Quit Your Low Down Ways

Written by 
Bob Dylan
Released on 
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3: Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991 (1991) and The Bootleg Series, Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 (2010)
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem
Tuning: 
Double Drop D

To some extent based on Bob Wills’ Brain Cloudy Blues.
Recorded Jul 9, 1962 during The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan sessions.

This one eluded me for a while; I thought it was in open g tuning for a while (because of the G7 chord), but couldn’t then find a practical way of playing the other chords. I’m pretty confident about the 5x0003 shape, though. I haven’t heard Dylan use it elsewhere in this tuning (but he uses a similar shape in Barbara Allen, in simple Drop D tuning), but nothing happens during that chord, and that’s evidence that it is fingered in a way that prevents things from happening, such as the suggestion. Besides, it works.
The real tricky part is the rhythm, of course, with its constant changes between triple and duple time. I’ve noted in the verses where the riff (first bar of intro) begins, and where the beats fall in the text (usually the riff begins with an upbeat 3—–; I’ve marked that with a comma).

According to Vince Cancilla, the “You’re gonna need my help someday” part is copied exactly text and melody from Bob Wills’ “Brain Cloudy Blues” from the 1940’s. “The last two lines also follow the same melody. He even sings it the same way, with that high pitched neeeed.” (V.C.)

Capo 5th fret.

Chords 
D5     000230
D7sus4 000010
G      xx0000
G7     5x0003
A      202222 (w/thumb)
C9     030030

Intro (1st bar=riff):

  :       .       .              :       .       .         :       .
|-----3---0---0-0-0-0-----|----|-----3---0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0-------0-0-0-0--
|---------0---1-1-1-1-----|----|-------------1-1-1-1-0---|-3-------3-3-3-3--
|-------------0-0-0-0-----| x4,|-------------0-0-0-0-0---|-2-------2-2-2-2--
|-------------0-0-0-0-----|then|-------------0-0-0-0-0---|-0-------0-0-0-0--
|-------------0-0-0-0-----|----|-------------------------|-0-------0-0-0-0--
|(0)------------------3---|----|-0-----------------------|-0-------0-0-0-0--
                                                                   Well, you can

D5            riff   .        .
Well, you can   read out your Bible,
.     , riff      .       .
You can fall down on your knees,
,   riff        .            .
And pray to the Lord, pretty mama,
,      riff        .     .    D7sus4-G
But it ain't gonna do no good.
             G7 *) . . . riff .  .
You're gonna need_________
   .       ,riff  . . ,riff . .
my help someday
      D5   A         .         .           .
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
**)        .         .   ,    riff x2
Please     quit your low down ways.

*)
  :       .         :       .         :       .         :       .
|-3---3-3-3-3-3---|-3---3-3-3-3-3---|-----3---0---0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-----3--
|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-------------1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-0---|--------
|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-------------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|--------
|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-------------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0---etc
|-----------------|-----------------|-------------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0------
|-5---------------|-5---------------|-5-----------0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0------
  nee   -   -   -   -     -    -  ee   -     -     -    heed my help some day
  need,                       you're gonna need___________   my help some day

**)
  :       .       .       .       .          :       .       .
|-----3---0-------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0------|-----3---0---0-0-0-0-0---
|-----------------1-------1-1-1-1-1-1------|-------------1-1-1-1-0---
|-----------------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0------|-------------0-0-0-0-0---
|-----------------0-------0-0-0-0-0-0------|-------------0-0-0-0-0---
|-------------0----------------------------|-------------------------
|-0-----------0-----------------------3----|-0-------------------3---
  please______________    quit yr lowdown    ways

D5      riff    .           .
You can     run down to the desert,
.       riff       .           .
you can stick your head in the sand
        riff     .          .              riff     .         .
You can raise up your right hand, but your good man   ain't a-comin' home,
    riff        D7sus4
you better understand
       G     G7
You're gonna need
                              riff
You're gonna need my help someday
 .     .               .       riff      .    .  D5
(someday, you're gonna need my help, someday)
           A
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
riff . . .         .        riff x2
Please   quit your low down ways.

D5        /c riff    .           .
Now, you can     run down to the White House,
.       riff        .       .
You can gaze on the Capitol Dome,
        riff         .           .            riff
You can knock on the President's gate, pretty mama,
        .               /f /d  /f    /d
But you know it's gonna be too late.
/f       /d  G7 *)
You're gonna need
                              riff  .   .
You're gonna need my help someday
    .        riff  .  .  D5
(my help someday)
           A
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
riff . . .         .        riff
Please   quit your low down ways.

            riff     .           .
And you can     hitchhike on the highway,
.       riff       .           .               .
You can stand all alone by the side of the road.
       riff      .      .            .
try to flag a ride back home, pretty mama,
        riff    .     .             .      .
But you ain't a-gonna ride in my car no more.
             G7
You're gonna need
                              riff .
You're gonna need my help someday
    .   .
(oh yes, yeah)
Well, if y'all can't quit your sinnin'

Please quit your low down ways.

So, you can read out your Hymn book,
You can fall down on your knees
And pray to the Lord, pretty mama,
But it ain't gonna do no good.
You're gonna need
You're gonna need my help someday
(oh, wait and see)
if y'all can't quit your sinnin'
Please quit your low down ways.

  D5          C9  D5
  :       .       .
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-------||
|-3---3-3---3-3---3-------||
|-2---2-2---2-0---2-------||
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-------||
|-0---0-0---0-3---0-------||
|-0---0-0---0-0---0-------||

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