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Built To Roam by Shakey Graves
Built To Roam
Tuning: Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D)
Notes:This tab was based off the Roll The Bones album version of Built To Roam. Other tabs I have seen capture
one of his many live version; this one is intended for the acoustic guitar. Here are some tips to help.
The thumb alternates between the lower D strings to start, while the pointer and middle finger will play
the notes on the high A and D strings. Any notes in brackets [] are optional (he mixes up his style of
playing pretty often to keep things fresh, so I'd recommend learning this basic pattern and adjusting it
by adding extra notes/taking notes away). Finally, the song is fairly repetitive - in fact, the intro
and verses follow the same pattern, except the verse ends with a lead-in to the chorus. To shorten the
tab, repeated sections are marked by a "x2" or "x3" at the end of the bar.
Intro:
D |-----0--2--4--2--0-----------0-----------4--2--0----[0]-2--3--2--0----[0]-2--3--2--0--------2--0--|
A |--------------------0-----2/5---5--3--------------2-----------------2-----------------1-----------|
F#|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D |-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--| x2
A |--------------------------------------------------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----|
D |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------------------------------------------------|
Verse 1: The first section here is the same as the intro, while in the second section the only difference is
The area marked off by the <.........>, for those that may not know the song as well.
"This lazy livin', yeah, it sure tastes good."
"Let's make a killin' down in Hollywood."
"And buy ourselves a nice fancy home in the hills."
D |-----0--2--4--2--0-----------0-----------4--2--0----[0]-2--3--2--0----[0]-2--3--2--0--------2--0--|
A |--------------------0-----2/5---5--3--------------2-----------------2-----------------1-----------|
F#|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D |-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--| x3
A |--------------------------------------------------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----1-----1-----|
D |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------------------------------------------------|
"Spend all our fancy ol' time spendin' ten dollar bills, dah dah, dah dah, dah, dah dah, dah dah."
<...........>
D |-----0--2--4--2--0-----------0-----------4--2--0----[0]-2--3--2--0----[0]-2--3--2--0--------0-----|
A |--------------------0-----2/5---5--3--------------2-----------------2-----------------2-----2-----|
F#|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D |-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0--|
A |--------------------------------------------------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----|
D |--0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----------------------------------------------------|
Transition 1: For those having trouble, take heart, as this is the only "hard" reach of the song. Your pinky
should be able to stretch from the fifth fret to the seventh. This goes straight into the chorus.
"Watch out, cause..."
D |--------5-------7--|
A |------5-----5------|
F#|----4---------4----|
D |--5----------------|
A |-------------------|
D |-------------------|
Chorus 1:
"... Here I come, bored and lazy. Yeah here I come, no dignity."
D |--------------2-----3-----2-----0--[0]------------2-----3p----0--------------|
A |--0--1--2-2---2-----2-----2-----2---2-0--1--2-2---2-----2-----2-----2-----2--|
F#|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A |--0--1--2--2-----2-----2-----2-----2--0--1--2--2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----|
D |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
"So long sad city of angels, you ain't been very good to me."
D |--------------2-----3-----2-----2-----0-----------0-----------5---------------|
A |--0--1--2-2---2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2------------5-----5---5-----0----|
F#|-------------------------------------------------------5---------5-----0------|
D |-----------------------------------------------------------5---------------0--|
A |--0--1--2--2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2------------------------------|
D |-----------------------------------------------------5---------------0--------|
"You take that blood right from my body, oh, you take the bone out of my spine"
D |--------------2-----3-----2-----0--[0]------------2-----3p----0--------------|
A |--0--1--2-2---2-----2-----2-----2---2-0--1--2-2---2-----2-----2-----2-----2--|
F#|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A |--0--1--2--2-----2-----2-----2-----2--0--1--2--2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----|
D |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
"So long sunny California, you ain't no friend of mine "
D |--------------2-----3-----2-----2-----0-----------0-----------5------0-------|
A |--0--1--2-2---2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2------------5-----5---5-0-------|
F#|-------------------------------------------------------5---------5---0-------|
D |-----------------------------------------------------------5---------0-------|
A |--0--1--2--2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2---------------------0-------|
D |-----------------------------------------------------5---------------0-------|
Verse 2: Follows the same tab as verse 1, just different lyrics.
"So New York City I'll see you soon."
"Spend all my money on some elbow room."
"Yeah, wander around like I got some place fancy to go."
"Oh, I'm the King of Brooklyn for all you know."
Transition 2: The same as the first transition, but linger on that last note for a longer period of time before
going into the second chorus.
Chorus 2: Again,follows the same pattern as chorus one, except for the very end, which repeats the picked notes
on the barred fifth fret when he repeats "some of us were built, some of us were built, yeah some of
us were built to roam." As it repeats the same notes as shown at the end of the first chorus, I'll
only put the lyrics below to save space.
"Watch out, cause here I come, bored and lazy. Yeah here I come just passin' through."
"Follow me beyond the mountain, howl at the ol' big moon."
"Strip them clothes right off your body, dress your skin in sticks and stones."
"Doesn't matter where we're headed, cause some of us were built, some of us were built,
some of us were built to roam."
Outro: Here, it repeats the first three sections of the chorus. Then, at the very end, it repeats exactly like
the last part of the chorus, up until it reaches the picked notes on the barred fifth fret. Instead of
playing these notes and everything after, simply play the Transition section, except instead of picking
the high D string after you move your pinky to the seventh fret, strum the four high strings.
Final Notes: Though this song was based upon the album version of Built To Roam, there are some differences.
Most notably, the barred fifth fret notes that are picked in the chorus are incorrect - I have
yet to find the sequence of notes that are picked at this point on the album. Additionally, as
in the standard style of Shakey Graves,many sections have notes in different orders,at different
beats, and with numerous bends in the strings. After playing through this tab multiple times,
however, I feel you should be able to replicate any/all of the sounds in the song.
---------------
version 2
D A D F# A D
- TUNING: DADF#AD = Open D Tuning (tune 1st string 1 step down, 2nd string 1 step down,
3rd string 1/2 step down, 6th or low E-String 1 step down)
- The alternating bass pattern played by the thumb should be played Palm Mute. Try to
palm mute 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th string and try not to mute 1st and 2nd string.
- If you want to play this with chords and in Standard Tuning, I have included some
chords in the tab that work well:
EADGBe
Dsus2/A = x00230
B5 = x24400
A#mb5 = x12330
Gm = 355333
Gmadd9 = 355335
G = 320003
D = xx0232
D7sus2 = xx0210
INTRO
d |-----------------|-----------------|-------------4p2p0|-----2-3-2-0----|
a |-----------------|-5~------3~------|------------------|-2---2-2-2-2-2--|
F#|---------3-------|-----------------|------------------|---0---0---0-0-0|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0--|----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-2---2---2---2--|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0----|----------------|
d |-2-3-2-0-----2-0-|repeat from start until: |-------5-0---7---|
a |-2-2-2-2-1---1-0-| |-----5~--5---5---|
F#|---0---0---0---0-| |---4-------4-4---|
D |-----------------| |-5-----------5---|
A |-2---2---1---1---| |-----------------|
D |-----------------| |-----------------|
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-3-2-0-----|-2-3-2-0-----2-0-|
a |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-2-2-2-2---|-2-2-2-2-1---1-0-|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0-0-0-|---0---0---0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1---1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
This lazy living yeah it sure tastes good
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-3-2-0-----|-2-3-2-0-----2-0-|
a |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-2-2-2-2---|-2-2-2-2-1---1-0-|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0-0---|---0---0---0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1---1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
Let's make a killing down in Hollywood
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-----------------|-------2-----3---|-----2---0---2-0-|
a |-----------------|-------------1---|-------2-----2---|-----2----1--1-0-|
F#|-----------------|---------------0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0-----|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2-------1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0-------|-----------------|-----------------|
And buy ourselves some nice fancy home
in the hills
Dsus2/A B5
d |-----------------|-----------------|---3-2-0-------3-2-0---------------|
a |-----------------|-----------------|---2-2-2-2-----2-2-2-2-------------|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0-0-0---0---0-0-------------|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---2---2-------------|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------------------------|
Spend all our fancy old time spending
ten dollar bills
Gm Gmadd9 Dsus2/A Dsus2/A A#mb5
d |-------5-0---7---|------------0----|-----0----0------|
a |-----5~--5---5---|------------0----|-----0----1------|
F#|---4-------4-4---|------------0----|-----0----0------|
D |-5-----------5---|------------0----|-----0----0------|
A |-----------------|------------0----|-----0----1------|
D |-----------------|------------0----|-----0----0------|
Hmmmmm......... oh watch out cause here I
B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5 B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5
d |-----------------|------0-------0--|-----2-----3-----|------0----------|
a |-2---------------|-------2---0---1-|-----2-----2-----|-------2---0---1-|
F#|-0-0---0---0---0-|---0-------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0-------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---0---1---|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---0---1---|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Come born and lazy here I come no dignity yeah so
B5 G D Dsus2/A A#mb5
d |-----2-------3---|------0----------|-----------------|-----------------|
a |-----2-------2---|-------2---------|----------7---7--|----------0--1---|
F#|---0---0---0---0-|---0-------0---0-|-----------5---5-|----------0--0---|
D |-----------------|-----------------|---5---5----5---5|-----------------|
A |-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---|-----------------|----------0--1---|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-5---5---5---5---|-0---------------|
long sad city of angels no you ain't been you take the
very good to me
B5 A#mb5
d |---------------3-|-----------------|-----2-----3-----|------0----------|
a |------2--------2-|----------2---2--|-----2-----2-----|-------2-----1---|
F#|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---------0---|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2-------1---|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
the blood right oh you lead me far away from home, well I've
from my body
B5 G
d |-----2-------3---|------0----------|-----------------|-----------------|
a |-----2-------2---|-------2---------|------------7~---|-----------------|
F#|---0---0---0---0-|---0-------------|----------5-5----|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|--------5---5----|-----------------|
A |-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2-------|------5----------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|----5------------|-----------------|
got to keep on movin' on yeah cause I was ohh I was built to
Dsus2/A D7sus2 B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|------------0----|-----2-3-2-0-----|-2-3-2-0-----2-0-|
a |-----------------|-5----5--3----3--|-----2-2-2-2-2---|-2-2-2-2-1---1-0-|
F#|---------3-------|----0-----0------|---0---0---0-0-0-|---0---0-0-0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-0---------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1---1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
roam ohhh
Dsus2/A D7sus2 B5 Gm Gmadd9
d |-----------------|-------------4p2p0-|---2-3-2-0-------|-------7-------|
a |-----------5-----|-5----5--3---------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-----|-----5---------|
F#|-----3-----------|----0-------0------|-0---------0-----|---4-----------|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0----0--|-----------------|-5-------------|
A |-----------------|-------------------|-2---------------|---------------|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0-----|-----------------|---------------|
ohhh
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-3-2-0-----|-2-3-2-0----0-0-0|
a |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-2-2-2-2---|-2-2-2-2-1--1-1-1|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0-0---|---0---0-0-------|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1--1-1-1|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
New York City, yeah, I'll see you soon
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-3-2-0-----|-3b--2-0----0---0|
a |-----------------|-----------------|-----2-2-2-2-2---|-2---2-2-1--1-1-1|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0-0---|---0---0-0----0--|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1--1-1-1|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
Spend all my money on some elbow room
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-----------------|----0---2---3---2|----0---0---2---0|
a |-----------------|-----------------|--2---2---2---2--|--2---1---1---1--|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---1---1---1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
Yeah wander around like I got some place fancy to go
Dsus2/A B5 Gm Gmadd9
d |-----------------|-----------------|----0---2---3---2|----0------5--7--|
a |-----------------|-----------------|--2---2---2---2--|--2-------5-5----|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0-----4---4---|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|--------5--------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---------------|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
ohh I'm the king of Brooklyn for all she knows watch me
B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5 B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5
d |-----------------|------0-------0--|-----2-----3-----|------0----------|
a |-2---------------|-------2---0---1-|-----2-----2-----|-------2---0---1-|
F#|-0-0---0---0---0-|---0-------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0-------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---0---1---|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---0---1---|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
go born and lazy watch me go just passing through follow me
B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5 B5 G
d |-----------------|------0-------0--|-----2-----3-----|-----------------|
a |-2---------------|-------2---0---1-|-----2-----2-----|-5----5--7----7--|
F#|-0-0---0---0---0-|---0-------------|---0---0---0---0-|----5---5---5---5|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---5---5---5---5-|
A |-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---0---1---|-2---2---2---2---|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-5---5---5---5---|
beyond the mountain howl at the old big
D B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5 B5
d |-----------------|---------2-------|------0---0---0--|-----2-----3-----|
a |-----------------|---------2-------|--------2---0---1|-----2-----2-----|
F#|-0---------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---0---1---|-2---2---2---2---|
D |-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
moon, Oh, strip clothes right off your body dress skin in sticks
them your and stones
B5 Dsus2/A A#mb5 B5 G
d |--0---0----------|-------2-------3-|--0---0---0---0--|-----------------|
a |----2---2--0---1-|-------2-------2-|----2---2---2---2|-----------------|
F#|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---5---5---5---5-|
A |-2---2---0---1---|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---2---2---|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-5---5---5---5---|
well it doesnt matter where we're headin' cause some of us were
built
G G G G
d |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
a |-7~--------------|-5---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
F#|-------------5-7-|-----------------|---------7---7---|-5---------------|
D |---5---5---5---5-|---5---5---5---5-|---5---5---5---5-|---5---5---5---5-|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5---5---|
yeah some yeah
of us were built
G G G
d |-----------------|--5---5---5---5--|-5---------------|-----------------|
a |----------5---5--|----5---5---5---5|-5---------------|-----------------|
F#|------------5---5|---7---7---7---7-|-7---------------|-----------------|
D |---5---5---5---5-|-----------------|-5---------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-5---------------|-----------------|
D |-5---5---5---5---|-5---5---5---5---|-5---------------|-----------------|
some of us ohhh yeah to roam
were built
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-0-----0---------|------3---2--0---|-2-3-2-0-----2-0-|
a |-0-------2-------|-------0---------|---2----2---22-2-|-2-2-2-2-1---1-0-|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1---1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
Dsus2/A B5 A#mb5
d |-----------------|-0-----0---------|------3---2--0---|-2-3-2-0-----2-0-|
a |-0-------2-------|-------0---------|---2----2---22-2-|-2-2-2-2-1---1-0-|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|
D |---0---0---0---0-|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-2---2---2---2---|-2---2---1---1---|
D |-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-----------------|-----------------|
Gm Gmadd9
d |-------5-0---7---||
a |-----5~--5---5---||
F#|---4-------4-4---||
D |-5-----------5---||
A |-----------------||
D |-----------------||
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| b Bend
---------------
version 3
Capo 4
Intro:
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------0-----------------------------------------|
G|-------------0-0-0-----2-0----2-3-2-0---2-3-2-0----------------|
D|-----------0-------3-------2----------2---------2--------------|
A|-----0-2-0-----------------------------------------------------|
E|-3-3-----------------------------------------------------------|
G G7 C
This lazy living, yeah it sure tastes good
G G7 C
Let's make a killing down in Hollywood
G G7 C
And buy ourselves some nice fancy home in the hills
G G7 C
Spend all our fancy old time spending ten dollar bills
C C D
Da da da da da, da da da da da
Em
Watch out cause here I come born and lazy
G
Yeah here I come, no dignity
Em
So long sad city of angels
C G
You ain't been very good to me
Em
You take the blood right from my body
G
Yeah you take that bone out of my spine
Em C G
So long sunny California, you ain't no friend of mine
G G7 C
So New York City, yeah, I'll see you soon
G G7 C
Spend all my money on some elbow room
G G7 C
Yeah wander around like I got some place fancy to go
G G7 C
ohh I'm the king of Brooklyn for all you know
Em
Watch out cause here I come born and lazy
G
Yeah here I come, just passing through
Em
Follow me beyond the mountain
C G
Howl at the old big moon
Em
Yeah, strip them clothes right off your body
G
Dress your skin in sticks and stones
Em
Doesn't matter where we're heading cause
C
Some of us were built
C
Some of us were built
C G
Some of us were built to roam
---------------
version 4
s = slide
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----0-2-4-2-0------------4-2-0---0-2-4-2-0---0-2-4-2---2-0------|
G|-----------------2s4-4-2-------1-----------1---------0----------|
D|--------------4-------------------------------------------------|
A|--2-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|
Repeat
------------