Tabbed by Andrew Covello
Feedback: AndrewCov@hvc.rr.com
Seven Story Mountain is a great song by the bluegrass band Railroad Earth, off
their first album "Black Bear Sessions."
There was only one tab out there and it was wrong about many things, so I decided to write one.
The song is in G, not D as the previous tab stated.
You can tell, as this song uses the C chord, whereas the D key doesn't contain C, it contains C#.
The vocal melody revolves around the D mixolydian scale (5th of G),
and D is the main chord used in the song, so the key can be deceiving.
Chords:
D: G: C: Em/G: Bm: A:
e|--(2)-|---3--|---0---|-------|---2---|---0---|
B|---3--|---3--|---1---|-------|---3---|---2---|
G|---2--|---0--|---0---|---0---|---4---|---2---|
D|---0--|---0--|---2---|---2---|---4---|---2---|
A|--(0)-|---2--|---3---|---2---|---2---|---0---|
E|------|---3--|-------|---3---|-------|-------|
I honestly don't know if Em/G is the correct chord.
Actually, it's probably just a regular G, but I like the low sound of Em/G so I use it anyway.
Don't strum the top strings for it.
With the D string, feel free to hit the open A as much or as little as you want.
Intro:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
e|------------------------2-2-2-2-|--------------------------------|
B|1h3-3-----3-3-----3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|1h3-3-----3-3---1h3-3---3p1-1---|
G|2---2-----2-2-----2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|2---2-----2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2---|
D|0---0-----0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|0---0-----0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0---|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E| | |
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/r/railroad-earth/220194.html ]
The second measure has a lot of variation, most between the hammer-ons (and pull-offs).
Mess with it and make it yours.
Verse:
Note: Don't play the 1st (high E) string for the D chord, keep it muted.
The exception is at the end of a vocal line, I play the F# a beat
to keep the rhythm interesting.
D
Oh Lord to see a light
D
But fail in strength to follow
G C Em/G D
Sometimes it's hard to let it go
D
Oh Lord to fail in heart
D
Each day grow more hollow
G C Em/G D
Sometimes I just don't wanna know
Chorus:
D
But the road that led me here
D
Has begun to disappear
G C Em/G D
Sometimes I wonder where I am
Oh Lord to hear a voice
But let it fade and wallow
Sometimes it's hard to let it go
Oh Lord to find the words
But keep them in and swallow
One day the top is gonna blow
But the road that left me here
Has begun to disappear
Sometimes I wonder who I am
Bridge:
(Something like this... you get the idea.)
Bm A Bm A Bm A
|| . . . . | . . . . | . . . . | . . . . | . . . . | . . . . |
D
| . . . . | . . . . | . . . . | . . . . || x2
Oh Lord to stumble by
For years without knowing
Sunrise has burned my eyes again.
Oh Lord to crumble quiet
Watching from the silence
Sunrise has burned my eyes again.
It's a seven-story mountain
It's a long-long life we live
Gonna find a light and fill my heart again
It's a seven story mountain
It's a long long life ahead
Gotta find a voice and fill my throat again
