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Black Mountain Blues

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Emixolydian

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Standard Tuning, Capo on 5
It's a pretty standard blues progression, E7/A/B7
You can get a similar sound to his initial picking pattern fooling around with the high 
E string and a second fret on the B string
For the interlude, base the (E7/D#7/D7) transition around a D7 chord, and then go back 
to the normal E7
Intro:E7  
E7Well on black mountain, where Aa child'll spit in your facE7e
AI say on black mountain, where a child'll spit in your E7face
B7all the babies cry for whiAsky, all the birds sing baE7ss
E7Well on black mountain, there as meAan as they can beE7  
I say Aon black mountain, well as mean as they can bE7e
Well you knB7ow they use gunpowderA, just to sweeten their E7tea
Interlude: (E7/D#7/D7)/E7/A/E7/(E7/D#7/D7)/E7/B7/A/E7/A/E7  
E7Well on black mountain, well you Acan't keep a man in jaiE7l
AI say on black mountain, well you can't keep a man in jaE7il
Well if B7the jury finds him guilty, the Ajudge'll go that bE7ail
E7I had a gal on black mountain, well the swAeetest gal in townE7  
AI had a gal on black mountain, well the sweetest gal iE7n town
B7Well met a sweet backed man, and Ashe threw me doE7wn
Interlude:(E7/D#7/D7)/E7/A/E7/(E7/D#7/D7)/E7/B7/A/E7/A/E7  
E7I'm going back to black mountain, me my raAzor and my gunE7  
AI'm going back to black mountain, me my razor and my gE7un
B7I'm gonna cut her if she stands, shAoot her if she runsE7  
Interlude/outro:(E7/D#7/D7)/E7/A/E7/(E7/D#7/D7)/E7/B7/A/E7/A/E7  

All chords in this song (5)

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Black Mountain Blues

by Dave Van Ronk

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 5 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

D#7

Standard Tuning, Capo on 5

It's a pretty standard blues progression, E7/A/B7

You can get a similar sound to his initial picking pattern fooling around with the high

E string and a second fret on the B string

For the interlude, base the (E7/D#7/D7) transition around a D7 chord, and then go back

to the normal E7

Intro:

E7 A E7

Well on black mountain, where a child'll spit in your face

A E7

I say on black mountain, where a child'll spit in your face

B7 A E7

all the babies cry for whisky, all the birds sing bass

E7 A E7

Well on black mountain, there as mean as they can be

A E7

I say on black mountain, well as mean as they can be

B7 A E7

Well you know they use gunpowder, just to sweeten their tea

E7 D#7 D7 E7 A E7 E7 D#7 D7 E7 B7 A E7 A E7

Interlude: (//)////(//)//////

E7 A E7

Well on black mountain, well you can't keep a man in jail

A E7

I say on black mountain, well you can't keep a man in jail

B7 A E7

Well if the jury finds him guilty, the judge'll go that bail

E7 A E7

I had a gal on black mountain, well the sweetest gal in town

A E7

I had a gal on black mountain, well the sweetest gal in town

B7 A E7

Well met a sweet backed man, and she threw me down

E7 D#7 D7 E7 A E7 E7 D#7 D7 E7 B7 A E7 A E7

Interlude:(//)////(//)//////

E7 A E7

I'm going back to black mountain, me my razor and my gun

A E7

I'm going back to black mountain, me my razor and my gun

B7 A E7

I'm gonna cut her if she stands, shoot her if she runs

E7 D#7 D7 E7 A E7 E7 D#7 D7 E7 B7 A E7 A E7

Interlude/outro:(//)////(//)//////

About Black Mountain Blues Chords by Dave Van Ronk

Learn how to play Black Mountain Blues by Dave Van Ronk with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Black Mountain Blues chords”, “Black Mountain Blues guitar chords”, or “Dave Van Ronk Black Mountain Blues chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Black Mountain Blues chords and for experienced players who want accurate Black Mountain Blues lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E7/A, B7, E, B, E7/D#, D7.

FAQ — Black Mountain Blues by Dave Van Ronk

How do I play "Black Mountain Blues" by Dave Van Ronk on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Black Mountain Blues" by Dave Van Ronk on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

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Can I transpose "Black Mountain Blues" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Black Mountain Blues" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Black Mountain Blues"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Black Mountain Blues" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Black Mountain Blues" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Black Mountain Blues" by Dave Van Ronk with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Dave Van Ronk below.

What key is "Black Mountain Blues" in?

The chords for "Black Mountain Blues" show the original chord names (including E7/A, B7, E, B, E7/D#, D7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.