Last Fair Deal Gone Down

Words & Music:

Robert Johnson

 

This is from the recording of 3rd of 5 sessions, November 27 1936, San Antonio, Texas from The Complete Recordings (CBS 467246 2 & Columbia/Legacy C2K-46222 & Columbia 4622 & Sony 64916).  Guitar is tuned to open G (D G D G B D).  Thanks to Bluesman Harry for the lyric transcription.

 

It's the last fair deal goin' down, last fair deal goin' down

It's the last fair deal goin' down, good Lord, on that Gulfport Island Road.1

 

Please, Ida Belle, don't cry this time, Ida Belle, don't cry this time

If you cry about a nickel, you'll die 'bout a dime

She wouldn't cry, but the money won't2 mine

 

I love the way you do, I love the way you do.

I love the way you do, good Lord, on this Gulfport Island Road.1

 

My captain's so mean on me, my captain's so mean on me

My captain's so mean on me, good Lord, on this Gulfport Island Road.1

 

The captain he and see; captain, he can see.

The captain, he can see, good Lord, on that Gulfport Island Road.1

 

Ah, this last fair deal goin' down, it's the last fair deal goin' down

This' the last fair deal goin' down, good Lord, on this Gulfport Island Road.1

 

I'm workin' my way back home, I'm working my way back home.

I'm workin' my way back home, good Lord, on this Gulfport Island Road.1

 

And that thing don't keep-a ringin' so soon

That thing don't keep-a ringin' so soon

And that thing don't keep-a ringin' so soon,

good Lord, on that Gulfed-and-Port Island Road

 

__________

     

[Robert Johnson memorial, Mt. Zion, Greenwood, Mississippi]

 

Note 1: The Gulfport Island or Gulf & Ship Island railroad linked the docks at Ship Island, Mississippi, just off the main land at the city of Gulfport on the Gulf of Mexico with the main railroad line at Jackson;

Note 2: won't is a dialectic substitute for weren't;

 

Last Fair Deal Gone Down Tab

[tabber unknown]

 

D||--12--12--12--12----------------|---------------------|

B||------12--12--12--12------------|---------------------|

G||------------------12--12\-3--3--|--0---------------0--|

D||--------------------------------|--------0------0-----|

G||--------------------------------|-----0-----2/5-------|

D||--------------------------------|---------------------|

 

------------------------------|------------|--12----12----12---------|

------------------------------|------------|--12----12----12----0----|

--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------|------------|--------------------0----|

--3--------2-----1-----0------|--0---------|--------------------0----|

-----------------------0--2/4-|-------0----|-------------------------|

--3--------2-----1-----0------|------------|-------------------------|

 

-----------------------|--12-------------------|---------12\-----12---------|

-----------------------|-----------------------|-----12------12-------------|

--0--------------12----|-----------------------|----------------------------|

--0----0---------------|-------------2----2----|--x------0-------0-----0----|

--0----0----0----------|--------0----0----0----|--x------0-------0-----0----|

-------2---------------|--------0--------------|----------------------------|

 

----------------------|--12-------------------|--------12--------------|

----------------12----|-----------------------|--12--------------------|

----------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|

--0----0--------------|--------2----0----0----|--------------0----x----|

--0----0--------------|--------0----0----0----|--------------0----x----|

----------------------|-----------------------|--------------0----x----|

 

--------12--------------|--12-------------------|-----------------------|

--12--------------------|-----------------------|-----------------12----|

------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|

--------------0----0----|--------0----0----0----|--0----0----0----------|

--------------0----0----|--------0----0----0----|--0----0----0----------|

--------------0----0----|--------0----0----2----|-----------------------|

 

--12--------------------|----------------------|--------12--------------|

------------------------|----------------------|--12--------------------|

------------------12----|----------------------|------------------------|

--0-----0----0----------|--x----2----0----0----|--------------0----0----|

--0-----0----0----------|--0----0----0----0----|--------------0----0----|

------------------------|----------------------|--------------0----0----|

 

-------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------||

-------------------------|----------------------|-------0--0--0---------||

--12\-----------0--------|-------0----0----0----|--0----0--0--0----x----||

-------------0-----------|----------------------|-------0--0--0----x----||

--------0----0-----------|--0-------------------|-------0-----0----x----||

-------------------2--0--|-------2----1----1----|--0--------------------||

 

 




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