James Alley Blues chords by Willie Watson

• Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)
• Key: D
• Capo on 2nd

Difficulty: Novice

Willie Watson - James Alley Blues (Folksinger Vol. 1 - 2014)
original by Rabbit Brown (1927)
Capo on 2nd fret

Chords:
    C     C7    F     G
e|--------------1-----3-----|
B|--1-----1-----1-----3-----|
G|--0-----3-----2-----0-----|
D|--2-----2-----3-----0-----|
A|--3-----3-----3-----2-----|
E|--------------1-----3-----|

The song is fingerpicked and when on C alternate the base notes between C and G

C

C
Times ain't now nothing like they used to be
   F                                         C
Oh times ain't now nothing like they used to be
        G                                               C
And I'm tellin' you all the truth lord now take it from me

C                                                       C7
I done seen better days but I'm puttin' up with these
        F                                       C
I done seen better days but I'm puttin' up with these
               G                                                C
I could have a much better time if you girls weren't so hard to please

C                                                             C7
Cause I was born in the country she thinks I'm easy to rule
            F                                          C
Cause I was born in the country she thinks I'm easy to rule
            G                                                  C
She want to hitch me to her wagon, she want to drive me like a mule

Harmonica - same as verse chords:
C    F    C    F    C    G    C

C
How you want me to love you, you keep on treatin' me mean
           F                                            C
How do you want me to love you, you keep on treatin' me mean
          G                            C
You're my daily thought and my nightly dream
C
You know I bought the groceries and I paid the rent
           F                                   C
You know I bought the groceries and I paid the rent
                 G                                      C
Tried to make me wash her clothes but I got good common sense

Harmonica:
C    F    C    F    C    G    C

C                                                    C7
Well if you don't want me why don't you tell me so
     F                                          C
Well if you don't want me why don't you tell me so
        G                                          C
Cause I ain't like a man that ain't got nowhere to go

C
Sometimes I think that you're too sweet to die
    F                                      C
Sometimes I think that you're too sweet to die
            G                                    C
And another time I think you oughta be buried alive

Harmonica:
C    F    C    F    C    G    C

C
Times ain't now nothing like they used to be
   F                                         C
Oh times ain't now nothing like they used to be
    G                                           C
I'm tellin' you the truth lord now take it from me

(Harmonica)
F      C

(Extra verse sung in some live performances):
I've been givin' you sugar for sugar, let you get salt for salt
I'll give you sugar for sugar, let you get salt for salt
And if you can't get along with me well it's your own fault