From "A Folksinger's Guide to the 12-String Guitar as Played by Leadbelly" by Julius Lester and Pete Seeger.
Leadbelly played the song in "Open A": strings tuned EAEAC#E (bass to treble, left to right). Those of you who are adverse to strings breaking and necks twisting could try "Open G": strings tuned DGDGBD.
The opening "riff" is slide 2-3-4 on the 5th string and strum, then 2 on the 4th string and strum, then 2-3-4 on the fifth string and strum, then 0 on the fifth string and strum. It should sound like "Who's been here since I've been gone." Then you go to the D7th chord fingered:
0 2 0 2 1 0
Holding the chord, pick 2 on the 2nd string and strum then 2 on the 2nd string and strum, 4 on the second string, 2 on the second string, 0 on the second string and strum. This should give you "Pretty little girl with a red dress on"
For the chorus: barre at the fifth fret and occasionally finger the first string 7 th fret where you have the C chord, and barre the seventh fret and occasionally finger the first string at the ninth fret when you see D chord. The final D7th is the chord outlined above.
Lyrics and chords:
G
Who's been here since I've been gone?
D7th~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G
Pretty little girl with a red dress on.
Who's been here since I've been gone?
D7th~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G
Pretty little girl with a red dress on.
CHO:
C~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G
Pretty little girl with a red dress on,
D~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G
Pretty little girl with a red dress on,
C~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G
Pretty little girl with a red dress on,
D7th~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G
Left me here to sing this song.
Who's been here since I've been gone?
Great big man with a derby on....etc.
Poor Howard was a poor boy,
Left me here to shout for joy....etc.
Of course, you could just tune your guitar in standard fashion and play the indicated chords, but you won't sound much like Lead Belly.
Enjoy the song!
Roger in Baltimore
sj