Dire Straits - Once Upon A Time In The West

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
once upon a time in the west – dire straits
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
tabbed by : maguri
tuning : standard

dire straits
once upon a time in the west ( 1979 )
( knopfler )

from : “communique”

great song to play on an acoustic! the signature changes may seem a little
tricky at first , but as they follow the vocals they’re not a real problem :
don’t count , just play along with the singer .
the bass does a lot in the verses . i addEd a skeleton of a tab below ,
that includes the bass line wherever necessary/possible and the main
accents for strumming along .
and here’s a good tab for the lead guitar , too :

enjoy!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
special chords/voicings

E – B – G – D – A – E
* D x – 3 – 2 – 0 – x –
xd/C x – 3 – 2 – x – 3 – x

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

intro ( freely )
| D | % | F | % | Am G | F | Am G | F | % |

intro verse ( solo )
| Am | % | % | [ 2/4 ] * D D/C |
| Am | % | % | [ 2/4 ] * D D/C |
| Am | [ 2/4 ] Am | G | G |
| D | [ 2/4 ] D | Am | [ 2/4 ] Am |
| C | [ 2/4 ] C | Am | % |
| Dm | G | Am | % |

Am [ 2/4 ] * D D/C
some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed limit
Am [ 2/4 ] * D D/C
scaring the pedestrians for minute
Am [ 2/4 ] G
crossing up progress driving on the grass
D [ 2/4 ] Am [ 2/4 ]
leaving just enough room to pass
C [ 2/4 ] Am
sunday driver never took a test
Dm G Am
oh yeah , once upon a time in the west

Am [ 2/4 ] * D D/C
yes and it’s no use saying that you don’t know nothing
Am [ 2/4 ] * D D/C
it’s still gonna get you if you don’t do something
Am [ 2/4 ] G
sitting on a fence that’s a dangerous course
D [ 2/4 ] Am [ 2/4 ]
ah , you could even catch a bullet from the peace – keeping force
C [ 2/4 ] Am
even the hero gets a bullet in the chest
Dm G Am
oh yeah , once upon a time in the west

link
| D | % | F | % | Am G | F | % |

solo ( = verse + link )
| Am | % | % | [ 2/4 ] * D D/C |
| Am | % | % | [ 2/4 ] * D D/C |
| Am | [ 2/4 ] Am | G | G |
| D | [ 2/4 ] D | Am | [ 2/4 ] Am |
| C | [ 2/4 ] C | Am | % |
| Dm | G | Am | % |
| D | % | F | % | Am G | F | % |

Am [ 2/4 ] * D D/C
mother mary your children are slaughtered
Am [ 2/4 ] * D D/C
some of you mothers ought to lock up your daughters
Am [ 2/4 ] G
who’s protecting the innocenti
D [ 2/4 ] Am [ 2/4 ]
heap big trouble in the land of plenty
C [ 2/4 ] Am
tell me how we’re gonna do what’s best
Dm G Am
you guess once upon a time in the west
Dm G Am
oh yeah , once upon a time in the west
Dm G Am
oh yeah , once upon a time in the west
Dm G Am
oh yeah , once upon a time in the west

outro solo
| Dm | G | Am | % |
( guitar and ad lib chorus )

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

verse/solo etc

Am [ 2/4 ] D
E | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – |
B | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – ( 1 ) – – – – – – | 3 – 3 – 3 – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | 2 – 2 – 2 – – – |
D | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | 0 – 0 – x – – – |
A | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – 3 – | – – – – 3 – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – |

Am [ 2/4 ] D
E | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – |
B | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – ( 1 ) – – – – – – | 3 – 3 – 3 – – – |
G | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | 2 – 2 – 2 – – – |
D | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | 0 – 0 – x – – – |
A | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – 3 – | – – – – 3 – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – |

Am [ 2/4 ] G
E | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – 0 – – – | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – |
B | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – 1 – – – | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – |
G | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – 2 – – – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – |
D | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | – – – – 2 – – – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – |
A | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – – – – – | x – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x – – – x – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – | 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – |

D [ 2/4 ] Am [ 2/4 ]
E | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – 2 – – – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – |
B | 3 – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – | – – – – 3 – – – | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | 1 – 1 – 1 – – – |
G | 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | 2 – – – 2 – – – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | 2 – 2 – 2 – – – |
D | 0 – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 0 – – – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – | 2 – 2 – x – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – 3 – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – |

C [ 2/4 ] Am
E | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – 0 – – – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – |
B | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – 1 – – – | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – |
G | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – 0 – – – | – – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – |
D | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – 2 – – – | 3 – – – x – – – 2 – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – |
A | 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 3 – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

Dm G Am
E | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – |
B | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – | – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 3 – | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – 1 – |
G | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | – – – – 2 – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – |
D | 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – 0 – | 3 – – – x – – – 2 – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | x – – – x – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – | 0 – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –