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All Along the Watchtower by Michael Hedges
All Along the Watchtower
Tuning- DAEEAA
This song is split into three main parts:
1. Intro & verses
2. "Vamp" or "Solo" sections
3. Turnaround into last verses
This is documented "double time" to show the accents. The strumming is
simplified to show the essential rhythms, but once you find the groove
it should fill itself in quite nicely. That which is labeled [Knock]
is a percussive effect acheived by either tapping near the pickguard with
a fingertip or by rapping with the knuckles on the back of the neck. Both
are tricky in that the strings get strummed simultaneously.
Also, notice that the alternating 7th and 12th fret harmonics ring through
several counts after they have been played. It helps to think of the guitar
split down the middle, (i.e strings 1-3 for harms. and 4-6 for rhythm) so
that id is easier to keep it seperate.
Note that because the tuning has the 3rd and 4th strings tuned the same, that
anytime I show a chord like this: (440400), it could be played like this:
(444000). I prefer the first voicing on my guitar, so that is how it's
transcribed here.
Intro & Verses:
Harm.
|--------------|--------------|------7h-----|---------------|
|--------------|--------------|------7h-----|---------------|
|--4---4-4-----|---22---2---2-|-0--0-7h-----|-0H2--22P0-----|
|--0---0-0-----|---00---0---0-|-0--0--------|-0----00-------|
|--4---4-4-----|---22---2---2-|-0--0--------|-0H2--22-------|
|--4---4-4-----|---22---2---2-|-0--0--------|-0H2--2--------|
1.2 . 3 . 4 . 1. 2 .3. 4 . 1.2. 3 . 4 . 1 . 2. 3 . 4 .
Harm.
|--------------|-----------------|-------12h-----|---------------|
|--------------|-----------------|-------12h-----|---------------|
|--4---4-4-----|-0H2------2P0----|-0--0--12h-----|-0H2--22P0-----|
|--0---0-0-----|-0------0-0------|-0--0----------|-0----00-------|
|--4---4-4-----|-0H2-2--2--------|-0--0----------|-0H2--22-------|
|--4---4-4-----|-0H2-2-----------|-0--0----------|-0H2--22-------|
1.2 . 3 .4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1.2. 3 . 4 . 1 . 2.3 . 4 .
Vamp/Solo: (two times)
[Knock]
|--9-9---9--9--9--9---|--7-7-7-7-7----|-5-5-5-5-5-5--0|---------------|
|--9-11-11-11-11--9---|--7-9-9-9-7----|-5-5-5-5-5H7--0|---------------|
|--9-9--9---9--9--9---|--7-7-7-7-7----|-5-5-5-5-5-5--0|---------------|
|--9-9--9---9--9--9---|--7-7-7-7-7----|-5-5-5-5-5-5--0|---0-0-0-------|
|--9------------------|--7------------|-5------------0|-0H2-2-2-------|
|---------------------|---------------|--------------0|-0H2-2-2-------|
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3 .4. 1 . 2 . 3 .4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 .
Turnaround into last verses (two times)
|-----------------|--------------|-----------------|---------------|
|-0------0-0-0-0-0|--2-----2-----|-4-4----4-4-4-4-4|---2----2------|
|-4--------4------|--------0-----|-0--------0------|--------0------|
|-0-0------0------|-----0--0-----|-0---0----0------|-----0--0------|
|-4-4------4------|-----2--2-----|-0---0----0------|-----2--2------|
|-4--------4------|-----2--2-----|-0--------0------|-----2--2------|
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2 . 3.4 . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 1 . 2. 3 . 4 .
There's got to be some kind of way out of here
Said the Joker to the Thief
Too much confusion
I can't get no relief
Business men they drink my wine
Plow men dig my earth
None of them along the line
Know what any of it's worth
No reason to get excited
The Thief, he kindly spoke
There are many here among us
Who think that life is but a joke
But you and I we've been through all that
And this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely, now
The hour is getting late
All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants, too
Outside in the distance
A wild cat did growl
Two riders were approaching
And the wind began to howl
------------------
version 2
tune your guitar DADEAE low to high. The main riff is this:
(Harmonics at 12th)
E-----------------------------------------------12-----------|
A--------------------------0--------------------12-----------|
E----0-------------0---------------0------------12-----------|
D----4-------------2---------------0------------12-----------|
A----4-------------2---------------0-------------------------|
D----4-------------2---------------0-------------------------|
These are just the chords. I've failed to include any of the rhythmic
nicities. The bridge is this:
E-----------------------------------------------------------0-------|
A-----8----10--------6-----8----6--------6-----4-----6------0-------|
E-----8-----8--------6-----6----6--------4-----4-----4------0-------|
D-----10---10--------8-----8----8--------6-----6-----6------0-------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------|
^
|
Rap the guitar body under the neck with
one of the knuckles on your left hand here.
"There must be some way out of here, " said the joker to the thief,
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."
"No reason to get excited, " the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late."
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.
---------------