John the Revelator (Chromatic)

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.