This Night Won't Last Forever

Written by 
Bill LaBounty and Roy Freeland
Released on 
The Bootleg Series vol. 16: Springtime in New York 1980–1985
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem

Played in Eb major – not the guitar strummer’s favorite key, but if you want to play the key raise in the last refrain, you will have to use barre chords anyway. The song is much easier to play in C major, though, so I include a version at the bottom as well.

For Eb, I highly recommend to use the C shape barre (x65343). It may feel awkward at first, but once you get a hang of it, it’s a very useful shape.

Dylan doesn’t sing the bridge, so the lyrics are taken from Michael Johnson’s version.

Chords 
Ebsus4     x68896
Eb         x68886 or x65343
Dm7        x57565
Bb11       6x654x or x11111
Bb7        686766 or x13131
Bb/d       x5333x

Eb11       x66666 
Eb7        x68686
Csus4      8-10-8-10-8-8 or x35363
F7         x8786x

Ebsus4 Eb Dm7 G 

Cm                 Gm          
 Everybody likes a celebration,
Ab               Eb
 happy music and conversation,
Fm                 Bb7sus4        Bb7     Eb     Dm7   G
 I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't have the blues.
Cm                       Gm
 In the corner there's a couple dancin',
Ab                      Eb       Bb/d
 from the kitchen I can hear her laughin',
   Cm  
Oh I  
Fsus4      F           Bb11  Bb7
wish I was celebratin' too.

  Eb        Cm          Gm
I know this night won't last forever,
  Ab       Cm          Bb11      Bb7
I know the sun's gonna shine sometime,
  Eb        Cm         Gm
I need some hope for a bright tomorrow,
   Ab        Cm             Bb11      Bb7
To show this heart is gonna mend just fine.

So pardon me for my disposition,
wish I didn't have to sit and listen,
She's playin' the same old songs on the stereo,
She's been lyin' since the day I met her,
I'd be better off to just forget her,
Oh I
would rather be lonesome or go.

I know this night won't last forever,
I know the sun's gonna shine sometime.
I need some hope for a bright tomorrow,
To show this heart is gonna mend just fine.

Eb11              Eb7
Such a ridiculous situation 
   Bbm7                    Eb
pretending there's nothing wrong,
Csus4                     F7
 She's comin' on with the invitation 
  Fm7                      Bb11    Bb7
I wonder who is takin' her home.

B11  B7

  E         C#m         G#m
I know this night won't last forever,
  A        C#m         B11       B7
I know the sun's gonna shine sometime,
  E         C#m        G#m
I need some hope for a bright tomorrow,
   A         C#m            B11       B7
To show this heart is gonna mend just fine.

Version in C major (capo 3rd fret)

Csus4 C Bm7 E 

Am                 Em          
 Everybody likes a celebration,
F                C
 happy music and conversation,
Dm                 G7sus4        G7       C     Bm7   E
 I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't have the blues.
Am                       Em
 In the corner there's a couple dancin',
F                       C        G/b
 from the kitchen I can hear her laughin',
   Am  
Oh I  
Dsus4      D           G11  G7
wish I was celebratin' too.

  C         Am          Em
I know this night won't last forever,
  F        Am          G11       G7
I know the sun's gonna shine sometime,
  C         Am         Em
I need some hope for a bright tomorrow,
   F         Am             G11       G7
To show this heart is gonna mend just fine.

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