1952 VINCENT BLACK LIGHTNING By Richard Thompson From the album "Rumor and sigh" THIS TRANSCRIPTION CONTAINS THREE PARTS: -------------------------------------- PART ONE: --------- Easy chords version by Glen Macon (macon@cbmvax.commodore.com) A D Said Red Molly to James that's a fine motorbike, D A A girl could feel special on any such like A D Said James to Red Molly, well my hat's off to you D A It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952 A E D A And I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems E D A Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme A Bm D A And he pulled her on behind and down to Boxhill they did ride A D Said James to Red Molly, here's a ring for your right hand D A But I'll tell you in earnest I'm a dangerous man A D I've fought with the law since I was seventeen D A I robbed many a man to get my Vincent machine E D A Now I'm 21 years, I might make 22 E D A And I don't mind dying, but for the love of you A Bm D And If fate should break my stride D A I'll give you my Vincent to ride Come down, come down, Red Molly, called Sergeant McRae For they've taken young James adie for armed robbery Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside Come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left He was running out of road, he was running out of breath But he smiled to see her cry Said I'll give you my Vincent to ride Said young James. in my opinion, there's nothing in this world Beats a 52 Vincent and a red headed girl Now Nortons and Indians and Greeves won't do They don't have a soul like a Vincent 52 He reached for her hand and he gave her the keys He said I don't have any further use for these I see angels and ariels in leather and chrome Swooping down from heaven to carry me home He gave her one last kiss and died And he gave her his Vincent to ride. PART TWO -------- Full Transcription (capo 3rd fret, tuning=EBGDGC) Transcribed in Nov/Dec 1993 Acoustic Guitar [start here between verses] [repeat these 2 bars............ E-|------3-------|------------------3-|-3h7--7-7p5p3--3h7-------3-----| B-|-1s3----------|-------------3h5----|-------------------------------| G-|--------------|--------------------|-------------------------------| D-|------0-----0-|---0---0---0------0-|-----0------0------0-----0-----| G-|-0-------0----|-0---0---0---0------|-0------0------0------0--------| C-|--------------|--------------------|-------------------------------| .............................] E-|-3h7---7-7p5p3--3---------3-|-3h7--7-7p5p3--3h7-------3-----| B-|--------------5-------3h5---|-------------------------------| G-|----------------------------|-------------------------------| D-|-----0-------0-----0------0-|-----0------0------0-----0-----| G-|-0-------0------0-----0-----|-0------0------0------0--------| C-|----------------------------|-------------------------------| [to coda last time] E-|-3----0---3---0----------------|----------0------0-----0--| B-|--------------0------3---3s5-3-|------0---0-----3-----3---| G-|---------------------2---2s4-2-|------0-----------0-----0-| D-|----0-------0------0-------0---|----0-------0--4-----4----| G-|-0------0-------0------0-------|-0------0-----------------| C-|-------------------------------|--------------------------| E-|---0----------------3-----|-3-------3-----------------| B-|--0-----------------------|-----------------------0---| G-|----0-------------------0-|-------------0-------------| D-|-2----------------0---0---|----0------0------0------0-| G-|-------2s4--2--0----------|-0-----0-------0-----0-----| C-|--------------------------|---------------------------| G C Said Red Molly to James that's a fine motorbike, C G A girl could feel special on any such like G C Said James to Red Molly, well my hat's off to you C G It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952 G D C G And I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems D C G Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme G Am C G And he pulled her on behind and down to Boxhill they did ride Said James to Red Molly, here's a ring for your right hand But I'll tell you in earnest I'm a dangerous man I've fought with the law since I was seventeen I robbed many a man to get my Vincent machine Now I'm 21 years, I might make 22 And I don't mind dying, but for the love of you And If fate should break my stride I'll give you my Vincent to ride Come down, come down, Red Molly, called Sergeant McRae For they've taken young James adie for armed robbery Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside Come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left He was running out of road, he was running out of breath But he smiled to see her cry Said I'll give you my Vincent to ride Said young James. in my opinion, there's nothing in this world Beats a 52 Vincent and a red headed girl Now Nortons and Indians and Greeves won't do They don't have a soul like a Vincent 52 He reached for her hand and he gave her the keys He said I don't have any further use for these I see angels and ariels in leather and chrome Swooping down from heaven to carry me home He gave her one last kiss and died And he gave her his Vincent to ride. Coda G C G E-|-----0-------------0--0--0-|-5s7--7--7--7--7--7---------------------| B-|---0---------------1--1--1-|-6s8--8--8--8--8--8---------------------| G-|-------0-----------0--0--0-|-5s7--7--7--7--7--7---------------------| D-|-2-------------------------|------0--0--0--0--0---------------------| G-|----------4--2--0----------|----------------------------------------| C-|---------------------------|----------------------------------------| Chord Shapes (using EBGDGC tuning): G X00033 C 002010 D 200232 Am X22210 ----------------------------------------------- PART THREE ---------- From: phil@mcginity.freeserve.co.uk OK, For those newish to guitar, tabs and scores, here's the easy version of VBL. Look guys, I can't even pat my head and rub my tummy at the same time, never mind use my thumb and index finger completely independently of the other three fingers. If you like RT you may be interested in the guitar playing of the recently late, great, Isaac Guillory - superb guitar paying, dare I say at least as good as RT - I will post his web-site address when I've found it. Anyway, back to VBL Down tune the bottom E to D. The song consists of four chords. A, alternate between 5th and 4th string as a bass line, pluck higher strings on the off-beats (perhaps not top E) D, " " 6th and 5th ........... E, also have a finger on 6th string, 2nd fret Bm, (as Am but bar-chord on 2nd fret) The sequence is A D A D A E D A E D A Bm D A To start of with, get used to just the chords, then try introducing the alternating bass notes. When you feel confident with this, try adding a 'sus 4' to the A chord to go with the vocal line (B string, 3rd fret). Then, before going from A to D, run the bass line down on the 5th string using fret 4 then fret 2 - this also works on the 6th string try both for some variety. Most important of all, have a go, experiment and give it your own personal feel. We don't all want to be RT clones, do we (?) Capo up if you have a baritone voice! I would welcome feedback from anyone who tries this - although the guitar is not my first instrument I teach other instruments and music harmony etc., so would welcome constructive comments, particularly from the intended user group!