Come on along or go alone, he's come to take his children home

High Time

D
C#m
You told me goodbye
Ab
A
F#
/f#
/g#
/a
How was I to know
A
/a
/g#
/f#
E
/b
/c#
/d
You didn't mean goodbye
D
A
Asus4
A
You meant please don't let me go
B
E
B
A
I was having a high time
A
E
D
A
Living the good life
A
/g#
/f#
E
Well I know
G
A
Asus4
A
The wheels are muddy Got a ton of hay Now listen here, baby 'Cause I mean what I say I'm having a high time Living the good life Well I know
F
E
I was losing time, I had nothing to do
B
C#m
F#m
E
No one to fight, I came to you
F
E
Wheels broke down, leader won't draw
B
C#m
F#m
E
Esus4
D
A
The line is busted, the last one I saw Tomorrow come trouble Tomorrow come pain Now don't think too hard, baby 'Cause you know what I'm saying I could show you a high time Living the good life Don't be that way Nothing's for certain It could always go wrong Come in when it's raining Go on out when it's gone We could have us a high time Living the good life Well I know

Dire Wolf

e|------------|
B|------------|
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|--0-0-------|
E|------4--2--|
 |
E
|
D
|
A
|
A
|
E
In the timbers of Fennario
G
D
The wolves are running 'round
D
The winter was so hard and cold
D
E
Froze ten feet 'neath the ground
D
Don't murder me
E
A
C#7
D
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me
E
I sat down to my supper
G
D
'Twas a bottle of red whiskey
D
I said my prayers and went to bed
A
G#
G
F#m
That's the last they saw of me
E
Don't murder me
D
A
C#7
D
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me
F#m
E
When I awoke, the Dire Wolf
A
G
D
Six hundred pounds of sin
D
Was grinning at my window
D
E
All I said was "Come on in"
D
Don't murder me
E
A
C#7
F#m
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me
F#m
E
The wolf came in, I got my cards
A
G
D
We sat down for a game
D
I cut my deck to the queen of spades
D
E
But the cards were all the same
D
Don't murder me
E
A
C#7
F#m
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me |
F#m
|
E
|
A
G
|
D
| |
D
|
D
|
D
|
E
| |
D
|
E
|
A
C#7
|
F#m
| |
E
|
D
|
A
|
A
|
E
In the backwash of Fennario
G
D
The black and bloody mire
D
The Dire Wolf collects his due
D
E
While the boys sing round the fire
D
Don't murder me
E
A
C#7
D
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me
E
Don't murder me
D
A
C#7
F#m
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me, no no no
E
Don't murder me
D
A
C#7
F#m
I beg of you, don't murder me
E
D
A
Please don't murder me
E
D
A
A
E
A
Please don't murder me

New Speedway Boogie

E
Please don't dominate the rap Jack, if you got nothin' new to say And if you please, don't back up the tracks, this train's got to run today
E
E7
I spent a little time on the mountain, spent a little time on the hill
E
G
D
A
Like some say, better run away, others say you better stand still
E
G
D
A
Now I don't know but I been told it's hard to run with the weight of gold
E
G
D
A
On the other hand, I've heard it said, it's just as hard with the weight of lead
E
Who can deny, who can deny, it's not just a change of style One step done and another begun, and I wonder how many miles I spent a little time on the mountain, spent a little time on the hill Things went down we don't understand, but I think in time we will Now, I don't know, but I was told in the heat of the sun a man died of cold Keep on comin' or stand and wait with the sun so dark and the hour so late
E
You can't overlook the lack, Jack, of any other highway to ride It's got no signs or dividing lines, and very few rules to guide I spent a little time on the mountain, spent a little time on the hill I saw things getting out of hand, I guess they always will Now I don't know but I've been told if the horse don't pull you got to carry the load I don't know whose back's that strong, maybe find out before too long
E
G
D
E
One way or another, one way or another, one way or another, this darkness has got to give One way or another, one way or another, one way or another, this darkness has got to give One way or another, one way or another, one way or another, this darkness has got to give

Cumberland Blues

G
I can't stay much longer, Melinda, the sun is getting high
G
I can't help you with your troubles if you won't help with mine
F#
Bb
B
Bb
A
Ab
G
I gotta get down, I gotta get down, I gotta get down to the mine You keep me up just one more night, I can't sleep here no more Little Ben clock says quarter 'til eight, you kept me up 'til four I gotta get down, I gotta get down, or I can't work there no more
G
Lotta poor man make a five dollar bill, keep him happy all the time
G
Some other fella's makin' nothin' at all and you can hear him cry
C
D
"Can I go buddy, can I go down, take your shift at the mine?"
C
Gotta get down to the Cumberland mine
F
C
(Gotta get down to the Cumberland mine)
F
C
That's where I mainly spend my time
C
Make good money, five dollars a day
F
C
Am7
C7
Em
G
Made any more I might move away
G
C
G
Lotta poor man got the Cumberland blues
C
He can't win for losin'
C
G
A
D
Lotta poor man got to walk the line just to pay his union dues
C
D
C
Am7
G
I don't know now, I just don't know, if I'm goin' back again

Black Peter

A7
D7
All of my friends come to see me last night
A7
D7
I was layin' in my bed and dyin'
Em
Bm
A
G
F#m
Em
D7
Annie Bonneau from St. Angel say the weather down here so fine Just then the wind came squallin' through the door But who can the weather command? Just want to have a little peace to die And a friend or two I love at hand Fever roll up to a hundred and five Roll on up, gonna roll back down One more day I find myself alive Tomorrow maybe go beneath the ground
C
Em
See here how everything lead up to this day
D
Am
Em
And it's just like any other day that's ever been
D
G
C
Em
Am
Sun comin' up and then the sun goin' down
Fmaj7
C
D7
Shine through my window and my friends they come around
Dm
Fmaj7
A7
Come around, come around The people might know, but the people don't care That a man can be as poor as me Take a look at poor Peter, he's lying in pain Now let's go run and see, run and see

Easy Wind

E7
I been ballin' a shiny black steel jackhammer
A7
E7
A7
Been chipping up rocks for the great highway
E7
I live five years if I take my time
A7
(
E7
A7
) Ballin' that jack and drinking my wine I been chipping them rocks from dawn 'til doom While my rider hide my bottle in the other room Doctor say better stop balling that jack If I live five years I gonna bust my back, yes I will
A7
E7
Easy wind 'cross the bayou today
A7
'Cause there's a whole lot of women, mama
E7
Out in red on the streets today
B
And the river keeps a talking
A
C
E
E7
But you never heard a word it said
E7
A7
x58
Gotta find a woman be good to me Won't hide my liquor try to serve me tea 'Cause I'm a stone jack baller and my heart is true And I'll give everything that I got to you, yes I will Easy wind going 'cross the bayou today There's a whole lot of women Out on the streets in red today And the river keep a talking But you never heard a word it said

Casey Jones

C
F
C
Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed
C
F
C
C
F
C
Trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind
C
D
F
G
This old engine makes it on time, leaves Central Station 'bout a quarter to nine,
C
D
F
E
Am
G
Hits River Junction at seventeen to, at a quarter to ten, you know it's travelin' again Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed Trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind Trouble ahead, the lady in red, take my advice you'd be better off dead Switchman's sleeping, train hundred and two is on the wrong track and headed for you Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed Trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind
C
D
F
G
C
D
F
E
Am
G
Trouble with you is the trouble with me, got two good eyes but you still don't see Come round the bend, you know it's the end, the fireman screams and the engine just gleams Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed Trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed Trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind
C
Eb
F
C
Driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones you better watch your speed
C
Eb
F
C
Trouble ahead, trouble behind, and you know that notion just crossed my mind
Am
D
G7
C
And you know that notion just crossed my mind