Bob Dylan – Ballad In Plain D (Ukulele)
Key
-
Versions
(2)
Guitar
Ukulele
Auto-scroll
Speed:
1.0x
Chords
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Written by: Bob Dylan
From: “Another Side of Bob Dylan” (1964)
Tabbed by: maguri
Tuning: soprano C
Dylan still seems to be working out the chord structure as he's going
along (notice the many irregularities here and there).
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CHORDS
g-C-E-A
A6 2-1-2-0
A7 0-1-0-0---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Verse 1]
2/4
| A | A7 | D Bm D | D | % | % | % | I once loved a girl, her skin it was bronze D Bm C | G | % | With the innocence of a lamb, she was gentle like a fawn D Bm D | D | % | I courted her proudly but now she is gone D A6 A7 | D | % | % | A | Gone as the season she’s ta- ken
[Verse 2]
A7 D Bm D | D | % | In a young summer’s youth, I stole her away D Bm C | G | % | % | From her mother and sister, though close did they stay D Bm D | D | % | Each one of them suffering from the failures of their day D A A7 | D | % | % | A | A6 | A7 | With strings of guilt they tried hard to guide us
[Verse 3]
| A7 | D Bm D | D | % | D | O - o - of the two sisters, I loved the young Bm D A7 | G | % | With sensitive instincts, she was the creative one D Bm D | D | % | The constant sc(r?)apegoat, she was easily undone D A A7 | D | % | A | By the jealousy of others around her
[Verse 4]
| A | A7 | D Bm D | D | % | For her parasite sister, I had no respect D Bm A7 | G | % | Bound by her boredom, her pride to protect D Bm D (G)| D | % | Countless visions of the other she’d reflect D A A7 | D | % | % | A | A6 | As a crutch for her scenes and her socie- ty
[Verse 5]
2/4
| A7 | D Bm D | D | % | My- self, for what I did, I cannot be excused D Bm D | G | % | % | The changes I was going through can’t even be used D Bm D | D | % | For the lies that I told her in hopes not to lose D A A7 | D | % | D | A | The could-be dream-lover of my life- time
[Verse 5]
| A7 | D Bm D G | D | % | With unseen consciousness, I possessed in my grip D Bm C | G | % | A magnificent mantelpiece, though its heart being chipped (bum note:x-0-3-3-3-x) D Bm D | D | % | Noticing not that I’d already slipped D A7 | D | % | % | A | To a sin of love’s false securi- ty
[Verse 6]
| A7 | D Bm G | D | % | From silhouetted anger to manufactured peace D Bm C | G | % | Answers of emptiness, voice vacancies D Bm D | D | D | Till the tombstones of damage read no questions but, “Please D A7 | D | % | A | % | A7 | % | What’s wrong and what’s exactly the mat-ter?”
[Verse 7]
D Bm D | D | % | And so it did happen like it could have been foreseen D Bm C | G | % | The timeless explosion of fantasy’s dream D Bm D | D | % | At the peak of the night, the king and the queen D A7 | D | % | % | A | A6 | A7 | Tumbled all down into pie-ces
[Verse 8]
| A7 | D Bm G | D | % | “The tragic figure!” her sister did shout D Bm C | G | % | “Leave her alone, God damn you, get out!” D Bm D | D | % | And I in my armor, turning about D A7 | D | % | A | A6 | A7 | And nailing her in the ruins of her pettiness
[Verse 9]
| A7 | D Bm D | D | % | Be- neath a bare lightbulb the plaster did pound D Bm C | G | % | Her sister and I in a screaming battleground D Bm D | D | % | And she in between, the victim of sound D A A7 | D | % | % | A | A6 | A7 | Soon shattered as a child to the sha- dows
[Verse 10]
| A7 | D Bm Bm | D | % | All is gone, all is gone, admit it, take flight D Bm C | G | % | I gagged in contradiction, tears blinding my sight D Bm D | D | % | My mind it was mangled, I ran into the night D A A7 | D | % | A | A6 | A7 | Leaving all of love’s ashes behind me
[Verse 11]
| A7 | D Bm G | D | % | The wind knocks my window, the room it is wet D Bm C | G | % | The words to say I’m sorry, I haven’t found yet D Bm G | D | % | I think of her often and hope whoever she’s met D A7 | D | % | A | % | Will be fully aware of how precious she is
[Solo]
| D | Bm | G | D | % |
| D | Bm | C | G | % |
| D | Bm | A7 | G | D | % |
| D | A7 | % | D | A | % |
[Verse 12]
2/4
| A7 | D Bm D | D | % | Ah, my friends from the prison, they ask unto me D Bm G | G | G/D | “How good, how good does it feel to be free?” D Bm D | D | % | And I answer them most mysteriously 2/4 D A | A7 | % | D | % | “Are birds free from the chains of the sky- way?”
[Coda]
| Bm | D | G | % | D | % | A7 | D (timing is fuzzy in the last few bars)