Every Grain of Sand Bob Dylan
Bootleg Series version
In the bootleg series version Bob is at the piano, hence the song is
in Ab major. Fred Tackett does the guitar part, which should be played
with a capo on the 3rd fret. I'm not sure if anyone is aware of the
rhythm to begin with, but once the singing begins, it becomes apparent
to both Dylan and Tackett that the song is in 6/8 and not in 4/4, as
they play in the intro. The tab below begins where the verse begins,
and it's an approximation to what he should have played, rather than
an exact reproduction of what he actually plays.
The Dm is in fact a Bbmaj7 (sounding) with the bass tones from the
piano, although the guitar plays a Dm/F (xx3231).
Capo 3rd fret (sounding key Ab major)
C11 x3333x (could be played C7sus4 x33310)
: . . . : . . . |---------1-------|---------1-------| |-----1-----1---1-|-----3-----3---3-| |---2---2-----2---|---2---2-----2---|three times |-3---------------|-3---------------| |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| : . . . : . . . |-----------------|-----------------| |-----1-------1---|-----1-----------| |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0-----0---| repeat all |-2-------3-------|-2-------2-3-----| |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| : . . . : . . . |---------0-------|---------3-------| |-----1-----1---1-|-----5-----5---5-| |---0---0-----0---|---3---3-----3---| |-2---------------|/5---------------| |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| : . . . : . . . |---------1-------|---------0-------| |-----1-----1---1-|-----1-----1---1-| |---2---2-----2---|---0---0-----0---| |-3---------------|-2---------------| |-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|-----------------| [Repeat from beginning]
In the [F]time of my con[Dm/F]fession, in the [F]hour of my deepest [Dm/F]need
When the [F]pool of tears [Dm/F]beneath my feet [C]flood every [Csus4]newborn [C]seed
There's a [F]dyin' voice with[Dm/F]in me [F]reaching out some[Dm/F]where,
[F]Toiling in the [Dm/F]danger and in the [C]morals [Csus4]of des[C]pair.
Don't [C]have the incli[C7]nation to look [F]back on any mis[C]take,
Like [C]Cain, I now be[C7]hold this chain of e[F]vents that I must [C]break.[C11]
In the [F]fury of the [Dm/F]moment I can [F]see the Master's [Dm/F]hand
In [F]every leaf that [Dm/F]trembles, in [C]every grain of [F]sand.
Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear,
Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer.
The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way
To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay.
I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame
And every time I pass that way I always hear my name.
Then onward in my journey I come to understand
That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand.
I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer's dream, in the chill of a wintry light,
In the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space,
In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face.
I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other times it's only me.
I am hanging in the balance of a perfect finished plan *)
Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand.
*) On Shot of Love he sings "of the reality of man".
Shot of Love version
The guitar part is played with a capo on the 8th fret (or with barre
chords, which is more awkward, but which is probably how it is
played).
Capo 8th fret (sounding key Eb major)
: . . . x3 : . . . |-------3-----------0-----|-------------------2-----| |.----0---0-------1---1--.|-----3-----3-----3---3---| |---0-------0---0-------0-|---2-----2-----2-------2-| etc. |-0-----------2-----------|-4-----5-----4-----------| |.-----------------------.|-------------------------| |-------------------------|-------------------------|
In the [G]time of my con[C]fession, in the [G]hour of my deepest [C]need
When the [G]pool of tears be[C]neath my feet [D]flood every [Dsus4]newborn [D]seed
There's a [G]dyin' voice with[C]in me [G]reaching out some[C]where,
[G]Toiling in the [C]danger and in the [D]morals [Dsus4]of des[D]pair.
Don't [D]have the incli[D7]nation to look [G]back on any [D]mistake,
Like [D]Cain, I now be[D7]hold this chain of e[G]vents that I must [D]break.[C]
In the [G]fury of the [C]moment I can [G]see the Master's [C]hand
In [G]every leaf that [C]trembles, in [D]every grain of [G]sand.
Finally the version that is the most playable on a single guitar, as
some kind of common denominator (capo anywhere that fits in with the
music; the F could/should be replaced by Fmaj7 (133210 or xx3210)
except at “break”):
In the [C]time of my con[F]fession, in the [C]hour of my deepest [F]need
When the [C]pool of tears be[F]neath my feet [G]flood every [Gsus4]newborn [G]seed
There's a [C]dyin' voice with[F]in me [C]reaching out some[F]where,
[C]Toiling in the [F]danger and in the [G]morals [Gsus4]of des[G]pair.
Don't [G]have the incli[G7]nation to look [C]back on any [G]mistake,
Like [G]Cain, I now be[G7]hold this chain of e[C]vents that I must [G]break.[F]
In the [C]fury of the [F]moment I can [C]see the Master's [F]hand
In [C]every leaf that [F]trembles, in [G]every grain of [C]sand.
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem - dylanchords.info
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