Highway 51 Blues

bob dylan
song : highway 51

tabbed by : brannanwuzhere@gmail . com

tuning : open D ( D A D F# A D )
capo 2nd fret

main riff :
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – 0 – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – 0 – 5 – – – 0 – 3 – – 0 – 3 – – |
| – 0 – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – 0 – 5 – – – 0 – 3 – – 0 – 3 – – |
| – 0 – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – 0 – 5 – – – 0 – 3 – – 0 – 3 – – |

the main riff can be played throughout , but you can also play
it at the intro and use the chords on the verses
( though i recommend the riff on the E lines ) .
also at the end of the riff you can repeat :
– 0 – 5 – instead of : – 0 – 3 – if it sounds better . just play around with it .
– 0 – 5 – – 0 – 3 –
– 0 – 5 – – 0 – 3 –

E
highway 51 runs right by my baby’s door
A E
highway 51 runs right by my baby’s door
B
if i don’t get the girl i’m loving
E
won’t go down to highway 51 no more .

well , i know that highway like i know my hand
yes , i know that highway like i know the back of my hand
running from up wisconsin
way down to no man’s land .

well , if i should die before my time should come
and if i should die before my time should come
won’t you bury my body
out on the highway 51 .

highway 51 runs right by my baby’s door
i said , highway 51 runs right by my baby’s door
if i don’t get the girl i’m loving
won’t go down to highway 51 no more .

the end of the verse riff is improvised on this theme :

| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – 3 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – 3p0 – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – 0 – – – – – – |

you could also just play the main riff once at the end of the verse if you want .

E : 000000
A : 020120
B : x02100