William Elliott Whitmore (born May 11, 1978, Iowa, United States) is an American blues singer and musician from Lee County, Iowa. He has recorded a number of albums released on Southern Records, and now is a member of the Anti Records family. His act consists mostly of playing the banjo or guitar while singing, though on occasion he performs a cappella. While he has earned much acclaim from the folk, blues and alt-country communities, he is also rooted in the hardcore punk community
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Johnny Law - William Elliott Whitmore ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tabbed by: Steve Email: [email protected]
Tuning: Standard
First time I saw him play this tune it was on the banjo. Then the new album he plays it on guitar with a slide. I just saw him recently and he played it on the guitar with no slide and that is the way I am going to tab it. If you want to use a slide, it's not too difficult... just slide to the same notes. Love this tune though.
Chords used: You can play the whole A chord if you would like. EA5B7F#B e|----0-----X-----2-----2-----2-----------| B|----0-----X-----0-----2-----4-----------| G|----1-----X-----2-----3-----4-----------| D|----2-----2-----1-----4-----4-----------| A|----2-----0-----2-----4-----2-----------| E|----0-----X-----X-----2-----X-----------|
Intro: For the intro I use my pinky to slide on the e string and have my hand ready to go to the E chord quickly. Pretty sure that's how he does it. (Also if you kinda loosely strum it and hit the B string on occasion, it's not a big deal...it actually sounds good).
EAE Well I was driving down the road just a minding my own when Johnny Law B7E pulled up from behind EAEF# He walked up to my window and said, roll it down and let me see what I can B find EAEB7 I said, no way, what's mine is mine and I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me E be EAE He said, I'll leave you be alright, in a cell all night, I'll lock you up B7E and throw away the key A He slapped them cuffs on my wrist E And my hands clenched into fists B7 And I wished I could have punched him in the jaw E And knock out old Johnny Law
CHORUS: (right here he does a walk up to A that goes like so)
e|-----------------------------| B|-----------------------------| G|-----------------------------| D|---------2-------------------| A|---------0-------------------| E|-0-2-4-----------------------| A Ohh Johnny Law E Johnny Law B7 He's the littlest man I ever saw EAE With his badge and his gun, he'll just hassle everyone B7E He'll get you on the run Johnny Law
(INTRO)
VERSE: E He took me down to the state house AE And he hurled that book at me AEF#B And bein' in a cell is like being in hell for a man who longs to be free EAE I sat there and I wondered, just what gave this man the right EAEB7 To leave me to rot here on this rickety cot, just a staring at the ceiling E all night AE And I couldn't help but think of the words of my dear departed Pa AE He said, do the best you can, be a good man, but don't you never trust B7E Johnny Law
CHORUS: (THE SAME WALK UP TO A) A Ohh Johnny Law E Johnny Law B7 He's the littlest man I ever saw EAE With his badge and his gun, he'll just hassle everyone B7E He'll get you on the run Johnny Law
VERSE: EAEB7 Without any proof they couldn't keep me there so they let me out in the E morning EAEF# And that cop said, son, I don't know what you done, but just consider this a B little warning EAE I said, it must take a lot of nerve to protect and to serve but I wonder B7E what it would be like EB7E If you didn't have that badge or that gun or that uniform to hide behind AE And although I feel, that this whole deal, I got, was pretty damn wrong AE My conscience is clean, cause I'm a human being, B7E And you're just Johnny Law
CHORUS: (THE SAME WALK UP TO A) A Ohh Johnny Law E Johnny Law B7 He's the littlest man I ever saw EAE With his badge and his gun, he'll just hassle everyone B7E He'll get you on the run Johnny Law EAE With his badge and his gun, he'll just hassle everyone B7E You'll never get me on the run Johnny Law
OUTRO IS SAME AS INTRO AS HE HUMS ALONG TO THE MELODY.
Alright that's it. That felt like it took forever. I can't imagine how long its takes someone to tab out something like "Green Grass and High Tides." Cheers.