Louise tab by Leo Kottke

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
pschwemm@hotmail.com


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 D to D, A to D, low
D to D 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 D 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--------------
                   D                         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---------------------
            D                         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-------------------
     A7                                 D

    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--------
        G               D               E

                                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---------------------------
                                G                               A7

                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-----------
                               D

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

            de-     ceiver
E-------------------------------0---------------0---------------0-----------
B-------0-------0-------0---------------0---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---------------------------0---------------0---------------2---------------
A---------------------------------------------------0-----------------------
D---2-------4-------5---------------5---------------------------------------
                    G                               A7

                    trade
E---------------0---------------2---------------2---------------------------
B-------2---------------3---------------3-----------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------0-------0-----------
D-----------2---------------0---------------0-------------------------------
A---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------0---------------0---------------2-------4---------------
                    D

    Sometimes
E---------------0-------------------------------0---------------0-----------
B-------0---------------0-------0-------2---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------0---------------0---------------2---------------2---------------
A-----------------------------------0---------------0-----------------------
D---5---------------5-------------------------------------------------------
    G                               A7                              D

    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-------------------------------------------------------
    G                               A7                              D

    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------
                                                                     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-----------------------
    D                                                               E

    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-------------------------
                                                              A7

                                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-----------

                                        D
                              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-----------
    G             D               E

                    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-------------------------------
                            G                               A7

             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---------------------
                    D                         TS

                    S            S                     S        S     F
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-----
                      F      F     F   F   F   F   F   F        F     F

    F           S           F       F       F       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------
        F   F               F   F       F       F

           S        S   S   S       F   F       F       F   F     F
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-----------------------
       F   S                S   F   F       F       F         F       F

    F       F               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------------
        F       F             F      F     F   F   F   F   F   F

          S     F   F           S           F       F       F       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-------
          F     F       F   F               F   F       F       F

            S   S   S       S        S   S   S   F       F   F       F
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------------------
                        F   S                S           F       F

        F           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-----------
    F     F F                   D                               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-----------------
            D               E

            they    found
E-------------------------------0---------------0---------------0-----------
B-------0-------0-------0---------------0---------------2-------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------0---------------2---------------
A---------------------------5-----------------------0-----------------------
D---2-------4-------5---------------5---------------------------------------
                    G                               A7

                    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-------
                                                    G               D

                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-------------
                E

            cried
E-----------------------0---------------0---------------0-------------------
B-------0-------0---------------0---------------2---------------2-----------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------0---------------0---------------2-----------------------
A-------------------------------------------0---------------0---------------
D---4-------5---------------5-----------------------------------------------
            G                               A7

    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---------------
            D                                               G

    Louise      rode
E---------------------------0-----------------------------------2-----------
B---------------------------2---------------------------3-------------------
G---------------------------0-----------------------------------------------
D---------------------------2-------------------------------0---------------
A---------------------------0-----------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------------0---------------0-------
                            A7                      D

        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-----------
                                                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---------------
            A7                              D

                                                  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-----------------
                                          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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        A7                              Bm

                            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---------
                                    E

                    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-----------------------------------------------------------
                            A7

    the     wind
E-------------------2-------------------------------------------------------
B-----------3-------------------------------------------------------0-------
G---------------------------0-------0-------0-----------2-------------------
D---------------0-------------------------------0-----------0---------------
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------0---------------0-------4-------5-----------0-----------2-----------
        D                               G           D           E

                                                  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-----------------
                                                          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-------
                    A7                          D

                                                    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                                            F      F     F

                    S        S     F   F           S           F
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------------
    F   F   F   F   F        F     F       F   F               F   F

    F           S        S   S   S       S        S   S   S       F   F
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---------
        F                            F   S                S   F   F

        F       F   F                 [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-----------------------------
    F       F         F   F           S       S

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