#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
#
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (Version 1)
From: Bruan Killingsworth (akilling@pen.k12.va.us)
{Main riff:}
e----------------------------|
B---------------0let ring----| repeat sl/ (slide) br (bend,release)
G--2-2------2-2-2sl/4b(5)r-0-|
D------2---------------------|
{Chorus riff}:
e--0---00000...--0--0-0---0--0-0-0-0--0-0---0--0-0-0-|repeat
B--3sl/55555...--3--3-3sl/5--5-5-5-3--3-3sl/5--5-5-5-|
{Bridge riff}:
let ring
e----0-------0------------0--------0-----|
B--------------0---------------------0---| repeat
G-2---2sl/4------4-4sl/5----5sl/4------4-|
{Intro: no guitar, just drums}
{Main riff}
{Main riff}
When I lay myself to sleep pray that I don't go to deep
Lightnin' won Lightin' won
Because it's cold down gold down there, crow!
{Chorus riff}
{Main riff}
Flat lands low lands on the track
Shows the water pan the track
Lightnin' won lightnin' won
Close up hands to silhouette, crow!
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, Ooohhh...
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, Ooohhh...
{Bridge riff}
Lightnin' won, lightnin' won
{Break: no guitar, just drums}
{Main riff x 4}
{Main riff}
Hound bark on the track
Hound crow hold onto your hat
Lightnin' won, lightnin' won
Low lands timberlands bad lands bird lands
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, Ooohhh...
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, Ooohhh...
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, Ooohhh...
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, Ooohhh...
{Main riff to end}
LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (Version 2)
Transcribed by Wayne Ellis email ellis_w_wayne@bt-web.bt.co.uk
Intro
(12 bars of drums alone)
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
*harm harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G----2----------2---|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|-2--2----------2---|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-0---------5-------|-------------------|-----------0-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X X ~~~ X
harm harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G----2----------2---|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|-2--2--------0-2-0-|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-0---------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X harm
*harm is a harmonic produced py placing the finger halfway between the
third and fourth frets, and then producing a harmonic in the usual way.
Sometimes, on the record, it works other times it sounds like a muted open
string.
Verse 1
harm harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
When I lay myself To sleep Pray that I don't Go too
deep
harm harm
grad. bend
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Lightnin' won Lightnin' won Because it's cold down gold
down there, Crow!
There is no guitar 2 in this verse.
Chorus
s s ~~~~~
s ~~~~
E-/-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|-------------------|
B-/-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s s s | s | s |
E-/-5--5--5--5--53--3--|-----5555-----------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
B-/-5--5--5--5--53--3--|-3/5---------2/3-2/3-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s ~~~~~
s ~~~~
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0---------|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s | |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5--3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5--3-3--|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
The 'rapid fire' doublestops played on the E and B strings, by guitar 1, are
semi-quavers and for every beat should be counted as 1-e-&-a, 2-e-&-a, etc.
The part played by guitar 2 uses a bottleneck (slide) giving the notes
a more metallic, earie quality.
Verse 2
harm harm
grad
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2------0-------|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--mr----0-|
D-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-------------------|-------------------|--------7-9--------|-------------------|
E------3mb----------|-------------------|------------5------|-------------------|
X 3 harms X
Flat lands low lands on the track Shows the water Pan the
track
harm harm
grad
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr4--0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr4-----|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G--2---2----------0-|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--r4------|
D---------2---------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X X harm X
Lightnin' won lightnin' won Close up hands to
Silhouette, Crow!
Chorus
s ~~~~~
s ~~~~
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|-------------------|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s | s |
E-/-5--5--5--5--53-----|-/-5--5--5--5--53-3-|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
B-/-5--5--5--5--53-----|-/-5--5--5--5--53-3-|--3--2-/-5-------5-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
X
s ~~~~~
s ~~~~
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0---------|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s ~~~ |
|
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5--3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5--3-3p-|--3--2-/-5-----5---|--3--2-/-5---------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
X
Whoa Oh o Oh o
Oh
Interlude
Half time, with a triplet feel.
E--0--0-----0-----0----|--0--0-----0-----0----|--0--0-----0-----0----|--0--0----0----0------|
B---------------0---0--|---------------0---0--|---------------0---0--|----------------------|Guitar 1
G-2--4-4-4s5--4--------|-2--4-4-4s5--4--------|-2--4-4-4s5--4--------|-2--4-4-4s5--4---4----|
D----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------2-|
A----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------0-|
E----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
Lightnin' won
Lightnin' won
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
harm harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------0-----------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4-/-5-------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4mb-mr4-----|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G----2------------2-|-2--2--4b----------|-2-2-------------0-|-2--2--4b--mr----0-|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-0---------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X harm X
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
harm slide harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------0-----------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G---2--2-2-----3.5--|-2--2--4/54-------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4mb--mr-----|
D----------2--------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b----------|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X harm X
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
Verse 3
harm slow bend harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4b--------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G--2---2----------0-|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--r4----0-|
D--------2----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X X harm X
X
Hound bark On the track Hound crow hold Onto your
hat
harm slow bend harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4b--------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G--2---2----------0-|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--r4------|
D---------2---------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X X harm X
Lightnin' won lightnin' won Low lands timberlands bad
lands bird lands
Chorus
slide
slide
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-------0-----------|-------0-------0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5---5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s | s |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5--3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5--3-3--|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
s ~~~~~
s
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0-----0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s | hover on slide|
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5--3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5--3-3p-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o Oh
slide
slide
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-------0-----------|-------0-------0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5---5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s | s |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5--3----|-3/-5----5--5--3-3p-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o
Oh
s ~~~~~
s
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0-----0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
s s | s s | s | s |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5--3p---|-3/-5----5--5--3----|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Whoa Oh o Oh o
Oh
Outro
harm harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|---------0---------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4---------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-----------0-------|-------------------|-----------0-------|-------------------|
| | | grad |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2--2-2-------0-|-2--2----4b------0-|-2--2-2--2-------0-|-2--2--4b--r4------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A------------5------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------3/5---|-------------------|
harm X X X
harm slow bend harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|---------0---------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4---------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--2--2-2-2--|
D-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-----------0-------|-------------------|-----------0-------|-------------------|
| | | |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2--2-2-------0-|-2--2----4b------0-|-2--2-2--2-------0-|-2--2-2--2--2-2-2--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A------------5------|-------------------|------------5------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
harm X X harm X
TAB Key
b - bend a semitone
r - release previous bend
p - pulloff
s - slide
mb - microtone bend (see record for further details)
mr - microtone release
X - mute with palm of hand
harm - harmonic
~ - hold note
Notes
Guitar 1 plays the most recognisable part of the song (the part which you hum
on your way to work ?), Guitar 2 plays similar lines to guitar 1 but
contains a few weird note choices and harmonics - giving the noise effect on
the track.
The inter-bar timings of the 2 guitar parts are reasonably accurate, but check
the record for details, particularly the 2 guitar parts on the chorus where
one guitar plays doublestops and the other slide. You don't need to be an
'expert blueshound' to play the slide bits, and if you don't have a slide you
can simulate the effect quite closely using finger slides.
This Transcription (c) DarkMusic 1995.
