Lightnin Hopkins Chords by R.E.M.

Lightnin Hopkins chords by R.E.M.

Guitar chords with lyrics

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (Version 1)



{Main riff:}
e----------------------------|
B---------------0let ring----| repeat           sl/ (slide)  br (bend,release)
G--2-2------2-2-2sl/4b(5)r-0-|
D------2---------------------|


{Chorus riff}:
e--0---00000...--0--0-0---0--0-0-0-0--0-0---0--0-0-0-|repeat
B--3sl/55555...--3--3-3sl/5--5-5-5-3--3-3sl/5--5-5-5-|

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -

{Bridge riff}:
let ring
e----0-------0------------0--------0-----|
B--------------0---------------------0---| repeat
G-2---2sl/4------4-4sl/5----5sl/4------4-|


{Intro:  no guitar,  just drums}

{Main riff}


{Main riff}
When ...
Lightnin'..
Because ..


{Chorus riff}


{Main riff}
Flat ..
Shows ..
Lightnin'..
Close ..!


{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, ..
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, ..


{Bridge riff}
Lightnin'..


{Break:  no guitar, just drums}


{Main  riff x 4}


{Main riff}
Hound ..
Hound ..
Lightnin' ..
Low ..


{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, ..
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, ....
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, ....
{Chorus riff}
Ooohhh, .....


{Main riff to end}

----------------

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS (Version 2)

Transcribed by Wayne Ellis      email ellis_w_wayne@bt-web.bt.co.uk

Intro
(12 bars of drums alone)
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
 Whoa                ...

|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
 Whoa                ..


              *harm                                    harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |           grad    |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G----2----------2---|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|-2--2----------2---|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-0---------5-------|-------------------|-----------0-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm X                    X              ~~~ X

               harm                                    harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |           grad    |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G----2----------2---|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|-2--2--------0-2-0-|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-0---------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm X                                  harm

*harm is a harmonic produced py placing the finger halfway between the
third and fourth frets, and then producing a harmonic in the usual way.
Sometimes, on the record, it works other times it sounds like a muted open
string.


Verse 1
               harm                                    harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

When I ..
               harm                                    harm
grad. bend
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

Lightnin' ...

There is no guitar 2 in this verse.


Chorus
  s                                                   s   ~~~~~
 s       ~~~~
E-/-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|-------------------|
B-/-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
  s              s      |  s       s   s   s  |       s           |     s             |
E-/-5--5--5--5--5\3--3--|-----5555-\----------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
B-/-5--5--5--5--5\3--3--|-3/5---------2/3-2/3-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|


                                                      s   ~~~~~
 s       ~~~~
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0---------|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
    s            s      |   s            s    |       s           |                   |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5-\-3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5-\-3-3--|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

The 'rapid fire' doublestops played on the E and B strings, by guitar 1, are
semi-quavers and for every beat should be counted as 1-e-&-a, 2-e-&-a, etc.

The part played by guitar 2 uses a bottleneck (slide) giving the notes
a more metallic, earie quality.


Verse 2
              harm                                     harm
grad
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr---0--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |   grad            |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2------0-------|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--mr----0-|
D-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-------------------|-------------------|--------7-9--------|-------------------|
E------3mb----------|-------------------|------------5------|-------------------|
                                     X           3 harms  X

Flat ...

               harm                                    harm
grad
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr4--0--|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr4-----|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |   grad            |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G--2---2----------0-|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--r4------|
D---------2---------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm   X                  X             harm   X

Lightnin' ..


Chorus
                                                      s   ~~~~~
 s       ~~~~
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|-------------------|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
  s              s      |  s             s    |       s           |      s            |
E-/-5--5--5--5--5\3-----|-/-5--5--5--5--5\3-3-|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
B-/-5--5--5--5--5\3-----|-/-5--5--5--5--5\3-3-|--3--2-/-5-------5-|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                                                                X

                                                      s   ~~~~~
 s       ~~~~
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0---------|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5--mb-mr--|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
    s            s      |   s            s    |       s ~~~       |

     |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5-\-3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5-\-3-3p-|--3--2-/-5-----5---|--3--2-/-5---------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                                                              X
 Whoa                    ..
Oh


Interlude

Half time, with a triplet feel.

E--0--0-----0-----0----|--0--0-----0-----0----|--0--0-----0-----0----|--0--0----0----0------|
B---------------0---0--|---------------0---0--|---------------0---0--|----------------------|Guitar 1
G-2--4-4-4s5--4--------|-2--4-4-4s5--4--------|-2--4-4-4s5--4--------|-2--4-4-4s5--4---4----|
D----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------2-|
A----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------0-|
E----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|
.
Lightnin' ..


|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
 Whoa                Oh       o          Oh       o          Oh

|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
 Whoa                Oh       o          Oh       o          Oh


              harm                                     harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------0-----------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4-/-5-------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4mb-mr4-----|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |           grad    |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G----2------------2-|-2--2--4b----------|-2-2-------------0-|-2--2--4b--mr----0-|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-0---------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm   X                                harm   X

 Whoa                Oh       o          Oh       o          Oh

              harm          slide                              harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------0-----------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G---2--2-2-----3.5--|-2--2--4/5\4-------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4mb--mr-----|
D----------2--------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |           grad    |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b----------|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-------2-----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm   X                                harm   X

 Whoa                Oh       o          Oh       o          Oh

Verse 3
              harm          slow bend                          harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4b--------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |   grad            |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G--2---2----------0-|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--r4----0-|
D--------2----------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm   X                  X             harm   X
     X

Hound ..
              harm          slow bend                          harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4b--------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |   grad            |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G--2---2----------0-|-2--2--4b-------0--|-2--2------------0-|-2--2--4b--r4------|
D---------2---------|-------------------|-------2-----------|-------------------|
A-----------5-------|-------------------|-----------5-------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
           harm   X                  X             harm   X

Lightnin' ..


Chorus
                                                        slide
   slide
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-------0-----------|-------0-------0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5---5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
    s            s      |   s            s    |         s         |        s          |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5-\-3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5-\-3-3--|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
 Whoa                    Oh           o          Oh       o             Oh

                                                      s   ~~~~~
 s
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0-----0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
    s            s      |   s            s    |         s         |     hover on slide|
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5-\-3-3p-|-3/-5----5--5-\-3-3p-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
 Whoa                    Oh           o          Oh       o             Oh

                                                        slide
   slide
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-------0-----------|-------0-------0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5---5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
    s            s      |   s            s    |         s         |        s          |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5-\-3----|-3/-5----5--5-\-3-3p-|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

 Whoa                    Oh           o          Oh       o
Oh

                                                      s   ~~~~~
 s
E-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|---------0---------|---------0-----0-0-|
B-s-5555-5555-5555-5555-|-5555-5555-5555-5555-|--3--2-/-5---------|--3--2-/-5-----5-5-|Guitar 1
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
    s            s      |   s            s    |         s         |        s          |
E-3-/-5--5---5----------|-3/-5--5--5----------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-3-/-5----5---5-\-3p---|-3/-5----5--5-\-3----|--3--2-3-/-5-------|--3--2-3-/-5-------| Guitar 2
G-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

 Whoa                    Oh           o          Oh       o
Oh


Outro
              harm                                     harm
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|---------0---------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4---------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2--4b--mr------|
D-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-----------0-------|-------------------|-----------0-------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |   grad            |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2--2-2-------0-|-2--2----4b------0-|-2--2-2--2-------0-|-2--2--4b--r4------|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A------------5------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------3/5---|-------------------|
            harm  X                   X                   X

              harm          slow bend                 harm

E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|---------0---------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 1
G----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--4---------|----2--2-2----3.5--|-2--2-2--2--2-2-2--|
D-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A-0-----------------|-------------------|-0-----------------|-------------------|
E-----------0-------|-------------------|-----------0-------|-------------------|
                    |                   |                   |                   |
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|Guitar 2
G-2--2--2-2-------0-|-2--2----4b------0-|-2--2-2--2-------0-|-2--2-2--2--2-2-2--|
D-----------2-------|-------------------|-----------2-------|-------------------|
A------------5------|-------------------|------------5------|-------------------|
E-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
            harm  X                   X             harm  X

TAB Key

        b  - bend a semitone
        r  - release previous bend
        p  - pulloff
        s  - slide
        mb - microtone bend (see record for further details)
        mr - microtone release
        X  - mute with palm of hand
        harm - harmonic
        ~  - hold note

Notes

Guitar 1 plays the most recognisable part of the song (the part which you hum
on your way to work ?), Guitar 2 plays similar lines to guitar 1 but
contains a few weird note choices and harmonics - giving the noise effect on
the track.

The inter-bar timings of the 2 guitar parts are reasonably accurate, but check
the record for details, particularly the 2 guitar parts on the chorus where
one guitar plays doublestops and the other slide.  You don't need to be an
'expert blueshound' to play the slide bits, and if you don't have a slide you
can simulate the effect quite closely using finger slides.

This Transcription (c) DarkMusic 1995.

Last updated: April 24, 2021

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