Back Door Blues

Written by 
Trad.
Released on 
Early Acoustic Dylan (–1965)
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

From the Banjo Tape, recorded in the Basement of Gerde's Folk City, Feb 8, 1863

Twelve-string guitar tuned down one half step (sounding key F# major).

This song has just about every distinctive feature of a great Dylan instrumental: a little figure which sounds intricate, but is really simple; a clear proof of his ability to use the flatpick style to pick out melodic finesses; a full sound with many open strings, and, hence, tones foreign to the chords; a consistent use of the high and low strings to emphasise rhythm and melodies; and a rock steady singing rhythm, to which the meter of the song just has to adapt.

The little figure is really simple: index finger on the first string, fifth fret, and ring finger alternating between the three highest strings on the seventh fret.

Because this is played on a twelve-string, there are figures and tones you will not get on an ordinary acoustic guitar; especially what is played on the third string pair, which has the highest tuned string on the guitar.

  D
  :     .     .      .     .       :     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-2-----2-----------/7-----------|-2-----2-----2-----|-5---5-5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|
|-3-----3-----------/9----(0)----|-3-----3-----3-----|-7---7-7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|
|-2-----2------------------0-----|-2-----2-----2-----|-0-----0-----7-----0-----0-----|
|-0-----0------------------------|-0-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----0-----------------|
|-0-----0------------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-2-----------------|-------------------------------|

    :     .     .      .       :     .     .     .         :     .     .     .
||--2-----2------------2-----|-------2---------2-2---2--||-------2-----------2-----|
||*-3-----3------------3-----|-------3---------3-3---3-*||-------3-----------3-----|
||--2-----2------------2-----|-------2---------2-2---2--||-------2-----------2-----|
||--0-----------0------0-----|-0-----0-----0-----0------||-0-----0-----0-----0-----|
||*-------------0------0-----|-0-----------0-----------*||-0-----------0-----------|
||--------------2------------|-2-----------2------------||-2-----------2-----------|
                                           I'd ra -  ther  see   my __________

  :     .     .      .       :     .     .     .       :     .      .     .
|-------2----/5---5--5---5-|-5---5-5---5-5---5-5---5-|-5---5-5---5-/5---5-0----|
|-------3----/7---7--0---0-|-7---7-7---7-0---0-0---0-|-7---7-7---7-/7-----0----|
|-------2-----0------7-----|-0-----------7-----------|-0------------------0----|
|-0-----0------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-0------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-2------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
                                                                through
  _________   cof -  fin     com - ing                 com - ing   my  back
                                               >
  :     .     .      .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2------2-----0-0-----|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|
|-------3---------3------3-----3-3-----|-3-----3---------3-3---3-|
|-2-----2-----2---2------2-----0-0-----|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|
|-0-----0-----0----------------0-0-----|-0-----0-----------0-----|
|-0----------------------------0-2-----|-------0-----------------|
|-2------------------0--h2-2-----------|-------2-----------------|
  door

                             G
  :     .     .      .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-2-----2----------2-2---2-|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------3----------------|
|-3-----3----------3-3---3-|-------0---------0-0---0-|-------0----------------|
|-2-----2----------2-2---2-|-------0---------0-0---0-|-------0----------------|
|-0-----0-----0------0-----|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----3-----2----|
|-0-----------0------------|-2-----------2-----------|-2----------------------|
|-2-----------2------------|-3-----------3-----------|-3----------------------|
        I'd   ra  -  ther    see   my ____________________________ cof - fin

                            D
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------------------------|-------2-----------2-----|/5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|
|-------------------------|-------3-----------3-----|/7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|
|-------------------------|-------2-----------2-----|-0-----7-----------------|
|-0-----------------0-----|-------0-----------0-----|-------------------------|
|-------1-----2-----------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-2-----------2-----------|-------------------------|
coming through my   back   -     door 
                                                      G
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---2-2---2-0-----|-------2---------2-2---2-|-3-----3---------3-3---3-|
|-------3---3-3---3-3-----|-------3---------3-3---3-|-0-----0---------0-0---0-|
|-------2---2-2---2-0-----|-------2---------2-2---2-|-0-----0---------0-0---0-|
|-------0-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----------0-----|
|-0-----------------2-----|-0-----------0-----------|-2-----------------------|
|-2-----------------------|-2-----------2-----------|-3-----------------------|
                                 I'd    ra - ther see ____  my _____________
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------3---3-------3-----|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------------------------|
|-------0---0-------0-----|-------0---------0-0---0-|-------------------------|
|-------0---0-------0-----|-------0---------0-0---0-|-------------------------|
|-2-----------0-----------|-------0-----------0-----|-3-----2-----0-----------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------1-----|
|-------------------------|-3-----------3-----------|-------------------------
___________   cof - fin     com - ing __________  com- ing through my   back
   
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2-2---2-|/5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|-------2---------2-2---2-|
|-------3---------3-3---3-|/7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|-------3---------3-3---3-|
|-------2---------2-2---2-|-0-----7-----------------|-------2---------2-2---2-|
|-------0-----------0-----|-------------------------|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|
|-0-----------------------|-------------------------|-0-----------0-----------|
|-------------2-----------|-------------------------|-2-----------2-----------|
  door _______

                            A7
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------3-----------3-----|-------3-----------3-----|
|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2-----|
|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2-----|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2-----|
|-0-----------0-----------|-0-----------0-----------|-0-----------0-----------|
|-2-----------2-----------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
              And   the     girl __________________________ I'm   lov - ing __

 :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------3-----------3-----|-------3-----------3-----|-------------------------|
|-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2-----|-------------------------|
|-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2-----|-------------------------|
|-------2-----------2-----|-------2-----------2-----|-------------------0-----|
|-0-----------0-----------|-0-----------0-----------|-0-----1-----2-----------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
_____________________________________  she says __________  she   don't _____

                            D
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------------------------|-------2---------2-2---2-|------/5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|
|-------------------------|-------3---------3-3---3-|------/7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|
|-------------------------|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------0-----7-----------------|
|-2-----3-----------2-----|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-0-----------------------------|
|-------------------------|-0-----------0-----------|-0-----------------------------|
|-------------------------|-2-----------2-----------|-2-----------------------------|
  love  me          no      more

    :     .     .     .      x4 :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
||--------2---------2-2---2--||------/5---5-5---5-7---5-|/5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|
||*-------3---------3-3---3-*||------/7---7-0---0-0-----|/7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|
||--------2---------2-2---2--||-------0-----7-----------|-0-----7-----------------|
||--0-----0-----0-----0------||-0-----------------------|-------------------------|
||*-0-----------0-----------*||-0-----------------------|-------------------------|
||--2-----------2------------||-2-----------------------|-------------------------|
                When you        see   me _______________________________________

  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------------------------|-------------------0-----|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-3-----2-----0-----------|-------0-----2-----------|
|-0-----------0-----------|-------------------1-----|-2-----------------------|
|-2-----------2-----------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
  lea - vin' ____________   Baby, I                   should have left  so


  :     .     .     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-----------0-----0-5---5-7---5-5---0-|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------2---------2-2---2-|
|-------6-----6-----0-----0-----7---0-|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------3---------3-3---3-|
|-------------------------0-----0-----|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------2---------2-2---2-|
|-0-----------------------------------|-0-----0-----------0-----|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|
|-0-----------------------------------|-0-----------------0-----|-0-----------0-----------|
|-------------------------------------|-2-----------0-----2-----|-2-----------2-----------|
  far.                                                                        when you

  G
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------------------------|
|-------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-----2-----0-----------|
|-2-----------2-----------|-2-----------2-----------|-------------------1-----|
|-3-----------3-----------|-3-----------3-----------|-------------------------|
  see   me ________________________________________   lea - vin' ____________

  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------3-----------3-----|-------3-----------------|
|-------0---------0-0---0-|-------0-----------0-----|-------0-----------------|
|-------0---------0-0---0-|-------0-----------0-----|-------0-----------------|
|-------0-----------0-----|-------0-----3-----------|-2-----------------------|
|-2-----------------------|-------------------------|-------------0-----2-----|
|-------------3-----------|-3-----------------------|-------------------------|
  -------------             Mama, I     feel  I       should have left  so

  D
  :     .     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2-2---2-3-----|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------2---------2-2---2-|
|-------3---------3-3---3-3-----|-------3---------3-3---3-|-------3---------3-3---3-|
|-------2---------2-2---2-0-----|-------2---------2-2---2-|-------2---------2-2---2-|
|-0-----------------0-----0-----|-0-----0-----------0-----|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|
|-------------------------2-----|-------0-----------------|-0-----------0-----------|
|-------------0-----2-----------|-------2-----------------|-2-----------2-----------|
  far

                                        A7
  :     .     .     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2-2---2-----2-2---2-|-------3---------3-3---3-|-3-----2-----------------|
|-------3---------3-3---3-----3-3---3-|-------2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2-----------------|
|-------2---------2-2---2-----2-2---2-|-------2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2-----------------|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----|-------2-----------2-----|-2-----2-----------------|
|-0-----------0-----------0-----------|-0-----------0-----------|-------0-----------------|
|-2-----------2-----------2-----------|-------------------------|-------------3-----0-----|
              Some        -             times ____________________            I'm   a-wond'-

  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-3-----3---------3-3---3-|-3-----3---------3-3---3-|-------------------------|
|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-------------------------|
|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-------------------------|
|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-3-----2-----0-----------|
|-------0-----------0-----|-0-----0-----------0-----|-------------------1-----|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
    -  rin' _______________________________________   Who   you _____________

                            D
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------------------------|-------2---------2-2---2-|/5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|
|-------------------------|-------3---------3-3---3-|/7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|
|-------------------------|-------2---------2-2---2-|-0-----7-----------------|
|-------0-----2-----3-----|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-------------------------|
|-2-----------------------|-0-----------0-----------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-2-----------2-----------|-------------------------|
 _____  think       you     are
 
  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|-------2---------2-3-----|-2-----2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2---2-2---2-|
|-------3---------3-3-----|-3-----3---------3-3---3-|-3-----3---3-3---3-|
|-------2---------2-0-----|h2-----2---------2-2---2-|-2-----2---2-2---2-|
|-0-----0-----0-----0-----|-0-----0-----------0-----|-0-----0-----0-----|
|-0-----------0----h2-----|-------0-----------------|-0-----------------|
|-2-----------2-----------|-------2-----------------|-2-----------------|

  :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .       :     .     .     .
|/5---5-5---5-7---5-5---0-|-2-----2--------------3--|-2-----------2----------||
|/7---7-0---0-0---0-7---0-|-3-----3--------------0--|-3-----------3----------||
|-0-----7-----------------|-2-----2--------------0--|-2-----------2----------||
|-------------------------|-0-----0-----0--------0--|-0-----------0----------||
|-------------------------|-0--------------1--2-----|-------------0----------||
|-------------------------|-2-----------------------|-------------2----------||

           D
I'd rather see my coffin coming through my back door
           G                                    D
I'd rather see my coffin coming through my back door
           G                                    D
I'd rather see my coffin coming through my back door
         A7                                             D
And the girl I'm loving, she says she don't love me no more

When you see me leaving, baby, I should have left so far
When you see me leaving, Mama, I feel I should have left so far
Sometimes I'm a-wond'rin' who you think you are.

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