Let's Keep It Between Us

Written by 
Bob Dylan
Released on 
Gospel Period (1979–81) and The Bootleg Series vol. 16: Springtime in New York 1980–1985
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

Performed during the gospel tours in 1980

Played (with Bob at the piano) in Eb major, which isn’t very nice of him, from a guitar perspective.
The version with a capo on the 1st fret is reasonable and is the main version, with the original key and a version capoed on the 3rd fret given as alternatives.

The long stretches on A (“Folks meddlin’…”) should with played with a standard blues shuffle.

For all the 11 chords, I recommend using the four-string versions rather than the open string versions, even where those are possible.

The intro is played like this (the open d string at the end of the first measure is a sign that it is played uncapoed, hence the original key):

  Cm    Cmmaj7 Cm7  Cm6     Ab    Eb    Fm    Bb11
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .      
|-------------------------|-----4-----3-1-----------|
|-------------------------|---4-----4---1-----------|
|-------4-----3-----------|-5-----3-----1-----------|
|-----------5-----5-7---0-|-6-----5-----------------|
|-3---3-------------------|-------------------1-----|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
Chords 
Bmmaj7 x24332 or x1443x
Bm7    x24232 or 5x4232
Bm6    x26432 or 4x443x
G11    3x3211
A11    5x543x (or x00000)
Bm7/f# 224232
Em7    020000
Bm Bmmaj7 Bm7 Bm6 
G D Em

      A11       D       G11
Let's keep it between us.
A
 Folks meddlin' in our affairs, 

they're not our friends.
                D       G11
Let's keep it between us
A
 'Fore the whole thing breaks down 

and comes to an end.
          Bm           Bmmaj7/a# Bm7/a  Bm6/g#
They tell you one thing, tell    me    another
        G          E7/g#  A11
till we don't know who to trust.
    D       G11
Oh, darlin',
                D         A11
Let's keep it between us.

Let's keep it between us.
We've been through too much together 
that they've never shared.
They've had nothing to say to us before,
Now all of a sudden 
it's as if they've always cared.
All we need is honesty,
just a little humility and trust.
Oh, darlin', 
can we keep it between us?

Let's keep it between us
'Fore it all breaks down 
and goes to fire.
If we can't settle it by ourselves,
we must be worse off 
than we think we are.
Backseat drivers don't know the feel of the wheel,
but they sure know how to make a fuss.
Oh, darlin', 
can we keep it between us?

Bm                  /a#
I know we're not perfect
/a             G
then again, so what?
      Bm                     /a#
There ain't no reason treat me like a slave
/a               G
Treat you like a slut
         Bm7/f# Em7       A11
And it's just   makin' me angry.

Can we lay back for a moment
'fore we wake up and find ourselves
in a game we both have lost?
Well, these instant cures and easy answers –
something tells me 
we can't afford the cost.
There are some things not fit for human ears,
Some things don't need to be discussed
Oh, darlin', 
can we keep it between us?

Can we keep it between us?
Too much happiness 
just makes the hair rise on the head.
They talked about us both behind our back
so loud I could hear 
every word they said.
Well, in this company we'll fall,
Let's just move to the back of the bus.
Oh, darlin', 
can we keep it between us?

I know we're not perfect
then again, so what?
There ain't no reason treat me like a slave
An treat you like a slut
And it's just makin' me angry.

Can we lay back for a while,
'Fore the whole thing breaks down 
and goes to fire.
If we can't settle it by ourselves,
Honey, we must be worse off 
than we think we are.
In this company we're gonna fall,
Let's just move to the back of the back of the bus.
Oh, darlin', 
can we keep it between us?

Version in C major (capo 3rd fret)

                C         F11
Let's keep it between us.
      G
These people meddlin' in our affairs, they're not our friends.
                C         F11
Let's keep it between us
G
Before the last door closes and the whole thing breaks down and ends.
     Am      /g#             /g    D/f#
They tell me one thing, tell you another
        F          D9/f#  G11
'til we don't know who to trust.
    C        F11
Oh, darlin',
                 C         G11
can we keep it between us?

Am                  /g#
I know we're not perfect
/g             F
But then again, so what?
Am                       /g#
There ain't no reason to treat me like I was a slave
/g                       F
Treat you like you was a slut
         Am7/e Dm7       G11
And it's all   makin' me angry.

Original key (Eb major)

Cm Cmmaj7 Cm7 Cm6 
Ab Eb Fm
                Eb       Ab11
Let's keep it between us.
Bb
 Folks meddlin' in our affairs, they're not our friends.
                Eb       Ab11
Let's keep it between us
Bb
 'Fore the whole thing breaks down and comes to an end.
          Cm           Cmmaj7/b Cm7/bb  Cm6/a    
They tell you one thing, tell   me    another
        Ab         F7/a   Bb11
till we don't know who to trust.
    Eb       Ab11
Oh, darlin',
                Eb         Bb11
Let's keep it between us.

Cm                  /b
I know we're not perfect
/bb             Ab
But then again, so what?
Cm                       /b
There ain't no reason to treat me like I was a slave
/bb                      Ab
Treat you like you was a slut
         Cm7/g Fm7       Bb11
And it's all   makin' me angry.

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