Mary Ann

Written by 
Trad.
Released on 
Early Acoustic Dylan (–1965)
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

As performed by Bob Dylan on the Karen Wallace tape (home of Karen Wallace, May 1960)

Syrupy, was it? Apparently the Wallace tape has been authenticated (and it does sound quite a bit like the other early tapes, to my ears anyway). Although it’s a decent recording, there are words here that I can’t quite make out. The below is a suggestion, and as always I welcome corrections.

The rhythm that goes through the whole song, is a slow:

    C           Fmaj7
    :     .     .     .
||--0-----0---0-0-----0---0--||
||*-1-----1---1-1-----1---1-*||
||--0-----0---0-2-----2---2--||
||--2-----2---2-3-----3---3--||
||*-3-----3---3-3-----3---3-*||
||--------------1-----1---1--||

 

Chords 
Fmaj7    133210
G6       320000
    C       Fmaj7    C       Fmaj7
Ah, I don't know the word to find
  C        Fmaj7     C              Fmaj7
A word for [...],*) [mean life this time]
  C      Fmaj7        C            Fmaj7
I got to know, got to make me understand
C     Fmaj7 C Fmaj7 C
if to me my Mary    Ann

Fmaj7 .  G  G6  C  .  .  .
Fmaj7 .  G  G6  C  .

C        Fmaj7     C         Fmaj7
Oh, Mary Ann, Mary Ann, Mary Ann
C         Fmaj7 C   Fmaj7 C
I'm gonna marry you some  time

Fmaj7 .  G  G6  [C  .  .  .] (tape break)

*) Sounds almost like: I work all day

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