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Blue Morris

Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man

Updated: Jan 1, 2021


I was never quite sure how great a song that a Tambourine Man could play on his own, without any other instruments. But hey, it's Bob Dylan, and it's a good song for guitar students to learn strumming. And the version by The Byrds has the real jingle-jangle guitars in it.


I've written this for Capo 2, key-of-A shapes so if you're getting used to your G shapes, this is a good one for you to take on.



Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan


Capo II


D Dsus2 D


G A D G

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

D G A

I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.

G A D G

Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,

D G A D

In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you.


G A D G

Though I know that evenings empire has returned into sand,

D G

Vanished from my hand,

D G A

Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping.

G A D G

My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet,

D G

I have no one to meet

D G A

And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming.



repeat CHORUS



G A D G

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship,

D G D G

My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,

D G D G

My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels

A

To be wandering.

G A D G

I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade

D G D G

Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,

D A

I promise to go under it.


repeat CHORUS


G A D G

Though you might hear laughing, spinning, swinging madly across the sun,

D G D G

It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escaping on the run

D G A

And but for the sky there are no fences facing.

G A D G

And if you hear vague traces of skipping reels of rhyme

D G D G

To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind,

D G D

I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're

G A

Seeing that he's chasing.


repeat CHORUS


G A D G

Then take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind,

D G D G

Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,

D G D G

The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,

D G A

Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.

G A D G

Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,

D G D G

Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,

D G D G

With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,

D G A

Let me forget about today until tomorrow.


repeat CHORUS

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