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The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest

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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/BDm/AC/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/GC
                    |   |
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/BDm/AC/G
|  |  |  |  |
  C  Em/BDm/AC/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/BDm/AC/G
|  |  |  |  |
  C  Em Dm C
|  |  |  |  |
(fade out over last four chords)

The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest chords and lyrics

Free chords for The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest by Bob Dylan. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

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).
[Intro]
| C | Em/B | Dm/A | C/G |
[Verse 1]
[Verse 2]
[Verse 3]
[Verse 4]
[Verse 5]
[Verse 6]
            Dm/          C
In fact, he just left my sight."
[Verse 7]
[Verse 8]
[Verse 9]
[Verse 10]
[Solo] (harp)
| C | Em/B | Dm/A | C/G |
| C | Em/B | Dm/A | C/G |
[Verse 11]
[Outro] (harp)
| C | Em | Dm | C |
| C | Em | Dm | C |
| C | Em/B | Dm/A | C/G |

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.

Frequently asked questions about The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest

How do I play "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" by Bob Dylan on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" by Bob Dylan 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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Yes. The chords for "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" by Bob Dylan are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" by Bob Dylan with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Bob Dylan below.

What key is "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest" in?

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.