======Song Notes======
Ballad Of Thunder Road
As performed by Mark Collie on the "Born And Raised In Black And White" album
(MCA, © 1991)
Written By Don Raye and Robert Mitchum
Originally Written For The Soundtrack To The Movie "Thunder Road"
======Transcription Info======
Transcribed By: James Michael Randorff
Date: December 11, 1998
======Tablature Legend======
x/y/x means to play the x fret and bend it to what the y fret would sound
like, then bend back to normal
x>y means to play the x fret and slide it to the y fret without striking again
(legato slide)
x>>>0 means to play the x fret and then slide it down the neck and release
xpy means to play the x fret and pull off to the y fret
xhy means to play the x fret and hammer onto the y fret
======Tablatures======
Intro Riff:
E -----------------------------------------0--
B -----------------------------------------0--
G --------------0--------------------------1--
D --2-2-2---4-------4---2------------------2--
A --------------------------2/3---0--------2--
E -----------------------------------2/3---0-- (hold last chord with lots of
reverb and tremolo)
Common Riff:
E ------0-----0-----0-----0--------------
B ---------------------------------------
G --3>4---3>4---3>4---3>4---3p2p0--------
D ----------------------------------2p0--
A ---------------------------------------
E ---------------------------------------
Solo Riff:
E
------------------------------------------------------------------------5----
B
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G
----------------------------0-----------------------1>7------------7---------
D
------------------------0-2---4-2-------2-----2------------------------------
A
--0-0---0-0-------2>4-------------4-2----------------------------------------
E
--------------------------------------0---0h4---0----------------------------
E
-4h5p4---7---5---4h5-----------10----10----10----10----10----10----10--------
B
-------------------------11>12----12----12----12----12----12----12----12>>>0-
G
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
D
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
======Numbers Legend======
This is in the key of E
1 = E
4 = A
5 = B (you can play a B7 over it if you wish..... it sounds kewl, because the
dominant 5 chord always leads into the 1 chord in this song)
,/ is a check mark..... if it has a number before it, play the chord and hold
it..... if it doesn't have a number before it, just hold the chord from
before and don't play anything.
======Note About Optional Lyrics/Numbers======
Verses three and four, the second chorus, and the first solo, do not appear on
Mark Collie's album. They are, however, a part of the original song, and fit
in integrally with the story of the song. If you are trying to perform it
exactly the way Mark does, or if you want to shorten the song, then leave out
the optional section. If you want to play the full version, leave in the
optional section.
======Nashville Numbers======
Intro:
Play Intro Riff, then play Common Riff 2 times
V1:
1 1 1 1
5 5 1 1
1 1 1 1
5 5 5
1 1 1 1 (lead plays common riff twice over chords)
V2:
1 1 1 1
5 5 1 1
1 1 1 1
5 5 5
1 1 (lead plays common riff once over chords)
CH:
4 4 1 1
5 5 1 1
4 4 1 1
5 5 5
1 1 (lead plays common riff once over chords)
Solo:
4 4 1 1 (guitar)
5 5 1 1
4 4 1 1 (steel)
5 5 5
1 1 1 1 (lead plays common riff twice over chords)
======Optional======
V3:
1 1 1 1
5 5 1 1
1 1 1 1
5 5 5
1 1 1 1 (lead plays common riff twice over chords)
V4:
1 1 1 1
5 5 1 1
1 1 1 1
5 5 5
1 1 (lead plays common riff once over chords)
CH:
4 4 1 1
5 5 1 1
4 4 1 1
5 5 5 1
Solo:
4 4 1 1 (guitar)
5 5 1 1
4 4 1 1 (steel)
5 5 5
1 1 1 1 (lead plays common riff twice over chords)
======End Of Optional======
V5:
1 1 1 1
5 5 1 1
1 1 1 1
5 5 5
1 1 1 1 (lead plays common riff twice over chords)
V6:
1,/ ,/ 1,/ ,/
5,/ ,/ 1,/ ,/
1,/ ,/ 1,/ ,/
5,/ ,/ ,/
1 1 (lead plays common riff once over chords)
CH:
4 4 1 1
5 5 1 1
4 4 1 1
5 5 5 1
Tag:
5 5 5
Outro:
1 1 1 1 (just a bunch of times over the common riff)
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 (and fade out)
======Lyrics With Chords======
(Intro)
V1:
[E] Now let me tell the story and I can tell it all
It's [B] about a mountain boy who ran [E] illegal alcohol
His daddy made the moonshine while he drove the load
And [B] when his engine roared, they called the highway Thunder [E] Road.
V2:
Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis town
Well the [B] revenuers chased him, but they [E] could not run him down
Just when they thought they had him, his engine would explode
And [B] he'd blow by like they were standin' still on Thunder [E] Road.
CH:
There was [A] thunder, thunder, [E] on that Thunder Road
[B] Thunder was his engine, white [E] lightning was his load
There was [A] moonshine, moonshine to [E] quench the ol' Devil's thirst
Yeah the [B] G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him [E] first.
(Solo)
======Optional======
V3:
On the first of April, nineteen fifty-four
A [B] Federal man sent word he'd better [E] make his run no more
He said two hundred agents were coverin' the state
Which-[B]-ever road he tried to take, they'd get him sure as [E] fate.
V4:
Son, his Daddy told him, make this run your last
The [B] tank is filled with hundred-proof, you're [E] all tuned up and gassed
Now, don't take any chances, if you can't get through
I'd [B] rather have you back again than all that mountain [E] dew.
CH:
There was [A] thunder, thunder, [E] on that Thunder Road
[B] Thunder was his engine, white [E] lightning was his load
There was [A] moonshine, moonshine to [E] quench the ol' Devil's thirst
Yeah the [B] G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him [E] first.
(Solo)
======End Of Optional======
V5:
Roarin' out of Harlan went the whippoorwill
He [B] shot the gap at Cumberland, and [E] screamed through Maynardsville
With G-men on his taillights, and roadblocks up ahead
That [B] mountain boy took roads that even angels feared to [E] tread.
V6:
Blazin' right through Knoxville, on down Kingston Pike
It was [B] just outside of Bearden, where they [E] made the fatal strike
He left the road at ninety, that's all there is to tell
The [B] Devil sent the moonshine and the driver straight to [E] hell!
CH:
There was [A] thunder, thunder, [E] on that Thunder Road
[B] Thunder was his engine, white [E] lightning was his load
There was [A] moonshine, moonshine to [E] quench the ol' Devil's thirst
Yeah the [B] G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him [E] first.
Tag:
Yeah the [B] G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him [E] first.
======Ending Comments======
Best of luck with this song..... if you happen to catch any mistakes I made
in the tablature, please let me know. As always, I am always wanting to learn
as much as I possibly can. Also, I worked this out around 11 at night, so I
was a bit bleary-eyed, and there is quite the possibility that I could have
missed a note or two. So, comments, corrections, and praises are
welcomed..... save the flames for the winter fireplace!
Enjoy!!! :)
Later,
~~James Michael Randorff (jrandorff@aol.com)
