key of E. the lyrics are just above the tab so you'll know what part is being played
if you know the melody it'll be no problem
"OLD BLACK JOE" written by Stephen Collins Foster in 1861
gone__ are the days___, when my heart was young and gay
e|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------|---------2----------------------------|
A|----------------2~~~~~~--|--2-2--4---4-2--2-0~~~~~~~------------|
E|--0~~~~~~--2-4-----------|--------------------------------------|
gone__ are my friends___, from the cotton fields away
e|--------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------|----------0--------------------------|
A|-----------------2~~~~~~~-|--2-2--4-----4--2--2-0~~~~~~~~-------|
E|--0~~~~~~~~--2-4----------|-------------------------------------|
gone___ from this earth___, to a better place i know
e|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------|--------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------|---------2----------------------------|
A|----------------2~~~~~~--|--2-2--4---4-2--2-0~~~~~~~------------|
E|--0~~~~~~--2-4-----------|--------------------------------------|
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/m/misc-traditional/255943.html ]
i hear the gentle voices calling, old__ black___ joe
e|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|--2-1-2--4--1-2--------------|----------------------------------|
A|-----------------4--2-4~~~~--|----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|--4~~~~~~~---2~~~~~~~---0~~~~~~---|
i'm comin', i'm comin', though my head is bended low__
e|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------|----------2-----------------------|
A|--2------2~~~--2------2~~~~~-|--2-2--4-----4-2--2-0~~~~~~~------|
E|------4------------4---------|----------------------------------|
i hear the gentle voices calling, old__ black___ joe
e|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|----------------------------------|
D|--2-1-2--4--1-2--------------|----------------------------------|
A|-----------------4--2-4~~~~--|----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|--4~~~~~~~---2~~~~~~~---0~~~~~~---|
rest of lyrics:
Why do I weep, when my heart should feel no pain,
Why do I sigh that my friends come not again?
Grieving for forms now departed long ago.
I hear their gentle voices calling Old Black Joe.
Where are the hearts once so happy and so free?
The children so dear that I held upon my knee?
Gone to the shore where my soul has longed to go,
I hear their gentle voices calling Old Black Joe.
and that's all! i hope this helps! it's a shame this song didnt get as popular as
Fosters other compositions
like "camptown races" or "oh susannah".
rock on!
-Bert
