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10/26/2018 If Dogs Run Free

If Dogs Run Free


Words and music Bob Dylan 
Released on New Morning (1970), and debuted live during the fall 2000 tour. 
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

Album Version
Dylan goes Jazz!

Here follows first a tab of the bass part in the first instrumental verse, with chord suggestions
above. Since the song is basically defined by a bass progression with chromatic alterations,
and heavily colorated chords above that, the indicated chords are not what is being played –
it's a synthesis of what may have been played by some or the other of the musicians, or rather:
a simplified picture of what may have been in their heads while playing. It works, sort of, but
especially at the end of the second and third lines below, the chords are definitely suggestions
only.

Chords:

C#o x45353
Bm7-5 x2323x

G C C#o G
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-0--0--0--0--|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|------------3|-5--------0--|-5-03--0-----|
|-------------|-3--3--4--5--|-------2-----|----------4--|
|-------------|-------------|----3--------|-------------|

C C#o G7 C7 Bm7-5 E7
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|------------0|-5--5--0-----|----3--2-----|
|-3--3--2--3--|-4--4--3--4--|----------3--|-2--------1--|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

Am D G7 /f Em7 /Bb A D7
: . . . : . . . : . . . : . . .
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|----2--1--0--|
|-0--0--2--3-4|----3--0-----|----------1--|-0-----------|
|-------------|----------4--|-3--1--0-----|-------------|

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10/26/2018 If Dogs Run Free
G C C#o
If dogs run free, then why not we
G
Across the swooping plain?
C C#o
My ears hear a symphony
G C7 Bm7-5 E7
Of two mules, trains and rain.
Am D
The best is always yet to come,
G7 Em7 A7 D7
That's what they explain to me.

G C C#o
Just do your thing, you'll be king,
G
If dogs run free.

If dogs run free, why not me


Across the swamp of time?
My mind weaves a symphony
And tapestry of rhyme.
Oh, winds which rush my tale to thee
So it may flow and be,
To each his own, it's all unknown,
If dogs run free.

If dogs run free, then what must be,


Must be, and that is all.
True love can make a blade of grass
Stand up straight and tall.
In harmony with the cosmic sea,
True love needs no company,
It can cure the soul, it can make it whole,
If dogs run free.

2000 Live Version


The chords below are a destillation and a synthetization of the sounds I hear (at times very
vaguely), as chords, licks, bass tones etc. in four different live renditions of this song from the
late 2000 shows. Priority has been given to chord formations that are actually, audibly played
(as opposed to those that can be pieced together from a bass note here, a lick there, and an
unpredictable – but delightful ­­ tone from Dylan's guitar, but which are never actually played
as such). 
The bass line is from Münster, Oct 1, 2000 – other nights it was similar but different.

Chords:

C9 x35333
F6 xx3535
F#o xx4545
Fm7-5 xx3444
Em7-5 xx2333
F9 xx7888
Fm6 xx6768
Cmaj9 xx5557
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10/26/2018 If Dogs Run Free
A7+5 x05665 (or x02021)
Dm7 xx0565
G7-10 xx5466
Fo xx3434
C#o x4535x
Dm7 x5756x
Dm7-5 x5656x

C9 F6 F#o C Fm7-5 Em7-5 C9


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

F9 Fm6 Cmaj9 A7+5 A7


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

Dm7 G7-10 Fo C C#o Dm7 Dm7-5 G7 C9


|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|----
|----1--0-----|----------0--|-1-----------|-----------------|----
|----------2--|-0--1--2-----|----0--2-----|-----1-----0-----|----
|-0-----------|-------------|-------------|-0---------------|----
|-------------|-------------|----------4--|--------------2--|-3--
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|----

C9 F6 F#o
If dogs run free, then why not we
C Fm7-5 Em7-5 C9
Across the swooping plain?
F9 Fm6
My ears hear a symphony
Cmaj9 A7+5 A7
Of two mules, trains and rain.
Dm7 G7-10 Fo
The best is always yet to come,
C C#o Dm7 Dm7-5 G7
That's what they explain to me.

C9 F6 F#o
Just do your thing, you'll be king,
C Fm7-5 Em7-5 C9 etc.
If dogs run free.

http://dylanchords.info/11_newmorning/if_dogs_run_free.htm 3/3

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