Hank Williams
I'll Be A Bachelor Till I Die
Intro: Here are three alternate-octave riffs you can toy around with to simulate
the lap-steel guitar.
The 3rd is closest to the steel version, but I think any riff will work depending
on what you're going for.
The 2nd version acts as a template for starting the guitar solo after the first verse.
If you can use a slide, it sounds even better.
Intro chords:
1st: Low-octave riff:
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------2~~--2-4-2-----------------------|
D|-------0---0-2-4-----------0-4-2-0------4---------|
A|-0-2-4---4----------------------------0-----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
2nd: Same riff up an octave:
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------7-10~~-10-12-10---7----------7-----|
G|-----6-7-6-7-9-----------------7---9-7------------|
D|-7-9--------------------------------------7-------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
3rd: Same riff, up yet another octave:
e|----------------------14-17~~17-19-17----14-------------14|
B|-------14-15-14-15-17-----------------15----17-15---------|
G|-14-16------------------------------------------------14--|
D|----------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
VERSE 1:
I'll take you to the picture show and babe I'll hold your hand
I'll sit up in your parlor let you cool me with your fan
I'll listen to your troubles and pet you when you cry
But get that marryin' out of your head I'll be a bachelor till I die
Guitar solo (I’m 99% certain of this. Listen to the song for precise timing):
e|----------------------7----------------------------7-10--|
B|---------------7-10-----10-----10--------------/7-10-----|
G|-------7-7-7-7-------------9/11--11\9p7---7-7------------|
D|-7-9-7---------------------------------9p7---------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|-10-7-----------------------------------10---10---10---10-|
B|------10--------------77777------------12---12---12---12--|
G|---------br9p7-7-7--7-10bbr7----------12---12---12---12---|
D|----------------9-----------9-8-7----12---12---12---12----|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
e|-9-10-12-10p9--7-9p7\5------7-------7-------------------------|
B|-------------------------10--------------------------10-12-10-|
G|------------------------------bbrr10--br9-7---7-7-/11---------|
D|-------------------------------------------9p7----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------|
B|-----10-------------------10-|
G|-9/11--11\9p7----7-7--9/11---|
D|-------------9p7-------------|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|
VERSE 2:
I don't mind honky tonkin' round if that will bring you fun
But somehow I can't understand how one and one makes one
I like to cuddle near you and listen to you lie
But get that marryin' out of your head I'll be a bachelor till I die
(Fiddle Solo)
VERSE 3:
Now if you want a help mate you're just wasting lots of time
Cause I'm afraid of church bells how they scare me when they chime
I've seen those married people just up and say goodbye
So keep that marryin' out of your head I'll be a bachelor till I die
(Steel Solo, ends with opening riff)
VERSE 4:
This freedom's mighty precious in this land of liberty
I've seen what matrimony done to better men than me
I don't mind keepin' comp'ny with the apple of my eye
But keep that marryin' out of your head I'll be a bachelor till I die
*This Williams Sr. (waaayy better than jr.) tune worked out by the long-gone
daddy, Starcat. timjlehmann@gmail.com