Recorded Oct 24, 1963 during the sessions for The Times They Are a-Changin’
Capo 2nd fret (sounding key A major)
The strumming is very square, and only with downstrokes.
D /c /b-a G C . . . : . . . --2-----------|-3---3---3---3---|-0----- --3-----------|-0---0---0---0---|-1----- --2---2---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0----- etc --0---0---0-0-|-0---0---0---0---|-2----- ------3---2-0-|-2---2(0)2---2(0)|-3----- --------------|-3---3(0)3---3(0)|-3----- Lay down your wea - ry tune . . .
D /c /b-a G C G
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Em D
Lay down the song you strum,
/c /b-a G D/a G C
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
G D /c-b G . D
No voice can hope to hum.
/c /b-a G C G
Struck by the sounds before the sun,
I knew the night had gone.
The morning breeze like a bugle blew
Against the drums of dawn.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum,
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.
The ocean wild like an organ played,
The seaweed's wove its strands.
The crashin' waves like cymbals clashed
Against the rocks and sands.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum,
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.
I stood unwound beneath the skies
And clouds unbound by laws.
The cryin' rain like a trumpet sang
And asked for no applause.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum,
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.
The last of leaves fell from the trees
And clung to a new love's breast.
The branches bare like a banjo played
To the winds that listened best.
I gazed down in the river's mirror
And watched its winding strum.
The water smooth ran like a hymn
And like a harp did hum.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum,
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.