If Dogs Run Free
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If Dogs Run Free
If Dogs Run Free
{c:Words and music Bob Dylan
Released on New Morning (1970), and debuted live during the fall 2000 tour.
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem}
Album version
{c:Here follows first a tab of the bass part in the first instrumental
verse, with chord suggestions above. Since the song is basically
defined by a bass progression with chromatic alterations, and heavily
colorated chords above that, the indicated chords are not what
is being played – it's a synthesis of what may have been
played by some or the other of the musicians, or rather: a simplified
picture of what may have been in their heads while playing. It works,
sort of, but especially at the end of the second and third lines
below, the chords are definitely suggestions only.}
G C C#o G
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-0--0--0--0--|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|------------3|-5--------0--|-5-03--0-----|
|-------------|-3--3--4--5--|-------2-----|----------4--|
|-------------|-------------|----3--------|-------------|
C C#o G7 C7 Bm7-5 E7
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|------------0|-5--5--0-----|----3--2-----|
|-3--3--2--3--|-4--4--3--4--|----------3--|-2--------1--|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|----2--1--0--|
|-0--0--2--3-4|----3--0-----|----------1--|-0-----------|
|-------------|----------4--|-3--1--0-----|-------------|
G C C#o
If dogs run free, then why not we
G
Across the swooping plain?
C C#o
My ears hear a symphony
G C7 Bm7-5E7
Of two mules, trains and rain.
Am D
The best is always yet to come,
G7 Em7 D7
That's what they explain to me.
G C C#o
Just do your thing, you'll be king,
G
If dogs run free.
If dogs run free, why not me
Across the swamp of time?
My mind weaves a symphony
And tapestry of rhyme.
Oh, winds which rush my tale to thee
So it may flow and be,
To each his own, it's all unknown,
If dogs run free.
If dogs run free, then what must be,
Must be, and that is all.
True love can make a blade of grass
Stand up straight and tall.
In harmony with the cosmic sea,
True love needs no company,
It can cure the soul, it can make it whole,
If dogs run free.
2000 live version
{c:The chords below are a destillation and a synthetization of the sounds
I hear (at times very vaguely), as chords, licks, bass tones etc. in
four different live renditions of this song from the late 2000
shows. Priority has been given to chord formations that are actually,
audibly played (as opposed to those that can be pieced together from a
bass note here, a lick there, and an unpredictable – but delightful --
tone from Dylan's guitar, but which are never actually played as
such).
The bass line is from Münster, Oct 1, 2000 – other nights it was
similar but different.}
C9 F6 F#o C Fm7-5 Em7-5 C9
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|----------0--|-1-----------|-------------|
|-------------|----2--3-----|-------0-----|-------------|
|----0--1--2--|-3-----------|----2-----3--|-2--0-----2--|
|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|-------3-----|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------1-----|----------0--|-1-----------|-------------|
|----2--------|----1--3-----|-------0--2--|-0-----------|
|-3--------1--|-3-----------|----2--------|----3--2--1--|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
Dm7 G7-10 Fo C C#o Dm7 Dm7-5 G7 C9
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|----
|----1--0-----|----------0--|-1-----------|-----------------|----
|----------2--|-0--1--2-----|----0--2-----|-----1-----0-----|----
|-0-----------|-------------|-------------|-0---------------|----
|-------------|-------------|----------4--|--------------2--|-3--
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|----
C9 F6 F#o
If dogs run free, then why not we
C Fm7-5 Em7-5 C9
Across the swooping plain?
F9 Fm6
My ears hear a symphony
Cmaj9 A7+5 A7
Of two mules, trains and rain.
Dm7 G7-10 Fo
The best is always yet to come,
C C#o Dm7 Dm7-5 G7
That's what they explain to me.
C9 F6 F#o
Just do your thing, you'll be king,
C Fm7-5 Em7-5 C9 etc.
If dogs run free.