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I Hung My Head

Sting

Text File

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
#

Subject:         Sting, I Hung My Head
   Date:         Sun, 26 Oct 1997 17:30:36 -0000
   From:         Earthman 

---------------------------------|
----I Hung My Head by Sting.-----|
-From the album Mercury Falling.-
---------------------------------

This song is in 9/8 time, but having said that the guitar part is straight eighth notes all
the way through, so it's not tricky at all once you get used to the groove of it.

Capo on 1st fret. All fret positions relative to capo.
Chord names shown as sounded with capo.

Intro:

  Bb                 Eb                 G                  Eb
F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|----3-------------|
Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|--2---------2---2-|
Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------------|0---------0-------|
Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---|
F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------|
Repeat.

Verse 1:
  Bb                 Eb                 G                  Eb
F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|----3-------------|
Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|--2---------2---2-|
Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------------|0---------0-------|
Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---|
F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------|
  Early one morning  with time to kill  I borrowed Jeb's    and sat on the hill
						rifle

  Bb                 Eb                 G                  Eb
F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|----3-------------|
Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|--2---------2---2-|
Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------------|0---------0-------|
Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---|
F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------|
  I saw a lone rider crossing the plain I drew a bead on   to practice my aim
 						him

  Cm                 Fadd4/A            Fadd4              Bb
F |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
C |------2-3---------|------2-3---------|------2-3---------|------0-2---2---2-|
Ab|----4-------4---4-|----4-------4---4-|----4-------4---4-|----2-------------|
Eb|--4---------------|--2---------------|--2---------------|--2---------------|
Bb|2---------2---0---|------------------|------------------|0---------0---2---|
F |------------------|4---------4---2---|0---------4---0---|------------------|
  My brother's rifle went off in my     a shot rang out    across the land
				hand

  Eb                 G                  Bb                 Eb
F |------0-2---------|------------------|------------------|------0-2---------|
C |----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|
Ab|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|
Eb|0---------0-------|----4---------0---|--2---------------|0---------0-------|
Bb|--------------2---|--4---------------|0---------0-------|--------------2---|
F |------------------|2---------2-------|--------------2---|------------------|
  The horse he kept  the rider was dead I hung my head     I hung my head
	running

That's it for the guitar. It just repeats the intro between verses, and repeats the last two
bars of the verse at the end of verses 2-4.

Verse 2.
I set off running to wake from the dream
My brother's rifle went into the stream
I kept on running into the salt lands
And that's where they found me, my head in my hands
The sheriff he asked my why had I run
And then it came to me just what I had done
And all for no reason, just one piece of lead
I hung my head, Ihung my head.

Verse 3.
Here in the courthouse the whole town is there
I see the judge high up in his chair
"Explain to the courtroom what went through your mind
And we'll ask the jury what verdict they'll find"
I said "I felt the power of death over life
I orphaned his children, I widowed his wife
I beg their forgiveness, I wish I was dead"
I hung my head, I hung my head.

Verse 4.
Early one morning with time to kill
I see the gallows up on the hill
And out in the distance, a trick of the brain
I see a lone rider crossing the plain
He's come to fetch me, to see what they done
And we'll ride together til Kingdom come
I pray for God's mercy for soon I'll be dead
I hung my head, I hung my head.