Farewell Angelina

Written by 
Bob Dylan
Released on 
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3: Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991 (1991) and The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966
Tabbed by 
Eyolf Østrem
Tuning: 
Drop C

Recorded jan 13 1965.

A typed set of lyrics to the song in the Bob Dylan Archive contains a handwritten note at the top of the document that reads, “Ewan McCall tune,” referring to Ewan MacColl, an English singer-songwriter born in 1915 (BD Archive, Box 34, Folder 07). Dylan’s note probably points to the song Farewell to Tarwathie, a whaling song written in Scotland in the 19th century and popularized by MacColl, from which Farewell Angelina gets its music (Thanks to Joe Lasser for the transcript from the Archive).

The melody also resembles another old standard, sung by Pete Seeger, called "Wagoners Lad" (Americas Favorite Ballads Vol. 1 released on Smithsonian Folkways).

Another of Dylan's songs that uses the same melody is his earlier unfinished I Rode Out One Morning.

Capo 7th fret (sounding key G major)

Chords 
C     032010
Csus4 033010
Fmaj7 003210
F     003211
Em/b (0)22000
C

    C        Fmaj7 C
Farewell Angeli  - na
    Fmaj7        C
The bells of the crown
          C         Fmaj7 C
Are being stolen by ban - dits
       Fmaj7      C
I must follow the sound
    C
The triangle tingles
    Fmaj7      C
the music play slow
        C        Am
But farewell Angelina
    C           Em/b
The night is on fire
F          C      Csus4 C
And I must go.

         C
There is no use in talkin'
            Fmaj7       C     Fmaj7 C
and there's no need for blame

There is nothing to prove,
     Fmaj7              C     Fmaj7 C
Ev'rything still is the same
  C
A table stands empty
       Fmaj7       C       Csus4 C
By the edge of the stream
        C        Em/b
But farewell Angelina
    C              Am
The sky's changing colours
Fmaj7      C         Csus4 C
And I must leave.

    C
The jacks and the queens
        Fmaj7         C       Fmaj7 C
they forsake the courtyard
C
Fifty-two gypsies
    Fmaj7         C          Fmaj7 C
Now file past the guards
       C
In the space where the deuce
        Fmaj7        C       Fmaj7 C
And the ace once ran wild
    C        Em/b
Farewell Angelina
    C      Am
The sky is folding
             Fmaj7   C      Csus4 C
I'll see you after a while.

        C
See the cross-eyed pirates sit
Fmaj7          C        Csus4 C
Perched in the sun
C            Fmaj7
Shooting tin cans
                     C  Fmaj7 C
With a sawed-off shotgun
        C
And the corporals and neighbors
         Fmaj7           C     Csus4 C
clap and cheer with each blast
        C        Em/b
But farewell Angelina
    C         Am
The sky it is trembling
    Fmaj7        C
And I must leave fast.

     C
King Kong, little elves
       Fmaj7          C      Csus4 C
In the rooftoops they dance
     C
Valentino-type tangos
          Fmaj7        C     Csus4 C
While the hero's clean hands

Shut the eyes of the dead
         Fmaj7      C        Csus4 C
Not to embarrass anyone
    C        Am
Farewell Angelina
    C               Am
The sky is flooding over
Fmaj7         C            Csus4 C
And I must be gone.

    C
The camouflaged parrot
   Fmaj7         C        Csus4 C
He flutters from fear
     C                    Am
when something he doesn't know about
Fmaj7      C              Csus4 C
suddenly appears
     C
What cannot be imitated
Fmaj7        C            Csus4 C
perfect must die
    C        Am
Farewell Angelina
    C              Am
The sky's flooding over
      Fmaj7               C     Csus4 C
and I must go where it is dry

   C             Am
Machine guns are roaring
Fmaj7         C       Csus4 C
Puppets heave rocks
    C
At misunderstood visions
           F        C       F C
and at the faces of clocks
        C            Am
Call me any name you like
       F(maj7) C        F C
I will never deny it
        C        Am
But farewell Angelina
    C       Am
The sky is erupting
      F(maj7)            C
And I must go where it's quiet.

Am  F  C

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