Cocaine blues — Dave Van Ronk

From [email protected] Tue Feb 18 21:05:27 1997 Return-Path: <[email protected]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: (qmail 30938 invoked from network); 18 Feb 1997 21:05:27 -0000 Received: from nail.freedonia.com (HELO freedonia.com) (204.62.130.117) by twinlark.arctic.org with SMTP; 18 Feb 1997 21:05:27 -0000 Received: by freedonia.com (8.7.4/duck) with ESMTP id NAA21454; Tue, 18 Feb 1997 13:44:52 -0800 (PST) Received: (from smap@localhost) by dfw-ix15.ix.netcom.com (8.8.4/8.8.4) id PAA14784; Tue, 18 Feb 1997 15:04:14 -0600 (CST) Received: from sjx-ca77-20.ix.netcom.com(205.186.122.212) by dfw-ix15.ix.netcom.com via smap (V1.3) id sma014748; Tue Feb 18 15:03:39 1997 Message-Id: <[email protected]> X-Sender: [email protected] X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.2 (32) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 13:03:54 -0800 To: [email protected], [email protected] From: John Blair <[email protected]> Subject: TAB: Cocaine Blues by Dave Van Ronk Status: RO X-Status:

Cocaine Blues Dave Van Ronk

You can find this gem today on a couple of CDs: -Troubadours of the Folk Era, Volume One (Rhino R2 70262) -Inside Dave Van Ronk (Fantasy FCD-24710-2) The original recording was done in April 1962.

I learned this back in the 60s by playing An open reel tape at half-speed. I'll just tab the Basic pattern and a couple of the chorus variations. He varies everything a little bit verse-to-verse. Enjoy.

Chords (capo 1) C: 302010 (and 302013 with little finger) F: 103210 (and 103230 with little finger) G: 320003 (using ring, middle and little fingers) E: 022100 (and 022130 with little finger)

The thumb picks everything on the 4th and 6th strings.

Intro and basic verse:

Basic chorus:

E Variation #1 E F etc

E Variation #2 (actually Em)

F C etc

(Instrumental intro, then:) Every time I meet my baby, go uptown Police come and they knock me down Cocaine, run all around my brain

Chorus

Yeah baby, come here quick This ol' cocaine 'bout to make me sick Cocaine, run all around my brain

Yonder comes my baby, dressed in red She's got a shotgun, says she's gonna kill me dead Cocaine, run all around my brain

Cocaine, run all around my brain

Early one mornin', half past four Cocaine knockin', at my door Cocaine, run all around my brain

(Instrumental chorus)

You take Mary, I'll take Sue Aint no difference, twix the two Cocaine, run all around my brain

Yeah baby, come here quick This ol' cocaine 'bout to make me sick Cocaine, run all around my brain

Started down Beale Street and I'm turnin' up Main Lookin' for a gal who sells cocaine Cocaine, run all around my brain

Cocaine, run all around my brain

Well I reached into my pocket, grabbed my polk Note in my pocket says "No more coke!" Cocaine, run all around my brain

Umm hmm Umm hmm Cocaine, run all around my brain

Cocaine's for horses, not for men They tell me it'll kill me but they won't say when Cocaine, run all around my brain

Yeah baby, come here quick This ol' cocaine 'bout to make me sick Cocaine, run all around my brain

(Intro music)