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Bob Dylan - The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
from the album "John Wesley Harding"
Played on a steel string acoustic guitar
The song consists of one chord loop repeated throughout the song, this
is:
C, Em, Dm, C
These can be fingered as open chords like so:
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x30210 022000 xx0231 x30210
C Em Dm C
However, the actual version seems to use barre chords thus:
C Em Dm C
E|--8--------7--------5--------8-----
B|--8--------8--------6--------8-----
G|--9--------9--------7--------9-----
D|--10-------9--------7--------10----
A|--10-------7--------5--------10----
E|--8--------x--------x--------8-----
The strumming pattern goes roughly like this:
d = down stroke
u = up stroke
1---2---3---4---
d* d d u d u
*with the first downstroke, only strum the bass notes of the chord
The Song:
intro - cycle through chord loop twice,
C Em
Well, Frankie Lee and J...
Dm C
They were the best of friends.
C Em
So when Frankie Lee needed m...
Dm C
Judas quickly pulled out a roll of tens
C Em
And placed them on a f...
Dm C
Just above the plotted plain,
C Dm
Sayin', "Take your pick, F...
Em C
My loss will be your gain."
These can be fingered as open chords like so:
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x30210 022000 xx0231 x30210
C Em Dm C
However, the actual version seems to use barre chords thus:
C Em Dm C
E|--8--------7--------5--------8-----
B|--8--------8--------6--------8-----
G|--9--------9--------7--------9-----
D|--10-------9--------7--------10----
A|--10-------7--------5--------10----
E|--8--------x--------x--------8-----
The strumming pattern goes roughly like this:
d = down stroke
u = up stroke
1---2---3---4---
d* d d u d u
*with the first downstroke, only strum the bass notes of the chord
Song History
Last Updated: February 7, 2026