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The 🏷Legendary Bruce Head of www.guitarmusic.org has here painstakingly
transcribed what is probably Leo's best-known vocal performance: Louise. In
staff except for key nouns and verbs so you can keep your place (about one
per line). If you'd like the full version of this tab, visit Bruce's
www.guitarmusic.org, or email me and I'll be happy to send it to you.

Patrick Schwemmer
[email protected]


Louise
By Paul Siebel
Arranged by Leo Kottke

Transcribed by B.A. Head, 04/02/96

>From *Greenhouse*, *My Feet Are Smiling*, and "Home And Away"
This version transcribed from the "Home And Away" video

One of my favourite of Leo's vocal numbers (hey, who can resist a tune about
a truck-stop whore who kills herself ). IMHO, Leo's solo 12-string
accompaniment, deep resonant vocals, and slide interlude are very effective
at evoking the sadness of this song.

"Louise" was written and originally recorded by Paul Siebel, a songwriter
and folk singer from the 60s (where is he now ). Paul originally recorded
this tune with a backing band, which included a pedal steel. You can find
the original recording on the 1995 compilation of Siebel's works issued by
Rounder Records (Philo CD PH 1161).

I've approximated Leo's picking pattern in this tab. Leo generally moves
between the bottom three strings for the bass (e.g., low Chord diagramD MajorD to D, Chord diagramA augmentedA to D, low
Chord diagramD MajorD to Chord diagramD MajorD with some variation). Leo also strums the open chords with his thumb
at certain times for emphasis. I've included a couple of these in the tab
(abbreviated as "TS").

The slide solo section alternates between the use of the fingers and the use
of the slide. I've noted this in the tab by using "S" when you sound the
note or chord with the slide, and "F" when you sound the note or chord by
fretting it with your finger. If you don't have a slide handy, you can
finger all the changes. It does sound a whole lot better with slide, though.
Remember to add vibrato on key notes in the solo section.

If you use the slide, put it on your pinky which will free up your other
three fingers for the chords during the verses.

Leo tunes his guitar two whole-steps down for this tune. You may want to
adjust the tuning according to your vocal range.

Bruce
-----cut here----

Louise
by Paul Siebel

arr. by Leo Kottke
transcribed by B.A. Head

12-string guitar
Dropped Chord diagramD MajorD tuning (tuned down two whole steps to Bb-F-Bb-Eb-G-C (low to
high))

                                                     TS
E---||---------|---------------2---------------------0---0------------------
B---||---------|-------3-----------------0-----------0-----------0----------
G---||*---4:---|--------------------2h3----------0---0----------------------
D---||*---4:---|-----------0----------0--------------0---------------0------
A---||---------|-------------------------------------5----------------------
D---||---------|---0--------------0----------5-------5-------5--------------
                   Chord diagramD MajorD                         Chord diagramG+G

                TS
E---------------2---2-------------------------0---0-------------------------
B---0-------3---3-----------------0-----------0-----------0-------0---1-----
G---------------2-----------2h3-----------0---0-----------------------0-----
D---------------0-------------0---------------0---------------0-------1-----
A---------------0-----------------------------5-----------------------0-----
D-------0---------------0-------------5---------------5---------------------
            Chord diagramD MajorD                         Chord diagramG+G

                                    1.          said
E---------------------------------------------------2-----------------------
B---/2-------2-------2/3/5~~~--R------------3---------------0---------------
G----0-------------------0-----E--------------------------------------------
D----2---2-------------3-5-----S----------------0---------------0-----------
A----------------0-------0-----T--------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------0---------------0-------------------
     Chord diagramA7A7                                 Chord diagramD MajorD

    Louise
E---0-----------------------------------------------0-----------------------
B-----------0-------0-------3-------3-------0---------------0-----0---------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------0---------------0---------------2---------------0h-2--------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------5---------------0---------------2---------------2----------2--------
        Chord diagramG+G               Chord diagramD MajorD               Chord diagramE MajorE

                                writ-   ten
E-----------0-------------------------------0---------------0---------------
B-------------------0-------0-------0---------------0---------------2-------
G---1-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------2-------------------------------0---------------0-------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------0-----------
D---------------2-------4-------5---------------5---------------------------
                                Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7

                window          shades                  TS
E-------0-------------------0---------------2-----------0---2---------------
B-------------------2---------------3---------------3---3-----------3-------
G---------------------------------------2---------------2-------------------
D---2-------------------2-------------------------------0-------------------
A---------------0---------------------------------------0-------------------
D-------------------------------0---------------0-------2-------0-----------
                               Chord diagramD MajorD

                            And though
E-------2-----------------------------------2---------------0---------------
B-------------------3-------3-------3---------------3---------------0-------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---0-----------------------------------0---------------0-------------------
A---------------2-------0---------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------0---------------0---------------5-----------
                                                                Chord diagramG+G

        little              girl
E-------0---------------0---------------0-----------------------------0-----
B---------------3---------------0---------------0-----0---------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------1-------------
D---0---------------0---------------2---------------0----h2-------2---------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------2---------------2-------------2-----------------
            Chord diagramD MajorD               Chord diagramE MajorE

            de-     ceiver
E-------------------------------0---------------0---------------0-----------
B-------0-------0-------0---------------0---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------0---------------0---------------2---------------
A---------------------------------------------------0-----------------------
D---2-------4-------5---------------5---------------------------------------
                    Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7

                    trade
E---------------0---------------2---------------2---------------------------
B-------2---------------3---------------3-----------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------0-------0-----------
D-----------2---------------0---------------0-------------------------------
A---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------0---------------0---------------2-------4---------------
                    Chord diagramD MajorD

    Sometimes
E---------------0-------------------------------0---------------0-----------
B-------0---------------0-------0-------2---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------0---------------2---------------2---------------
A-----------------------------------0---------------0-----------------------
D---5---------------5-------------------------------------------------------
    Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7                              Chord diagramD MajorD

    perfume                 TS
E---------------2-----------0---2---------------2---------------------------
B-------3---------------3---3-----------3-----------3---2-------0-----------
G---------------------------2-----------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
A---------------------------0-----------------------------------------------
D---0---------------0-------0-------0---------------0-----------------------
    Flowers
E---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------2-----------
B-------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------0---------------2---------------2---------------
A-----------------------------------0---------------0-----------------------
D---5---------------5-------------------------------------------------------
    Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7                              Chord diagramD MajorD

    lace
E---------------2-----------------------------------------------------------
B-------3---------------------7~~~-------7-------7-------5-------0----------
G-----------------------2/7----------------------7-------6-------0----------
D-----------0-------------0------------------0---------------0--------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---0---------------0----------------0---------------0---------------5------
                                                                     Chord diagramG+G

        Men
E-----------0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
B-------------------0---------------2---------------2-----------------------
G---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-------------------
A-------------------------------0---------------0---------------------------
D---------------5-----------------------------------------------------------


    trinkets
E---------------2---------------2---------------2---------------0-----------
B-------3---------------3---------------3---------------3-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---0---------------0---------------0---------------0-----------------------
    Chord diagramD MajorD                                                               Chord diagramE MajorE

    intentions
E---------------0-----------------------------0-----------------------------
B-------0---------------0-----0-----------------------0-------2-------------
G-------------------------------------1-----------------------0-------------
D-----------2---------------0h----2-------2---------------2---2-------2-----
A-------------------------------------------------------------0-------------
D---2---------------2-------------2---------------2-------------------------
                                                              Chord diagramA7A7

                                And     every-          bo-     dy
E---------------------------------------------------2-----------------------
B---2-------2---/---3---/---5--R------------3-------------------------------
G-----------0---/---0---/---0--E----------------------------0-------0-------
D-----------2---/---3---/---5--S----------------0---------------------------
A-------0-----------0----------T--------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------0---------------0-------4-----------

                                        Chord diagramD MajorD
                              she cried
E---------------0h2-----------0---------------0-----------------------------
B---------------------3---------------0---------------0-----0---------------
G-------0-----------------------------------------------------------1-------
D-----------0-------------0---------------2---------------0h----2-----------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---5-------------0---------------2---------------2-------------2-----------
    Chord diagramG+G             Chord diagramD MajorD               Chord diagramE MajorE

                    but     women
E-------0-------------------------------0-----------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------0-------0-------2-----------
G---------------0-------0-------0-------------------------------------------
D---2-------------------------------0---------------0---------------2-------
A-----------------------------------------------------------0---------------
D-----------2-------4-------5---------------5-------------------------------
                            Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7

             get          by
E---0---------------0h2-----------2-----------0---2---------------2---------
B-----------2-------------3---------------3---3-----------3-----------------
G---------------------------------------------2-----------------------------
D---------------2-------------0---------------0---------------0-------------
A-------0-------------------------------------0-----------------------2-----
D---------------------0---------------0-------0-------0---------------------
                    Chord diagramD MajorD                         TS

                    S            S                     S        S     Chord diagramFF
E---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------
B---0-------0---|-----------------------------------------------------------
G---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------
D---------------|---2/4~~~-------4\2---0-------0-------2/4~~~---4\2---------
A-------0-------|------------0-------------2--------------------------2-----
D---------------|-----0------------0---------------0---0--------0-----0-----
                      Chord diagramFF      Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF        Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF

    Chord diagramFF           S           Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       S        S   S   S
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------1--------------------------------5------
D---0-------2---4---\---0---2---------------2-------3/5~~~-------5----------
A-----------2---4---\---0-------2---------------2---3-5------5--------------
D-------0---2---4---\---0---2-----------2-----------3-5--------------5------
        Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF               Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF

           S        S   S   S       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF
E-----------------------------------------------0---------------------------
B-------------------------------0---3-----------3-----------------2---------
G---\3\0--------------------7\5\--------0---------------0-------------------
D----------5/7~~~-------7-----------4-------4---------------4\2-------2-----
A----------5-7------7-----------------------------------------0-------------
D----------5-7--------------7-------0---------------0-----------------------
       Chord diagramFF   S                S   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF         Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF

    Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF               S            S                     S
E---0-------------------|---------------------------------------------------
B-----------2-----------|---------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------
D---------------2-------|---2/4~~~-------4\2---0-------0-------2/4----------
A-------0---------------|------------0-------------2------------------------
D-----------------------|-----0------------0---------------0---0------------
        Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF             Chord diagramFF      Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF

          S     Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF           S           Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       S
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------1-----------------------
D---~~~---4\2-------0-------2---4---\---0---2---------------2-------3-------
A---------------2-----------2---4---\---0-------2---------------2---3-------
D---------0-----0-------0---2---4---\---0---2-----------2-----------3-------
          Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF               Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF

            S   S   S       S        S   S   S   Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF
E--------------------------------------------------------------------0------
B------------------------------------------------0-------3-----------3------
G-------------------5\3\0--------------------7\5\------------0--------------
D---/5~~~-------5-----------5/7~~~-------7---------------4-------4----------
A----5------5---------------5-7------7--------------------------------------
D----5--------------5-------5-7--------------7-----------0------------------
                        Chord diagramFF   S                S           Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF

        Chord diagramFF           2.          every-              body
E---------------|---------------------------2---------------0---------------
B-------3/5\2---|-------------------3---------------0---------------0-------
G-----------0---|-----------------------------------------------------------
D---------5-2---|-----------------------0---------------0-------------------
A-----------0---|-----------------------------------------------------------
D---0-----------|---------------0---------------0---------------5-----------
    Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF Chord diagramFF                   Chord diagramD MajorD                               Chord diagramG+G

                            sad
E---------------------------------------0-----------------------------0-----
B-------0-------3-------3-------0---------------0-----0---------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------1-------------
D---0---------------0---------------2---------------0h----2-------2---------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------2---------------2-------------2-----------------
            Chord diagramD MajorD               Chord diagramE MajorE

            they    found
E-------------------------------0---------------0---------------0-----------
B-------0-------0-------0---------------0---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------0---------------2---------------
A---------------------------5-----------------------0-----------------------
D---2-------4-------5---------------5---------------------------------------
                    Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7

                    room
E---------------0---------------2-----------0---2---------------2-----------
B-------2---------------3---------------3---3-----------3-------------------
G---------------------------2---------------2-------------------------------
D-----------2-------------------------------0---------------0---------------
A---0---------------------------------------0-------------------------------
D-------------------0---------------0-------2-------0-----------------------


                They'd  always
E-------------------------------2---------------0---------------0-----------
B-------3-------3-------3---------------3---------------0-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------0---------------0---------------0---------------
A---2-------0---------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------0---------------0---------------5---------------0-------
                                                    Chord diagramG+G               Chord diagramD MajorD

                kind
E-----------0---------------0-----------------------------0-----------------
B---3---------------0---------------0-----0-----------------------0---------
G-------------------------------------------------1-------------------------
D-------0---------------2---------------0h----2-------2---------------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------2---------------2-------------2---------------2-------------
                Chord diagramE MajorE

            cried
E-----------------------0---------------0---------------0-------------------
B-------0-------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-----------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------0---------------0---------------2-----------------------
A-------------------------------------------0---------------0---------------
D---4-------5---------------5-----------------------------------------------
            Chord diagramG+G                               Chord diagramA7A7

    afternoon                                               TS
E-------0---------------2---------------2-------------------0---------------
B---------------3---------------3---------------------------0---------------
G-----------------------------------------------0-------0---0---------------
D---2---------------0---------------0-----------------------0---------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------5---------------
D-----------0---------------0---------------2-------4-------5---------------
            Chord diagramD MajorD                                               Chord diagramG+G

    Louise      rode
E---------------------------0-----------------------------------2-----------
B---------------------------2---------------------------3-------------------
G---------------------------0-----------------------------------------------
D---------------------------2-------------------------------0---------------
A---------------------------0-----------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------0---------------0-------
                            Chord diagramA7A7                      Chord diagramD MajorD

        TS                                              Some    where
E-------0---2---------------2-------------------------------0---------------
B---3---3-----------3-----------3---2-------0-------0---------------0-------
G-------2-------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------0---------------0---------------0-----------------------------------
A-------0-----------------------------------------------5-------------------
D-------0-------0---------------0---------------5---------------5-----------
                                                Chord diagramG+G

            south
E-------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-------------------
B---------------2---------------2---------------3---------------------7-----
G---------------------------------------------------------------2/7---------
D---0---------------2---------------2---------------0-------------0---------
A-----------0---------------0-----------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------0---------------0---------------
            Chord diagramA7A7                              Chord diagramD MajorD

                                                  Too     bad
E-----------------------------------------------------0---------------------
B---~~~-------7-------7---5-----------0-----------------------0-------------
G---------------------7---6-----------0-------0-----------------------------
D-----------------0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------0-----------0-------------------5---------------5-----------------
                                          Chord diagramG+G


    ended
E---0---------------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-------
B-----------2---------------2---------------3---------------3---------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------2---------------2---------------4---------------4-----------
A-------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-------------------
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Chord diagramA7A7                              Chord diagramB minorBm

                            Too     bad
E---------------2---------------2---------------0---------------------------
B-------3---------------3---------------0---------------0-----0-------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------4---------------4---------------2---------------0h----2---------
A---2---------------2-------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------2---------------2-------------2---------
                                    Chord diagramE MajorE

                    this    way
E-----------0---------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------0-------2-------2-------2---/---3---/---5---------------
G---1-----------------------0---------------0---/---0---/---0---------------
D-------2---------------2---2---2-----------2---/---3---/---5---------------
A---------------------------0-----------0-----------0-----------------------
D---------------2-----------------------------------------------------------
                            Chord diagramA7A7

    the     wind
E-------------------2-------------------------------------------------------
B-----------3-------------------------------------------------------0-------
G---------------------------0-------0-------0-----------2-------------------
D---------------0-------------------------------0-----------0---------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------0---------------0-------4-------5-----------0-----------2-----------
        Chord diagramD MajorD                               Chord diagramG+G           Chord diagramD MajorD           Chord diagramE MajorE

                                                  good    night
E-------0-----------------------------0-------------------------------0-----
B---------------0-----0-----------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------1---------------0-------0-------0-------------
D---2---------------0h----2-------2-------------------------------0---------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------2-------------2---------------2-------4-------5-----------------
                                                          Chord diagramG+G

            Lou-    ise,
E-------------------------------0---------------2---------------2-----------
B-------0-------0-------2---------------2---------------3-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------2---------------2---------------0---------------
A-------------------0---------------0---------------------------------------
D---5-----------------------------------------------0---------------0-------
                    Chord diagramA7A7                          Chord diagramD MajorD

                                                    S            S
E-------0---2---------------2-------------------|---------------------------
B---3---3-----------3---------------0-------0---|---------------------------
G-------2---------------------------------------|---------------------------
D-------0---------------0-----------------------|---2/4~~~-------4\2--------
A-------0-----------------------2-------0-------|------------0--------------
D-------0-------0-------------------------------|-----0------------0--------
        TS                                            Chord diagramFF      Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF

                    S        S     Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF           S           Chord diagramFF
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---0-------0-------2/4~~~---4\2-------0-------2---4---\---0---2------------
A-------2--------------------------2-----------2---4---\---0-------2--------
D---------------0---0--------0-----0-------0---2---4---\---0---2------------
    Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF        Chord diagramFF     Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF               Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF

    Chord diagramFF           S        S   S   S       S        S   S   S       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------0---3---------
G---1----------------------------5\3\0--------------------7\5\--------0-----
D---------------3/5~~~-------5-----------5/7~~~-------7-----------4---------
A-----------2---3-5------5---------------5-7------7-------------------------
D-------2-------3-5--------------5-------5-7--------------7-------0---------
        Chord diagramFF                            Chord diagramFF   S                S   Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF

        Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF                 [Slow slide, lots of vibrato]
E-------0-----------------0-------|---5---/---7~~~--------------------------
B-------3-----------------2-------|---5---/---7-----------------------------
G---------------0---------0-------|---5---/---7-----------------------------
D---4---------------4\2---2-------|---5---/---7-----------------------------
A---------------------0---0-------|---5---/---7-----------------------------
D-----------0-------------0-------|---5---/---7-----------------------------
    Chord diagramFF       Chord diagramFF         Chord diagramFF   Chord diagramFF           S       S

****************************************************
* The trouble isn't that there are too many fools, *
* but that the lightning isn't distributed right.  *
*                                                  *
* - Mark Twain                                     *
****************************************************

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