Chord/Tab song: Bessie Smith

Emily Jane White - Bessie Smith

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(Standard Tuning, No Capo)

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| Chords |

|--------------|

| Dm xx0231 |
| G 320033 |
| G6 650066 |
| G5 540055 |

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Intro picking pattern:
[Dm]

|---------1-|
|---3-------|
|-----0h2---| x7
|-0---------|
|-----------|
|-----------|

Verse picking pattern:
[Dm] [G] [G6] [G5]

|---------1---------1---------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-|
|---3---------3-----------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-----|
|-----0h2-------0h2---------0-------0---------0-------0---------0-------0---|
|-0---------0---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------2-----------------5-----------------4-------|
|-----------------------3-----------------6-----------------5---------------|

[Dm] [G] [G6] [G5]

|---------1---------1---------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-|
|---3---------3-----------3-------3---------6-------6---------5-------5-----|
|-----0h2-------0h2---------0-------0---------0-------0---------0-------0---|
|-0---------0---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------2-----------------5-----------------4-------|
|-----------------------3-----------------6-----------------5---------------|

[Dm]

|---------1---------1---------1---------1-|
|---3---------3---------3---------3-------| (You only play this when the
|-----0h2-------0h2-------0h2-------0h2---| sentence ends in a Dm Chord)
|-0---------0---------0---------0---------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|

Best of luck! And here's the song:

Intro:
Dm hammer on x7

Verse:
[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]Bessie Smith why [G6]do you hang your [G5]head so low?
[G6]I would die in [G5]heaven, [G6]I would die in [G5]heaven just to meet your soul[Dm]
[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]Bessie Smith why [G6]do you hang your [G5]head so low?
[G6]I would die in [G5]heaven, [G6]I would die in [G5]heaven just to meet you

[Dm]Shot to the ego [G]boy it's where this knife [G6]runs through[G5]
[G6]Three wise [G5]men call Bessie down for a dual[Dm]
[Dm]Shot to the ego [G]boy it's where this knife [G6]runs through[G5]
[G6]Three wise [G5]men call Bessie down for a dual[Dm]

[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]father lay me [G6]down[G5]
[G6]Dow[G5]n on this sunken ground[Dm]
[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]father lay me [G6]down[G5]
[G6]Dow[G5]n on this sunken ground[Dm]

(Starts escalating downward strumming)
Dm G G6 G5 x2

[Dm]But she's got [G]a crucifix [G6]hidin' way down [G5]in this pit, oh
[Dm]If you wish [G]to call her out. [G6]Call her with your [G5]bravest shout

(Then calmer strumming)
[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]father lay me [G6]down[G5]
G6 G5 Dm (hammer ons while strumming)
Down on this sunken ground
[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]father lay me [G6]down[G5]
[G6]Dow[G5]n on this sunken ground[Dm]

(Back to picking)
[Dm]I said oh oh, [G]Bessie Smith why [G6]do you hang your [G5]head so low?
[G6]I would die in [G5]heaven, [G6]I would die in [G5]heaven,
[G6]I would die in [G5]heaven just to meet your soul

Outro:
[Dm]

|---------1---------1---3---1-|
|---3---------3---------3---3-|
|-----0h2-------0h2-----2---2-|
|-0---------0-----------0---0-|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|

Thanks to Emily Jane White!