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GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS - Richie Havens
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Tabbed by: Darrin Koehler
These are tabs for the way Richie Havens plays this song on acoustic guitar, or at live
performances.
Use rhythmic picking to achieve the following backup guitar riff. Listen to song for rhythm.
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------5-------------5-5-4-4------------------------------------------------|
D|---7-7-------5-5-7-7----------5-5--------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
For 3 measures and then for the 4th measure.:
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------5-5----------------------------------------------------|
G|--------5-----------------7-7-5-5--------------------------------------------|
D|---7-7-------5-5-7-7---------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
This is repeated throughout the entire song.
The Rhythm Guitar for the song is as follows, for the verses:
////CHORD SHAPES\\\\
[B5] [Gmaj] [E5] [G5] [Gb5] [E5*] [C5] [A5] [A#5]
e|----x------x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x----x----------------------|
B|----x------x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x----x----------------------|
G|----x------4-----x-----12----11----9-----5-----x----x----------------------|
D|----9------5-----2-----12----11----9-----5-----7----8----------------------|
A|----9------5-----2-----10-----9----7-----3-----7----8----------------------|
E|----7------x-----0-----x-----x-----x-----x-----5----6----------------------|
B5 Gmaj E5
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
B5 Gmaj E5
To the place of my birth, back down to earth
B5 Gmaj E5
Not talkin' 'bout the roots in the land, I'm talkin' 'bout the roots in the man
B5 Gmaj E5
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
The verses end with one of two variations:
G5 Gb5 E5* C5
I'm homeward bound, got my head turned around
Or:
B5 Gmaj A5-A#5
Just a state of mind
The rest of the song follows the B5/Gmaj/E5 chord progression. Here are the complete lyrics:
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
To the place of my birth, back down to earth
Not talkin' 'bout the roots in the land
I'm talkin' 'bout the roots in the man
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
I'm homeward bound, got my head turned around
Goin' back to find myself
I can't live with nobody else
Who's living in the world and not be seen
Goin' back, goin' back right there an' be me
Not talkin' for riches I've had all the time
Finding out happiness is just a state of mind
Just a state of mind
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
To the place of my birth, back down to earth, yes
Not talkin' 'bout the roots in the land
I'm talkin' 'bout the roots in the man, yes
Zippin' up my boots, getting back to the roots
I'm homeward bound, got my head turned around, oh oh
Going home, I'm coming home
Going home, going home, right to be loved
Not for my riches that I've got the time
Finding out happiness is just a state of mind
Just a state of mind, just a state of mind
Just a state of mind, yeah
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
To the place of my birth, get on down to the earth
It's not black, it's not white
It's not red, it's not yellow
It's not black, it's not white
It's not red, it's not yellow
It's not black, it's not white
It's not red, it's not yellow
It's down to earth, it's down to earth
It's down to earth, it's down to earth
It's not red, it's not white
It's not yellow , it's not black
It's not red, it's not white
It's not yellow , it's not black ....
