Tune Req: I Believe I'll Dust My Broom (R Johnson)

Subject: Seeking Tab and Tuning to Dust My Broom
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 11:03 AM

I have been seeking tab for Robert Johnson's "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" I have been able to find it for the Elmore James version, but this is different to Johnson's. I am also curious as to the tunings that Robert used on this and other songs.

Steve Latimer

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Dave T
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 10:24 PM

Steve,

I have the tab for this and all other Robert Johnson tunes in a book by Scott Ainslie and Dave Whitehill. Here's the book info:
Scott Ainslie and Dave Whitehill, "Robert Johnson: At The Crossroads - The Authoritative Guitar Transcriptions", Hal Leonard Publishing, 1992.
The book is pretty good and has some interesting historical notes. If you're a Robert Johnson fan you might want to have a look at it.
If I get a chance and no one beats me to it, I'll transcribe the tab to ASCII Text and post it. Johnson plays this song in Open E (EBEG#Be). I play in Open D (DADF#Ad) because it suits my vocal range and it's easier to switch tunings from open D to DADGAD if I feel like it.
Dave T

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 29 Nov 98 - 09:56 PM

I've never sat down and tuned to Robert Johnston's guitar on his recordings but have always thought of him thinking and working out of G tuning.First string D then B G D G D .Thanks Dave T. I thuoght everyone eles played dust my broom out of D {E} but I always assumed RJ did it in G .I'll go listen alittle closer. Steve I've always liked learning from the inspiration of the performance of a master like Robert Johnson. There is so much to be gotten from the struggle of listening and playing.It's alot longer to get there but you learn so much more on the ride. Good luck with the tab..................Long live good slide playing...

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: To Dave And Guy
Date: 30 Nov 98 - 10:41 AM

Thank you for your input. I must confess that I'm seeking this for my sister, a singer songwriter guitarist who is jumping into slide. I got her tab for Johnny Winter's "Dallas" and "Broke Down Engine" that she found helpful to get started, but abandoned after she got the basic idea and just plays along to the tape now. She is now performing "Dallas" in her live set. "Dust My Broom", a great song in it's own right, opens up so many musical doors as the basic riff has been used in so many other songs.

Dave, I will definately look for the book as I believe Robert Johnson to be so important to all of the music that followed him. We would greatly appreciate it if you could post the tab.

Regards,

Steve Latimer

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 30 Nov 98 - 08:40 PM

Steve,

If your sister is interested in slide, there are some good teaching tapes available. Scott Ainslie has a tape of Robert Johnson's guitar techniques. It includes Kindhearted Woman Blues, Sweet Home Chicago, Drunken Hearted Man, Ramblin' on My Mind, Walkin's Blues, Come on in My Kitchen and Cross Road Blues.

Bob Brozman has an excellent tape as well on Bottleneck Blues Guitar. His focus is more on techniques and riffs than on whole songs, but he is very informative.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: To Roger in Baltimore
Date: 04 Dec 98 - 02:00 PM

Roger,

Thank you for the information about the Robert Johnson material, will look for it, I'm sure that it will be most helpful. It might even inspire this 5 string picker to learn to play slide guitar. I'm sure that Susan will make much better use of it though.

Sorry that I didn't post this thank you earlier, I've been out of town for a few days.

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Dave T
Date: 05 Dec 98 - 08:10 AM

I'll try my best to get the TAB finished. I've never posted TAB here, so I'll look into that first. I play it a bit differently than the way it's transcribed in Ainslie's book. I suspect, Johnson himself played it differently each time he performed anyway. Also, Johnson does not use a slide in this piece. He plays it more like a straight 12-bar number. Personally, my favourite Robert Johnson slide piece is Come In My Kitchen which is in Open G (or A). Anyway, I really will try to get the TAB transcribed and posted.
Dave T

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Dave T
Date: 07 Dec 98 - 02:20 PM

Dave,

Thanks, I'll watch for it.

Wouldn't it be great if there was better sound quality on Robert's old recordings? I have a tough time with his lyrics. Fabulous stuff though.

Regards,

Steve Latimer

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Dave T
Date: 09 Dec 98 - 10:53 PM

I think this should do it. I tried using some TAB writing software and converting to text, but I wasn't happy with the results. I ended up using a text editor. Once that was done I've converted it to HTML. I'm pretty sure there aren't any tab characters in the text so this should work, since I've tested this with my browser. However, if it doesn't, we can always ask Joe Offer to fix it up.

  I Believe I'll Dust My Broom - Robert Johnson
  
                                                     I'm gon'
     1      2      3      4      1      2      3      4
  d 12--12-12--12-12--12-12--12---------9------9------9---9--
  A -----------------------------------10-----10-----10--10--
  F#------------------------------------7------7-------------
  D 12-----10------9------8-------------7------7-------------
  A -----------------------------7------7------7-------------
  D -----------------------------7---7--7------7-------------
  
     get up     in the mornin'                   I
     1        2        3      4      1      2     
  d 10-10-10-10-10-10-10--------------------------
  A 12-12-12-12-12-12-12--------------------------
  F#----------------------------------------------
  D ----------------------------------------------
  A -----------------------0--2---2--0------2---2-
  D -----------------------0--0---0--0---0--0---0-
  
  
  believe I'll dust my broom                                 I'm gon'
     1        2        3        4        1      2      3      4
  d 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12-10-10-----------------------------
  A 12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-----------------------------
  F#----------------------------------------------------------------
  D --------------------------------------------0-------------------
  A -------------------------------------0---0--2---2--0---0--2---2-
  D -------------------------------------0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-
  
  
     get up  in the mornin'     I believe I'll       dust my broom
     1      2      3      4      1      2      3      4
  d --------9---9--5----------------------------------------
  A --------------------------------------------------------
  F#--------------------------------------------------------
  D --------------------------------------------------------
  A -5---5--7---7--5---5--7---7--5---5--7---7--5---5--7---7-
  D -5---5--5---5--5---5--5---5--5---5--5---5--5---5--5---5-
  
  
                                                     Girlfriend the
     1        2        3        4       1      2      3      4
  d 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12-10-10----------------------------
  A 12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12----------------------------
  F#---------------------------------------------------------------
  D -------------------------------------------0---0--0------------
  A ----------------------------------------0--2---2--0---0--2---2-
  D ------------------------------------0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-
  
  black men you been lovin          girlfriend can get my room
     1      2      3      4      1      2      3      4
  d -----------------------------9---9---------------------
  A -------------------------------------------------------
  F#-------------------------------------------------------
  D -------------------------------------------------------
  A -7---7--9---9--7---7--9---9--5---5--7---7--5---5--7---7-
  D -7---7--7---7--7---7--7---7--5---5--5---5--5---5--5---5-
  
  
     1      2      3      4      1      2      3      4
  d 12-----12--12-12--12-12--12---------9------9------9---9--
  A -----------------------------------10-----10-----10--10--
  F#------------------------------------7------7-------------
  D 12-----10------9------8-------------7------7-------------
  A -----------------------------7------7------7-------------
  D -0---------------------------7---7--7------7-------------
  
  I'm gon' get up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
  I'm gon' get up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
  Girlfriend the black men you been lovin'
   girlfriend can get my room
  
  I'm gon write a letter, telephone every town I know
  I'm gon write a letter, telephone every town I know
  If I can't find her in West Helena
   she must be in East Monroe I know
  
  I don't want no woman, wants every downtown man she meets
  I don't want no woman, wants every downtown man she meets
  She's a no good doney,
   they shouldn't allow her on the streets
  
  I believe, I believe I'll go back home
  I believe, I believe I'll go back home
  You can mistreat me here baby,
   but you can't when I go home
  
  I'm gettin' up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
  I'm gettin' up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom
  Girlfriend the black men you been lovin'
   girlfriend can get my room
  
  I'm gon' call up China, see is my good girl over there
  I'm gon' call up China, see is my good girl over there
  If I can't find her on Phillipine's Island,
   she must be in Ethiopia somewhere
  

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: To Dave T
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 09:35 AM

Dave,

Thanks for the above tab. It came out very well. We certainly appreciate teh work you've done. Let me know if there is anything that we can do to return the favour.

Regards,

Steve Latimer

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Jon W.
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 10:37 AM

Wonderful job, Dave.

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: Dave T
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 06:33 PM

Steve,

It's been a pleasure. If you could let us all know how your sister gets along with the tune, that would be great.

Jon W, Thanks.

Dave T

Subject: RE: Seeking Tab and Tuning to
From: To Dave T
Date: 11 Dec 98 - 10:41 AM

I gave it to Susan last night. She feels that she will be performing it soon. She had a gig in Oshawa, Ontario (just east of Toronto) last night. We got quite a treat, at the end of the night a fellow came in who Susan had met the week before. He has jammed with Johnny Winter and played in bands before. He got up and jammed with Susan, played acoustic slide, did "Little Red Rooster", "King Bee", "Meantown Blues" and a few others. What a thrill to hear someone play so effortlessly. He also is a piper, says that's his real love now. Man, good live music can't be beat.

Thanks again, will let you know how it goes over.

Regards,

Steve Latimer