#--------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship or research.#
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Song title:      Love In Vain Blues
Original Album:	 - (single, 1939)
Other Albums:    The Complete Recordings (1990)

Words and Music by Robert Johnson
Copyright © 1937 Vocation Records
Published by Hal Leonard Music Publishing

Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfrets.net)


NOTES:
Tuning is Open G (DGDGBD). 
The version on The Complete Recordings sounds to be in the key of G# so,
if you want to play along, slap a capo on 1.
As always, chords and tab are relative to capo.
Indicated chords are implied tonality.


INTRO:
Notes:


4/4                               2/4
|-10-10-10-10-9---9--9--9--9--8---|-8--8--8--8------|
|-12-12-12-12-11--11-11-11-11-10--|-10-10-10-10-----|
|---------------------------------|-------------0---|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - |


4/4
  G                                 D7
|-3---3---3-3-3---3-3-3---3---3---|-----2---2---2-------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----1---1---1-------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----2---2---2-------------------|
|---------3-------2-------2---1---|-0---------------0________-0---2-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |

                                                              And I


VERSE1:
Notes:
RJ keeps this percussive bass sound on each beat of 4/4.
These are the muted G-notes and C-notes played in the bass in the tab.
Mute the 6th (later, 5th) strings near the bridge with the edge of the 
strumming hand.


  G                                 G7
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------3---|
|---------------------------------|-0---0-----------------------3---|
|-0-0-0____---------------0-------|-----------------------------4---|
|-----------------------------0---|-----------------------------3---|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-------3-------3-------3-------|-3-------3-------3-------3-------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |
  G                                 G7
  followed her            to  the   station



  G7 (no 3rd)                       G7
|-1-------------------------------|-1---1---1---1-------------------|
|-3-------------------------------|---3-----------------2---3-3-3---|
|-0-------0---0---2-3-0____-------|---------------------------------|
|---0-3---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-2-------2-------2---------------|
|---------3-------3-------3-------|---------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |

    with a suitcase in my hand                              And I


  C
|-------------------------0-------|-0-------------------------------|
|-3-3-----3---------------1-------|-1-------------------------------|
|-----0-------0____-------0-------|-0---0---0-------3-3-3____-------|
|---------------------------------|---3-----------------------------|
|-3-------3-------3-------3-------|-3-------3-------3-------3-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |
  C
  followed her to the station           with a suitcase in my hand


  G7              D7                G
|---1-----------------2---2-------|-3-------------------1-----------|
|-3---3-------------1-------------|-0---------------------------1---|
|-----------------------------0---|-0---------------0---------------|
|-----------------0-------0-------|---------0-----------------------|
|-2-------2-----------------------|---------2-------2-------2-------|
|---------------------------------|---------3-------3-------3-------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |

                                                           Well, it's


  A7                                D7
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-3-0-----------0---------------|---------------------------------|
|---------0-0-0-------------------|---------0-------0-2-0____-------|
|-------------------------2-------|-0---2-------0-------------------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0---0---|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |
  A7                                D7
  hard to tell, it's hard to tell       when all your love's in vain.


  G               G7                D7
|-3---------------1---------------|-----2---2---2-------------------|
|-0---------------3---------------|-----1---1---1-------------------|
|-0-------0---0-----------0-------|-----2---2---2-------------------|
|-----------------2---------------|-0---------------0-------0---2---|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |
  G               G7                D7
          All my  love's      in    vain


VERSE2:
Notes:
Play as for VERSE1.

When the train rolled up to the station, I looked her in the eye
When the train rolled up to the station, I looked her in the eye
Well, I was lonesome, I felt so lonesome, and I could not help but cry
And my love's in vain 


VERSE3:
Notes:
Play as for VERSE1.

When the train it left the station, with two lights on behind
When the train it left the station, with two lights on behind
Well, the blue light was my blues, and the red light was my mind
All my love's in vain


VERSE4:
Notes:
Play as for VERSE1.

       G   G7
Ee_____eu,    hoo, Willie Mae

        C              | D7 G |
Oh, oh, hey, hoo, Willie Mae

       G        G7
Ohh oh oh oh oh,   Willie Mae

G        A7         D7              G
  Oo oo,    oo, oo,    hee, vee, oh woe


ENDING:
Notes:
Arpeggiate the final G.

          G       G7                D7              G
|---------3-------1---------------|-----2-----------3---------------|
|---------3-------3---------------|-----1---1-------3---------------|
|---------0-------0---------------|---2---------0---0---------------|
|---------------------------------|-0-------0-------0---------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-------------------------------|-----------------3---------------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - | 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |
          G       G7                D7     
          All my  love's      in    vain.____