Truckin'

Written by 
Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter
Released on 
Miscellaneous
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

More or less as played by Bob Dylan and band in Tokyo, 12 April 2023. For the lyrics, I’ve used the Grateful Dead’s version, rather than trying to decipher what Dylan actually sings.

The recurring E riff:
  E
  :     .     .     .       
|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|
|-----------0-------------|
|-------0h2---------2p0---|
|-0---0-----------------3-|


The thing in the bridge:
  G            D/f#          A
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       
|-----------------------0-|--------------------------|
|-----------------------2-|--------------------------|
|-----------------------2-|--------------------------|
|-0---------------------2-|--------------------------|
|-2---------------------0-|--------------------------|
|-3-----------2---0-2-----|--------------------------|

E
Truckin', got my chips cashed in
A
Keep truckin', like the do-dah man
   B
Together, more or less in line
A                         
Just keep truckin' on

E 

E
Arrows of neon and flashing marquees out on Main Street

Chicago, New York, Detroit and it's all on the same street

Your typical city involved in a typical daydream

Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings

E
Dallas, got a soft machine
A
Houston, too close to New Orleans
B  
New York got the ways and means
A
But just won't let you be

Most of the cats that you meet on the street speak of true love
Most of the time, they're sittin' and cryin' at home
One of these days they know they better be goin'
Out of the door and down to the street all alone

Truckin', like the do-dah man
Once told me, "You've got to play your hand"
Sometimes the cards ain't worth a dime
If you don't lay 'em down

A                                         G   .   F# E F#  A  .
Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me
A                  D       A              G   .   F# E F#  A  .
Other times, I can barely see
D               B       F#
   Lately, it occurs to me
A                               E
What a long, strange trip it's been

What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isn't the same
Livin' on reds, vitamin C, and cocaine
All a friend can say is, "Ain't it a shame?"

Truckin', up to Buffalo
Been thinkin', you got to mellow slow
It takes time, you pick a place to go
And just keep truckin' on

Sittin' and starin' out of the hotel window
Got a tip they're gonna kick the door in again
I'd like to get some sleep before I travel
But if you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in

Busted, down on Bourbon Street
Set up, like a bowlin' pin
Knocked down, it gets to wearin' thin
They just won't let you be

You're sick of hangin' around and you'd like to travel
Get tired of travelin', you want to settle down
I guess they can't revoke your soul for tryin'
Get out of the door and light out and look all around

Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me
Other times, I can barely see
Lately, it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it's been

Truckin', I'm a goin' home
Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin' on

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