The Ballad Of Curtis Loew chords by Phish

The Ballad Of Curtis Loew
(based on 8/13/10 and 12/28/11)


[Intro]

E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|
B|--12---------12-----------------------------------12-----12---------------|--|
G|--11b13~--~--11b13r11--9------9h11~--------9------11b13--11b13r11--9~--~--|--|
D|--------------------------11---------9h11-----11--------------------------|--|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|


[Verse]

    E            B
Well I used to wake the morning before the rooster crowed
E               A        F#7
Searching for soda bottles to get myself some dough
E               B
Brought em down to the corner, down to the country store
A                   N.C.
Cash em in and give my money to a man named Curtis Loew


[Fill]

E|-------------------|
B|-------------------|
G|-------------------|
D|--11--9------------|
A|---------11--9--7--|
E|-------------------|

E       B       A       E
Old curt was a black man with white curly hair
E       B        A         E
When he had a fifth of wine he did not have a care
E           B       A         E
He used to own an old dobro, used to play it across his knee
E      B         A         E
Id give old curt my money, hed play all day for me


[Chorus]

A           E
Play me a song Curtis Loew, Curtis Loew
A             E
I got your drinking money, tune up your dobro
A                E       F#7
People said he was useless, them people are the fools
   E          D        A       E
cause Curtis Loew was the finest picker to ever play the blues


[Fill]

E|-----------------------------------------------------------------12---------------|--|
B|--12-----12---------------------------------------------------------12------------|--|
G|--11b13--11b13r11--9------9h11~----11-------11---------9---11b13-------13r11--9~--|--|
D|----------------------11--------------12------12---12-----------------------------|--|
A|-----------------------------------------12-----12--------------------------------|--|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|


[Verse]

E        B   A        E
He looked to be sixty, and maybe I was ten
E      B       A       E
Mama used to whip me but Id go see him again
E         B        A       E
Id clap my hands, stomp my feets, try to stay in time
E       B
Hed play me a song or two
   A           E
Then take another drink of wine.


[Chorus]

A           E
Play me a song Curtis Loew, Curtis Loew
A             E
I got your drinking money, tune up your dobro
A                E       F#7
People said he was useless, them people are the fools
   E          D        A       E
cause Curtis Loew was the finest picker to ever play the blues


[Solo]

E|--------------------------------------------------------9--12--14b16r14~--|
B|--12-----12--------------------------------------9--12--------------------|
G|--11b13--11b13r11--9------9h11~--~--~-----9--11---------------------------|
D|----------------------11--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                      (in some versions trey plays the walk up
                       one string lower. still 14b on e.)

(Solo in E over verse/chorus chords)


[Verse]

E       B      A       E
On the day old curtis died, nobody came to pray
E      B             A           E
Ol preacher said some words, and they chunked him in the clay
E       B    A           E
But he lived a lifetime playin the black mans blues
E         B          A       E
And on the day he lost his life, thats all he had to lose


[Chorus]

A           E
Play me a song Curtis Loew, Curtis Loew
A              E
I'm singin this here song so everyone will know
A                E       F#7
People said he was useless, them people are the fools
    E          D        A       E
'cause Curtis Loew you're finest picker to ever play the blues


[Outro]

E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--|
B|--12-----12---------------------------------------------------------|--|
G|--11b13--11b13r11--9------9h11~----11-------11---------9---11b13~---|--|
D|----------------------11--------------12------12---12---------------|--|
A|-----------------------------------------12-----12------------------|--|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--|

E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|
B|--12---------12-----------------------------------12-----12---------------|--|
G|--11b13~--~--11b13r11--9------9h11~--------9------11b13--11b13r11--9~--~--|--|
D|--------------------------11---------9h11-----11--------------------------|--|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|


************************************

| h Hammer-on
| r Release
| b Bend
| ~ Vibrato