Back to top

Don't Pity Me

Tabbed by 

Performed by Bob Dylan in Joliette, Quebec, July 31 1989 (a one-off).
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem and Jamie Lovinger

On my tape (thanks, Jamie), it sounds as if he actually plays it in F# major. On the other hand, the final chord sounds very much like a G shape chord, which is also much easier to play. I append a version in G major at the end.

The lyrics are full of blanks the word within brackets are not really meaningful suggestions, just words that sound like what he’s singing, mainly to have something to place the chords on…


F#       A#m B       F#
Pity the man got one arm
F#       A#m          B        (F#  first verse only)
pity the woman that's lost her charm
F#    /a# C# D#m B             (first verse: ...D#m C#...)
Don't you pi-ty  me
F# /a# C# D#m  B   F#
Don't     pity me

Pity the child out in the cold
Pity the woman <that back one time let go>
Don't pity me
Don't pity me
B
You got a <little better>

<playin' with me> or <it's plain to see>
G#                C#
So don't you pity me.
Pity the angel, got no way to stay
Pity the <stranger or dancers> getting old and grey
Don't pity me
Don't pity me

You got a <little better>
<If you're playin' with me> or <it's plain to see>
So don't you pity me.

Pity the man got one arm
pity the woman that's lost her charm
Don't pity me
Don't pity me

G        Bm  C       G
Pity the man got one arm
G        Bm           C        (G    first verse only)
pity the woman that's lost her charm
G     /b  D  Em  C
Don't you pi-ty  me
G   /b D Em   C  G
Don't    pity me

Contact

Corrections, additions, questions? Contact me