John the Revelator (Chromatic)

by Blind Willie Johnson

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John the Revelator (Chromatic)
Recorded and Performed by Blind Willie Johnson
Key: E Major    Range: E4 to E5
Tabbed for a 12 hole key of C, Solo tuned chromatic.


Tab notations:
 none = blow     - = draw       __ = hold 
   ~~ = gliss    * = button in     
3*_-2 = slur; slide smoothly from one note to the next


-4_   -4_   -3   3*  -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
Well, who’s that a - writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_   -3   3*  -3   3*_2  -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2___
Who’s that a - writ-in’_ (John the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_   -3  3* -3   -4   -4   3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2
Who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor___)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3*_ 2_     -4  -4   -4
A book of_ the sev-en_ seals. Oh, tell me

-4_    -3   3*  -3   -4    -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
what's John a - writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4     -3   3*  -3   3*_2   -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2___
What’s John a - writ-in’_ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_    -3   3*  -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4_2
What’s John a - writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3*_ 2__
A book of_ the sev-en_ seals._

2     2 3*_-3 3*_-3 3*_2___ -3   3*   -3     3* -3 -3_3*_2_
Well, a-whoa_-ooa__ Babe___ thou-sand cried, “A ho-ly______

-3   3*   -3 -3_3* 2___ -3  3* -3_3* 2____
moun-tain of bal__-sam, Son of our__ God,_

-4    -4  4* -3_3* 2___ -4 -4  3*  -4_ 2
Daugh-ter of Zi___-on,_ Ju-dah the li_-on,

6   6  6    6  -4   3* -4      3* -4   3*  2     -3 -3   3*
the Re-deem-er said He brought us with the blood. A-tell me

-4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_   -3  3* -3   3*_2  -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2__
Who’s that a-writ-in’_ (John the Rev-e-la-tor)

-4¬_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2
Who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor__)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3*_ 2______ 
A book of_ the sev-en_ seals._ 

-4_   -4_    -3  3* -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
Well, what's John a-writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_    -3  3* -3   3*_2   -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2__
What’s John a-writ-in’_ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor)

-4_    -3  3* -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2
What’s John a-writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor__)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3* 2______
A book of_ the sev-en seals._

2     -3   3*  -3 3* -3 -3_3*_2 -3       3* -3 -3_3* 2___
Well, John the Rev-e-la-tor,___ straight ad-vo-ca___-tor,

-3     3* -3_3* 2   -3  -3  3* -3_3* 2___
catch ‘em on___ the bat-tle of Zi___-on,_

3*  -4   -4   -4  -4  2   -4    -4 -4  -4_2 2  -3 3*
Oh, tell them the sto-ry, right in the glo_-ry of God,

6     -4 3* -4   6   -4   3*__
Lord, to so love Him from high.

-3   3*  -4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4___
Tell me, who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor__)

-4_   -3  3* -3   3*_2  -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2__
Who’s that a-writ-in’_ (John the Rev-e-la-tor)

-4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2
Who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor__)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3* 2____
A book of_ the sev-en seals.

-4_   -4_    -3  3* -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
Well, what's John a-writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_    -3  3* -3   3*_2   -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2__
What’s John a-writ-in’_ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor)

-4_    -3  3* -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
What’s John a-writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3* 2__
A book of_ the sev-en seals.

3*    -3  -3 3* -3  3*_ -3   -3  3*  -3____
Well, Mos-es to Mos-es, watching the flock,

-3  3*  -3    -3    3*   -3  3* 2
saw the bush, where they had to stop.

-3  -3   -3 3*  -3   -3  3*  -3
God told Moses, pull off his shoes,

 -3  -3 3*  -3     -3   -3  3*  2__
“Out of the flock, well you are Jews.”

-4   -4  -4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4   3*  -3 3* -3  -4__
Tell me, who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor__)

-4_   -3  3* -3   3*_2  -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2___
Who’s that a-writ-in’_ (John the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2 
Who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor__)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3* 2___
A book of_ the sev-en seals. 

-4_   -4_    -3  3* -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
Well, what's John a-writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_    -3  3* -3   3*_2   -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2__
What’s John a-writ-in’_ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_    -3  3* -3   -4_   -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2
What’s John a-writ-in’ (‘Bout the Rev-e-la-tor__)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3* 2__
A book of_ the sev-en seals.

2     2 3*_-3 3*_-3 3*_2___ -3   3*   -3     3* -3 -3_3*_2_
Well, a-whoa_-ooa__ Babe___ thou-sand cried, “A ho-ly______

-3   3*   -3 -3_3* 2___ -3  3* -3_3* 2____
moun-tain of bal__-sam, Son of our__ God,_

-4    -4  4* -3_3* 2___ -4 -4  3*  -4_ 2
Daugh-ter of Zi___-on,_ Ju-dah the li_-on,

6   6  6    6  -4   3* -4      3* -4   3*  2     -3 -3   3*
the Re-deem-er said He brought us with the blood. A-tell me

-4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -3 -4__
who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor_)

-4_   -3  3* -3   3*_2  -4_  3*  -3 3* 3* 2__
Who’s that a-writ-in’_ (John the Rev-e-la-tor)

-4_   -3  3* -3   -4_  -4_  3*  -3 3* -4 -4~~2
Who’s that a-writ-in’ (John the Rev-e-la-tor__)

6 6    6_2 2   3*  3*_ 2______ 
A book of_ the sev-en_ seals._ 

American gospel-blues musician Blind Willie Johnson recorded John the Revelator in 1930 as a vocal Duet
with Willie B. Harris, who sang the response portion
of the song. Considered one of the most influential and
powerful songs in all of pre-World War II acoustic music,
it has been hugely influential to subsequent blues performers.
A variety of artists have recorded their renditions of 
the song, often with variations in the verses and music.