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                             MAY YOU NEVER - John Martyn
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Tabbed by: Matthew Beckers
E-mail: matthewlbeckers@gmail.com

Tuning: Drop D (capo on 2nd fret)

An important part of this song is the rhythmic thumb tap (noted as t) against the D string that John makes on 
every other beat. It never relinquishes, even when you need to be picking a note at the same time. This is done 
by "flicking" the string you want to play with your index finger(noted as [#]) as you bring your thumb down on 
the D string.

The song is in 4:4 timing. However, apart from the correctly placed bar boundaries, the tab spacing does not 
strictly show timing between notes. Instead, I have tried to space it along to the lyrics as perfectly as 
possible. You should be able to get the timing down by listening to the record and the way that John is 
singing on it.

I have labelled the alternative lyrics for each section as (1) and(2). The following is the structure of the
whole song. Parts I and II for the CHORUS and VERSE are played one after the other except for the final chorus.

CHORUS (1) - VERSE (1) - POST-VERSE
CHORUS (1) - VERSE (2) - POST-VERSE
CHORUS (1) - VERSE (1) - POST-VERSE
CHORUS (2) - CHORUS (1) 
CHORUS (2-I) - OUTRO - FIN

CHORUS I (Start here)
e|---------------|---------------------|----------------|------------------------|-----0-[0]h2p0-----------|
B|------10---8---|-3---------3-------3-|------------3---|----2---2------3----3---|-3---3-----------3-------|
G|---------------|-2-----------------0-|----------------|----2---2------2----2---|-2---2-------------2-----|
D|------11---9---|-0-------0---------0-|----------0-----|----2---2------4----5---|-0-------------0-------0-|
A|-0-------------|-------------------2-|-(2)----2-------|-0------------(0)-------|-------------------------|
D|---------------|-0-t---0------t------|-----t--------t-|-------------t--------t-|-0------t------------t---|
1) And  may  you   never   lay  your head    down         without     a hand to    hold          And may you
2)      May  you   never   lose your temper          if  you get in   a bar room   fight         And may you
                
CHORUS II                           
e|----------------|--------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
B|-3---------3----|-2--------3--2----3-|-----------3-----3-|-3---------3-3---|
G|-0--------------|-2--------2--2----2-|---[2]p0---0-----2-|-2-[2]p0---0-2---|
D|-0-------0------|-2--2-----2--2----0-|-----------------0-|(0)--------------|
A|-2-----2--------|-0------0-----------|---------2---0h2---|---------0-------|
D|---t---------t--|------t---------t-0-|----t----------t-0-|----t----------t-|
1) never make your  bed out  in the  cold                                  
2) never lose your  woman    over    night 

VERSE                                                                                                     [x2]
e|-------------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------|
B|-2-------------3---------------|-3----------3----------|-3------------------3----------3-|-3---------3-3---|
G|-2-------------2---------------|-2----------2----------|-2----[2]p0---------0----------2-|-2-[2]p0---0-2---|
D|-2-------------4---------------|-5----------4----------|-0-----------------------------0-|(0)--------------|
A|-0----0------0-------0-------0-|-----0-----(0)-0h4-----|------------2-----------0h2------|---------0-------|
D|---(t)---t---------------t-----|---------t--------t-(0)|-------t------------------t----0-|----t----------t-|
1) Just like a   great and strong  brother of mine     you know  that I'll    love you   true  And you
-- never talk    dirty           behind my    back and I   know  that there's those that do                      
2) Just like a   good  and close   sister  to me       you know  that  I'll    love your  true And you 
-- hold no       blade        to stab me in the back and I know that there's  some  that do                      

POST-VERSE I                                           
e|--------------------------------|---------------------|--------------0------------0-------0----|
B|-2----------------2-------------|---2----2-----2------|------------3--------3-----------3------|
G|-2----------------2-------------|---2----2-----2------|-------0--------------------------------|
D|-2--2-------------2--2----------|---2----2-----2------|-------0--------------------------------|
A|-0------------0---------------0-|--------------0--0---|-2-------2--------2-----------2---------|
D|--------t----------------t------|-----------t-------t-|----------------t-----------------------|
Oh please won't you please won't you  bear it in mind     Love is a lesson to learn in our time

POST-VERSE II
e|--------------------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|-----------|
B|-----2----------------3---------------|-3----------3----------|-3-----------3-----3-|-3---------|
G|-----2----------------2---------------|-2----------2----------|-2---[2]p0---0-----2-|-2-[2]p0---|
D|-----2----------------4---------------|-5----------4----------|-0-----------------0-|(0)--------|
A|-0------0---------0------0---------0--|------0----(0)--0------|-----------2---0h2---|---------0-|
D|------------t----------------t--------|---------t---------t-0-|------t----------t-0-|----t------|
   Now please won't you please won't you  bear it in mind     for me                            (to chorus)       

OUTRO
e|----------------|--------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
B|-3---------3----|-2--------3--2----3-|-----------3-----3-|-3---------3-----|
G|-0--------------|-2--------2--2----2-|---[2]p0---0-----2-|-2-[2]p0---0-----|
D|-0-------0------|-2--------2--2----0-|-----------------0-|(0)--------------|
A|-2-----2--------|-0--0---0-----------|---------2---0h2---|---------2---0h2-|
D|----t--------t--|------t---------t-0-|----t----------t-0-|----t----------t-|
   never lose your  woman    over    night

e|---------------------|-----------------|   
B|-3-----------3-----3-|-3---------3-----|
G|-2---[2]p0---0-----2-|-2-[2]p0---0-----|
D|-0-----------------0-|(0)--------------|[x3 then FIN]
A|-----------2---0h2---|---------2---0h2-|
D|-0----t----------t-0-|----t----------t-|

FIN
e|----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------3----|
G|--2p0---0-------------------2-----|
D|--0---4---2p0---0-------0--0------|
A|--------------4---2p0-------------|
D|----------------------4---0-------|


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| h   hammer-on
| p   pull-off
| t   thumb tap. These are all noted on the D string, but at times it might be easier to slap
      the A string instead - personal preference!
|[#]  flick this string!
|(#)  optional note

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