He Was My Brother Tab

He Was My Brother - The Paul Simon Songbook
Paul Simon
Standard tuning, capo 1, 4/4 time
Key: Eb (D relative to capo
 
This is a tab of the version from "The Paul Simon Songbook", NOT the version
from "Wednesday Morning 3AM." There are minor lyrical differences, and he
fingerpicks more on this version. Once you get down the fingerpicking of the
this version, it is very easy to strum with the appropriate chord variations
like the latter version anyway.
 
Each verse has more or less the same chord structure, with minor picking
pattern variations. While I tried to copy him as closely as I could here,
it's not necessary to get each minor change down, as long as you maintain
the melody and rhythm (he plays his songs differently live practically every
time, so I take that as a cue to do the same).
 
Last note: when you see the top 3 strings being played simultaneously, that's
supposed to be a strum. Paul by no means limits himself to just those strings
in the chord, that's just how I chose to indicate a strum in this tab. If you
listen to the recording, you'll hear him change the volume and intensity
throughout the song, adding more strings here and there.
 
[Intro]
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----0-----------|-3---3-3---0h2---|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----1-----1-----|-1---1-1---0h3---|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----0-----------|-0---0-0---0h2---|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-------------2---|-2---------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----3-----------|-3----------3----|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-2---2--------2--|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------2-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
[Verse 1]
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----------|-0h2-------2-----|-0---------0-----|-0---------0-----|
B|-----3-----3-----|-------3---------|-------1---------|-------1---------|
G|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       He                                                      was   my
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0h2---0h2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------3-----|-3---------2-----|-3---------3-----|-------0---0-----|
G|-----2-------2---|-------4---------|-------4---------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----0-------0---|
A|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
           bro-     -ther                                      five years
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-3---------------|-----0-----0-0---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----------0-----|-----2-----3-3---|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----2-----3-3---|
G|-------0---------|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|
D|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   older       than  I
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----2-----------|-0h2-------2-----|-0---------0-----|
B|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----3-----3-----|-------3---------|-------1---------|
G|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-------2---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
                         He
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0---------0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-------1---------|-----------3-----|-3---------2-----|-3---------3-----|
G|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-------4---------|-------4---------|
D|-----2-------2---|-0-------0-------|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|
A|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
         was   my            bro-     -ther
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----------------|-3---------------|-----0-----0-0---|-0---------------|
B|-------0---0-----|-----------0-----|-----2-----3-3---|-2---------------|
G|-----------------|-------0---------|-----2-----2-2---|-2---------------|
D|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
E|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
         twenty      three years           old               the day he
 
REPEAT INTRO
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e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----0-----------|-3---3-3---0h2---|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----1-----1-----|-1---1-1---0h3---|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----0-----------|-0---0-0---0h2---|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-------------2---|-2---------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       died
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----3-----------|-3----------3----|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-2---2--------2--|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------2-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
 
[Verse 2]
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----------|-0h2-------2-----|-0---------0-----|-0---------0-----|
B|-----3-----3-----|-------3---------|-------1---------|-------1---------|
G|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       free-                                                   -dom
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0h2---0h2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------3-----|-3---------2-----|-3---------3-----|-------0---0-----|
G|-----2-------2---|-------4---------|-------4---------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----0-------0---|
A|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
           ri-      -der                                    they cursed my
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-3---------------|-----0-----0-0---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----------0-----|-----2-----3-3---|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----2-----3-3---|
G|-------0---------|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|
D|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   brother to  his       face
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----------------|
B|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----3-----------|-----------3-----|-----------------|
G|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-----------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-----------0---|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3-------|
                         Go                              home
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----------------|-----2-----------|-----------------|-----2-2---2-2---|
B|-----------------|-----------3-----|-3---------2-----|-3---3-3---3-3---|
G|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-------4---------|-4---4-4---4-4---|
D|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-----4-------4---|-----------------|
A|-3-------0---3---|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-2---------------|
E|-----3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
           out               si-      -der
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----0-----0-0---|-0---------------|
B|-------0---0-----|-------0---0-----|-----2-----3-3---|-2---------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-----2-2---|-2---------------|
D|-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
E|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
         Missi-     -ippi's  gonna     be                   your buryin' 
 
REPEAT INTRO
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----0-----------|-3---3-3---0h2---|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----1-----1-----|-1---1-1---0h3---|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----0-----------|-0---0-0---0h2---|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-------------2---|-2---------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       place
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----3-----------|-3----------3----|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-2---2--------2--|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------2-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
 
[Verse 3]
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---2---2-----|-0-----0---------|-0-----0---------|
B|-----3-----------|-----------------|-----------1-----|-----------1-----|
G|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       He                                                    was singin'
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-----3-----|-3---------2-----|-3---------3-----|-------0---0-----|
G|-----2-------2---|-------4---------|-------4---------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----0-------0---|
A|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
           on his    knees                                   an angry
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-3---------------|-----0-----0-0---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----------0-----|-----2-----3-3---|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----2-----3-3---|
G|-------0---------|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|
D|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   mob  trailed a-      -long
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----------0-----|
B|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----3-----------|-----------3-----|-------1---------|
G|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-------2---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
                         They
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----3-3---0-0---|-----0h2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|
B|-----1-1---1-1---|-----3-----3-3---|-3---3-3---3-3---|-----3-----3-3---|
G|-----0-0---0-0---|-----2-----2-2---|-4---4-4---4-4---|-4---4-----4-4---|
D|-----------------|-0---------------|-4---------------|-4---------------|
A|-3---------------|-----------------|-2---------------|-2---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
         shot  my          brother     dead
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-3---3-3---3-3---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|
B|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-3---3-3---3-3---|-3---3-3---3-3---|
G|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-4---4-4---4-4---|-4---4-4---4-4---|
D|-0---------------|-2---------------|-4---------------|-4---------------|
A|-2---------------|-0---------------|-2---------------|-2---------------|
E|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       because he    hated what  was   wrong
 
REPEAT SECOND HALF OF INTRO
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|-----2-----0-----|-0h2---0h2-------|
B|-----3-----------|-3---------3-----|-----3-----------|-3----------3----|
G|-----2-------2---|-2---2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-2---2--------2--|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------2-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
 
[Verse 4]
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----------|-2---------2-----|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B|-----------3-----|-------3---------|-----------1-----|-----------1-----|
G|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
       He                                                      was   my
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-------2---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------3-----|-3---------2-----|-3-----3---3-----|-----------0-----|
G|-----2-------2---|-------4---------|-----------------|-------0---------|
D|-0-------0-------|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----0-------0---|
A|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
           bro-     -ther                                      tears can't
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----------------|-----0-----0-0---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----------0-----|-----2-----3-3---|-2---2-3---2-2---|-----2-----3-3---|
G|-------0---------|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|
D|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   bring him back to     me
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0---0-0---0-0---|-3---2-2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----0-0---0-0---|
B|-2---2-3---2-2---|-2---3-3---3-3---|-3---3-3---3-3---|-----1-1---1-1---|
G|-2---2-2---2-2---|-3---2-2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----0-0---0-0---|
D|-----------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
                         He                                  he was
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|
B|-1---1-1---1-1---|-3---3-3---3-3---|-3---3-3---3-3---|-----3-----3-3---|
G|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-4---4-4---4-4---|-----4-----4-4---|
D|-2---------------|-0---------------|-4---------------|-----------------|
A|-3---------------|-----------------|-2---------------|-2---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
             my            bro-       -ther                  and     he
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-3---3-3---3-3---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|
B|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-3---3-3---3-3---|-3---3-3---3-3---|
G|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-4---4-4---4-4---|
D|-0---------------|-2---------------|-0---------------|-4---------------|
A|-2---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-2---------------|
E|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   died  so    his   brother could be      free    oh        God     he
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-3---3-3---3-3---|-0---0-0---0-0---|-----2-----2-2---|-0h2-0h2---2-2---|
B|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----3-----3-3---|-3---3-----3-3---|
G|-0---0-0---0-0---|-2---2-2---2-2---|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-----2-2---|
D|-0---------------|-2---------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
A|-2---------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
   died  so    his   brother could be      free
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----0-----0-0---|-3---3-3---0h2---|-----2-----2-2---|-0h2-0h2---2-2---|
B|-----1-----1-1---|-1---1-1---0h3---|-----3-----3-3---|-3---3-----3-3---|
G|-----0-----0-0---|-0---0-0---0h2---|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-----2-2---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-0---------------|
A|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,   . , . , . , . ,
e|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-----3-3---|-3---3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----2-----2-2---|-2---2-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-0---------------|-0---0-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
 
LEGEND
***********************************
| h   Hammer-on
***********************************
 
Lyrics
 
[Verse 1]
He was my brother
Five years older than I
He was my brother
Twenty-three years old the day he died
 
[Verse 2]
Freedom writer
They cursed my brother to his face
"Go home, outsider
Mississippi's gonna be your buryin' place"
 
[Verse 3]
He was singin' on his knees
An angry mob trailed along
They shot my brother dead
Because he hated what was wrong
 
[Verse 4]
He was my brother
Tears can't bring him back to me
He, he was my brother
And he died so his brothers could be free oh God
He died so his brothers could be free
X