Up To Me chords by Bob Dylan (Ver. 2)

Song: Up to Me
Artist: Bob Dylan
Album: Biograph
Transcribed by: Guy Russell

Questions? Comments? - silverdragon174@yahoo.com


I've seen a few tabs of this online and none of them is quite how the song is played.  Dylan uses E,B and A chords but in slightly different than normal configurations that create that unique sound. Basically this allows the high e string to constantly be in the background for the folk feel:

    E  B  A     full B

E:  0  7  0       7
A:  7  9  0       9
D:  6  9  7       9
G:  4  8  6       8
B:  0  0  5       7
e:  0  0  0       7

E                    B             A            A  (pull off open)
Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing,
E                     B                    A          A (pull off open)
Death kept followin', trackin' us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing.
    B                   E              B             A (pull off open)
Now somebody's got to show their hand, time is an enemy,
E                  B        A                     E
I know you're long gone, I guess it must be up to me.


In between verses the chords follow the same pattern as the first line but the B chord is full and the focus is now on the high e and b strings playing on the seventh fret:

 - E chord then slide up to full B (focus on the high e and b strings) then back to a quick A (pull off open) then E again -

As ever, strumming rhythm is hard to explain in text but you should start every chord by plucking the bass root of the chord (which is the E string for E and B chords and the A string for the A chord) and then :down:::up:down:up: Giving a slight pause after the first down stroke.  Of course, listen to the track on Biograph to get it down. Notice that some times in the song he plays the last A chord of the line for a second measure.  After every A chord at the end of the line he does a pull-off to one open strum.

Verses:

Everything went from bad to worse, money never changed a thing,
Death kept followin', trackin' us down, at least I heard your bluebird sing.
Now somebody's got to show their hand, time is an enemy,
I know you're long gone, I guess it must be up to me.

If I'd thought about it I never would've done it, I guess I would've let it slide,
If I'd lived my life by what others were thinkin', the heart inside me would've died.
I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity,
Someone had to reach for the risin' star, I guess it was up to me.

Now the Union Central is pullin' out “  the orchids are in bloom,
I've only got me one good shirt left and it smells of stale perfume.
In fourteen months I've only smiled once and I didn't do it consciously,
Somebody's got to find your trail, I guess its gonna be up to me.

It was like a revelation, when you betrayed me with your touch,
I'd just about convinced myself, nothin' had changed that much.
The old Rounder in the iron mask, he slipped me the master key,
Somebody had to unlock your heart, He said it was up to me.

Now I watched you slowly disappear down into the officers' club,
I would've followed you in the door, but I didn't have a ticket stub.
So I waited all night 'til the break of day hopin' one of us could get free,
When the dawn came over the river bridge, I knew it was up to me.

The only decent thing I did when I worked as a postal clerk,
Was to haul your picture down off the wall near the cage where I used to work.
Was I a fool or not to protect your real identity?
You looked a little burned out my friend, I thought it might be up to me.

Well, I met somebody face to face “ I had to remove my hat,
She's everything I need in love but I can't be swayed by that.
It frightens me, the awful truth, of how sweet life can be,
But she ain't gonna make a move, I guess it must be up to me.

Now we heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex,
It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken glass reflects.
When you bite off more than you can chew, you got to pay the penalty.
Somebody's got to tell the tale, I guess it must be up to me.

Dupree came in pimpin' tonight to the Thunderbird Cafe,
Crystal wanted to talk to him, I had to look the other way.
Well, I just can't rest without your love, I need your company,
You ain't gonna cross the line, I guess it must be up to me.

There's a note left in the bottle, you can give it to Estelle,
She's the one you been wond'rin' about but there's really nothin' much to tell.
We both heard voices for a while - now the rest is history,
Somebody's got to cry some tears, I guess it must be up to me.

So go on, boys, and play your hands, life is a pantomime,
The ringleaders from the county seat say you don't have all that much time.
And the girl with me behind the shades, she ain't my property,
One of us has got to hit the road, I guess it must be up to me.

And if we never meet again, baby, remember me,
How my lone guitar played sweet for you that old-time melody.
And the harmonica around my neck, I blew it for you free,
No one else could play that tune, ya knew it was up to me.