“Mr. Tambourine Man” is one of Bob Dylan’s most poetic and enduring songs, capturing a dreamlike state of wanderlust and escapism. For guitar players, learning to play this iconic track is a rewarding experience, offering a chance to explore folk-rock instrumentation and Dylan’s unique songwriting style. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced guitarist, having access to accurate guitar tabs is essential to mastering this song. Here, we provide a comprehensive guide to “Mr. Tambourine Man” guitar tabs, covering various versions and tunings to suit your playing preferences.
Standard Version Guitar Tab
This version represents the Bringing It All Back Home rendition, a classic arrangement that most listeners are familiar with. It utilizes standard tuning and common chords, making it accessible for many guitarists.
|: D D Dsus2 D :|G A D G
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
D G A Asus4 A
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
G A D G
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
D G A D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.G A D G
Though I know that evenin's empire has returned into sand,
D G
Vanished from my hand,
D G A
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping.
G A D G
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet,
D G
I have no one to meet
D G A
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreaming.Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,
My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
To be wanderin'.
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,
I promise to go under it.Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.Though you might hear laughin', spinnin', swingin' madly across the sun,
It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escapin' on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facin'.
And if you hear vague traces of skippin' reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time, it's just a ragged clown behind,
I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're
Seein' that he's chasing.Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.Then take me disappearin' through the smoke rings of my mind,
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.Live Versions Guitar Tabs
Bob Dylan’s performances of “Mr. Tambourine Man” evolved over the years, showcasing different musical arrangements and tunings. Exploring these live versions can offer new perspectives on the song and challenge your guitar skills.
Live 1964 and Live 1966 Versions
These early live renditions often feature a dropped D tuning and a capo on the 2nd fret, creating a richer, fuller sound. The chord progression remains largely consistent with the standard version, but the dropped D tuning adds depth to the bass notes.
Dropped D tuning (D-A-d-g-b-e’) Capo 2nd fret Chords as above.
|: D D Dsus4 D :| G A D G
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
D G Em A Asus4 A
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
G A D G
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
D G Em A D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.Live 1975 Version
In the 1975 live version, the chord progression is slightly altered, and the Em chord is frequently omitted. This variation provides a more stripped-down, folkier feel to the song.
C Csus4 C F G C Em F
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
C (Em) Dm F G C/g G
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
F G C Em F
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
C (Em) Dm F G C Csus4 C
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.Budokan Version (March 1978)
The Budokan performance showcases a unique instrumental intro and chord voicings, adding a distinct flavor to the song. This version is more intricate and demonstrates Dylan’s evolving musical arrangements.
F G C F
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|--------------------|-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|-13------13---12-12-|---10--10--8-----|--8-10---8----------|--------------------|
|-14------14---12-12-|---10--10--9-----|--9-10---9---9------|------------------9-|
|--------------------|-----------------|-10---------10---10-|------10-10-12---10-|
|--------------------|-----------------|------------------8-|-------8--8-10------|
|--------------------|-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|C F G
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|------------------|-----------------|---------------3-|-----------------|
|---8---8---8---10-|-----8---6-5---5-|-----3-3---------|-----3---------3-|
|---9---9---9---10-|-----9---7-5---5-|-----4-4---------|-4h5---5-4---4---|
|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------5-----|
|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|F G C F
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
C F G
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to.
F G C F
Hey! Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me,
C F G C
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' you.1995 Acoustic Version, Intro
The 1995 acoustic version, particularly from the Brixton performance, features a delicate and fingerpicked intro. This version highlights the song’s melodic beauty in a stripped-down acoustic setting.
Based on the version from Brixton, 30 March 1995
F G C F
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-1---1---1---1---|-----0-----------|-----1-----------|-1---1---1---1---|
|-2---2---2---0---|-----0-----------|-----0-----------|-2---2---2---0---|
|-3---3---3---2---|-----0-----------|-----2---0---2---|-3---3---3---0---|
|-----------------|---------0---2---|-3---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|C F C G G7
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----1-----------|-1---1---1---1---|-----0---------0-|-----0---0---0---|
|-----0-----------|-2---0---0---0---|-----0-------0---|-----0---0---0---|
|-----2---0---2---|-3---2---0---2---|-----0---0h2-----|-3---------------|
|-3---------------|-------------3---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|F G C F
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-1---1---1---1---|-----0-----------|-----1-----------|-1--(1---1---1)--|
|-2---2---0---0---|-----0-----------|-----0-----------|-2--(2---2---2)--|
|-3---3---2---0---|-----0-----------|-----2---0---2---|-3--(3---3---3)--|
|-----------------|---------0---2---|-3---------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|C F C Gsus4 C
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----1-----------|-1---1---1---1---|-----1-----------|--------light----|
|-----0-----------|-2---0---0---0---|-----0-----------|------strumming--|
|-----2---0---2---|-3---2---0---2---|-----0-----------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-------------3---|-----------------|-3---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|C F
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||-----1-----------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||-----2-----------| etc
|---------3---2---|-----------------|---------0---2---||-3-------2---0---|
|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------||-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|By exploring these “Mr. Tambourine Man” guitar tabs, you can delve into the nuances of Bob Dylan’s songwriting and guitar playing across different eras. Whether you prefer the straightforward standard version or the intricate live arrangements, these tabs provide a starting point for your musical journey with this timeless classic. Practice each version and discover your own interpretation of “Mr. Tambourine Man” on guitar.
