Travelling Riverside Blues Johnson Robert #-----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------------# # This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the # # music below. It's intent is for study or scholarship purposes only and is # # not intended for publication, nor for any other commercial use whatsoever. # #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------# Traveling Riverside Blues by Robert Johnson (Vocalion Records June 30, 1937) Tabbed by Dadfad 11/11/04 Notepad Courier New 10 Font I've done this tab in Open-G DGDGBD. Robert Johnson used an open-A, which fingers and plays identically to this tab shown, just a step lower in pitch which I prefer. Open-A is (low to high) EAEAC#E. Either will play the same from this tab. The first part of this is tabbed as close as possible to the recording. There is a second part where I show several improvised lines that may help as well. D]-/12--12---12----------/12-------32----0--- B]-/12--12---12----/12---/12-------32----0--- G]------------------/12------------------------ D]--------------------------------------------- G]--------------------------------------------- D]--------------------------------------------- D]--------------------------------5v---(5)------ B]---------------------------------------------- G]---------------------------------------------- D]-----3-3-3----3-3-3----0---0------------------ G]-----0-0-0----0-0-0----0---0------------------ D]-0---3-3-3----3-3-3----0---0------------------ D]---------------------------------------------- B]---------------------------------------------- G]--------------------/3---0----3/5v------------ D]--0--0---/5----5----/3---0----3/5v------------ G]--0--0---/5----5------------------------------ D]---------------------------------------------- ....If your man gets personal........want you to have your... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-3spo0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-3spo0--0--0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3----0----/5--5v- G]--------0-------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ .....fun. D]------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------ G]--------------------/3---0------3/5v------------ D]--0--0---/5----5----/3---0------3/5v------------ G]--0--0---/5----5-------------------------------- D]------------------------------------------------ ....If your man gets personal........want you to have your... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0--0--0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]--------0-------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ .....fun. D]--------------------------------------------------------- B]--------------------------------------------------------- G]-0--/3--/5--5--5--5--5---/5---3------------------------- D]----/3--/5--5--5--5--5---/5---3------------------------- G]-0------/5--5--5--5--5---/5--------/5--3---/7---/3------ D]--------------------------------------------------------- Jus' c'mon back to Friar's Point, mama, barrel-house all night... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]----------------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ ..long....... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]----------------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ (REPEAT THIS LINE AGAIN, FOR A TOTAL OF 3x AFTER THE WORD "long") D]---------/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12v---(3)- B]---------/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12v---3- G]------------------------------------------------------------- D]-0---0------------------------------------------------------- G]------------------------------------------------------------- D]------------------------------------------------------------- ...I got women in Vicksburg......... n' clean on into Tenne..... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]----------------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ .....ssee............ D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]----------------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ (That 12-fret slide is repeated in 3 sets of 4 beats for the vocal line. There is a (possibly accidental) 5th beat between the first two quads I did not show. Last single 12-fret slide is vibratoed to sustain it a bit longer than the other beats.) D]---------/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12v---(3)- B]---------/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12-12-12-12--/12v---3- G]------------------------------------------------------------- D]-0---0------------------------------------------------------- G]------------------------------------------------------------- D]------------------------------------------------------------- ...I got women in Vicksburg......... n' clean on into Tenne..... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]----------------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ .....ssee............ D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----0-----0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]----------------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----------0--/3--0------0--------0----0--/3--0------------- D]-----0-----0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]-----0----------------0-------------0-------------0--------- D]------------------------------------------------------------ D]------------------------------------------------------- B]------------------------------------------------------- G]------------------------------------------------------- D]------------------------------------------------------- G]--0--/3--/5-----5------5----5----3/5v------------------ D]------------------------------------------------------- ...but my Friar's Point mama now..... hops all over.... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----------0--/3--0------0-------------0--/3--0------------- D]-----------0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]-----0----------------0-----------0---------------0--------- D]--0--------------------------------------------------------- ....me....... D]------------------------------------------------------------ B]------------------------------------------------------------ G]-----------0--/3--0------0-------------0--/3--0------------- D]-----------0--/3----0------/5v------0--0--/3---------/5--5v- G]-----0----------------0-----------0---------------0--------- D]--0--------------------------------------------------------- Ending, from "....rockin' to my head...." D]------------------------------------------------------------- B]------------------------------------------------------------- G]------------0--0--0-------0--0--0----0--0--------0------------ D]---------3--3--3--3---2---2--2--2----1--1-----1--0--------------- G]----------------------------------------------0--0-------------- D]---------3------------2--------------1--1-----0--0-------------- .....end (This is the walking end-tag Johnson used). So basically that's it. The original recording is a bit muddled in places, the vocals masking the slide-work, etc, but this tab should be reasoably accurate. The other verses are repetitions or combined repitions of the figures above. To be able to play the lines shown on those two verses gives the ability to play all of the others. An occasional note or so different, or slid in a different location, but that's about it. Generally (generally) the 6,5, and 4 strings are played with the thumb and the 1,2,and 3-strings with the index finger. There are exceptions. I tried to think of a way to note which was probably used where, but I think it would add more clutter than it would be worth. Just use whichever seems to be most convenient, keeping in mind that sometimes the thumb might be used to add more power to a note, or a rapid index-thumb-index (or thumb-index-thumb) combination for a rapid triplet, etc, might be used. Although any slid note typically has some vibrato, certain notes above need more than the usual (to sustain it through an extended vocal-line, etc). I have used a "v" after that note to show this. I no longer try to play it identical to Robert Johnson. I use many of the same figures, but I play it "my way" now, which includes other locations and ways to slide notes.... figures borrowed from other Johnson tunes and mixed with a few changes of my own. I favor double-stop (two-note) slides more than he did. I like the added tension the notes of the third-fret give and so tend to use it more. I like to sort of "roll off" three successive notes quickly using my index-finger, pullling that roll upwards in a single motion and then my thumb. My end-tag, while very Robert Johnson-esque is more of a combination of Johnson's using that similar end-tag in several of his tunes. Below I'll tab a simplified version of how I might typically approach the tune if I was doing it (it would be slightly different every time I did it). Anyway, I might start it........ (Intro Line 1, 2, 3 and 4)) D]------12-12-12-12-12----------------------------------- B]--/12-----------------/12------------------------------- G]--------------------------12---12--12--0--/3po0--/3--0-- D]-----------------------------------------------------0-- G]-------------------------------------------------------- D]-------------------------------------------------------- D]--0---3-----------2---------0-----------------/5v---5v--(5v)- B]--0------0--0--------0--0---0-------------------------------- G]------------0-----------0---0---/3--0--/3--0----------------- D]------3-----------2-------------/3--0------------------------ G]--------------------------------/3--------------------------- D]------3-----------2------------------------------------------ D]------------------------------------------------------ B]---------------------------------------------(repeat)- G]---0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0---(0)-(line)-- D]-----0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0------(0)------ G]-------0-----------------0----------------------(0)--- D]------------------------------------------------------ D]--------------------------------------------------- B]------------------------------------------(and)---- G]---0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0---(into)--- D]-----0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0---(verse)-- G]-------0-----------------0------------------------- D]--------------------------------------------------- ..................................If your........... D]------------------------------------------------------- B]------------------------------------------------------- G]--------3/5-----------------3/5------------------------------ D]-------3/5-----------------3/5------------------------------- G]------------------------------------------------------- D]------------------------------------------------------- ...... man gets personal...........want you to have your... D]------------------------------------------------------ B]---------------------------------------------(repeat)- G]---0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0---(0)-(line)-- D]-----0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0------(0)------ G]-------0-----------------0----------------------(0)--- D]------------------------------------------------------ ...fun D]--------------------------------------------------- B]--------------------------------------------------- G]---0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0---(into)--- D]-----0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0---(verse)-- G]-------0-----------------0-----------------(again)- D]--------------------------------------------------- ....................................if your.... D]------------------------------------------------------- B]------------------------------------------------------- G]--------3/5-----------------3/5------------------------------ D]-------3/5-----------------3/5------------------------------- G]------------------------------------------------------- D]------------------------------------------------------- ...... man gets personal...........want you to have your... D]------------------------------------------------------ B]---------------------------------------------(repeat)- G]---0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0---(0)-(line)-- D]-----0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0------(0)------ G]-------0-----------------0----------------------(0)--- D]------------------------------------------------------ ...fun D]-------------------------------------------- B]-------------------------------------------- G]---0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0----- D]-----0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0----- G]-------0-----------------0------------------ D]-------------------------------------------- ........................................but... D]----------------------------------------------------- B]------------------------------------------------------/3- G]-----------------------------------------5---5----/7--/3- D]--0------7------------7-----7--0-------/5--------------- G]------/7-----------/7-------------------------------- D]----------------------------------------------------- .....back to Friar's Point where we'll barrel-house all night.. D]----------------------------------------------- B]----------------------------------------------- G]------0-------0---/3---0-------0---/3----0----- D]--------0-----0---/3------0----0---/3----0----- G]----------0-----------------0------------------ D]----------------------------------------------- ...long....................(etc, etc, etc)........ And that's basically how I'd approach the tune. That little figure that starts and repeats in several of the "theme-lines" is a sort of a roll, done like this....... (below it means Index-Index-Thumb) D]--------- B]--------- G]--0------ D]----0---- G]------0-- D]--------- ..I..I..T. (Pulling up with the index and then down with the thumb.) And sort of keep that bounce throughout more or less. Robert used Open-A. I prefer Open-G which sounds a little more "brooding" and darker to me. Less stress on your strings and neck too. Anyway, just an after-thought. I hope this tab works for you. Later! Traveling Riverside Blues by Robert Johnson Recorded in Dallas, Texas June 20, 1937. If your man gets personal, want to have your fun. If your man gets personal, want to have your fun. Just come on back to Friar's Point, mama, and barrelhouse all night long. I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennessee. I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennessee, But my Friar's Point rider, now, hops all over me. I ain't gon' to state no color, but her front teeth is crowned with gold. I ain't gon' to state no color, but her front teeth is crowned with gold. She got a mortgage on my body, now, lien on my soul. Lord, I'm goin' to Rosedale, gon' take my rider by my side. Lord, I'm goin' to Rosedale, gon' take my rider by my side. We can still barrelhouse, baby, 'cause it's on the river side. Now you can squeeze my lemon till the juice run down my... (Spoken: till the juice run down my leg, baby, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout) You can squeeze my lemon till the juice run down my leg (that?s what I?m talkin? about now) But I'm goin' back to Friar's Point, if I be rockin' to my head