Preaching The Blues

(written by Robert Johnson*)

intro:  while the rhythm guitar stays on E, the slide guitar, which is tuned in open E as shown below,
        plays the following theme 8x (first 2x guitars only)

        1st = e  -12--10--9--7-
        2nd = B  --------------
        3rd = G# -------------
        4th = E  --------------
        5th = B  --------------
        6th = E  --------------

        then the rhythm guitar strikes the E chord only once per time, while the slide guitar plays some
        licks at the 12th fret (=E)

        once in between the rhythm guitar plays the following 3x
        -----------
        -----------
        -----------
        -----------
        -----------
        -0--3-3--0-

        the entire intro lasts 20 times, then the guitars fade out while bass and drums turn down low; all
        three different parts of the intro will be repeated during the verses when noted like this:
        slide theme = opening intro theme
        /12 = slide guitar slides up to 12th fret (=E)
        "3" = rhythm guitar plays single notes on low E string as shown above, but only once


----------------------------------------------- E (2x slide theme)
I was up this morning, blues walking like a man
                     /12                       E (2x slide theme)
I was up this morning, blues walking like a man
             /12                       E (2x slide theme)
worried blues, give me your right hand
                               "3"                      E (2x slide theme)
and the blues fell mama's child, tore me all upside down
                       /12                       E (2x slide theme)
blues fell mama's child, tore me all upside down
                               /12                               E (2x slide theme)
travel on ol' Jeffrey Lee, ya know, can't seem to turn him around



                             G  E (2x slide theme)
        So, preach the blues
                             G A E (4x slide theme)
        preach the blues now



    /12                         E (2x slide theme)
Blues is low down shaking chill
    /12                         E (2x slide theme)
blues is low down shaking chill
                        "3"                        E (2x slide theme)
you ain't never had them, I don't believe you will
    /12                              E (2x slide theme)
blues is an achin' old heart disease
    /12                              E (2x slide theme)
blues is an achin' old heart disease
                           /12                     E (2x slide theme)
it's like consumption, baby, killing me by degrees



                             G  E (2x slide theme)
        So, preach the blues
                             G A E (4x slide theme)
        preach the blues now


guitars fade out while bass and drums continue as before the first verse



-------------------------------------- E (2x slide theme)
I had religion, Lord, on this very day
              /12                      E (2x slide theme)
I had religion, Lord, on this very day
                              /12                          E (2x slide theme)
but the womens and the whiskey, they would not let me pray
                     /12                             E (2x slide theme)
gonna get me religion, gonna join the Baptist church
                     /12                             E (2x slide theme)
gonna get me religion, gonna join the Baptist church
                    "3" ----------------------------- E (2x slide theme)
gonna be a Baptist prea-cher, so I don't have to work



                             G  E (2x slide theme)
        Yeah preach the blues
                             G A E (8x slide theme)
        preach the blues now


end:  /12

*note: the title of Robert Johnson's original take from 1936 is "Preaching Blues (Up Jumped The Devil)".
JLP added the chorus and rewrote the third verse. The original main slide theme goes 12\10\4p0.
By the way Son House did also a "Preachin' Blues", which was first recorded in 1930, but that's a totally
different song.