Yellow Dog Blues
Words & Music:
W.C. (William Christopher) Handy

Man, I love it when a search for the source of a tune teaches me something new!  Acoustic Guitar had a nice little arrangement of this "Traditional" tune in its July 2006 issue.  A search brought me to a treasure trove called "Mike & Marie's Home Page" where Mike has posted his fingerstyle arrangements of a number of old tunes.  This was originally published as "Yellow Dog Rag" and later published as the "Yellow Dog Blues".  Mike's tabs for both are below.  It is a basic A blues, but I cannot quite parse where the chords go with the words.

Since Susan Johnson lost her jockey Lee,
There's been much excitement, more to be.
You can hear her moanin' night and morn,
"Wonder where my easy rider's gone?"
Cablegrams come of sympathy, telegrams go of inquiry.
Letters come from Alabam'
And everywhere that Uncle Sam has even a rural delivery.
All day the phone rings, but it's not for me.
At last good tidings fill our hearts with glee.
This message comes from Tennessee.

CHORUS:
Dear Sue, your easy rider struck this 'burg today.
On a southbound rattler side-door Pullman car.
I seen him and he was on the bog.  Easy rider, got to stay away.
So, he had to vamp it but the hike ain't far.
He's gone where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog.

I know the Yellow Dog district like a book,
I know the route that rider took;
Every crosstie, bayou, 'burg, and bog.
'Way down where the Southern cross the Dog.
Money don't exactly grow on trees; on cotton stalks, it grows with ease.
No racehorse, racetrack, no grandstand is like old Beck & buckshot land
Down where the Southern cross the Dog.
Every kitchen there is like a cabaret;
Boll weevil works while the people play.
The Yellow Dog Rag all the livelong day.

CHORUS:

Yellow Dog Blues Tab [arranged by Mike Wingram]

Intro 
                E7                          A                     
+--------------+-0-------------+-0-------0-----+---------------++----------------++-+
|------2--3--4-|-----------0---|----6--7-------|---------------||----------------||-|
|--------------|---8---7-------|-------------2-|---------5s4-2-||----------------||-|
|------2--4--5-|-----6-------6-|----6------6---|----2------2---||----------------||-|
|----0---------|---------------|---------------|-0-------------||----0-----------||-|
+--------------+-0-------0-----+-0-----0-------+-------0-------++--------0--2--4-++-+

 Verse
     A                                                             
+------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
|----5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|-5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|
|----6-----------6-|-6------------|-6-----------6-|-6------------|
|-------7------7---|-----7------7-|----7------7---|-----7------7-|
|----0-------------|-0------------|-0-------------|-0------------|
+----------0-------+---------0----+-------0-------+---------0----+

     D                         A                                 
+----5--5--------+-8--7--5-------+---------------+------------+
|----7--7----7---|---------7---5-|-------------5-|------------|
|----------------|---------------|---------5h6---|------------|
|-------0------0-|----0------0---|----7------7---|----7-----7-|
|----0-----0-----|-0-----0-------|-0-------------|-0----------|
+----------------+---------------+-------0-------+-------0----+

     E7                          A                                       
+----0-------------+-0-------0-----+---------------+--------------++-+
|--------------0---|----6--7-------|-------2-------|--------------||-|
|------8---7-------|-------------2-|---------5s4-2-|--------------||-|
|--------6-------6-|----6------6---|----2------2---|--------------||-|
|------------------|---------------|-0-------------|-0------------||-|
+----0-------0-----+-0-----0-------+-------0-------+----0--2--4---++-+

     A                                                             
+------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
|----5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|-5--7--8-7-----|-5-7---8------|
|----6--6--------6-|-6------------|-6--6--------6-|-6------------|
|-------7------7---|-----7------7-|----7------7---|-----7------7-|
|----0-------------|-0------------|-0-------------|-0------------|
+----------0-------+---------0----+-------0-------+---------0----+

     D                             A                             
+----5--5--------+-5-7---8------7-+-5----------+--------------+
|----7--7----7---|----------------|-5--7--5--7-|-5-7---5------|
|----------------|----------------|----6--6--6-|-6-6---6------|
|-------0------0-|-----0------0---|----7-----7-|-----7------7-|
|----0-----0-----|-0-------0------|-0-----0----|-0------------|
+----------------+----------------+------------+---------0----+

                  E7            A                                 
+---------------+---9----7------5-+---------------+---5--5--5-+
|-------5--7--8-|-9--------10-----|---------------|-R---------|
|-------6-------|-----------------|-------2-4-5-6-|---6--6--6-|
|-------7--7--8-|-----9-------9---|----7----------|---7--7--7-|
|----0----------|-----------------|-0-----4-5-6-7-|-----------|
+---------------+-0------0--------+---------------+-----------+
                                                    e q. q  q

     D            D                                                
+----5--5-------+-------5---------+---------------+----5--5-----+
|----2--2-------|---6s7---7-----5-|---------------|----5--5-7---|
|---------------|-----------5h6---|-------4-5---6-|-------------|
|-------7-----7-|-----0-------7---|----7------7---|----7------7-|
|----0----------|-0-------0-------|-0-------------|-0-----0-----|
+----------0----+-----------------+-------0-------+-------------+

     D                        A                                   
+----5--5--------+------5---------+---------------+------------+
|----2--2----7---|----7---7-1s2---|---------------|----------5-|
|----------------|--------------2-|---------5s4-2-|------------|
|-------0------0-|----0-------2---|----2------2---|----2-----2-|
|----0-----0-----|-0------0-------|-0-------------|-0----------|
+----------------+----------------+-------0-------+-------0----+

     B7                         E                     A        F7  E7           
+----2--2-2------+--------------0-+-----------+---------++------------++-+
|----0--0--------|---4----2-0-----|-----------|----R--5-||------------||-|
|----------------|----------------|-----------|-------6-||-----8---7--||-|
|-------1------1-|-----1------1---|------4--5-|-6-----7-||-----7---6--||-|
|----2-----------|-2------2-------|---7--7--7-|-7-------||-----8---7--||-|
+-----------2----+----------------+-0---------+---------++------------++-+
                                    e q. q  q   q  q  h        h   h

    Chorus
         A             D     F7     A           A                      
+----+---------------+------------+-------5-------+-------------+
|----|---2-------2---|-3-----4----|-5--7----7---2-|-------------|
|----|.--2-----------|-2-----5----|-6--6--------2-|---------5s4-|
|----|.-----2------2-|----4-----3-|----7------7---|----2------2-|
|----|---0-----------|-0-----0----|-0-------------|-0-----------|
+----+---------0-----+------------+-------0-------+-------0-----+

     D7                          A                                    
+----------------+-----------------+--------------5-+-5-----------+
|-------0--1-0---|---1---0-1-0-----|------2---------|---------2---|
|----2-----2-2---|---------------2-|----------2-----|-------------|
|-------0------0-|-----0-------0---|----2-------2---|----2--------|
|----------------|-----------------|-0--------------|-0-----------|
+----2-----2-----+-2-------2-------+--------0-------+-------4---2-+

  (1)...
      E                           A                                     
+-----0-----------+-----------------+---------------+--------------+-+
|----------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|---------2-----|--------------|-|
|-----------------|---------------2-|-------5-----2-|-------------.|-|
|--------2------2-|-----2-------2---|----2------2---|-------------.|-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------------|-0------------|-|
+-----0------0----+-0-------0-------+-------0-------+----0--2--4---+-+

  (2)...
      E                              A                                  
+-----0--------------+-----------------+---------------+-------5--++-+
|--------0-0-0-0-----|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|---------------|----R--2--||-|
|------------------1-|---------------2-|-------6-5-4-2-|-2-----2--||-|
|--------2-------2---|-----2-------2---|----2----------|-------2--||-|
|--------------------|-----------------|-0-----7-6-5-4-|-4-----0--||-|
+-----0------0-------+-0-------0-------+---------------+----------++-+
                                                     (tied) q  h       

Yellow Dog Rag  [arranged by Mike Wingram]
Verse
           A
E-------+---------------+----------------+--------------+--------------+ 
B-5-5-5-|--5--7--8--7---|-5-7---8--------|-5--7--8--7---|-5-7---5------| 
G-------|-------------6-|--------------6-|------------6-|--------------| 
D-------|-----7-----7---|-----7------7---|----7-----7---|-----7------7-| 
A-------|--0------------|-0--------------|-0------------|-0------------| 
E-------+--------0------+---------0------+-------0------+---------0----+ 


   D7                        A                   (NC)
E--5--5--------+-8--7--5-------+---------------+------------+ 
B----------7---|---------7---5-|-------------5-|------------| 
G--------------|---------------|---------5h6---|------------| 
D-----7------7-|----7------7---|----7------7---|------------| 
A--5-----------|-5-------------|-0-------------|-0--4--5--6-| 
E--------5-----+-------5-------+-------0-------+------------+ 


   E7                        A
E--0-----------+-0-------0-----+--------------+--------------+ 
B----------0---|----6--7-------|----2---2-5---|-2---2--------| 
G-----8--7-----|-------------2-|------5-------|---5---2------| 
D-----6------6-|----6------6---|----2-------2-|-----2------2-| 
A--------------|---------------|-0------------|-0------------| 
E--0-----0-----+-0-----0-------+--------0-----+---------0----+ 


   A
E---------------+----------------+--------------+-------------+ 
B--5--7--8--7---|-5-7---8--------|-5--7--8--7---|-5--7-5------| 
G--6--6--6----6-|---6---6------6-|----6--6----6-|----6-6------| 
D-----7-----7---|-----7------7---|----7-----7---|----7------7-| 
A--0------------|-0--------------|-0------------|-0-----------| 
E--------0------+---------0------+-------0------+--------0----+ 


   D7                             A
E--5--5--5--5---+-5-7---8---7---+-5----------+--------------+ 
B-------------7-|---------------|----7--5--7-|-5-7---5------| 
G---------------|---------------|------------|--------------| 
D-----7-----7---|-----7-------7-|----7-----7-|-----7------7-| 
A--5------------|-5-------------|-0----------|-0------------| 
E--------5------+---------5-----+-------0----+---------0----+ 


   (NC)         E              A
E-------------+-----10---------5-+-------------5-+----5--5--5-+ 
B----5---7--8-|-10------12-9-----|---------------|------------| 
G----6---6--8-|------------------|-------5-6-----|----6--6--6-| 
D----7---7--7-|------9-------9---|----7------7---|------------| 
A--0----------|------------------|-0-------------|-0----------| 
E-------------+--0-------0-------+-------0-------+------------+ 


   A              (NC)          A                
E--5--5---------+-------5---------+-------------5-+----5--5--5-+ 
B---------------|---6h7---7-----5-|---------------|------------| 
G----------6----|-----------5h6---|---------5h6---|----6--6--6-| 
D-----7------7s-|-0---------------|----7------7---|------------| 
A--0------------|-----------------|-0-------------|-0----------| 
E--------0------+-----------------+-------0-------+------------+ 
   (D)                        A
E--5--5--------+-------7--------+--------------+---------1---+ 
B----------7---|---6h7---7------|--------------|----2--------| 
G--------------|-----------7--2-|--------------|-------------| 
D-----0------0-|-0--------------|--------2h4p2-|----2------0-| 
A--0-----0-----|----------------|-0--3h4-------|-0-----4-----| 
E--------------+----------------+--------------+-------------+ 


   B7             B7           E                      E7 F7 E7
E--2--2-2-------+--------------0-+-------------0-+----0-------++ 
B-----------0---|---4----2-0-----|---------------|----3-------|| 
G---------------|--------------1-|-------0-1-----|----1--8--7-|| 
D-----1-------1-|-----4------4---|----2------2---|-------7--6-|| 
A--2------------|-2--------------|---------------|-------8--7-|| 
E---------2-----+--------2-------+-0-----0-------+-0----------++ 

 Chorus
   A              D   F7   A                       (Am)
E--------------+---------+-------5-------+-------------+ 
B--2-------2---|--3---4--|-5--7----7p5---|---------1p0-| 
G--2-----------|--2---5--|-------------6-|-------------| 
D-----2------2-|--4---3--|----7------7---|----7------2-| 
A--0-----------|--0---0--|-0-------------|-0-----------| 
E--------0-----+---------+-------0-------+-------0-----+ 


   D7                           A   (NC)
E---------------+-----------------+-----------------+---0-2s3s2-0-----+ 
B-----0---1-0---|-----0---1-0-----|-----------------|-------------1h2-| 
G--2----2-------|---2---2-------2-|-------0---------|-2---------------| 
D-----0-------0-|-----0-------0---|---2h4---4-2-----|-----------------| 
A---------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-----------------| 
E--2------2-----+-2-------2-------+-----------------+-----------------+ 


   E                           A                   (NC)
E--0-----------+-----------------+---------------+---------------+ 
B-------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|-------------2-|---------------| 
G--------------|---------------2-|---------2-----|---------------| 
D-----2------2-|-----2-------2---|----2------2---|---5s4--2------| 
A--------------|-----------------|-0-------------|-0--------3h4--| 
E--0------0----+-0-------0-------+-------0-------+---------------+ 
                                                   e e q  e e q

   A             D      F7      A                       (Am)
E--------------+--------------+-------5-------+-------------+ 
B--2-------2---|-3------4-----|-5--7----7p5---|---------1p0-| 
G--------------|---2------5---|-------------6-|-------------| 
D-----2------2-|-----4------3-|----7------7---|----7------2-| 
A--0-----------|-0------0-----|-0-------------|-0-----0-----| 
E--------0-----+--------------+-------0-------+-------------+ 



   D7                           A   (NC)
E---------------+-----------------+-----------------+---0-2s3s2-0-----+ 
B-----0---1-0---|-----0---1-0-----|-----------------|-------------1h2-| 
G--2----2-------|---2---2-------2-|-------0---------|-2---------------| 
D-----0-------0-|-----0-------0---|---2h4---4-2-----|-----------------| 
A---------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-----------------| 
E--2------2-----+-2-------2-------+-----------------+-----------------+ 


   E                           A                   (NC)
E--0-----------+-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ 
B-------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|-----------------|---2--3--4---| 
G--------------|---------------2-|-------0---------|-2-----------| 
D-----2------2-|-----2-------2---|---2h4---4-2-----|------4--5---| 
A--------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-------------| 
E--0------0----+-0-------0-------+-----------------+-------------+ 



   E                           A                   (NC)
E--0-----------+-----------------+-----------------+-------------+ 
B-------0------|---1-2-1-2-1p0---|-----------------|---2--3--4---| 
G--------------|---------------2-|-------0---------|-2-----------| 
D-----2------2-|-----2-------2---|---2h4---4-2-----|------4--5---| 
A--------------|-----------------|-0-----------3h4-|-------------| 
E--0------0----+-0-------0-------+-----------------+-------------+ 


   E7                            (NC)             
E--0-----------+-0-------0-----+-----------------+---------5--++ 
B----------0---|----6--7-------|-----------------|---0-1s2----|| 
G-----8--7-----|-------------2-|-------0---------|-2----------|| 
D-----6------6-|----6------6---|---2h4---4-2-----|------------|| 
A--------------|---------------|-0-----------3h4-|------------|| 
E--0-----0-----+-0-----0-------+-----------------+---------0--++