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The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest

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Capo on fret 5 (as written in this song)

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest - Bob Dylan
From: John Wesley Harding (1967)
The acoustic on Dylan's recording is played using G-shapes + capo 5th fret.
So, for the original sound, transpose this chord sheet -5 and use a capo 5th fret.
The bass often does not play the regular root; the bass notes are included here 
after the chord names. Playing alone, they can either be left out or included 
into the chords (some welcome colours in a long song).
no capo             capo 5
Em/B  x-2-x-0-0-0   Bm/F# 2-x-4-4-3-2
Dm/A  x-0-x-2-3-1   Am/E  0-x-2-2-1-0
C/G   3-x-2-0-1-0   G/D   x-x-0-0-0-3
Dm/F  x-x-3-2-3-1   Am/C  x-3-2-2-1-0
[Intro]
|  C|  Em|  Dm|  C|
(guitar)
|  C|  Em/B|  Dm/A|  C/G|
[Verse 1]
Well, CFrankie Lee and Em/BJudas Priest,
They Dm/Awere the best of friends.C/G  
So when CFrankie Lee needed Em/Bmoney one day,
Judas quickly Dm/Apulled out a roll of C/Gtens
And Cplaced them on a footEm/Bstool
Just aDm/Above the plotted plain,C/G  
Sayin', "CTake your pick, Em/BFrankie Boy,
My Dm/Aloss will be your C/Ggain."
[Verse 2]
Well, CFrankie Lee, he Emsat right down
And put his Dm/Ffingers to his C/Gchin,
But with the Ccold eyes of EmJudas on him,
                    Dm|  C/G   C|
His head began to spin.
"Could ya Cplease not stare at me like Emthat," he said,
"It's Dmjust my foolish Cpride,
For Csometimes a man must Embe alone
And Dmthis is no place to Chide."
[Verse 3]
 CWell Judas, he just Em/Bwinked and said,
"All Dm/Aright, I'll leave you herC/Ge,
But Cyou'd better hurry up and Em/Bchoose 
Which of those bills you Dm/Awant before they all disappear."C/G  
 C"I'm gonna start my Em/Bpickin' right now,
Just Dm/Atell me where you'll be."C/G  
 CJudas pointed down the Em/Broad
 Dm/AAnd said eterniC/Gty,
[Verse 4]
"ECternity?" said EmFrankie Lee,
 DmWith a voice as cold as Cice.
 C"That's right," said Judas, "EEmternity,
DmThough you might call it 'ParadiseC.'"
 C"I don't call it anyEmthing,"
Said DmFrankie Lee with a C/Gsmile.
 C"All right," said EmJudas Priest,
 Dm"I'll see you after a whiCle."
[Verse 5]
 CWell, Frankie Lee, he Emsat back down,
DmFeelin' low and Cmean,
 CWhen just then a passing Emstranger
DmBurst upon the Cscene,
Saying, "CAre you Frankie Lee, the Emgambler,
Whose Dmfather's deCceased?
Well, if you Care, There's a fellow Emcallin' you down the road
And they Dmsay his name is CPriest."
[Verse 6]
 C"Oh, yes, he Emis my friend,"
Said DmFrankie Lee in Cfright,
 C"I do recall him Emvery well,
            Dm/          C
In fact, he just left my sight."
"CYes, that's the one," said the Emstranger,
As Dmquiet as a Cmouse,
"Well, my Cmessage is, he's Emdown the road,
DmStranded in a housCe."
[Verse 7]
Well, CFrankie Lee, he Em/Bpanicked,
He dropped Dm/Aev'rything and C/Gran
CUntil he came unto the Em/Bspot
Where Dm/AJudas Priest did C/Gstand.
"CWhat kind of house is Em/Bthis," he said,
"Where Dm/AI have come to C/Groam?"
"It's Cnot a house," says Em/BJudas Priest,
"It's not a Dm/Ahouse, it's a hoC/Gme."
[Verse 8]
Well, CFrankie Lee, he Emtrembled,
He Dmsoon lost all conCtrol
COver everything which Emhe had made
While the Dmmission bells did Ctoll.
He just Cstood there sEm/Btaring
At that big house as Dmbright as any Csun,
With Cfour and twenty Emwindows
And a Dmwoman's face in every Cone.
[Verse 9]
Well, Cup the stairs ran FrankiEme Lee
With a Dm/Asoulful, bounding Cleap,
And, Cfoaming at the Emmouth,
He began to Dmmake his midnight Ccreep.
For Csixteen nights and Emdays he raved,
But Dmon the seventeenth he Cburst
CInto the arms of EmJudas Priest,
Which is Dmwhere he died of Cthirst.
[Verse 10]
 CNo one tried to Emsay a thing
When they Dmcarried him out in Cjest
ExcCept, of course, the little Emneighbour boy
Who Dmcarried him to C/Grest.
And Che just walked aEmlong, alone,
With his Dmguilt all well conCcealed,
 CAnd muttered underEmneath his breath,
"DmNothing is reCvealed."
[Solo] (harp)
|  C|  Em/B|  Dm/A|  C/G|
|  C|  Em/B|  Dm/A|  C/G|
[Verse 11]
Well, the Cmoral of the Emstory,
The Dmmoral of this C/Gsong,
Is Csimply that one should Emnever be
Where Dmone does not beClong.
So when you Csee your neighbour carryin' Emsomethin',
DmHelp him with his Cload,
And Cdon't go mistaking EmParadise
For that Dmhome across the Croad.
[Outro] (harp)
|  C|  Em|  Dm|  C|
|  C|  Em|  Dm|  C|
|  C|  Em/B|  Dm/A|  C/G|
|  C|  Em|  Dm|  C|
(fade out over last four chords)

All chords in this song (7)

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The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest

by Bob Dylan

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

Chords in this song · guitar

Em/B

Dm/A

C/G

Dm/F

The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest - Bob Dylan

From: John Wesley Harding (1967)

The acoustic on Dylan's recording is played using G-shapes + capo 5th fret.

So, for the original sound, transpose this chord sheet -5 and use a capo 5th fret.

The bass often does not play the regular root; the bass notes are included here

after the chord names. Playing alone, they can either be left out or included

into the chords (some welcome colours in a long song).

no capo capo 5

Em/B x-2-x-0-0-0 Bm/F# 2-x-4-4-3-2

Dm/A x-0-x-2-3-1 Am/E 0-x-2-2-1-0

C/G 3-x-2-0-1-0 G/D x-x-0-0-0-3

Dm/F x-x-3-2-3-1 Am/C x-3-2-2-1-0

[Intro]

C Em Dm C

| | | | |

(guitar)

C Em/B Dm/A C/G

| | | | |

[Verse 1]

C Em/B

Well, Frankie Lee and Judas Priest,

Dm/A C/G

They were the best of friends.

C Em/B

So when Frankie Lee needed money one day,

Dm/A C/G

Judas quickly pulled out a roll of tens

C Em/B

And placed them on a footstool

Dm/A C/G

Just above the plotted plain,

C Em/B

Sayin', "Take your pick, Frankie Boy,

Dm/A C/G

My loss will be your gain."

[Verse 2]

C Em

Well, Frankie Lee, he sat right down

Dm/F C/G

And put his fingers to his chin,

C Em

But with the cold eyes of Judas on him,

Dm C/G C

| |

His head began to spin.

C Em

"Could ya please not stare at me like that," he said,

Dm C

"It's just my foolish pride,

C Em

For sometimes a man must be alone

Dm C

And this is no place to hide."

[Verse 3]

C Em/B

Well Judas, he just winked and said,

Dm/A C/G

"All right, I'll leave you here,

C Em/B

But you'd better hurry up and choose

Dm/A C/G

Which of those bills you want before they all disappear."

C Em/B

"I'm gonna start my pickin' right now,

Dm/A C/G

Just tell me where you'll be."

C Em/B

Judas pointed down the road

Dm/A C/G

And said eternity,

[Verse 4]

C Em

"Eternity?" said Frankie Lee,

Dm C

With a voice as cold as ice.

C Em

"That's right," said Judas, "Eternity,

Dm C

Though you might call it 'Paradise.'"

C Em

"I don't call it anything,"

Dm C/G

Said Frankie Lee with a smile.

C Em

"All right," said Judas Priest,

Dm C

"I'll see you after a while."

[Verse 5]

C Em

Well, Frankie Lee, he sat back down,

Dm C

Feelin' low and mean,

C Em

When just then a passing stranger

Dm C

Burst upon the scene,

C Em

Saying, "Are you Frankie Lee, the gambler,

Dm C

Whose father's deceased?

C Em

Well, if you are, There's a fellow callin' you down the road

Dm C

And they say his name is Priest."

[Verse 6]

C Em

"Oh, yes, he is my friend,"

Dm C

Said Frankie Lee in fright,

C Em

"I do recall him very well,

Dm/ C

In fact, he just left my sight."

C Em

"Yes, that's the one," said the stranger,

Dm C

As quiet as a mouse,

C Em

"Well, my message is, he's down the road,

Dm C

Stranded in a house."

[Verse 7]

C Em/B

Well, Frankie Lee, he panicked,

Dm/A C/G

He dropped ev'rything and ran

C Em/B

Until he came unto the spot

Dm/A C/G

Where Judas Priest did stand.

C Em/B

"What kind of house is this," he said,

Dm/A C/G

"Where I have come to roam?"

C Em/B

"It's not a house," says Judas Priest,

Dm/A C/G

"It's not a house, it's a home."

[Verse 8]

C Em

Well, Frankie Lee, he trembled,

Dm C

He soon lost all control

C Em

Over everything which he had made

Dm C

While the mission bells did toll.

C Em/B

He just stood there staring

Dm C

At that big house as bright as any sun,

C Em

With four and twenty windows

Dm C

And a woman's face in every one.

[Verse 9]

C Em

Well, up the stairs ran Frankie Lee

Dm/A C

With a soulful, bounding leap,

C Em

And, foaming at the mouth,

Dm C

He began to make his midnight creep.

C Em

For sixteen nights and days he raved,

Dm C

But on the seventeenth he burst

C Em

Into the arms of Judas Priest,

Dm C

Which is where he died of thirst.

[Verse 10]

C Em

No one tried to say a thing

Dm C

When they carried him out in jest

C Em

Except, of course, the little neighbour boy

Dm C/G

Who carried him to rest.

C Em

And he just walked along, alone,

Dm C

With his guilt all well concealed,

C Em

And muttered underneath his breath,

Dm C

"Nothing is revealed."

[Solo] (harp)

C Em/B Dm/A C/G

| | | | |

C Em/B Dm/A C/G

| | | | |

[Verse 11]

C Em

Well, the moral of the story,

Dm C/G

The moral of this song,

C Em

Is simply that one should never be

Dm C

Where one does not belong.

C Em

So when you see your neighbour carryin' somethin',

Dm C

Help him with his load,

C Em

And don't go mistaking Paradise

Dm C

For that home across the road.

[Outro] (harp)

C Em Dm C

| | | | |

C Em Dm C

| | | | |

C Em/B Dm/A C/G

| | | | |

C Em Dm C

| | | | |

(fade out over last four chords)

About The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest Chords by Bob Dylan

Learn how to play The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest by Bob Dylan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest chords”, “The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest guitar chords”, or “Bob Dylan The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest 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 The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Em/B, Bm/F, Dm/A, Am/E, C/G.

FAQ — The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest by Bob Dylan

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The chords for "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" show the original chord names (including G, Em/B, Bm/F, Dm/A, Am/E, C/G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.