e|-/9-9-9-9-9-9-9-----------10101010-----2-2-2-2-|
B|-/10101010101010----------9-9-9-9------2-2-2-2-|
G|-/9-9-9-9-9-9-9-----------9-9-9-9------2-2-2-2-|
D|-----------------/11-10-9-9-9-9-9------4-4-4-4-|
A|---------------------------------------4-4-4-4-|
E|-----------------------------------0-1-2-2-2-2-| etc etc
A E7 F#m
There are countless variations on this theme throughout the song, so you can stick to
chord shapes shown or make up your own variations.
Chord pattern example: verse 1:
I’ve got the key to the highway
A E7
Be allowed that I do go
F#m
Gonna leave here runnin’
A
Walkin’s most too slow
E A (turnaround)
Here’s a simple turnaround idea, which can be expanded upon if you like, although you
have to include a turnaround at all.
e|-----------------|
B|--5-3-2-1--------|
G|-----------------|
D|-----------------|
A|-7-5-4-3-2-0-1-2-|
E|-----------------|
Here’s an example of a fill that’s sometimes used when changing from A to E:
A|---2-0-----|
E|-0-----3-0-|
Lead: This lead section is fairly accurate, although again timing is not shown. It isn’t
which parts Clapton or King play throughout this song.
Intro lead:
e|----------------------------12b14-12b14-12-10----------------|
B|-12b14-12b14-12b14-12b14-12-------------------13-12----12----|
G|----------------------------------------------------14----11-|
e|---------------------12----------------------12-11-10----------|
B|------12b14-12b14-15----12b14-12-------10-------------13h14----|
G|-11-14---------------------------11-14-11-14----------------14-|
e|-----------------|
B|-7h8-5---------5-|
G|-------7-5-5h6---|
In the verses some parts are played after the sung parts, whereas other parts continue
the sung parts etc. You’ll have to listen to the song to know when to play each bit.
Verse 1 lead – Clapton sings
e|----------------------7-------------------|
B|----------10---8b9-10---------10-10-------|
G|-------6/9-------------9-7/11------11-----|
D|----7-9------------------------------12---|
A|-7-9--------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
e|-12b14-12-10-10------------9------------------------|
B|----------------13-13-10-------------------------10-|
G|-------------------------11---9p7p6---9------9-11---|
D|----------------------------------------9h11--------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------|
B|-11/13-12-12-10--10-10/14--------|
G|-x-------------11-----------12---|
D|-------------------------14---14-|
A|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|
Verse 2 lead – King sings
In this verse there is hardly any lead guitar at all. For most of the verse the only
guitar to be heard is this:
B|-10
G|-11
So you can improvise a lead using ideas from the licks in this tab. At the end of the
there is a bit of lead:
e|------------------7/9----------|
B|-13-12-12-10-10----------------|
G|----------------9-----9-9-9—-9-|
D|-----------------------------9-|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
Verse 3 lead – Clapton sings
e|-------------------------------------------13b14-12-10-------|
B|----------10-------------------------------------------13-10-|
G|-------6-9---------------------------10----------------------|
D|----7-9---------8-11b12r11-9---9-9/11------------------------|
A|-7-9-------------------------11------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----97---------------------------------------------------5-7-5---|
B|------------------------10-8------------------------5------------|
G|-11-----9----6-7-8-9—9-------9-7------------------6---4-6--------|
D|-----------9---------------------10p7-10b11-7-7------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Solo
e|-5-5--9-9-9-9-9-9-9---12b14-12-10-------------------------------|
B|-5—5-10101010101010—10------------14-13-12-10-----10--10--------|
G|-6-6--9-9-9-9-9-9-9---------------------------9/11--10—-11------|
D|-7-7-------------------------------------------------------11---|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------12-|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-12b14r12-12-10-9-----------------------------12-10----------|
B|------------------13-13-10-----10-12b14r12-10-------13-12-10-|
G|---------------------------9-11------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------14b16r14-14-10-8-7-------------5-|
G|-12b13-11-9--7-9--------------------10-9--------5-|
D|----------------------------------------11------6-|
A|------------------------------------------12----7-|
|
|
