THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE
In the style of CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED
Written by Neil Young
transcription by Dustin McClanahan
Intro:
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|-0---0---0---0---|-----0-------0---|-0---0---0---0-0-|-0---0---0---0---|
|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-2-------2-------|-1-------1---1---|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---------0---0-----0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0----0-|---0---0---0---0-|
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|-----------0---0h2---|-3---2---0-------|-2---2------------|-1---------------|
|-2---0h2-------------|-------------3---|-----2---2---2----|-2---2-----------|
|-3-------------------|-----------------|---------2--(2)---|-----2---2---0---|
|---------------------|-----------------|-------------0-(0)|---------0-------|
A: First verse
I caught you knockin' at my cellar door. I love you baby can I have some more?
|----2-----2-----2-----0-|--------0---------0-|-------0-------0---|-------0-----
|----3-----3-----3-----3-|---3--------3-------|---3---3---3---3---|-----3-3---3-
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|------------------------|-3--------3---------|-2---2---2---2-----|-1-------1---
|------------------------|--------------------|-------------------|-------------
Ahh, Ahh, the damage done
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|-0---0---0---0-0-|-2-------2---2---|---2-2-----2-2---|--------------------|
|-2---2---2---2---|-3-------3---3---|-2-------2---2---|-2--0h2--2/4---2----|
|-3---3---3---3---|-----------------|-2-------2---2---|-2------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0------------------|
B: Second Verse
I hit the city and I lost my band. I watched the needle take another man.
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|---3---3---3---3-|---3-----------3-3--3-|---3-3-3---3---0-|-----3-3-3-3-3-0-|
|-2---2-------2---|------2---------(2)---|---0-0-0-0-0---3-|---0-0-0-0-0-0---|
|-0---0---0---0---|-0--------------------|-0---0---0-0-----|-0-------0-------|
|---------0-------|-3----0-----3---------|-2-------2-2-2---|-1---------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|-----3-----3-3---|-------------3---|
Gone, gone, the damage done.
|--------0-------0-0-|-----1-1-------1-0-|------0-0-------(0)|------------------
|----1---1-----1-1-1-|---1-1-1-----1-1-0-|------0-0---0--0-0-|---0----0----0---0
|------0-----0---0---|-2---------2---2---|---2-2--------2----|---1----1----0--(0
|----------2-----2---|-3-------3-----3---|-2---2----2---2----|-2--------2h4--2--
|-3--------3---------|-3-------3-----3---|-2---2----2---2----|-2---0h2----------
|--------------------|-------------------|-0--------0--------|-0----------------
C: Interlude
|----2-----0-------------|---------0----------|---------0-----------|--------0--
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|-0-----0-----0-----0----|------0-----0---0---|------0-----0----0---|-0---0----0
|-------------------0----|-3----3-----3---3---|-2----2-----2----2---|-1---1----1
|------------------------|--------------------|---------------------|-----------
|--------------0-----0-|---0---0---0----0---|---0----------------|--------------
|---1----------1-----1-|---1---1---1------0-|---0---0----------0-|---0--------0-
|---0-----1------0h2---|-3---2---0---0------|-2---2------(2)-----|-1-----1----1-
|-2---0h2---0----------|-------------3------|-----2----2--2------|-----2--(2)---
|-3--------------------|--------------------|---------------2----|---------2----
|----------------------|--------------------|---------------0----|--------------
D: Third Verse
I sing this song because I love the man. I know that some of you won't understand
|---2---2---2---0-|--------0---------0-|--------------------|------------------0
|---3---3---3---3-|----3---3-----3---3-|----3---3---3-----3-|-----3---3--3--3--0
|-----2---2---2---|------2---------2---|------0-0---0-----0-|---0-0---0--0--0---
|-0---0---0---0---|-0---------0--------|-0----0---0---------|-0---0---0-----0---
|-----------------|-3----3----3----3---|-2----2---2----2----|-1---1---1-----1---
|-----------------|--------------------|------3--------3----|-------------------
Milk blood to keep from running out
|-------0---------|-------1---------|-----------------|----------------------|
|---1---1---1---1-|---x-1-1---1---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0-----0-----0----0-|
|-0---0-----0---0-|-2-------2---2-0-|---2---2---2---2-|---1----(1)----0---(0)|
|-2---2---2---2---|-3-------3---3---|-----2-----------|-----------2h4---2--0-|
|-3---3---3---3---|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---0h2--------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0---0---|-0--------------------|
E: Fourth Verse
I've seen the needle and the damage done. A little part of it in everyone
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|----3-----3-----3-----3-|---------3-----3-----3-|---3-----3-----3-----|--------
|-2-----2-----2-----2----|---2---2-2-----2-----2-|-0-------------0-----|--------
|-0-----0-----0-----0----|---0---0---------------|-0-------------------|--------
|------------------------|-3---3------3-----3----|-2----2-----2----2---|--------
|------------------------|-----------------------|------3----------3---|--------
Every junkie is like a setting sun.
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|------2-----2-----2----|-3----3---3---3---|-2---2---(2)--2---|-2----------2h4--
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|-----------------------|------------------|-0------------0---|-0---------------
F: Outro
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|----3--3--3-----3--3--3-|----3--3--3-----3--3--3-|---3-3-3----3-3-3-|----3-----
|-2-----2-----2--2--2--2-|----2--2--2-----2--2--2-|---0-0-0----0-0-0-|----0-----
|-0-----0-----0--0--0--0-|-------0-----------0----|-0---0----0---0---|-0-----0--
|------------------------|-3-----3-----3-----3----|-2---2----2---2---|-1-----1--
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Needle and the damage done (2)
------------------------------
This is not identical to what Ragweed plays on the record (his C/F
section is very slightly different) but your audience won't pick it.
Especially with your wailing emotional vocal over the top (so to speak).
(^H means hammer-on where indicated)
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------------------|-3---3---3---3---|-2---2---2---2---|-1---1---1---1---|
------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
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----1----1---1----1-|---1---1---1---1-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
-----------0---02---|-3---2---0-------|-2---------------|-1---------------|
------02------------|-------------3---|-----2-----------|-----2-----------|
--3-----------------|-----------------|---------2-------|---------2-------|
--------------------|-----------------|-------------0---|-------------0---|
^H ^H
--------0---------|-------0---------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
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------------------|-3---3---3---3---|-2---2---2---2---|-1---1---1---1---|
------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
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----1----1---1----1-|---1----1---1-----1-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0----0-|
--------------------|-----02--------02---|-2---------------|-1----------------|
------02-------02---|-3--------3---------|-----2-----------|-----2------------|
--3--------3--------|--------------------|---------2-------|---------2---02---|
--------------------|--------------------|-------------0---|------------------|
^H ^H ^H ^H ^H
The Needle and the Damage Done
by Cross Canadian Ragweed
(Back to Tulsa: Live and Loud at Cain’s Ballroom) 2006
Intro and half-way interlude without vocals:
[I play this as an extremely regular alternate bass/high picking with
either a flat pick or two fingers; all notes (or pairs of notes in the
hammer-ons and slides) in what I outline here should have the same
duration]
D D/C D/B D/Bb
e---2---0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
b-----------3---3---3-------3---3---3-------3---3---3-------3---0-------
g-----------------------------------------------------------------------
d-0---0---0---0-------0---0---0-------0---0---0-------0---0-------------
a-----------------3---------------2---------------1-----------0---------
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
C F Esus4 E
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
b---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------
g---------0--0h2--3---2---0-------2---------------1---------------------
d----0h2----------------------3-------2-------2-------2-----------------
a-3---------------------------------------2---------------2---0---------
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Verses:
[Note how the first strip of tab is identical; what changes is the way
the C and F chords are played (simplified) and the passage from the
concluding E chord to the D chord that starts off the next verse.]
D D/C D/B D/Bb
e---2---0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
b-----------3---3---3-------3---3---3-------3---3---3-------3---0-------
g-----------------------------------------------------------------------
d-0---0---0---0-------0---0---0-------0---0---0-------0---0-------------
a-----------------3---------------2---------------1-----------0---------
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
C F Esus4 E
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
b---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------
g---------0---------------2------0h2--------------1---------------------
d----0h2------2-------3-------3-------2-------2----------2\4--2---------
a-3---------------3-----------------------2----------0h2----------------
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion:
[This is just the intro but truncated early]
D D/C D/B D/Bb
e---2---0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
b-----------3---3---3-------3---3---3-------3---3---3-------------------
g-----------------------------------------------------------------------
d-0---0---0---0-------0---0---0-------0---0---0-------0-----------------
a-----------------3----------------2--------------1---------------------
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lyrics:
[I couldn't fit these too well under the tab, but knowing how to play
the tab and knowing the song well should allow you to sing while
playing. To synchronize the lyrics and tab I have placed the approximate
chords on the text. But DO NOT try to just strum these chords; that
idea just does not work with this song: you must pick it!]
D D/C
I caught you knocking at my cellar door
D/B D/Bb
I love you baby, can I have some more
C F Esus4 E
Ahh ahh the damage done
D D/C
I hit the city and I lost my band
D/B D/Bb
I watched the needle take another man
C F Esus4 E
Gone, gone, the damage done
[repeat the intro without words]
D D/C
I sing this song because I love the man
D/B D/Bb
I know that some of you won't understand
C F Esus4 E
Milk, blood to keep from running out
D D/C
I've seen the needle and the damage done
D/B D/Bb
A little part of it in everyone
C F Esus4 E
But every junkie is like a setting sun
-----------------
The Needle and the Damage Done
E --- -2- --- -0- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -0- --- --- --- ---
B --- --- --- --- --- -3- --- -3- --- -3- --- --- --- -3- --- -3-
G --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
D -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
A --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -3- --- -3- --- -3- --- -3- ---
E --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
E --- --- --- -0- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -0- --- --- --- ---
B --- -3- --- --- --- -3- --- -3- --- -3- --- --- --- -3- --- -0-
G --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
D --- --- -0- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -0- --- --- --- --- ---
A -2- --- --- --- -2- --- -2- --- -1- --- --- --- -1- --- -1- ---
E --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
note: the very last note is an open b, as the chord changes to a C.
E --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
B --- -1- --- -1- --- -1- --- -1- --- -1- --- -1- --- -1- --- -1-
G --- --- --- --- -0- --- -2- --- 2H3 --- -2- --- -0- --- --- ---
D --- --- 0H2 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -3- ---
A -3- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
E --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
E --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
B --- -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- -0- --- ---
G -2- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -1- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
A --- --- -2- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -2- --- --- --- --- ---
D --- --- --- --- -2- --- -0- --- --- --- --- --- -2- --- -0- ---
E --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
I caught you knocking at my cellar door,
I love you baby can I have some more
Ahh ahh the damage done
I hit the city and I lost my band
I watched the needle take another man
Gone, gone, the damage done
I sing this song because I love the man
I know that some of you won't understand
Milk blood to keep from running out
I've seen the needle and the damage done
A little part of it in everyone
Every junkie is like a setting sun
notes: this is only a basic outlay - there are lots of variations you can do:
hammering on or not, using the 5th string (the root of the chord) or the
open 4th string (D) as the bass note, or to alternate.
eg (4th)0,0,0,0;(5th)3,(4th)0,0,0;(5th)2,(4th)0,0,0;(5th)1,(4th)0,0,0.
experiment! enjoy!
