#--------------------------------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:      When You Got A Good Friend
Original Album:	 - (single) (78rpm recording)
Other Albums:    King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)
                 The Complete Recordings (1990)

Words and Music by Robert Johnson
Copyright © 1961 Columbia Records
Published by Sony Music Publishing Ltd

Transcribed by Gavin Chart (contactus@gartfrets.net)


NOTES:
Capo on 3, if you want to play along with the version on The Complete
Recordings. Chords and tab are relative to capo.
Indicated chords are implied tonality. Timing is as indicated in each section.


Key to tab
----------

h      - hammer-on
b      - bend
/      - slide up
_      - tied note
x      - mute note

|-3-|  - triplet


INTRO:

                                    E7/D            A/C#
                                    |--3--|         |--3--|
|-------------------------12--12--|-12-12-12-12--12-12-12----12--12--|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------12---------|
|---------------------------------|--------------------------9-------|
|---------------------------------|-12-------12--12-11-------11--11--|
|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

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



  Am/C        E/B             E7                     A/C#    Am/C
  |--3--|                           |--3--|
|-12---12-12------12------12------|-12----12-12--12--12--12--12-----|
|----x----12--12--12--12------12--|----12------------------------0--|
|-9---------------9-------9-------|-9-----9--9---9------------------|
|-10------10--0---9-------9---12--|-12----12-12--12--11--11--10--0--|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

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



5/4
  A7              B7/F#
  |-3-|
|-----3-----------------------------------|
|---2---------0-------0-------------------|
|---------------------2---------------0---|
|-0-------0-------1-----------------------|
|-2-------0-------2-----------------------|
|-----------------2-------2-------2-------|

| 1 - & - 2 - & - 3 - & - 4 - & - 5 - & - |

                                  When you


VERSE1:

4/4
  E7                                A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|-----------------------------0---|
|---------------------------------|---------4---4---5---5---4-------|
|-2-------4-------2-------4-------|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
|-0-------0-------0-------0---0---|---------------------------------|

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

  got a good friend                           that will stay right by



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-0-------------------------------|-----0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------0-0---|-0---------------------------0---|
|-0---------------0---------------|-0-------0---------------0-------|
|-2-------4-------2-------4-------|-2-------4---4---2---2---4-------|
|-0---0---0-------0---0---0---0---|-----0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  your side                                                     when



  A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0---0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|---------------------------------|
|---------4-------5-------4-------|-2-------4-------5---5---4---5---|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

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

  you got a good friend                                     that will


                                    E7
                                                            |-3-|
|-0-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|-0-------------------------0-0---|
|-2-------4---4---5-------4-------|-0---------------0---------------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|-2-------4---4---2---2---4-------|
|---------------------------------|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  stay right by your side



* - arpeggiate
                                    B7/F#
|-----0--------------*0-----------|---------------------------------|
|--------------------*0-----------|---------------------------------|
|-0------------------*0-----------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------0---------------|-1-------1-------1-------1-------|
|-2---2---4---4---2-------4-------|-2-------2-------2-------2---0---|
|-0---0---0---0---0-------0---0---|-2-------2-------2-------2---0---|

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

                       give her all__   your spare time,_____ 



  E               A                 E       E7      Edim7   Am  E
                                            |-3-|
|-7b--7b--7b--7b--7b--0-------0---|(0)----------0-------0---0---0---|
|-8b--8b--8b--8b--8b------2-------|-----------3-----2---------------|
|---------0-----------------------|---------4-------3-------2---0h1-|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|

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

          love    and     treat her right



          B7/F#
|---------------------------------|
|-----0---0-----------0-----------|
|-----------2-2---2---2-------0---|
|---------1-------1-------1-------|
|-2-------2-------2-------2-------|
|-0-------2-------2-------2-------|

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

                              I


VERSE2:

  E7                                A7
|-----0---------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---------------------------0---|-----------------------------0---|
|-----------------0---------------|-2-------4---4---5-------4-------|
|-2-------4-------2---2---4---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
|-0-------0---0---0---0---0-------|---------------------------------|

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

  mis-treated my  baby                  and I can't see no reason



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------------------|
|-0-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------0-----------------0-0---|-0---------------------------0---|
|---------x-------0---------------|-0-------0-----------------------|
|-2-------4---4---2---2---4---4---|-2-------4---4---2---2---4---0---|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  why                                                           I



  A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0---0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------0---|
|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|-2-------4---4---5-------4-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

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

  mis-treated my  baby                  but I can't see no reason



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------0-----------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------0-0---|-0-------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------------|-----------------0---------------|
|-2-------4---4---2-------4---4---|-2-------4---4---2-------4---0---|
|-----0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  why.                                                      Ev'ry time



  B7/F#                               E               A
|---------------------------------|-7b--7b--7b--7b--7b--0-------0---|
|---------0-----------0-----------|-8b--8b--8b--8b--9b------2-------|
|-------------2-------------------|---------------------------------|
|-1-------1-------1-------1-------|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2-------2-------2---0---|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2-------2-------2---0---|---------------------------------|

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

    I think about it,                       I just wring my hands and



  E       E7      Edim7   Am        E       B7/F#
          |-3-|           |-3-|             |-3-|
|-------------0-------0---0h2-0---|---------------------------------|
|-----------3-----2---------------|-----0---0-0---------0-----------|
|---------4-------3-------2-------|-1-----------2---------------0---|
|---------------------------------|---------1-------1---------------|
|---------------------------------|---------2-------2-------2-------|
|-0-------------------------------|---------2-------2-------2-------|

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

  cry                                                       Won-der



VERSE3:

  E7                                A7
|-----0---------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---------------------------0---|-----------------------------0---|
|---------0-------0-------0-------|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|
|-2-------4-------2---4---4---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
|-0-------0---0---0---0---0-------|---------------------------------|

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

  could I bear apologise            or would she sympathise with



  E7
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---------------------------0---|-0-------------------------------|
|---------0-------0---0---0-------|-0---------------0-------0-------|
|-2-------4---4---2---2---4-------|-2---2---4---4---2---2---4---0---|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0-------0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  me?                                                  Mmm,_________



  A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0---0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|-----------------------------0---|
|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------0---|

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

  _____________________                     would she sympathise with



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------0-----------|
|-0-------------------------0-0---|-0-------------------0-----------|
|---------0-------0---------------|-0-------0-------0---------------|
|-2-------4---4---2---2---4---4---|-2-------4---4---2-------4-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0-------0-------|

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

  me?                                                       She's a



  B7/F#                             E               A
          |-3-|
|---------------------------------|-7b--7b--7b--7b--7b--0-------0---|
|-0-------0---0-------------------|-8b--8b--8b--8b--8b------2-------|
|-----------2-------------2---0---|---------------------------------|
|-1-------1-------1-------1---0---|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2-------2---2---2-------|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2-------2---2---2-------|---------------------------------|

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

  brown   skin woman                    just as sweet as a girlfriend can



  E       E7      Edim7   Am        E/B       B7/F#
          |-3-|                             |-3-|
|(0)----------0-------0---0-------|---------------------------------|
|-----------3-----2-----------0---|-----0---0---0---0---0-----------|
|---------4-------3-------2-------|-1---------2-----------------0---|
|---------------------------------|-2-------1-------1-------1-------|
|---------------------------------|-2---2---2-------2---2---2-------|
|-0-------------------------------|---------2-2-2---2---2---2-------|

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

  be



VERSE4:

  E7                                A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|-----------------------------0---|
|-----------------0---0-----------|-2---2---4---4---5---5---4-------|
|-2-------4---4---2---2---4---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|---------------------------------|

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

  Mmmm,____________                     babe, I may be right ay 



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------0-0---|-0-------------------------------|
|-0---------------0---------------|---------0---0---0-------0-------|
|-2-------4---4---2-------4-------|-2-------4---4---2---2---4---0---|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0-------0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  wrong                                                 Baby, it's yo'y



  A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|-----------------------------0---|
|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|-2---2---4---4---5---5---4-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

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

  o - pin-ion,_________                 oh, I may be right ay wrong



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------0-----------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------0---|
|-0-------------------------0-0---|-0-------------------------------|
|-0---------------0-------0---0---|-----------------0---------------|
|-2-------4---4---2-------4---4---|-2-------4---4---2-------4---2---|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|

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

                                                    Watch your close



  B7/F#                             E               A
          |-3-|
|---------------------------------|-7b--7b--7b--7b--7b--0-------0---|
|-0-------0---0-------0-----------|-8b--8b--8b--8b--8b------2-------|
|-----------2-----2-----------2---|---------------------------------|
|-1-------1-------1-----------1---|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2-------2-----------2---|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2---2---2-----------2---|---------------------------------|

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

  friend, baby                then  your ene'ies can't do you no 



  E       E7      Edim7   Am        E       B7/F#
          |-3-|   |-3-|   |-3-|             |-3-|
|(0)----------0-------0---0h2-----|---------------------------------|
|-----------3-------2---------0---|-----0---0-0-0-----------0-------|
|---------4-------3-------2-------|-1---------2-2-----------2---0---|
|---------------------------------|---------1-------1-------1-------|
|---------------------------------|---------2-------2-------2-------|
|---------------------------------|-0-------2-------2-------2-------|

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

  harm                                                      When you



VERSE5:

  E7                                A7
|-----0---------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------0---0---|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|
|-2-------4-------2---2---4---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|
|-0-------0---0---0---0---0-------|---------------------------------|

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

  got a good friend____                 that will stay right by your



  E7
                          |-3-|
|-----0-----------------------9---|-0---0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-0---------------------7/9-9-9---|-----------------------------0---|
|-0-------0-------0---------------|-0-------0-------0---------------|
|-2-------4---4---2---2---0---0---|-2---2---4---4---2---2---4---0---|
|-0-------0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------|

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

  side                                                      when you



  A7
|-0-------------------------------|-0---0---------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------0---|-0---------------------------0---|
|-2-------4---4---5---5---4-------|-2---2---4---4---5-------4-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------0-------|

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

  got a good friend                    that will stay right by your



  E7
|-----0---------------------------|-----0---------------0-----------|
|---------------------------0-2---|---------------------------------|
|-0-------------------------0-0---|-0---------------------------2---|
|-0-------------------------------|-----------------0-------0-------|
|-2-------4-------2---2---4---4---|-2-------4---4---2-------4-------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---2---|

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

  side                                                  give her all



  B7/F#                             E               A
          |-3-|
|---------------------------------|-7b--7b--7b--7b--7b--0-------0---|
|-0---0---0---0-------0-----------|-8b--8b--8b--8b--8b------2-------|
|-----------2-----2---------------|---------------------------------|
|-1-------1-------1-------1-------|---------------------------------|
|-2-------2-------2-------2---0---|---------------------------------|
|-2---2---2---2---2---2---2---0---|---------------------------------|

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

  of your spare time, ah                love and treat her right



3/4                       4/4
      E/B         E7/D      A/C#        Am/C
                                            |--3--|
|-------------12--12--12--|-12--12--12--12--12---12-12------|
|-----------------12--12--|-----------------9--9----9-------|
|-----9-------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----9-----------12------|-11----------10--10------10--9---|
|-------------------------|-----------------------------10--|
|-------------------------|---------------------------------|

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


  E7
|-----x-------10--10--------------|
|---------9-------9---------------|
|---------9-------9---------------|
|-9b------9-------9---------------|
|-10b-----------------------------|
|---------------------------------|

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