Tumbleweed
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Tumble Weed - Pete Rowan
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Tuning: Standard
A wonderful and haunting contemporary folk song penned by Peter Rowan and Bill Miller
from Rowan's album "Dust Bowl Children" (1990). Highly recommended!
It's not that difficult to play, mostly Travis. The final E7 of Intro/Link/Chorus,
however, might at first pose some problems to picking beginners with
the bending quickly followed by a hammering on. The notes in brackets can be added
to link the chord transitions smoothly. Rowan himself plays lots of subtle variations
throughout the song that I sometimes but not always noted here.
Have fun!
Capo 3rd fret
Intro
AC/G
e|-----0------------3----------------|-----0-------------3----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2-------(0)|--------------------------0------(0)|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------3---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------0h3---------------------|
G|(h2)--------------------2-------(0)|(h1)-------------------------(1)----|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
1. Far a-
Verse 1./3.
AC/G
e|-----0------------0----------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------2---------|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0----------------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|---------0-------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
-cross the Mississippi and out on the open plains In an
(3.) boot heals tap in time to an old flat top box guitar He's a
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------0---------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3----------------0------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------1---------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
Oklahoma cow town where the sky begins to rain In a
guitar local hero and he sings straight from the heart. And his
AC/G
e|-----0------------0----------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------2---------|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
dusty run-down honky tonk sits a drifting tumbleweed
tip jar is just a jumble of worn old dollar bills He
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------0---------------|-----0------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3-----|
G|------------------------2----------|------------------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0-------|
Thumbing through some magazine he can't even read
makes his bread and grocery in the local bar and grill
Link between verses 1./2. and 3./4.
AAm7
e|-----0------------3----------------|-----0------------3---------3------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------------|
G|------------------------2--------2-|------------------------2----------|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|
E|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
2. Now
4. When
Verse 2./4.
AC/G
e|-----0------------0----------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------2---------|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0----------------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|---------0-------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
tumbleweed remembers how the west was won and lost The
he starts to picking that people turn and stare When
old guitar you know the
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------0---------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3----------------0------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------1---------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
homestead act and the dust bowl, everybody paid the cost And the
he starts singing the songs he wrote wells there's magic in the air. Cause
AC/G
e|-----0------------0----------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------2---------|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
great white father promised to treat his children all the same Back when
his song can heal your wounded heart, he can set you spirit free. He can
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------0---------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3----------------0------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------1---------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
Indian Territory was Oklahoma's name Oh,
raise you hopes to be the very best that you can be
Chorus (after verse 2 and 4)
FC
e|------------------1----------------|------------------------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-------1---------1------|
G|-------2----------------2----------|-------0------------------0---------|
D|-----3--------3-------3--------3---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|-3-----------------3--------3-------|
E|-1-------1--------1-------1--------|----------3-------------------------|
tumbleweed keep rollin', he just roams from town to town It ain't
DE7
e|-----------1----------------1------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-------3----------------3----------|------------3----------------0------|
G|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|--------------------------1---------|
D|-0----------------0----------------|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|---------0----------------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
easy for a half-breed kid to try and settle down
FC
e|------------------1----------------|------------------------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-------1---------1------|
G|-------2----------------2----------|-------0------------------0---------|
D|-----3--------3-------3--------3---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|-3-----------------3--------3-------|
E|-1-------1--------1-------1--------|----------3-------------------------|
Tumbleweed keep rollin', he can't find no place to rest 'Cause the
DE7
e|-----------1----------------1------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-------3----------------3----------|------------0h3---------------------|
G|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|------------------------------------|
D|-0----------------0----------------|-----2--------2---------------------|
A|---------0----------------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-0--------0--------0----------------|
desert wind blows tumbleweed the spirit
of the west
Link (from Chorus 1 to Verse 3/from Chorus 2 to Verse 5)
AC/G
e|-----0------------3----------------|-----0-------------3----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2-------(0)|--------------------------0------(0)|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
DE7F#
e|-------------------3---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3-----------------------|
G|(h2)---2----------------2-------(0)|(h1)-------------------------(1)----|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
3. Well, his
5. So when you
Verse 5
AC/G
e|-----0------------0----------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------2---------|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0----------------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|---------0-------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
cross the Mississippi, you head out on the open plain And you
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------0---------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3----------------0------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------1---------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
pass through Oklahoma where the sky begins to rain And you're
AC/G
e|-----0------------0----------------|-----0-------------0----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2----------|--------------------------0-------0-|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
feeling kind of rootless, you can't find no place to nest
DE7F#
e|-----0-------------0---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------3-----------------------|
G|(h2)---2----------------2-------(0)|(h1)--------------------------------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2---------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0----------------|
Just remember tumbleweed, the spirit
of the west
AC/G
e|-----0-----------~3----------------|-------------------3----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|--------------2---------2-------(0)|-------0------------------0------(0)|
D|-----2----------------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0----------------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
Yeah, the
DE7F#
e|-------------------3---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------b3-----------------------|
G|(h2)---2----------------2-------(0)|(h1)--------------------------------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2---------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0----------------|
desert wind blows tumbleweed, the spirit
of the west
AC/G
e|--------0---------3----------------|-------------------3----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|--------------2---------2-------(0)|-------0------------------0------(0)|
D|-----2----------------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0----------------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
Oh, the
DE7F#
e|-------------------3---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------b3-----------------------|
G|(h2)---2----------------2-------(0)|(h1)--------------------------------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2---------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0----------------|
desert wind calls tumbleweed, the spirit
of the west
Outro
AC/G
e|------------------3----------------|-------------------3----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|-------2----------------2-------(0)|-------0------------------0------(0)|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
DE7F#
e|------------------~3---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------0h3---------------------|
G|(h2)---2----------------2-------(0)|(h1)-------------------------(1)----|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0--------0-------|
AC/G
e|-----0------------3----------------|-----0-------------3----------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|-----------1-----------------1------|
G|------------------------2-------(0)|--------------------------0------(0)|
D|-----2--------2-------2--------2---|-----2--------2--------2--------2---|
A|-0-------0--------0-------0--------|------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|-3--------3--------3--------3-------|
(falsetto wail) Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
D9/F# E7 (ritardando)
e|-----0------------~3---------------|----b3----0-----0-------------------|
B|-----------1----------------1------|------------0h3--------3----1---0---|
G|(h2)--------------------2-------(0)|(h1)--------------------------------|
D|-----0--------0-------0--------0---|-----2--------2---------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E|-2--------2--------2--------2------|-0--------0--------0----------------|
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
Am
e|-------0---------------------------|
B|----1---1--------------------------|
G|---2-----1-------------------------|
D|--2-------1------------------------|
A|-0--------0------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|
(sweep up (t))
(sweep down (i))
************************************
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| b Bend
| pb Pre-bend
| br Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend
************************************
Tumble Weed
(Bill Miller/Peter Rowan)
1.
Far across the Mississippi and out on the open plains
In an Oklahoma cow town where the sky begins to rain
In a dusty run-down honky tonk sits a drifting tumbleweed
Thumbing through some magazine that he can't even read
2.
Now tumbleweed remembers how the west was won and lost
The homestead act and the dust bowl, everybody paid the cost
And the great white father promised to treat his children all the same
Back when Indian Territory was Oklahoma's name
Chorus 1
Oh tumbleweed keep rollin', he just roams from town to town
It ain't easy for a half-breed kid to try and settle down
Tumbleweed keep rollin', he can't find no place to rest
Cause the desert wind blows tumbleweed, the spirit of the west
3.
His boot heals tap in time to an old flat top box guitar
He's a local guitar hero and he sings straight from the heart
And his tip jar just a jumble of worn old dollar bills
He makes his bread and grocery in the local bar and grill
4.
When he starts picking that old guitar the people turn and stare
When he starts singing them songs he wrote well there's magic in the air
Cause his song can heal your wounded heart, he can set you spirit free
He can raise your hopes to be the very best that you can be
Chorus 2
Oh tumbleweed keep rollin', he just roams from town to town
It ain't easy for a half-breed kid to try and settle down
Tumbleweed keep rollin', he can't find no place to nest
'Cause the desert wind blows tumbleweed, the spirit of the west
Verse 5
So if you cross the Mississippi, you head out on the open plain
And you pass through Oklahoma and the sky begins to rain
And you feeling kind of rootless, you can't find no place to nest
Just remember tumbleweed, he's the spirit of the west
Yeah, the desert wind blows tumbleweed, the spirit of the west
Oh, the desert wind calls tumbleweed, the spirit of the west
More by Peter Rowan