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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 ------------