Black Snake Moan Tab

his is a tab of the March 14 1927 version on Okeh records version reference 80523-B.
Different digital versions of this recording sound either in B major or Bb major.
Tune your guitar half step or full step down,  or use pitch changing software e.g. audacity freeware.
 
Verse structure: This is based on an unusual 16 bar sequence,
 
C / C/ C / C / C /
 
F9 / F9 / F9 / C / C /
 
A7 / A7 / A7 / C / C / C /
 
The F9 is inferred.
 
 
 
 
[Introduction]
 
e |---3---2-|---1---0-----|-----------------|-------------------|
B |-5---4---|-3---1-------|---1-------------|-----1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
G |---------|---------0---|-----------------|-0-2---------------|
D |---------|-----------3-|-2---------0-1-2-|-------------------|
A |---------|-------------|-------0-3-------|-------------------|
E |---------|-------------|-----3-----------|-------------------|
 
 
 
e |-----------------|-----0-----0-|-----0-----0-|
B |-1---------------|-----1-----1-|-----1---1-1-|
G |---3-2-0---------|-----0-----0-|-----0-----0-|
D |---------1h2-----|-------------|-------------|
A |-------------3-0-|-3-----------|-3-----------|
E |-----------------|--------3----|--------3----|
 
 
[Verse 1]
 
Hey ain't got no mama now
Hey ain't got no mama now
She told me late last night "You don't need no mama no how"
 
 
e |---------------|-------------------|------------|-0---3---0-------------|-----0-----0-|
B |-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-1-1---------------|------------|-4/5---4/5-1-----------|-----1-----1-|
G |-0-------------|-------------------|------------|-------------0h2p0-----|-----0-----0-|
D |-2-------------|-------------------|------------|-------------------1/2-|-------------|
A |-3-------------|-------------------|------------|-----------------------|-3-----------|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|-----------------------|--------3----|
 
      Hey------------a- i-nt got no mamma now
 
 
e |-----0--0-------|------------------|-------------|---3-2-1-0------|---------------|
B |---1-1--1---1-1-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1--|--1----1--1--|-----------4h5--|---------------|
G |-----0--0-------|------------------|-------------|---------------5|-0-1-2---------|
D |----------------|------------------|-------------|----------------|---------------|
A |-3--------------|------------------|-------------|-3--------------|-------3-2-1-0-|
E |--------3-------|------------------|-------------|----------------|---------------|
 
         Hey        a- i-nt got no mamma now
 
 
 
e |-3-----------------3-|---------------|---------------|---------------|---0------------|-----0---0-|
B |-2---------------2---|---------------|---------------|---------------|---1------------|-----1---1-|
G |---------------0-----|---------------|---------------|---------------|---0------------|---0-0---0-|
D |-------------2-------|---------------|-----2-1-0-----|---1-2-3-2-1-2-|-------------0-1|-2---------|
A |---------------------|---------------|-----------4-3-|---------------|-3-----0-3-3----|-----------|
E |---------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|-----3----------|-------3---|
 
    She told me late.....  "You don't... mama.......   how
 
 
 
[Verse 2]
 
Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Some pretty mama better come and get this black snake soon
 
    TP----------->
e |---------------|-------------------|------------|-3-5-5-----------|-----0-----0-|
B |-1-------------|-------------------|------------|-----4/5-1-------|---1-1---1-1-|
G |---------------|-------------------|------------|-----------0-----|-----0-----0-|
D |---------------|-------------------|------------|-------------1/2-|-------------|
A |---------------|-------------------|------------|-----------------|-3-----------|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|-----------------|--------3----|
   Mm- mm,         -mm, black snake .. in my room
 
 
   TP------------>
e |---------------|-------------------|------------|-3-2-1-0-------|---------------|
B |-1-------------|-------------------|------------|---------4h5-1-|---------------|
G |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|-0-1-2---------|
D |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|---------------|
A |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|-------3-2-1-0-|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|---------------|
   Mm- mm,        black snake crawlin' in my room
 
 
 
 
 
e |---3--3--------|-------------------|------------|---------------|--0--------------|-----0---0-|
B |---2--2--------|-------------------|------------|---------------|--1--------------|-----1---1-|
G |---3--0--------|-------------------|------------|-0-0-----------|--0--------------|---0-0---0-|
D |---2--2--------|-------------------|------------|-----4-4-3-3-2-|-------------0-1-|-2---------|
A |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|3------0-3-3-----|-----------|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|----3------------|-------3---|
  And some ....... better come........ this black..
 
 
Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room
Some pretty mama better come and get this black snake soon
 
 
[Verse 3]
 
Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, you know a chinch can't bite that hard
Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, you know a chinch can't bite that hard
Ask my baby for fifty cents, she said "Lemon, ain't a child in the yard?"
 
 
    TP----------->
e |---------------|-------------------|------------|-3-2-1-0------------|---0----0-------|
B |-1-------------|-------------------|------------|---------4h5-1------|---1----1-------|
G |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------0h1h2|---0----0-------|
D |---------------|-------------------|------------|--------------------|----------------|
A |---------------|-------------------|------------|--------------------|-3--------------|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|--------------------|------3---------|
   Ohh- oh,         that must ....      chinch .....
 
 
   TP------------->
e |---------------|-------------------|------------|-3-2-1-0-------|-------------|
B |-1-------------|-------------------|------------|---------4h5-1-|-------------|
G |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|-0-2---------|
D |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|-------------|
A |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|-----3-2-1-0-|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|-------------|
 Ohh-oh,            that must .......  chinch .....
 
e |-3-------------|-------------------|-------------3-3|-2-2- 1-1-0-----|--0--------------|-----0---0-|
B |-2-------------|-------------------|-------------5-5|-4-4--3-3-1-----|--1--------------|-----1---1-|
G |---------------|-------------------|----------------|------------0---|--0--------------|-----0---0-|
D |---------------|-------------------|----------------|--------------3-|2------------0-1-|-2---------|
A |---------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|-------0-3-3-----|-----------|
E |---------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----3------------|-------3---|
  Ask my baby.....she said "Lemon..... child in ...
 
 
[Verse 4]
 
Mama, that's all right, mama that's all right for you
Mama, that's all right, mama that's all right for you
Say baby that's all right, most any old way you do.
 
 
e |---------------|-------------------|------------|-3-5-5-------3-3|-2-2-1-1-0-----|
B |---------------|-------------------|------------|-----4/5-1---5-5|-4-4-3-3-1-----|
G |---------------|-------------------|------------|----------------|-----------0---|
D |---------------|-------------------|------------|----------------|-------------3-|
A |---------------|-------------------|------------|----------------|---------------|
E |---------------|-------------------|------------|----------------|---------------|
   Mama, that's all right, mama that's all right for you
 
 
e |---0-------------|-------------------|--------------|---3-2-1-0-------|--------------|
B |---1-------------|-------------------|--------------|-----------4h5-1-|--------------|
G |---0-------------|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|0-1-2---------|
D |-2---------------|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|--------------|
A |-----------------|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|------3-2-1-0-|
E |-----------------|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|--------------|
        Mama, that's all right, mama ... all right for you
 
e |-----------------|-----------------|---------------3|-2-1-0-------|---0-----0--|
B |-----------------|-----------------|-----------4/5--|-4-3-1-------|---1-----1--|
G |-----------------|-----------------|----------------|---------0---|---0-----0--|
D |-----------------|-----------------|----------------|-----------3-|-2-----2----|
A |-----------------|-----------------|----------------|-------------|------------|
E |-----------------|-----------------|----------------|-------------|------3-----|
  Say baby that's ..., most any old way you do
 
 
 
[Verse 5]
 
Mm-mm, what's the matter now?
Mm-mm, honey what's the matter now?
Tell me what's the matter baby, I don't like no black snake no how
 
 
   TP---------->
e |-------------|-----------------|-------------|-3-0----------|---0-----0-|
B |-1-----------|-----------------|-------------|---4/5-1------|---1-----1-|
G |-------------|-----------------|-------------|---------0----|---0-----0-|
D |-------------|-----------------|-------------|----------1h2-|-----------|
A |-------------|-----------------|-------------|--------------|-3---------|
E |-------------|-----------------|-------------|--------------|------3----|
  Mm-mm,                what's the matter now?
 
 
e |-------------|-----------------|-------------|-3-2-1-0-------|---------------|
B |-------------|-----------------|-------------|---------4h5-1-|---------------|
G |-------------|-----------------|-------------|---------------|-0-1-2---------|
D |-------------|-----------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
A |-------------|-----------------|-------------|---------------|-------3-2-1-0-|
E |-------------|-----------------|-------------|---------------|---------------|
   Mm-mm,        honey what's the  matter now?
 
 
e |-------------|-----------------|-----------3-3-|-2-2-1-1-0-----|----0----0-|
B |-------------|-----------------|-----------5-5-|-4-4-3-3-1-----|----1----1-|
G |-------------|-----------------|---------------|-----------0---|----0----0-|
D |-------------|-----------------|---------------|-------------3-|-2---------|
A |-------------|-----------------|---------------|---------------|-----------|
E |-------------|-----------------|---------------|---------------|-------3---|
   Tell me ....., I don't like...snake no how.
 
 
[Verse 6]
 
Well I wonder where this black snake gone?
Well I wonder where this black snake gone?
Lord that black snake mama done run my darlin' home
 
 
 
 
             TP-------------------->                 TP------------->
e |---0------3----|----------------|---------------|-8--------------|-8\5--5---------|-----0----0--|
B |---1-----------|----------------|---------------|----------------|------4/5--1----|---1-1----1--|
G |---0-----------|----------------|---------------|----------------|-------------2-0|-----0----0--|
D |---------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------|-------------|
A |-3-------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------|-3-----------|
E |------3--------|----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------|--------3----|
         We  -      ll I wonder ... this black....
 
 
                  TP---------->
e |-----0----0--|-3-----------|--------------------|-----------------|---------------|
B |---1-1----1--|-------------|-------------1-1-1-1|-1-1-1-----------|---------------|
G |-----0----0--|-------------|--------------------|-------2--0------|---------------|
D |-------------|-------------|--------------------|------------3-1h2|---------------|
A |-3-----------|-------------|--------------------|-----------------|-3-2-3-3-2-1-0-|
E |--------3----|-------------|--------------------|-----------------|---------------|
                 We  -    ll I wonder.....
 
 
e |-------------|---------------|---------------------|-----------------|-3-3-2-2-1--0-|----------|
B |-------------|---------------|---------------------|-----------------|-5-5-4-4-3--1-|----------|
G |-------------|---------------|---------------------|-0-0-------------|--------------|----------|
D |-------------|---------------|---------------------|-----4-4-3-3-2---|--------------|----------|
A |-------------|---------------|-------------------3-|-----------------|--------------|---0-1----|
E |-------------|---------------|---------------------|-----------------|--------------|-3--------|
   Lord that black snake mama done run my darlin' home
 
 
 
 
 
 
***************************************************************************************
|        /    slide up
 
|       \     slide down
 
|       h     hammer on
 
|       p     pull off
 
|       TP   tremelo picking (thumbpick)
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