Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man
Hello! Below you'll find my "Mr. Tambourine Man" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This classic song by Bob Dylan only has a few chords in it so it's easy to learn. There are a few quirky things with the timing, and I break those down for you in the video.
Enjoy!
Mr. Tambourine Man Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Mr. Tambourine Man:
Mr. Tambourine Man Chords & Lyrics
Note: Bb to be played as Bb/D throughout
[Intro]
| F | F | F | F |
| F | F | F | F |
[Chorus]
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb
In the jingle jangle morning
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb
In the jingle jangle morning
C F | F | F |
I'll come following you
[Verse 1]
Bb C
Though I know that evenings empire
Bb C
Though I know that evenings empire
F Bb
Has returned into sand
F Bb
Vanished from my hand
F Bb Gm7 C
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping
Bb C F Bb
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet
F Bb
I have no one to meet
F Bb
And the ancient empty street's too
F Bb
Vanished from my hand
F Bb Gm7 C
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping
Bb C F Bb
My weariness amazes me, I'm branded on my feet
F Bb
I have no one to meet
F Bb
And the ancient empty street's too
Gm7 C
Dead for dreaming
[Chorus]
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb
In the jingle jangle morning
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb
In the jingle jangle morning
C F | F | F | F |
I'll come following you
[Verse 2]
Bb C F Bb
Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship
Bb C F Bb
Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship
F Bb
My senses have been stripped
My senses have been stripped
F Bb
My hands can't feel to grip
F Bb F Gm7
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
C
To be wandering
Bb C F. Bb
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
F Bb F Bb
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way
Gm7 C
I promise to go under it
F Bb F Gm7
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
C
To be wandering
Bb C F. Bb
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
F Bb F Bb
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way
Gm7 C
I promise to go under it
[Chorus]
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb
In the jingle jangle morning
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb
In the jingle jangle morning
C F | F | F | F |
I'll come following you
[Verse 3]
Bb C
Bb C
Though you might hear laughing, spinning
F Bb
Swinging madly across the sun
F Bb F Bb
It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escaping on the run
F Bb Gm7 C
And but for the sky there are no fences facing
Bb C F Bb
And if you hear vague traces of skipping reels of rhyme
F Bb
To your tambourine in time
F Bb F Bb
It's not aimed at anyone, it's just escaping on the run
F Bb Gm7 C
And but for the sky there are no fences facing
Bb C F Bb
And if you hear vague traces of skipping reels of rhyme
F Bb
To your tambourine in time
F Bb
It's just a ragged clown behind
F Bb F
I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're
Gm7 C
Seeing that he's chasing
F Bb F
I wouldn't pay it any mind, it's just a shadow you're
Gm7 C
Seeing that he's chasing
[Chorus]
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C F | F |
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C F | F |
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you
[Harmonica Solo]
| Bb | C | F | Bb |
| F | Bb | F | Bb |
| F | Bb | F | Bb |
| F | Gm7 | C | C |
| Bb | C | F | Bb |
| F | Bb | F | Bb |
| F | Gm7 | C | F | F | F | F |
[Verse 4]
Bb C
Then take me disappearing
F Bb
Through the smoke rings of my mind
F Bb F Bb
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
F Bb F Bb
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach
F Bb Gm7 C
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Bb C
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky
F Bb F Bb
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
F Bb F Bb
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach
F Bb Gm7 C
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Bb C
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky
F Bb
With one hand waving free
F Bb F Bb
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands
F Bb F Bb
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves
F Gm7 C
Let me forget about today until tomorrow
F Bb F Bb
Silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands
F Bb F Bb
With all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves
F Gm7 C
Let me forget about today until tomorrow
[Chorus]
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C F | F |
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Bb C F Bb
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
F Bb C F | F |
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you
End there, or return for another harmonica solo
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Mr. Tambourine Man Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Mr. Tambourine Man" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Mr. Tambourine Man" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
