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Chords/Tabulature for
Don't Let It Bring You Down

Version 1 submitted by: David M (davidjo@ozemail.com.au)
Version 2 submitted by: Richie Hand (r.hand@genie.geis.com)

Notes about this song:

  • We have 2 tabs here. I haven't checked them in detail, but they seem to be different, so here's them both.
  • First version has no comments beyond what's below.
  • Comments on second version (from Richie):

    Saw your tab on Don't Let It Bring You Down. I thought I would toss out mine, also. It came partially from the Broken Arrow publication, and partly my refinements. If any of you have the BBC video, then this would be a good guide to figuring out this great tune. The open Bb tuning you listed could be from a tape that was recorded at the wrong speed. On the other hand, Neil has started doing some songs in lower keys, so it is possible that he decided to drop it another notch. If you have a good instrument, you can hear the deep note that I have added (C4) which gives an eerie mood to the song. I'm convinced that it is played that way.


Version 1
Standard TUNING = EADGBE                                 
                                                         
DLIBYD 4WS Version =      C  G C  F  A C                 
                                                         
DLIBYD Seattle Version =  Bb F Bb Eb G Bb                
                                                         
String No =               6  5 4  3  2 1                 
                                                         
* = 12th fret                                            
H = Harmonics                                            
                                                         
Intro:                                                   
                                                         
 654321  654321  654321         654321  654321  654321   
 000230  032010  032000         000230  333010  032000   
                                                         
 654321  654321  654321         654321  654321  654321   
 000230  032010  032000         000230  333010  032000   
                                                         
Verse:                                                   
                                                         
654321                                                   
000230                                                   
Old man lying by the side of the road                    
                                                         
          654321                                         
          000560                                         
With the lorries rolling by                              
                                                         
654321                                                   
000780                                                   
Blue moon sinking from the weight of the load            
      
                                                                           
        654321              654321                                         
        X88760              577555                                         
And the buildings scrape the sky                                           
                                                                           
654321                                                                     
000230                                                                     
Cold wind rippin' down the alley at dawn                                   
                                                                           
        654321                                                             
        000560                                                             
And the mornin' paper flies                                                
                                                                           
654321                                                                     
000780                                                                     
Dead man lying by the side of the road                                     
                                                                           
            654321       654321                                            
            X88760       577555                                            
With the daylight in his eyes                                              
                                                                           
                                                                           
Chorus:                                                                    
                      654321                654321                         
                      550030                032010                         
Dont let it bring you down its only castles burning                        
                                                                           
                        654321                  654321                     
                        X22000                  000230 (back to Intro) 
Just find someone who's turning & you will come around                     
                                                                           
Last part:                                                                 
                      654321                654321                         
                      000230                X20030                         
Dont let it bring you down its only castles burning                        
                                                                           
                        654321                  654321   654321            
                        X22030                  XX7777H  XX****H           
Just find someone who's turning & you will come around                     
                                                                           
 654321   654321                                                           
 XX7777H  XX****H                                                          

Verse 2                                              
                                                     
Blind man running through the light of the night     
With an answer in his hand                           
Come on down to the river of sight                   
And you can really understand                        
Red lights flashing through the window in the rain   
Can you hear the sirens moan                         
White cane lying in the gutter in the lane           
If you're walking home alone                         

Version 2
                    DON'T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN                    
            (Guitar tuned to open "C" i.e. C G C F A C)            
               (Chords shown are for "D" tuning)                   
                                                                   
           DM                  C                  C4               
      O O O 1 3 O         O 3 2 O 1 O         O 3 2 O 1 O          
 1    | | | | | | |       | | | | |0| |       | | | | |0| |        
 2    | | | |0| | |       | | |0| | | |       | | | | | | |        
 3    | | | | |0| |       | |0| | | | |       |0|0| | | | |        
 4    | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |        
 5    | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |        
                                                                   
           FM                  GM                 Bb               
      O O O 1 3 O         O O O 1 3 O         O 3 4 2 1 O          
 5    | | | |0| | | 5th   | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |        
 6    | | | | |0| |       | | | | | | |       | | | | |0| | 6th    
 7    | | | | | | |       | | | |0| | | 7th   | | | |0| | |        
 8    | | | | | | |       | | | | |0| |       | |0|0| | | |        
 9    | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |        
                                                                   
           G7                 Em(7)                G               
      3 4 O O 1 1         O 2 3 O(4)O         3 4 O O 1 O          
 1    | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |        
 2    | | | | | | |       | |0|0| | | |       | | | | | | |        
 3    | | | | |0|0|       | | | | |o| |       | | | | |0| |        
 4    | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |       | | | | | | |        
 5    |0|0| | | | |       | | | | | | |       |0|0| | | | |        
                                                                   
          Am7                                      D               
      O 3 4 1-1-1                             O O O 1 3 4          
 5    | | | |0|0|0| 5th                  1    | | | | | | |        
 6    | | | | | | |                      2    | | | |0| | |        
 7    | |0|0| | | |                      3    | | | | |0| |        
 8    | | | | | | |                      4    | | | | | |0|        
 9    | | | | | | |                      5    | | | | | | |        
                                                                   
                                                                   
DM, FM, & GM refer to modal chords as shown in chart.              
                                                                   
H7 & H12 are harmonics played at their respective positions on     
 the 1st four strings.(not shown)                                  
                                                                   
Note:  Em in the song is actually Em7 anyway, although I don't     
 hear double D in the 4-Way Street version, which is where this    
 transcription came from.                                          

Guitar Tuned to "C" modal. Chords shown are for "D" modal.         
                                                                   
     DM       CM             DM       C4                           
 1,2  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  / (repeat)      
                                                                   
     DM                                                            
 1A   Old Man sittin' by the side of the road with the             
 1B   Cold wind rippin' down the alley at dawn and the             
 2A   Blind man runnin' through the light of the night with an     
 2B   Red lights flashin' through the window in the rain and you   
                                                                   
     FM                                                            
 1A   lorries rollin' by,                                          
 1B   mornin' paper flies                                          
 2A   answer in his hand                                           
 2B   hear the siren moan                                          
                                                                   
     GM                                                            
 1A   Blue moon sinkin' from the weight of the load and the        
 1B   Dead man lyin' by the side of the road with the              
 2A   Come on down to the river of sight and you can               
 2B   White cane lyin' in a gutter in the lane if you're           
                                                                   
     Bb                     Am7                G7                  
 1A   Buildings scrape the   sky. (to 1B)                          
 1B   daylight  in     his   eyes. Don't let it bring you down     
 2A   really           under stand (to 2B)                         
 2B   walkin'          home  alone Don't let it bring you down     
                                                                   
                       C4                          Em(7)           
 1,2  It's only castles burning,  find someone whos turning,       
                                                                   
                         DM (repeat intro, then to 2,3)            
 1,2  And you will come around. (only DM,CM,DM before 3)           
                                                                   
                            D                        G             
 3    Don't let it bring you down.  It's only castles burning..    
                             Em(7)                                 
 3    Just find someone who's turning.. And you will come          
                                                                   
     H7          H12         H7          H12                       
     /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /  /)               
 3    around.                                                      
                                                                   
     Note: H7 & H12 refer to harmonics played at respective frets  
           on 1st 4 strings.

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