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Midnight Special by Leadbelly
Midnight Special
[E]Yonder comes Miss [A]Rosie,
How in the world do you [E]know
I can tell her by her [B7]apron
& the dress that she [E]wore
Umbrella on her [A]shoulder
A piece of paper in her [E]hand
I heard her tell the [B7]captain
Turn loose my [E]man
Chorus:
Let the minight [A]special
Shine it's light [E]me
Oh let the midnight [B7]special
Shine it's everlasting light on [E]me
When you get up in the morning
When that big bell rings
You go marching to the table
You see the same old thing
Knife & fork are on the table
Ain't nothin in my pan
& you say a word about it
You get in trouble with the man
{Chorus}
If you ever go to Houston
Boy you'd better walk right
And you better not gamble
And you better not fight
Cuz Benson Crocker will arrest you
& Jimmy Boone will take you down
& you bet your bottom dollar
That your Sugarland bound
{Chorus}
Well, jumpin little Judy
She was a mighty fine gal
She brought jumpin
To the whole round world
Well, she brought it in the morning
Just awhile before day
Well, she brought me the news
That my wife was dead
That started me to grieven
Whoppin, hollerin & cryin
That started me to thinkin
Bout my great long time
{Chorus}
------------------
version 2
Chords used in this song :
C
e ---|---|---|---|---|
B -x-|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|-x-|---|---|---|
A ---|---|-x-|---|---|
E ---|---|-o-|---|---| G
e ---|---|-x-|---|---|
B ---|---|---|---|---|
G ---|---|---|---|---|
D ---|---|---|---|---|
A ---|-x-|---|---|---|
E ---|---|-x-|---|---| D
e ---|-x-|---|---|---|
B ---|---|-x-|---|---|
G ---|-x-|---|---|---|
D ---|---|---|---|---|
A ---|---|---|---|---|
E ---|---|---|---|---|
C G
Yonder come Miss-a Rosie, how in the world do you know?
D G
Well, I knows her by the apron and the dress she wore
C G
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
D G
Well she gonna tell the Governor "Please turn a-loose my man"
Chorus
C G
Let the midnight special shine its light on me
D G
Let the midnight special shine its everlovin' light on me
When you wake up in the mornin', when the ding-dong ring
Go marchin' to the table, meet the same old thing
Knife & fork are on the table, nothin' in my pan
Ever say anything about it, have trouble with the man
Chorus
If you ever go to Houston, boy, you better walk right
Well, you better not squabble and you better not fight
Cuz the sheriff will arrest you and he'll take you down
And the judge will sentence you, you're penitentiary bound
Chorus
I'm goin' away to leave you, cuz my time ain't long
The Man is gonna call me and I'll be gone
Be done all my weepin', whoppin', holl'in' and cryin'
Be done all my studyin' about my great long time
Chorus
------------------
version 3
G D A7 D
e| ------------------------2--2-------------------3---3-----3---3--2--2--------|
B| ------------------------3--3-------------------2---2-----2---2--3--3--------|
G| ------------0-----------2--2-------------------2---2-----2---2--2--2--------|
D| ------0--2-----2--0--------------0--4--3--2----2---2--2--2---2----------0---|
A| ----2----------------2--------0------------------0---------0---------0------|
E| --3-----------------------------2--------------------------------------2----|
This is the way it is played all the way through the song
[Verse 1: Lead Belly]
Yonder come-a Miss Rosie—how in the world do you know?
Well, I know her by the apron and the dress she wore
Umb'rella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
Well I'm going to ask the governor he turn a-loose my man
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 2: Lead Belly]
When you gets up in the mornin', when that big bell ring
You go a-marchin' to the table, you see the same damn thing
Knife and fork are on the table, ain't nothin' in my pan
And if I said anything about it, have a trouble with the man
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 3: Lead Belly]
Well, I went to the nation and the territo'
Well, I thought about a girl I love lived in Mexico
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 3: Lead Belly]
If you ever go to Houston, boys you better walk right
And you better not squabble and you better not fight
Benson Crocker will arrest you, Eddie Boone will take you down
You can bet your bottom dollar, you're penitentiary-bound
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 4: Lead Belly]
Well, jumpin' little Judy, she was a mighty fine girl
Well, Judy brought jumpin' to this whole round world
Well, she brought it in the mornin', just a while 'fore day
She brought me the news that my wife was dead
That started me to grievin' and holl'in' and cryin'
And I began to worry about my great long time
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
------------------
version 4
Tuning: E A D G B E
[Verse 1]
D G D
Get your ticket at the station - hear the whistle blow
A7 D
Well I sure hate to leave you - but I gotta go
[Chorus]
G D
Let the midnight special Shine the light on me
A7 D
Let the midnight special Shine the ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 2]
D G D
If you're ever in Houston Ooh, you'd better walk right
A7 D
You'd better not gamble And you'd better not fight
G D
Or the sheriff will arrest ya And he’ll carry you down
A7 D
And the jury find you guilty Ooh, you're penitentiary bound
[Chorus]
G D
Let the midnight special Shine the light on me
A7 D
Let the midnight special Shine the ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 3]
D G D
Yonder come Miss Rosie How in the world did you know
A7 D
By the way she wears her apron And the clothes she wore
G D
Umbrella on her shoulder Piece of paper in her hand
A7 D
She come to see the gov'nor She wanna free her man
[Chorus]
G D
Let the midnight special Shine the light on me
A7 D
Let the midnight special Shine the ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 4]
D G D
When, you wake up in the mornin' You hear the work bell ring
A7 D
And they take for your breakfast - there ain’t a doggone thing
G D
Ain't no food upon the table And no fork up in the pan
A7
But you'd better not complain, boy
D
You'll get in trouble with the man
[Chorus]
G D
Let the midnight special Shine the light on me
A7 D
Let the midnight special Shine the light on me
G D
Let the midnight special Shine the light on me
A7 D
Let the midnight special Shine the ever-lovin' light on me
------------------
version 5
Tuning: standard
Intro
A "Yonder comes a'miss..."
e|-----------------------------|
B|----------2--2---2---2---2---|
G|--------2----2---2---2---2---|
D|------2------2---2---2---2---|
A|-0-----------0---------------|
E|-----------------------------|
"...Rosie..."
D A E A
e|--------------------------------------------------------0-----0----0---------------------|
B|--(3---3---3---3---3---3---3)---------------------------0-----0----0-------2-------------|
G|--(2---2---2---2---2---2---2)-----2--2------2-----------1-----1----1-------2--2-2--------|
D|-----------------0----------------2--2------2-----------2-----2----2-------2--2-2--------|
A|-0-------0---2-------2---0------0-------------0--4-3----2--2--2----2-------0-------------|
E|-----2-----------------------2---------2--0----------0-----------0----2--0--------2-0----|
that's it
remember on the chorus the E lasts longer, as showed in Chords vers3
2nd chorus' a bit different
"...special shine a light..."
D A E A
e|----------------------------------------------------0-----0----0-----0----0----0-------------|
B|----3----3--------3------3--------------------------0-----0----0-----0----0----2--------2----|
G|----2----2--------2------2------2-------2-----------1-----1----1-----1----1----2--2-----2----|
D|--------------------------------2-------2-----------2-----2----2-----2----2----2--2-----2----|
A|--0------0--------------0-----0-----------0--4-3----2--2--2----2--2--2----2--0----------0----|
E|------2--------------2-------------2--0----------0-----------0----------0-----------2-0------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intro (alt version)
e|----0------0----0--0----0------0--0---|
B|----0------0----0--0----0------0--0---|
G|----1------1----1--1----1------1--1---|
D|----2------2----2-------2------2--2---|
A|--1----1h2------2-----0----0h1----2---|
E|--------------0-----------------------|
[Verse 1: Lead Belly]
Yonder come-a Miss Rosie—how in the world do you know?
Well, I know her by the apron and the dress she wore
Umb'rella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
Well I'm going to ask the governor he turn a-loose my man
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 2: Lead Belly]
When you gets up in the mornin', when that big bell ring
You go a-marchin' to the table, you see the same damn thing
Knife and fork are on the table, ain't nothin' in my pan
And if I said anything about it, have a trouble with the man
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 3: Lead Belly]
Well, I went to the nation and the territo'
Well, I thought about a girl I love lived in Mexico
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 3: Lead Belly]
If you ever go to Houston, boys you better walk right
And you better not squabble and you better not fight
Benson Crocker will arrest you, Eddie Boone will take you down
You can bet your bottom dollar, you're penitentiary-bound
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
[Verse 4: Lead Belly]
Well, jumpin' little Judy, she was a mighty fine girl
Well, Judy brought jumpin' to this whole round world
Well, she brought it in the mornin', just a while 'fore day
She brought me the news that my wife was dead
That started me to grievin' and holl'in' and cryin'
And I began to worry about my great long time
[Chorus: Lead Belly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Let the midnight special shine a light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever-lovin' light on me
--------------