Delia

Written by 
Trad.
Released on 
World Gone Wrong (1993)
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

Read John Garst’s story about Delia Green, age 14, shot down on Christmas Eve 1900 by her boyfriend Cooney Houston.

Capo 2nd fret (original key D major)

It should be mentioned that Dylan isn’t always dead certain about neither how long to strum F before all the friends he ever had have left, nor about now to play the descending riff. But hey, he’s an artist, man, you gotta give him that.

The characteristic figure in the second line can be played in many different ways. In the intro, it is played with the chord sequence _ C F G | C …, but in the rest of the song, it goes _ C F C | C-G … This can actually be played quite easily with a “cheating” g on the open strings while the left hand moves down to the first position:

      C   F   C     C  G   F
  :   .   .   .     :    .   .   .    
|-----8-----------|------------------|
|-----8--10---8---|----0---1---------|
|-----9--10---9---|-9--0---2---------|
|--------10--10---|10-(0)--3---------|
|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|------------------|

If you play the F chord with a half-barre with the ring or little finger, you don’t have to move the hand at all.

 

Chords 
C      x32013  in the intro,otherwise x32010
F9     xx3213  in the intro, otherwise normal F
Cviii  xxx988
Fv     xxx565
Fx     xx10-10-10-x
Ciii   xxx553
Giii   xxx433
C/g    332010

Intro (same accompanying pattern in all the verses):

  C                 F9              C       F9      C
  :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .   :   .   .   .   :   .   .   .
|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3-------3-------|-3---------------|
|-1---------------|-1---------------|-1-------1-------|-1---------------|
|-0---------------|-2---------------|-0-------2-------|-0---------------|
|-2---------------|-3---------------|-2-------3-------|-2---------------|
|-3---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

                   Ciii
   Cviii Fv Giii     Giii F
  :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .         .   .   .     :   .   .   .
|-----8-------3---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----8--10---0---|-5-3---1---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----9--10-------|-5-4---2---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|--------10-------|-------3---------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|------(3)--------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|------(1)--------|-----------------|---------0---1---|

  C                "G7"               C       Csus4     C
  :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .
|-0---------------|-0---0---0---0---|-0---------------|-----------------|
|-1---------------|-1---1---1---1---|-1---------------|-----------------|
|-0---------------|-0---0---0---0---|-0---------------|-----------------|
|-2---------------|-0---3---2---0---|-2---------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-x---x---x---x---|-3---------------|-----------------|
|-3---------------|-3---3---3---3---|-x---------------|-----------------|

C           F9             C       F9   C
Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around
Cviii Fv  Giii  Ciii Giii F
De-   lia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
C/g         "G7"                   C      Csus4    C
    All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out West
When she returned, little Delia'd gone to rest.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia's Daddy weeped, Delia's momma moaned
Wouldn'a been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis's looking high, Curtis's looking low
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

High upon the housetops, high as I can see
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone

Men in Atlanta, trying to pass for white
Delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Judge says to Curtis, "What's this noise about?"
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis said to the judge "What might be my fine?"
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis' in the jailhouse, drinking from an old tin cup
Delia's in the graveyard, she might never, never get up.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia, oh Delia, how could it be?
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

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