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The Boatman by Levellers
The Boatman
Tuning: E A D G B E
[Chorus]
E D E
If I could choose the life I please then I would be a boatman
E D E
On the canals and the rivers free no hasty words are spoken
D A
My only law is the river breeze that takes me to the open seas
E D E
If I could choose the life I please then I would be a boatman
[Chorus]
E D E
If I could choose the life I please then I would be a rover
E D E
And if the roads was not for me then I would choose another
D A
Mountains and the valleys deep where I would take this weary feet
E D E
If I could choose the life I please then I would be a rover
[Verse]
Bm A Bm A
But these things are so hard for me, I cannot choose my own destiny
Bm A E
And all things that I want to see are so unclean
E D E
Well I wish I could choose the life I please, I am not a free man
E D E
Others rule my destiny but my will is never broken
[Verse]
Bm A Bm A
I know some day I will be everything that I dreamed I'd be
E D E
And when I've lived the life I please then I will be a free man
Bm A Bm A
I know some day I will be everything that I dreamed I'd be
E D E
And when I've lived the life I please then I will be a free man
E D E
And when I've lived the life I please then I will be a free man
------------------
version 2
intro:
e----------0--0--2--0--|
B----------0--0--0--0--|
G----------1--1--1--1--| x2
D---0-2----2--2--2--2--|
A-2--------------------|
E----------------------|
riff:
e----------------------------------------------------------|
B----------------------------------------------------------|
G-4---4-4-4-4-4-4---1--2--4----4---4-4-4-4-4-4---1---------|
D---------------------------------------------------4--2---|
A----------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------|
(a second guitar plays a E chord under)
Bridge:
D E
e-2-----2--2---x----0--0---|
B-3-----3--3---x----0--0---|
G-2-----2--2---x----1--1---|x2
D-0-----0--0---x----2--2---|
A-------------------2--2---|
E-------------------0--0---|
verses:
E D E
1.If I could chose the life I please then I would be a boatman
2.If I could chose the life I please then I would be a rover
3.Well I wish I could chose the life I please, I am not a free man
RIFF once
E D E
1.On the canals and the rivers free no hasty words are spoken
2.and if the roads was not for me then I would chose another
3.Others rule my destiny but my will is never broken(to %)
RIFF once
Bm A
1.My only law is the river breeze that takes me to the open seas
2.Mountains and the valleys deep where I would take this weary feet
E D E
1.If I could chose the life I please then I would be a boatman
2.If I could chose the life I please then I would be a rover
CODA:
RIFF once
Bm A Bm A
2.But these things are so hard for me I cannot chose my own destiny-
Bm A E
And all things that I want to see are so unclean
%:
RIFF
Bm A Bm A
3.I know some day I will be everything that I dreamed I'd be
E D E
And when I've lived the life I please then I will be a free man
Playing order:
Intro
Riff x2
Bridge
Riff x2
Bridge
Riff x2
Verse 1
Riff x2
Verse 2
Riff x2
Bridge
riff x2
Coda
riff x3
verse 3 (incl %)
Then the % part again and repeat the last line after a riff once
riff once
------------------
version 3
Intro
e-------------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0-------0-0-0-------------------------|
b---3---2--2--2---3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---3---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-------------|
g---0h2-3--3--3---0h2-2-2-2-4-2-0-0-0-0---0h2-2-2-2-4-2-0-0-0-0-------------|
d-------0--0--0-------0-0-0-0-0-0-4-0-2-------0-0-0-0-0-0-4-2-0-------------|
a---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------23----------------------------------------------------------|
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
Along the canals and the rivers free
No hasty words are spoken
My only law the river breeze
Would take me to the open seas
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a rover
And if the road was not for me
Then I would choose another
Across mountains and valleys deep
I would take these weary feet
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a rover
But these things are so hard for me
I cannot choose my own destiny
And all the things that I want to see
Are so unclean
I wish I could choose the life I please
But I am not a free man
Others choose my destiny
But my will is never broken
I know someday I will be
Everything that I dreamed I'd be
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
------------------
version 4
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: 2nd fret
Note: Capo not on high e-string
Leave high e-string open
[Intro]
e|--------------------------|
B|----------3--3--3-3--3-3--|
G|----------2--2--2-2--2-2--| 2x
D|--------0-0--0--0-0--0-0--|
A|--0--2--------------------|
E|--------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3---3-3-3-3-3--3--3------3---3-3-3-3-3--3--3---|
G|--------0h2-2-4-2-0-0--0--2------0h2-2-4-2-0-0--0--0---|
D|--------0---0-0-0-0-4--0--0------0---0-0-0-0-4--2--0---|
A|--0--2-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--3--3-3--3-3--3--3----3--3-3--3-3--3---3-3-3-3-3--3--3------3---3-3-3-3-3--3--3----|
G|--0--0-0--0-0--2--2----0--0-0--0-0--0h2-2-4-2-0-0--0--2------0h2-2-4-2-0-0--0--0----|
D|--2--2-2--2-2--0--0----2--2-2--2-2--0------------------------0---0-0-0-0-4--2--0----|
A|--3--3-3--3-3--x--x----3--3-3--3-3--x-----------------------------------------------|
E|--x--x-x--x-x--x--x----x--x-x--x-x--x-----------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--3---3-3-3-3-3--3--3------3---3-3-3-3-3--3--3----|
G|--0h2-2-4-2-0-0--0--2------0h2-2-4-2-0-0--0--0----|
D|--0---0-0-0-0-4--0--0------0---0-0-0-0-4--2--0----|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
Along the canals and the rivers free
No hasty words are spoken
My only law the river breeze
Would take me to the open seas
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a rover
And if the road was not for me
Then I would choose another
Across mountains and valleys deep
I would take these weary feet
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a rover
But these things are so hard for me
I cannot choose my own destiny
And all the things that I want to see
Are so unclean
I wish I could choose the life I please
But I am not a free man
Others choose my destiny
But my will is never broken
I know someday I will be
Everything that I dreamed I'd be
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
| x Dead note
| h Hammer-on
------------------
version 5
The intro: played in E
e ----------0--0--0-|
B ----------0--0--0-|
G ----------1--1--1-|
D ---0---2-----2--2-|
A -2-----------2--2-|
E ------------------|
Listen to the track to get the gist. Ok now the Tab for the cool mandolin sounding bit. I have
it so,
if like me you are just starting on the road of guitar playing you can grab everything easier.
e------------------------------------------------|
B------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------|
D----9--9-9-11-9-7-6-7-9----9--9-9-11-9-7-6------|
A-------------------------------------------9-7--|
E------------------------------------------------|
For the lyrics and the other chords, They are mainly E and D please see the other tab.
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
Along the canals and the rivers free
No hasty words are spoken
My only law the river breeze
Would take me to the open seas
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a rover
And if the road was not for me
Then I would choose another
Across mountains and valleys deep
I would take these weary feet
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a rover
But these things are so hard for me
I cannot choose my own destiny
And all the things that I want to see
Are so unclean
I wish I could choose the life I please
But I am not a free man
Others choose my destiny
But my will is never broken
I know someday I will be
Everything that I dreamed I'd be
If I could choose the life I pleased
Then I would be a boatman
------------------