THE SKY IS CRYING
As recorded by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
(From the 1991 Album THE SKY IS CRYING)
Words & Music by Elmore James, Clarence Lewis & Morris Lewy
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) - 'Stevie Ray Vaughan - Electric Guitar / 1/2 step down'
1st Verse
Q.=62
C7 F9
12/8
Gtr I
~~ ~~
|---3---|
Q E Q S +S S Q S S Q. Q. W E
|------13b15--13-(13)-11------------------|-8---------------|
|------------------------13--11-8---------|-----------------|
|---------------------------------10b12---|-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
C7
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Q. E Q +H. S S +Q E E E Q E E Q
|--------13b15===(13)------|-11----------11-------------------|
|--------------------------|----13-(13)-----13----11--11------|
|--------------------------|-------------------12-------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------------------|
F9
~~ ~~
|---3---|
Q E Q S +S S Q S S Q. Q. W E
|------13b15--13-(13)-11------------------|-8---------------|
|------------------------13--11-8---------|-----------------|
|---------------------------------10b12---|-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
C7
H Q Q. S E. +E
|------11b13--11b14-----11b14==(11)r-|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
Ab9
~~~~~~ ~~
|----3----| |-3--| |-3--|
S S +Q S S S +S S S S S +E S E. S S S E E
|---8-(8)--------------------------------------8---------------11-|
|----------11p8------------------------------------------------11-|
|---------------10b11r(10)-8----8h10b12==(10)r---8-------------12-|
|----------------------------10---------------------10p8----------|
|--------------------------------------------------------10-11----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------11----|
G9 F9
~~~
Q. W E E E W Q
|------------------|-20\---------------|
|-10---------------|-20\---------------|
|-10---------------|-------------------|
|--9---------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------------|
C7 G7
~ ~~~~ ~~
H Q Q S S S S Q E S S E E S E. Q E E Q
|------11b13--11b11.5--8---8-11-8--|-8\--------------------------------||
|------------------------8---------|-----------------------------------||
|----------------------------------|---------------------10---10-------||
|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------||
|----------------------------------|------------8-9-10--(10)-----10----||
|----------------------------------|------3s12\------------------------||
2nd Verse
C7 F9 C7
~~~~~~~~~
H Q Q E E S E. E Q W E Q. E Q +H.
|----------------8---------|-8---------------|--------13b15===(13)----|
|--------------------------|---8-------------|------------------------|
|---------10b12------8h10--|-----------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------|-----------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------|-----------------|------------------------|
|------------------8-------|-----------------|------------------------|
Dm7 C7 F9
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
S S +Q E E E Q E E Q H Q E S E. S S Q
|-11----------11--------------------|---------13b15-11------------------|
|----13-(13)-----13----11--11-11----|------------------13--11-8---------|
|-------------------12--------------|---------------------------10b12---|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
C7
~~
Q. E W Q E H Q Q +E
|-8---------------|------11b15----11b13--11b13===(11)r-|
|-----------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------|------------------------------------|
~ ~
S Q S S S S +S S +S S +S Q E E a E
|-8-----------------------------------------------8\---10s11-|
|---8--8-11p8-------------------------------------8\---10s11-|
|-------------10b12r(10)-10b12r(10)-10b12r(10)-8-------10s11-|
|------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------|
G9
~~~
Q. W E
|----------------20\--|
|-10-------------20\--|
|-10------------------|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|
F9 C7
~~
E +E H. Q. E E Q S Q +E. Q S S Q
|-8-(8)\----------------|---13b15----13b17===(13)r-11b11.5-----11-----|
|-8-(8)\----------------|-----------------------------------13----13--|
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------|
C7 Ab9 G9
~~~~~
Q E E E E Q S S S S +Q
|-11b12------------------------11-13b15==(13)r--||
|-----------11----11-11--13-13------------------||
|--------12----12-------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------------------||
Guitar Solo
C7
~~~~~~~~~~
|--3--|
Q E E S S S +E Q Q Q
|-13b15--13b15-13b15-11----------------11b13-----|
|-----------------------13-13-(13)-13------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
F7
~~
Q S S S Q S S S H S S
|----------11-13b15--13b15-13b15----------------|
|----13-13-----------------------13-13----13p11-|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
C7
|-----3-----|
E +S S +S +Q H Q Q
|-13b15r(13)-13b15==(13)-(13)r--11b15----11b12--13b15---|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
Gb9 F9
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~
Q E E Q E S E. Q S T T Q Q S E. Q. Q E
|--------11-13b15--11b13-11------------------|-13b15-------13b15-11----------|
|-13--13--------------------13--13--13-13p11-|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
~~~~~~
Q S S S E. E S S Q Q S S
|----------11-13b15-13b15-13b15-11---------------|
|----13-13-------------------------13--13--13-13-|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
C7
~~
Q +Q Q Q S S S +S E.S
|-13b15r=(13)--11b13--8----------------------|
|------------------------11p8----------------|
|-----------------------------10b12r(10)-8p0-|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
Ab9
~~
Q S S S S E E T T S E S S E Q
|--------8----------------------------------------------|
|----------8-11-8---------------------------------------|
|-10b12-----------10b12-10b12-10p8-------------8-10b12--|
|----------------------------------10-10-10-10----------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
G9
|--3---| |--3---| |-3--|
S S S S S +S S S +S S S S T S S. T T T. T. S T. T. S S S S S E
|-----------8h10-10-(10)-9p8-(8)------8-----------------------------------------------------|
|-8h10b10.5----------------------11-8---11-8----------------------8-------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------10b12-10p8-----8--10----8----------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------10--------------10p8----------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------10-9-8---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------11b11.5-|
F9
~~~~~~~~
Q S S S S S S S S S S T S. +E E Q
|--------8---8---8---8---8---------------11-13b15--|
|----------8---8---8---8---8-11s13--(13)-----------|
|-10b12--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|
C7 F9
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
S S +Q Q. S S +Q Q.
|-11----------------11----------------|
|----13-(13)--13-------13-(13)--13----|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
C7 G7add9 C7
~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~
S S +Q E E E Q S S S Q S H Q Q Q Q
|-11----------11-----------------11-13b15----||-13b15----11b13------11b13-----|
|----13-(13)-----13----11--13-13-------------||-13b15-----------13------------|
|-------------------12-----------------------||-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------||-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------||-------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------||-------------------------------|
F9 C7
~~~~~~
E Q +E E +E S S E Q. S S W +H
|---13b15r=(13)-12b13r(12)-12b13-11----------------|-13b15=========(13)r----|
|---13b15r=(13)-12b13r(12)-12b13----13-13----13-11-|------------------------|
|---13b14r=(13)------------------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------|
Gb9
E Q. Q Q. Q E
|---11b14---11b14--11b13---11b14.5--13b15-|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
F9
~~
|-----3------|
S +S S Q T T T S S S T T T T T T T Q. Q
|-13b15==(13)r-11-----11----------8-----------8-10-9p8-----------11b13---11b12---|
|-----------------13-----15p11------8-11b11.5----------11b11.5-8-----------------|
|------------------------------12------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
~
|-3--| |----3-----| |-3--| |--3--| |-3--| |---3---|
S S Q S S E E S S S S S +S S S S S S S S S S S +S S
|-8-11-8--11p8--------------------------------------8------------------------------|
|---------11p8------------------------------------8---11p8----------------------11-|
|--------------10b12-10b12-10p8----8-10b12==(10)r----------11p10p8----8-11-(11)----|
|-------------------------------10---------------------------------10--------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C7
~~
|-3--| |-3--|
S S S S S S E Q S S S S S E. S S Q
|---------------------------8---------11s13-----11-----|
|-----------------------------8-11s13--------13----13--|
|-/10p9----9---------10b12-----------------------------|
|-------10---10p8--------------------------------------|
|-----------------10-----------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
Ab9
~~
Q. Q. Q S S Q E
|-11b12---12b13-------------11b12--12b13==|
|-----------------13--13-13---------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
G7add9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+E Q E E +E Q +Q. E
|-(12)r-12b14--12b14-13b14r(13)-13b15===(13)r---13b15r|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
F9
~~~
+E S E +S S E. Q Q S E. S S
|-(13)---11b13r(11)---13b15-12b13--13b15--11------------|
|--------------------------------------------13--13-13--|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|------0------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
C7add9 F9 F7
~ ~ ~~~~~~~
Q. Q S S S S Q S S +Q
|-11b14---8------------------------------|
|------------11p8------------------------|
|-----------------10b12-10p8--8----------|
|-------------------------------10-(10)--|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
C7add9 G9
E E a S S E S E. Q. E Q
|-8\-----------------------------------||
|-8\-----------------------------------||
|-8\---------------------10-----10-----||
|-8\-5---------------------------------||
|-----------10-10-9-10--(10)---(10)----||
|------6s11----------------------------||
3rd Verse
C7 F9
~~~~
W E Q. Q. W E
|--------------------|-<10>--------------|
|--------------------|-------------------|
|------------10b12---|-------------------|
|--------------------|-------------------|
|--------------------|-------------------|
|--------------------|-------------------|
C7
~~ ~~
Q E Q S S S S S E. S S Q Q Q E. S Q. E E E
|-------------8------8-11s13-----11-----|-11b13-----13b15-11-8----8-8---|
|------11b13----8-11----------13----13--|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
F9
~~~~~~~
W Q E E S S +Q W E
|---------------13b15-|-11---------------------|
|---------------------|----13-(13)-------------|
|---------------------|------------------------|
|---------------------|------------------------|
|---------------------|------------------------|
|---------------------|------------------------|
C7
~~
Q H Q. S +S S S E
|-------------8---------------------|
|----11b13--------------------------|
|------------------10b12r(10)-8-----|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
Ab9
~~
Q. Q S +S E +E Q a E E
|---------8--------------------------10s11-10-|
|-11b13------------------------------10s11-10-|
|--x---------10b12r(10)-8b10r(8)-----10s11-10-|
|--------------------------------10-----------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
G9 F9 N.C.
~~~
Q. H Q E E. S E E W Q
|-----------------20\---|-----------------||
|-10--------------20\---|-8---------------||
|-10--------------------|-8---------------||
|--9--------------------|-7---------------||
|-----------------------|-----------------||
|-----------------------|-----------------||
Outro
C13 F9 C7 Db9 C9
~
Q Q Q S S Q S S E E E E E Q. H.
|----11b13--11b12--8-11-8-------------------|--------4----3-----|
|--------------------------11p8-------------|--------4----3-----|
|-------------------------------10b12-10b12-|-8------4----3-----|
|-------------------------------------------|--------3----2-----|
|-------------------------------------------|---10--------------|
|-------------------------------------------|------4------------|
C9
~~~
S S S S E Q. +H.
|----------3--!3----(3)----*|
|-------3-(3)-!3----(3)----*|
|-----3-------!3----(3)----*|
|---2---------!2----(2)----*|
|--------------------------*|
|-3------------------------*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
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