Robert Earl Keen Jr. - Mariano


This is by no means a note-for-note transcription of the song.

There are at least two acoustic guitars doing fingerstyle/Travis-picking parts as I recall,
and it can get a bit muddy to differentiate individual notes.

What I have here is a general framework arranged for a Travis-picking acoustic guitar.

REK and Co. do a variety of little different stylistic slurs/changes throughout the song,
but you'll have to listen to the record if you want to figure those parts out.

If you are unfamiliar with Travis-picking, think Dust in the Wind by Kansas. It's a 
really straightforward
fingerstyle where your thumb plays alternating bass notes. Do a Google search if you 
need more info.



Standard Tuning - Capo on 2 on the record I believe, or adjust to suit your vocal range

Intro - I'm writing this all from memory, and I believe the intro is the same Am - F - 
Am - G - Am progression that is the last half of each verse as shown below.
        It may, however, repeat the first 2 bar Am section a time or two before it does 
that progression. Listen to the album if you want to be sure.
        On the album #2 Live Diner they have a fancy little classical guitar riff at the 
beginning that leads into the Travis-picking part. Not going to
        transcribe that part.

   1   2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +

e|-----------------|-----------0-----|------------------|------------1-----|
B|-----------0-----|-0h1-------------|------------1-----|------------------|
G|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|
D|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|------3-------3---|------3-------3---|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|------------------|------------------|
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|-1--------1-------|-1--------1-------|

   1   2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 +  2 + 3 + 4     1    2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4

e|-----------------|-----------0-----|-3----------------|------------------|-----------0----|
B|-----------0-----|-0h1-------------|------------0-----|------------0-----|-0h1------------|
G|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|--------0---------|--------2-------2-|-------2--------|
D|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|------0-------0---|------2-------2---|-----2-------2--|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|------------------|-0----------------|-0--------------|
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|-0h3------3-------|----------0-------|---------0------|


Verse

   1   2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +

e|-----------------|-----------0-----|------------------|------------1-----|
B|-----------0-----|-0h1-------------|------------1-----|------------------|
G|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|
D|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|------3-------3---|------3-------3---|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|------------------|------------------|
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|-1--------1-------|-1--------1-------|

   1   2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4

e|-----------------|-----------0-----|------------------|------------------|
B|-----------0-----|-0h1-------------|------------1-----|------------0-----|
G|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|--------0---------|
D|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|------3-------3---|------0-------0---|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|------------------|------------------|
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|-1--------1-------|-3--------3-------|

   1   2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +   1    2 + 3 + 4 +

e|-----------------|-----------0-----|------------------|------------1-----|
B|-----------0-----|-0h1-------------|------------1-----|------------------|
G|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|--------2-------2-|
D|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|------3-------3---|------3-------3---|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|------------------|------------------|
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|-1--------1-------|-1--------1-------|

   1   2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +   1 +  2 + 3 + 4     1    2 + 3 + 4 +   1 + 2 + 3 + 4

e|-----------------|-----------0-----|-3----------------|------------------|-----------0----|
B|-----------0-----|-0h1-------------|------------0-----|------------0-----|-0h1------------|
G|-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|--------0---------|--------2-------2-|-------2--------|
D|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|------0-------0---|------2-------2---|-----2-------2--|
A|-0---------------|-0---------------|------------------|-0----------------|-0--------------|
E|---------0-------|---------0-------|-0h3------3-------|----------0-------|---------0------|

Last time through, don't play the final 2 bar Am lick after G, just strum out the Am on 1

That's basically it. There might be times where the 2 bar Am lick is repeated in between verses.
Listen to the record if you want to be accurate. Otherwise all the verses/lyrics follow 
this pattern.



Question or comments? Shoot me an email at austin.bodin@gmail.com