And
F____3>4____4<2___1________||_____4____2____1_________
D_____________________0____||____________________0____
This is the actual lick, and these are the finish notes only.
This lick is done by sliding from the 3rd to the 4th fret and then back up to
the 2nd fret. It can be done as two separate picks or as only one pick with a
smooth up and back down the neck motion. Then finger and play the first fret,
then the open four string. All of this should be done as a very flowing, smooth
lick. The note on the 3rd string first fret can also be a pull-off from the 2nd
fret note. Above I also showed the finish notes. These are just the notes them-
selves without the slides, so you can see which ones you're aiming for within
the lick. There are several variations on this lick, both with timing or with
additional notes, but this is the basic figure as used in this, and several
other of Skip's D-minor tunes (ei. Cherry Ball Blues, Devil Got My Woman, etc).
Skip and John both frequently used a John Lee Hooker-ish multiple hammer-on
on that 3rd string/first fret note repeated after the open 4th string that
ends the lick above, and then adding one of the "rhythmic figures" shown down
below after the tab for the first verse.
Now I'll start on the first verse. This verse, with or without improvised
changes, can also be used as an intro to the piece.
D_________________________0___________0____________0___________
A_______________________0___________0____________0_____________
F_____________________0___________0____________0_______________
D_____________0_____3________3__2__________0_3__________3___0__
____0h3_______________________________________________________
You know that hard times 'r here and everywhere you go
______0___________________________________________________________________
F____0________0______0___________________0_________________________________
D__0________0______0_________0_________0____________(insert sig lick now)__
A_________3______0_________0_________0_____________________________________
D________________________0_________3________3__0___________________________
Times is harder than they been before
F______1______(sig lick)__________1_________(sig lick)_____________
D______0__________________________0________________________________
A_________0___________________________0____________________________
D__0__________________________0____________________________________
Whoa-o-o..... oh-o........
________________________________________0________________________
A______________________________________0______0___________________
F______1_______(sig lick)____________2____________________________
D______0___________________________2______________________________
A__________0_____________________0________________________________
D__0________________________________________________0_____________
Whoa-o-o oh-o oh
D_____3__________2________1______________0______________________
A___4___4______3___3____2___2_________0_________________________
________________________________0h1____________________________
___________________________________________0___________________
(turnaround line to next verse or ending)
D___________4p0______________3p0______________2p0______________0______
A______3______ 3________2________2_______1_______1__________0________
F___4____4_________ ___3___3____________2___2____________0h1__________
_________________________________________________________0___________
(this is another variation turnaround to next verse or an ending)
The above is done using a pull-off to the open note from the picked note. Other
notes in the open strings can be added as well if desired.
D________0___3___3___3___0___2___0___3___3___3___0____0________________________
A__0h3__ _________________________________________________3____0_______________
F____________4___4___4___0___2___0___4___4___4_________________________0__2p0__
D___0____0____________________________________________0___0____0___0___0______0
A__________________________________________________0_______________________0___
D________________________________________________0_________________0__________0
(This is a semi-melody line guitar instrumental for between two verses)
The sequence above is a series of thumb and first-finger pinches with a few
rolling slow arpeggiations added. Follow it with the "signature lick" (with
or without one of the rhythmic figures that are shown in the example below).
Slides, especially to the 3/4 pairs, can be added for more expression.
Again, this can be improvised as seen fit.
D____________________0_____ __________0_______________0_______
__________________________ ___0h2____________________________
F______________0h1_________ ___________________0h1____________
D_______0__________________ or ______________0___________________
__0h2_____________________ __________________________________
D__________0_____________0_ ______________0________________0__
(Here are "rhythmic figures" that can be used with or in place of the signature
lick shown at the beginning. Skip frequently added one of these. He sometimes
would vamp between these and his sig lick several times before the next verse
and used them frequently as fills when they might fit in a given time-space.
Again, he frequently used multiple hammers on the 0-hammer-1 note above.)
The final ending chord to one of his D-minor tunes would frequently be 000130
which is a D7 chord, or a single note on the open second string followed by
this d7 chord.
"Hard Time Killin' Floor" by Nehemiah "Skip" James, 1930
You know that hard times are here an' everywhere you go.
Times is harder than they been before.
Whoa-o-o, Oh-o. Whoa-o-o, Oh-o Oh. (Sung, moaned or hummed between verses)
And the people are driftin' from door to door
Can't find no heaven, don't care where they go.
You hear me singing my lonesome song
These hard times can last so very long.
If I ever get off of this killin' floor,
I'll never get down this low no more.
You say you have money, you better be sure.
These hard times will drive you from door to door.
Gonna sing this song, ain't gonna sing no more.
These hard times will drive you from door to door.