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Ambulance Blues by Neil Young
Ambulance Blues
D G C F A D
*Tune guitar down one step
[Verse 1]
C F
Back in the old folky days
Am Em D
The air was magic when we played
C F
The river boat was rocking in the rain
Am Em D
Midnight was the time for the raid
G
Oh Isabella, proud Isabella
Am
They tore you down and plowed you under
Bm C
You're only real with your makeup on
G D
How could I see you and stay too long
C F
All along the Navajo Trail
Am Em D
burnouts stub their toes on garbage pails
C F
Waitresses crying in the rain
Am Em D
Will their boyfriends pass this way again?
G
Oh Mother Goose, she's on the skids
Am
Sure ain't happy, neither are the kids
Bm C
She needs someone that she can scream at
G D
And I'm such a heel for making her feel so bad
C F
I guess I'll call it sickness gone
Am Em D
It's hard to say the meaning to this song
C F
An ambulance can only go so fast
Am Em D
It's easy to get buried in the past
C F
When you try to make a good thing last
Am Em D
G
I saw today, in the entertainment section
Am
There's room at the top for private detection
Bm C
To Mom and Dad this just doesn't matter
G D
But it's either that or pay off the kidnappers
C F
So all you critics sit alone
Am Em D
You're no better than me for what you've shown
C F
With your stomach pump and your hook and ladder dreams
Am Em D
We could get together for some scenes
[Chorus]
G
I never knew a man could tell so many lies
Am
he had a different story for every set of eyes
Bm C
How can he remember who he's talking to?
G D G (hold)
Cause I know it ain't me and I hope it isn't you
[Verse 2]
G
Well I'm up in T.O. keepin' jive alive
Am
and out on the corner it's half past five
Bm C
But the subways are empty and so are the cafes
G D
Except for the Farmer's Market and I can still hear him sayin'
C F
"You're all just pissin' in the wind
Am Em D
You don't know it but you are"
C F
And there ain't nothing like a friend
Am Em D
Who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind
[Chorus]
G
I never knew a man could tell so many lies
Am
he had a different story for every set of eyes
Bm C
How can he remember who he's talking to?
G D G (hold)
Cause I know it ain't me and I hope it isn't you
------------------
version 2
Notes about this song:
Guitar tune down one step: D G C F A D
Harmonica: Bb
Picking Pattern:
D---------------------------------------------|
A----1-------1-------1------------------------|
F--------0-------0-------0--------------------|
C------2-------2-------2----------------------|
G--3-------3-------3--------------------------|
D---------------------------------------------|
C------------------------------------------|
Intro:
D----------0----0h3---0----0------3---1-----|
A--1---3--------1-----1----1--1-------------|
F--0----------------------------2-------2---|
C----2-------2------2------2--3-----3-------|
G--3-----3------3-------3-------------------|
D-------------------------------------------|
C -----------------------> F-------------|
D----1---0------------------0--0-------0----|
A------------1----0-----0h1----0-----3------|
F------2-------2-------------------0--------|
C--3-------3----------2----------2----------|
G-------------------0-----------------------|
D------------------------------0------------|
F---> Fmaj7----> Am-------> Em-----------|
D------2---0---2---2------------------------|
A----------------------3--------------------|
F----2-------2-------2----------------------|
C--0-----0-------0-------0------------------|
G-------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------|
C F
Back in the old folky days
Am Em D
The air was magic when we played
C F
The riverboat was rockin' in the rain
Am Em D
Midnight was the time for the raid
G
Oh, Isabela, proud Isabela
Am
They tore you down and plowed you under
Bm C
You're only real with your make-up on
G D
How could I see you and stay too long
C F
All along the Navajo Trail
Am Em D
Burn-outs stub their toes on garbage pails.
C F
Waitresses are cryin' in the rain
Am Em D
Will their boyfriends pass this way again
G
Oh, Mother Goose, she's on the skids
Am
Sure ain't happy, neither are the kids
Bm C
She needs someone that she can scream at
G D
And I'm such a heel for makin' her feel so bad
C F
I guess I'll call it sickness gone
Am Em D
It's hard to say the meaning of this song
C F
An ambulance can only go so fast
Am Em D
It's easy to get buried in the past
C F Am Em D
When you try to make a good thing last
Harmonica: G C G C Am G C G C Am
G
I saw today in the entertainment section
Am
There's room at the top for private detection
Bm C
To Mom and Dad this just doesn't matter
G D
But it's either that or pay off the kidnapper
C F
So all you critics sit alone
Am Em D
You're no better than me for what you've shown
C F
With your stomach pump and your hook and ladder dreams
Am Em D We could get
together for some scenes
Harmonica: G C G C Am G C G C Am G
Well, I'm up in T.O. keepin' jive alive
And out on the corner it's half past five
But the subways are empty
And so are the cafes
Except for the Farmer's Market
And I still can hear him say
You're all just pissin' in the wind
You don't know it but you are
And there ain't nothin' like a friend
Who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind
I never knew a man could tell so many lies
He had a different story for every set of eyes
How can he remember who he's talking to
Cause I know it ain't me, and hope it isn't you
------------------
version 3
Tune down 1 whole step (D G C F A D)
Plectrum is of no use for this song. Neil plays it in a kind of freestyle clawhammer way:
downstrokes are hit with the edge of the thumb, upstroke hit with middle or ring finger
(held in shape of a 'claw'). The tab's not perfect, but the structure is fairly
accurate, and it should be a good start.
Downstrokes are marked ^
Intro:
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
d|---------------------0---0-----|-0h3---------3-------3-------3--|
A|-1-------1---1-h-3-------1-----|-1-------1---1-------1---1---1--|
F|-0-------0---------------0-----|-0-------0---0-------0---0---0--|
C|-2-------2---------------2-----|-2-------2---------------2------|
G|-3-------3---------------------|-3-------3---------------3------|
D|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
C C/G
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|-3-------3---3---3---1---1-----|-1---1---1---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-1-------1---1---1---1---1-----|-1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1--|
|-2-------2---2---2---2---2-----|-2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2--|
|-3-------3-------3-------3-----|-3-------3-------3-------3------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
F/G F Fmaj7
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|-0-------0---0---0-------0---0--|-0-------0---0---0-------0---0--|
|-1-------1---1---0h1-----1---0--|-0-------0---0---0h3-----3---0--|
|-2-------2---2---2-------2---2--|-0-------0---0---0-------0---0--|
|-2-------2-------2-------2---2--|-2-------2-------2-------2------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0------|-2-------2-------2-------2------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Am Em(7)
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|-2-----------2-------0-------2--|-----2-------0------------------|
|-3-------3---3---3---3---3---3--|-3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3--|
|-2-------2---2---2---2---2---2--|-2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2--|
|-0-------0-------0---0---0---0--|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
D D
Verse
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|---------------------0---0-----|-0h3---------3-------3-------3--|
|-1-------1---1-h-3-------1-----|-1-------1---1---1---1---1---1--|
|-0-------0---------------0-----|-0-------0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-2-------2---------------2-----|-2-------2-------2-------2------|
|-3-------3---------------------|-3-------3-------3-------3------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
C C/G
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|-3-------3---3---3---1---1-----|-1---1---1---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-1-------1---1---1---1---1-----|-1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1--|
|-2-------2---2---2---2---2-----|-2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2--|
|-3-------3-------3-------3-----|-3-------3-------3-------3------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|-0-------0---0---0---0---0---0--|-0-------0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-1-------1---1---1---1---1---1--|-0-------0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-2-------2---2---2---2---2---2--|-0-------0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-2-------2-------2-------2------|-2-------2-------2-------2------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0------|-2-------2-------2-------2------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------0-------0------|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
|-2-------2---2---2---2---------|-2---2---2---2-----------2---0---|
|-3-------3---3---3---3---------|-3---3---3---3-----------3---0---|
|-2-------2---2---2---2---------|-2---2---2---2-----------2---0---|
|-0-------0-------0-------------|-0-------0---------------0-------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------0h2---|-----------------0h2-------------|
Play this with variations throughout (e.g., Em to Em7, D to Dsus2, Am to Asus2 or Asus4, etc.)
Other parts of song have straightforward picking pattern:
(G)
Oh, Isabella, proud Isabella,
(Am)
They tore you down and ploughed you under
(Bm) (C)
You're only real with your make-up on
(G) (D)
How could I see you and stay too long
Back in the old folky days
The air was magic when we played.
The riverboat was rockin'
in the rain
Midnight was the time
for the raid.
Oh, Isabela, proud Isabela,
They tore you down and
plowed you under.
You're only real
with your make-up on
How could I see you
and stay too long?
All along the Navajo Trail,
Burn-outs stub their toes
on garbage pails.
Waitresses are cryin'
in the rain
Will their boyfriends
pass this way again?
Oh, Mother Goose,
she's on the skids
Shoe ain't happy,
neither are the kids.
She needs someone
that she can scream at
And I'm such a heel
for makin' her feel so bad.
I guess I'll call it
sickness gone
It's hard to say
the meaning of this song.
An ambulance can only
go so fast
It's easy to get buried
in the past
When you try to make
a good thing last.
I saw today
in the entertainment section
There's room at the top
for private detection.
To Mom and Dad
this just doesn't matter,
But it's either that
or pay off the kidnapper.
So all you critics sit alone
You're no better than me
for what you've shown.
With your stomach pump and
your hook and ladder dreams
We could get together
for some scenes.
I never knew a man
could tell so many lies
He had a different story
for every set of eyes.
How can he remember
who he's talkin' to?
'Cause I know it ain't me,
and I hope it isn't you.
Well, I'm up in T.O.
keepin' jive alive,
And out on the corner
it's half past five.
But the subways are empty
And so are the cafes.
Except for the Farmer's Market
And I still can hear him say:
You're all just pissin'
in the wind
You don't know it but you are.
And there ain't nothin'
like a friend
Who can tell you
you're just pissin'
in the wind.
I never knew a man
could tell so many lies
He had a different story
for every set of eyes
How can he remember
who he's talking to?
Cause I know it ain't me,
and hope it isn't you.
------------------
version 4
Tuning DGCFGD - All chords relative to the tuning
C -32010
F --3211
Am -02210
Em7 022010
D --0232
G 320003
Bm -24432
C
------0h3--3p0----0--------3----0----0-------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------0----0----0---------------|
---2-----2-----2-----0h2------2----2---------------|
-3-------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
D D U D U D U D D U D U D U
F
--------3---1---1--------1---0---0-----------------|
--------1---1---1--------1---0---0-----------------|
-0h2------2---2-------2----2---2-------------------|
(3)--3----3---3-----3------3---3-------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
Am Em7
---------------------------------------------------|
------0h1---1--1-----------3---0--0----------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
---2------2--2----------2----2--2------------------|
-0--------0--0------0h2------0--0------------------|
---------------------------------------------------|
D
--------2---0---0----------2---2-------------------|
--------3---3---3----------3---3-------------------|
-0h2------2---2--------------2---2-----------------|
-----0----0---0--------------0---0-----------------|
------------------------0--------------------------|
--------------------0h2----------------------------|
Struming pattern changes a lot but is easy to figure
out if you play along to the record.
G
Oh, Isabela, proud Isabela,
Am
They tore you down and Plowed you under.
Bm C
You're only real With your make-up on
G
How could I see you
D
And stay too long?
Back in the old folky days
The air was magic when we played.
The riverboat was rockin'
in the rain
Midnight was the time
for the raid.
Oh, Isabela, proud Isabela,
They tore you down and
plowed you under.
You're only real
with your make-up on
How could I see you
and stay too long?
All along the Navajo Trail,
Burn-outs stub their toes
on garbage pails.
Waitresses are cryin'
in the rain
Will their boyfriends
pass this way again?
Oh, Mother Goose,
she's on the skids
Shoe ain't happy,
neither are the kids.
She needs someone
that she can scream at
And I'm such a heel
for makin' her feel so bad.
I guess I'll call it
sickness gone
It's hard to say
the meaning of this song.
An ambulance can only
go so fast
It's easy to get buried
in the past
When you try to make
a good thing last.
I saw today
in the entertainment section
There's room at the top
for private detection.
To Mom and Dad
this just doesn't matter,
But it's either that
or pay off the kidnapper.
So all you critics sit alone
You're no better than me
for what you've shown.
With your stomach pump and
your hook and ladder dreams
We could get together
for some scenes.
I never knew a man
could tell so many lies
He had a different story
for every set of eyes.
How can he remember
who he's talkin' to?
'Cause I know it ain't me,
and I hope it isn't you.
Well, I'm up in T.O.
keepin' jive alive,
And out on the corner
it's half past five.
But the subways are empty
And so are the cafes.
Except for the Farmer's Market
And I still can hear him say:
You're all just pissin'
in the wind
You don't know it but you are.
And there ain't nothin'
like a friend
Who can tell you
you're just pissin'
in the wind.
I never knew a man
could tell so many lies
He had a different story
for every set of eyes
How can he remember
who he's talking to?
Cause I know it ain't me,
and hope it isn't you.
------------------
version 5
Standard Tuning, Capo 3rd
When playing the first G of each verse, start at low E and go up the strings, and
hammer-on the third fret up (from the capo) on the B string.
When switching to C, hammer-on the same fret on the B string to make it sound good.
Just listen to the song to get a feel for what it sounds like.
Intro: G C Em A
G C
Back in the old folky days
Em A
The air was magic when we played
G C
The riverboat was rockin' in the rain
Em A
Midnight was the time for the raid
D
Oh, Isabela, proud Isabela
Em
They tore you down and plowed you under
F#m G
You're only real with your make-up on
D A
How could I see you and stay too long
G C
All along the Navajo Trail
Em A
Burn-outs stub their toes on garbage pails.
G C
Waitresses are cryin' in the rain
Em A
Will their boyfriends pass this way again
D
Oh, Mother Goose, she's on the skids
Em
Sure ain't happy, neither are the kids
F#m G
She needs someone that she can scream at
D A
And I'm such a heel for makin' her feel so bad
G C
I guess I'll call it sickness gone
Em A
It's hard to say the meaning of this song
G C
An ambulance can only go so fast
Em A
It's easy to get buried in the past
G C Em A
When you try to make a good thing last
Harmonica Solo: D G D G Em (x3)
D
I saw today in the entertainment section
Em
There's room at the top for private detection
F#m G
To Mom and Dad this just doesn't matter
D A
But it's either that or pay off the kidnapper
G C
So all you critics sit alone
Em A
You're no better than me for what you've shown
G C
With your stomach pump and your hook and ladder dreams
Em A
We could get together for some scenes
Harmonica Solo: D G D G Em (x3)
D
Well, I'm up in T.O. keepin' jive alive
Em
And out on the corner it's half past five
F#m G
But the subways are empty, and so are the cafes
D
Except for the Farmer's Market
A
And I still can hear him say
G C
You're all just pissin' in the wind
Em A
You don't know it but you are
G C
And there ain't nothin' like a friend
Em A
Who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind
Harmonica Solo: D G D G Em (x3)
D
I never knew a man could tell so many lies
Em
He had a different story for every set of eyes
F#m G
How can he remember who he's talking to
D A
Cause I know it ain't me, and hope it isn't you
Outro: G C Em A G C Em
A D
------------