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Blowin' in the Wind – Bob Dylan
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Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: Standard
Bob Dylan
Blowin' in the Wind (1963)
(Bob Dylan)
From: "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan"
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As of January 2014, Dylan has performed this song roughly 1,200 times
(http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs) in very different arrangements. This
probably is the reason why people disagree so violently about keys, chords,
capo positions etc. Dylan changes all of these ever so often – it all
depends on which version one is talking about.
There are a lot of official live recordings available. Here is a list
(possibly incomplete):
- The Concert for Bangla Desh (1971, G major)
- Before the Flood (1975 – C major)
- Live at Budokan (1978 – D major)
- Live 1975 (2002 – G major, duet with Joan Baez)
- No Direction Home (2005, recorded in 1963 - C major)
And of course there must be hundreds of bootleg recordings, audio and
video, too - an audience recording from October 2013 in Oslo shows Dylan
and his band playing a beautiful version in A major.
Then there are two studio recordings that I know of:
- The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963, D-major)
- The Witmark Demos 1962-1964 (2010, recorded 1962, Db-major)
For this tab, I had a closer look at the studio version released on "The
Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" in 1963 and tried to put down what I heard. This
version is in D major, but Dylan is using a capo 7th fret here and is
playing G major.
There is a BASIC strumming PATTERN he uses throughout all three verses and
the respective choruses, but there are many small variations, of course,
which I did not document here. If different notes are played, however, I
added a tab among the VARIATIONS below (most of these are in the third
verse). Dylan even hits a wrong chord in the middle of the second verse (a
“G” on the word “free” in the line “Before they’re allowed to be free”). He
immediately corrects himself to “D”, though - the mistake is barely
audible.
Finally I included the lyrics with chord symbols, so it is easy to play and
sing along once you can play the tab. All in all: check out the tab and get
into this song with its subtle guitar accompaniment. And then make up your
own version as you play – Dylan does the same. Enjoy!
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BASIC PATTERN
capo 7th fret
INTRO
G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|
B|----0-----0-0---|----------------|
G|----0-----0-0---|--------%-------|
D|----0-----0-0---|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|
VERSE
G C G/B D/A D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----------------|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0---0-0-0---|----0---0-0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|3---------------|
G C G/B G/B G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|----------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|3---------------|3-------3-------|
G C G/B D/A D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0---0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|3-------3-------|
G C G/B D/A D D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----2-----2-2---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----3-----3-3---|----3-----3-3---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----2-----2-2---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0---0-0-0---|0---0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G C G/B D/A D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----3-----3-3---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0---0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|3-------3-------|
G C G/B G/B G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----3-------3---|----------3-3---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|----------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|3---------------|3-------3-------|
CHORUS (part 1: vocals)
C C/B D/A D/F# G C C/G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2-2-|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
B|----1-----1-1---|----3-----3-3-3-|----0-----0-0---|----1-----1-1---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2-2-|----0-----0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----2-----------|----------0-0-0-|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2---|
A|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|3---------------|
E|----------------|--------2-------|3---------------|--------3-------|
C C/B D/A D/F# G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2-2-|----3-----3-3---|
B|----1-----1-1---|----3-----3-3-3-|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2-2-|----0-----0-0---|
D|----2-----------|----------0-0-0-|----0-----0-0---|
A|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|
E|----------------|--------2-------|3---------------|
(part 2: harmonica)
C C/B D D/F# G C C/G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2-2-|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
B|----1-----1-1---|----3-----3-3-3-|----0-----0-0---|----1-----1-1---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2-2-|----0-----0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----2-----------|0---------0-0-0-|----0-----0-0---|----2-----2-2---|
A|3-------2-------|----------------|----------------|3---------------|
E|----------------|--------2-------|3---------------|--------3-------|
C C/B D D/F# G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----0-----0-0---|----2-2---2-2-2-|----3-----3-3---|----3-----3-3---|
B|----1-----1-1---|----3-3---3-3-3-|----0-----0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----2-2---2-2-2-|----0-----0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----2-----------|0-----0---0-0-0-|----0-----0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|--------2-------|3---------------|3---------------|
CODA (= CHORUS 3, part 2: harmonica, last three bars)
C C/B D D/F# G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1
e|----0-----0-0---|----2-2---2-2-2-|3
B|----1-----1-1---|----3-3---3-3-3-|0
G|----0-----0-0---|----2-2---2-2-2-|0
D|----2-----------|0-----0---0-0-0-|0
A|3-------2-------|0---------------|-
E|----------------|--------2-------|3
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VARIATIONS
VERSE 1 (line 2 “Before you call him a man?”)
G C G/B G/B G
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0-0-0-0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0h2-------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|0h3-----3-------|
VERSE 2 (line 1 “How many years can a mountain exist” and
line 3 “How many years can some people exist”)
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G C G/B D/A D D/F# G
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----3-----3-3---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------0---|----0---0-0-----|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|------------2---|3-------3-------|
CHORUS 2 (part 2: harmonica, last 4 bars)
C C/B D D/F# G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----0-----0-0---|----2-2---2-2-2-|----3---3-3-----|----3-----3-3---|
B|----1-----1-1---|----3-3---3-3-3-|----0---0-0-----|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----2-2---2-2-2-|----0---0-0-----|0---0-----0-0---|
D|----2-----------|0-----0---0-0-0-|----0---0-0-2---|----0-----0-0---|
A|3-------2-------|0---------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|--------2-------|3---------------|--------3-------|
VERSE 3 (line 1 “How many times must a man look up“)
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G C D D G
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----3-----3-3---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------1---|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------2---|0---0---0-0-----|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|----------------|----------------|3-------3-------|
VERSE 3 (line 3 “How many ears must one man have”)
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G C C/G D D/F# G
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----3-----3-3---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------1---|----3-----3-3---|----0-----0-0---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----0-----0-0---|
D|----0-----0-0---|----2-------2---|0---0---0-0-----|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3---------------|----------------|----------------|
E|3-------3-------|--------3-------|------------2---|3-------3-------|
VERSE 3 (line 4 “Before he can hear people cry”)
G G/D C G/B D/A D/F# D D/F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----------------|----------------|----2-----2-2---|----2-----2-2---|
B|----0-----0-0---|----1-------0---|----3-----3-3---|----3-----3-3---|
G|----0-----0-0---|----0-------0---|----2-----2-2---|----2-----2-2---|
D|----0---0-0-0---|----2---0---0---|----0-----0-0---|----0-----0-0---|
A|----------------|3-------2-------|0---------------|0---------------|
E|3---------------|----------------|--------2-------|--------2-------|
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capo 7th fret
SPECIAL VOICINGS
E-A-D-G-B-e
G/B x-2-0-0-0-3
D/A x-0-0-2-3-2
C/B x-2(2)0-1-0
D/F# 2-x-0-2-3-2
C/G 3-x-2-0-1-0
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INTRO
| G | % |
G C G/B D/A G
How many roads must a man walk down
G C G/B G
Before you call him a man?
G C G/B D/A G
Yes, ’n’ how many seas must a white dove sail
G C G/B D/A
Before she sleeps in the sand?
G C G/B D/A G
Yes, ’n’ how many times must the cannonballs fly
G C G/B G
Before they’re forever banned?
C C/B D/A D/F# G C C/G
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
C C/B D/A D/F# | G |
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
HARMONICA
| C C/B | D/A D/F# | G | C C/G |
| C C/B | D/A D/F# | G | G |
G C G/B D/A G
Yes, ’n’ how many years can a mountain exist
G C G/B G
Before it is washed to the sea?
G C G/B D/A G
Yes, ’n’ how many years can some people exist
G C G/B D/A
Before they’re allowed to be free?
G C G/B D/A G
Yes, ’n’ how many times can a man turn his head
G C G/B G
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
C C/B D/A D/F# G C C/G
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
C C/B D/A D/F# | G |
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
HARMONICA
| C C/B | D/A D/F# | G | C C/G |
| C C/B | D/A D/F# | G | G |
G C D G
How many times must a man look up
G C G/B G
Before he can see the sky?
G C C/G D D/F# G
Yes, ’n’ how many ears must one man have
G C G/B | D/A D/F# | D/A D/F# |
Before he can hear people cry?
G C G/B D/A G
Yes, ’n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
G C G/B G
That too many people have died?
C C/B D/A D/F# G C C/G
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
C C/B D/A D/F# | G |
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
HARMONICA CODA
| C C/B | D/A D/F# | G | C C/G |
| C C/B | D/A D/F# | G
