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Ballad Of A Thin Man

Chords
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Original
Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams
Chords are arranged to simulate the bass line and guitar chords when playing
solo guitar. Suggested chord fingerings:
1| Bm2 F#aug/Bb2 D/A2 D2 E7/G#0 G3 Em0 F#m2 A70
2| 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 2 2
3| 4 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 0
4| 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 2
5| 2 1 0 X 2 X 2 4 0
6| X X X X 4 3 0 2 X
To simplify, you can substitue with "normal" chord fingerings
( F#aug/Bbfor F#aug, D/Afor plain D, E7/G#for plain E7)
In 4, slow swing beat
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
[Intro]
| Bm| Bm|
| Bm| Bm|
[Verse]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
You walk into the room with your pencil in your hand
| D/A| E7/G#|
You see somebody naked and you you say who is that man?
| G| Em|
You try so hard but you Don't understand
| D   F#m| Bm|
Just what you will say when you get home Be-
| D   F#m| Bm|
-cause something is happening here but you don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
Do you? Mister Jones
| Bm| (GO TO NEXT VERSE - NOT A MEASURE)
[Verse 2]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
You raise up your head and you ask "is this where it is?"
| D/A| E7/G#|
And somebody points to you and Says, "It's his"
| G| Em|
And you say "what's mine" and somebody else says "well, what is?" and you
| D   F#m| Bm|
Say, "Oh my god am I here all a - lone?" But
| D   F#m| Bm|
Something is happening and you don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
Do you? Mister Jones
| Bm| (GO TO NEXT VERSE - NOT A MEASURE)
[Verse 3]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
You hand in your ticket and you go watch the geek
| D/A| E7/G#|
Who immediately walks up to you when he hears you speak
| G| Em|
and says, "how does it feel to be such a freak?" and you say "im-
| D   F#m| Bm|
-possible" as he hands you a bone And
| D   F#m| Bm|
something is happening here but you don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
do you? Mister Jones
| Bm| (GO TO NEXT VERSE - NOT A MEASURE)
[Verse 4]
| Bm| D/A|
You have many contacts Among the lumberjacks to
| G| Bm|
Get you facts when someone attacks your imagination
| Bm| D/A|
But nobody has any respect Anyway they already expect you
| G| Em|
To all give a check to Tax-deductible charity organi-
| A7| A7|
-zations Ahhhhhh..........
[Verse 5]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
You've been with the professors and they've all liked your looks
| D/A| E7/G#|
With great lawyers you have dis - cussed lepers and crooks
| G| Em|
You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
| D   F#m| Bm|
You're very well read it's well known But
| D   F#m| Bm|
something is happening here and ya don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
do you? Mister Jones
| Bm| (GO TO NEXT VERSE - NOT A MEASURE)
Well the
[Verse 6]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
sword swallower he comes up to you and then he kneels
| D/A| E7/G#|
He crosses himself and then he clicks his high heels and
| G| Em|
without further notice he asks you how it feels and he says
| D   F#m| Bm|
Here is your throat back thanks for the loan
| D   F#m| Bm|
and you know something is happening but you don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
do you? Mister Jones
| BmNow..... | (GO TO NEXT VERSE - NOT A MEASURE)
[Verse 7]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
you see this one-eyed midget shouting the word "now"
| D/A| E7/G#|
and you say "for what reason" and he says "how?"
| G| Em|
and you say "what does this mean?" and he screams back "you're a cow"
| D   F#m| Bm|
Give me some milk or else go home and you
| D   F#m| Bm|
know something's happening but you don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
do you? Mister Jones
| Bm| (GO TO NEXT VERSE - NOT A MEASURE)
Well...
[Verse 8]
| Bm| F#aug/Bb|
You walk into the room like a camel and then you frown
| D/A| E7/G#|
You put your eyes in your pocket and your nose on the ground
| G| Em|
There oughtta be a law a - gainst you comin' around You
| D   F#m| Bm|
Should be made to wear ear phones
| D   F#m| Bm|
Cause something is happening and you don't know what it is
| G| Bm|
do you? Mister Jones
[Outro]
| Bm| Bm|
| Bm| Bm|
Whoaaaaaoooooh!
All chords in this song (11)

The story behind the song

This song revolves around the character of Mr. Jones, who finds himself repeatedly stumbling into strange situations where the more he questions, the less he understands. It plays like an unrelenting inquisition, a furious dressing-down of a hapless outsider trying to navigate a world he doesn't belong in. The song's composer once described it as a response to people who constantly asked him questions. Musically, it's driven by sombre piano chords contrasted with a horror movie organ part, creating a truly "nasty" song, as one musician described it during recording for the 1965 album Highway 61 Revisited. It embodies the feeling of being utterly out of place and misunderstood.

AI-written from these sources:Ballad of a Thin Man — Wikipedia ↗Bob Dylan — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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About Ballad Of A Thin Man Chords by Bob Dylan

Learn how to play Ballad Of A Thin Man by Bob Dylan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Ballad Of A Thin Man chords”, “Ballad Of A Thin Man guitar chords”, or “Bob Dylan Ballad Of A Thin Man 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 Ballad Of A Thin Man chords and for experienced players who want accurate Ballad Of A Thin Man lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Bm, F#aug/Bb, D/A, D, E7/G#, G.

FAQ — Ballad Of A Thin Man by Bob Dylan

How do I play "Ballad Of A Thin Man" by Bob Dylan on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Ballad Of A Thin Man" to a different key?

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Is "Ballad Of A Thin Man" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Ballad Of A Thin Man" in?

The chords for "Ballad Of A Thin Man" show the original chord names (including Bm, F#aug/Bb, D/A, D, E7/G#, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.