Empire State Express tab

Empire State Express

 from the Rory Gallagher album Fresh Evidence

tabbed by Kay-Uwe Graw ([email protected]) on the 29th of November 1999


#---------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This tab is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this tab for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

Playing Notes:

/ - slide up
\ - slide down
s - slide between notes
h - hammer on
p - pull off
~ - vibrato
b - bend note
* - notes played without slide
x - muted

played in Open G (D G D G B D from low to high)

D-|-------------------------------/5--5--5-/8--8--8-/5--5--5-/8--8--8-8-s-5~|
B-|-------------------------------/5--5--5-/8--8--8-/5--5--5-/8--8--8-8-s-5~|
G-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  This is the Empire State Express


|-8----8------------------------8-----------------------10------------------|
|---/8---8---8-8s6-----------8-----8~---------------10------10--------------|
|----------8-------8-------8---------8~----------10-------------10\-----0---|
|--------------------8---8---------------8-s-10-----------------------------|
|----------------------8---------------------------------------------/3---0-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


   (*
|-----3-3-3-3--3-3-3--5--5--5--5--5--5--------------------------------------|
|---3---3-3-3--3-3-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--------------------------------------|
|--0----0-0-0--0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--------------------------------------|
|-0-----0-0-0--0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------0-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-|



|---------------------------------3------------------------------0----------|
|-----------------------------0-0-3------------------------------1---1---1--|
|-----------------------------0-0-0-----0------0-----0-------0-0-0---0---0--|
|-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-0-0-0-----0------0-----0-------0-0-2---2---2--|
|-----------------------------0-0-0-----0------0-----0-------0-0-0---0---0--|
|-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-----------------------------------------------|
                                    Went down to the station        leaned


|-----------------------------------------------------3---------------------|
|-1---1---1---1-1---------------------------------0-0-3---------------------|
|-0---0---0---0-0---------------------------------0-0-0------0------0-------|
|-2---2---2---2-2-0-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-0-0-0------0------0-------|
|-0---0---0---0-0-0-------------------------------0-0-0------0------0-------|
|-----------------0-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x---------------------------|
 against the door                                       went down to the


|------------------3----------------------------5---------------------------|
|------------------3---1---1---1---1---1----1-1-----------------------------|
|------0-------0-0-0---0---0---0---0---0----0-0-----------------------------|
|------0-------0-0-0---2---2---2---2---2----2-2---2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x---|
|------0-------0-0-0---0---0---0---0---0----0-0-----------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x---|
 station and I        leaned against the door                             I


|----------------3-3-5------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------3-3-3------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------0-0-0------------------------------------------------------|
|----4---x-------0-0-0--------------0-0-0-0-0-0----x--x---------------------|
|-----------------------------------0-0-3-0-3-0-0--x--x---------------------|
|----4---x-----------------------------------------x--x---------------------|
 knew it was the       Empire State                     tell by the way she


|--------3-3-5-5---------------------------------3-3----3----3----3----3----|
|--------3-3-3-3---------------------------------3-3----3----3----3----3----|
|--------0-0-0-0-----------------------------0-0-0-0----0----0----0----0----|
|--------0-0-0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-0-0-0-0----0----0----0----0----|
|--------------------------------------------0-0-0--------------------------|
|----------------2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x--------------------------------|
 roared                                               asked the depot

        *)                                             (*
|-3---3-3-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-3---3-3-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-0---0-0----0---0-0-0-----0-----0-----0-----0------------------------------|
|-0---0-0-/3-----0-0-0-----0-----0-----0-----0------0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-|
|--------------0-0-0-0-----0-----0-----0-----0------0-0---------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-|
 agent                 please let me ride the blinds


|-----------3------3------3------3--3-----3---------------------------------|
|-----------3------3------3------3--3-----3------------1------------1-------|
|---------0-0------0------0------0--0-----0----0---0---0------------0-------|
|-3-x-4-x-0-0------0------0------0--0-----0----0---0---2------------2--0--0-|
|---------0-0----------------------------------0---0---0------------0--0--0-|
|-3-x-4-x--------------------------------------------------------------0--0-|
               asked the depot agent     please let my ride the blinds

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------0---0---0---0---0---0---0-----------|
|-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4----x----5---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-----------|
|---------------------------------------0---0---0---0---0---0---0-----------|
|-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4----x----5---------------------------------------|
                           he said, son I'd like to help you, you know


|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------0---0---0---0---0---0---0-------------------------------------|
|-------------0---0---0---0---0---0---0--0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x----|
|-0-0---0-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--0-0--------------------------------|
|-0-3p0----------------------------------0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x----|
           but the Empire State ain't mine

                                                               *)
|-3-3-5-------------------------------3-3-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------------|
|-3-3-3-------------------------------3-3-1--1--1--1--1--1--1--1------------|
|-0-0-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0------------|
|-0-0-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-0-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2---/3-/3-0--|
|---------0---0---0---0---0---0---0-----------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------/3-/3-0--|
        the Empire State you know she       rides on Eastern time

                 (*
|-----------------3--5---3-0-0-0-----------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----------|
|-----------------3--3---3-0-0-1--1--1--1--1--1--1-1-0-0-1-1-1-1-1---1---1--|
|-/3-/3-0----0----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---0---0--|
|-----------------0--0---0-0-0-2--2--2--2--2--2--2-2-0-0-2-2-2-2-2---2---2--|
|-/3-/3-0------0------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------/3----------------------------------------------------------------|
                                 the Empire State                  she rides


|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---1---1---1---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---0---0---0-------------------------------------0---0---0---0---0---0-----|
|---2---2---2----0-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x--0---0---0---0---0---0-----|
|----------------0-x------------------------------0---0---0---0---0---0-----|
|----------------0-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x----------------------------|
 on Eastern time                              she's the glorious baby

                                                    *)
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------0---------------------------0-0-------------0-/3-0-/3-/3-0----0-|
|-----------0--5------3--------2--------0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x----------------/3---|
|-0-0-----0-0---------------------------0-0-------------0-/3-0--------------|
|-0-3-s-5------5------3--------2------------2-x-3-x-4-x---------------------|
             on the New York Central Line

                                  (*           *)
|----------3----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------/3---3s1p0----------------------------------------------------------|
|---0-x------------/5-/3-0---x-------------------------0-/5-(2)-/3-s-2------|
|---0-x----------------------x-0-----------------0--/3------------------/5--|
|-0-0-x--------------------0-x-0-0---0-0-0---0-0-0--------------------------|
|--------------------------------0h3-3-3-0h3-3-3----------------------------|


        (*                     *)
|--------------------------0----------------------------------------------0-|
|--------1-1---1-1---1---1---1----------------0-/3-0-3s1p0--------------0---|
|--------3-3---3-3---3-3-------3-----------0--0-/3-0-------/3-0-/5-/3-0-----|
|-/3-0---2-2---2-2---2-------------------0----0-/3-0------------------------|
|------0-----0-----0-------------/3-/3-0------0-/3-0------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


                                                   (*
|-5-s-7-7------7------7-------------------------------0-------0-------0-----|
|-5-s-7---5-/7---5-/7---5-/7----------------------------0-------0-------0---|
|----------------------------7-------------/3-/3-0--------0-------0-------0-|
|------------------------------7-/5~----------------3-------3-------3-------|
|--------------------------------/5~--/5p0-/3-/3-0--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|



|---0-------0-------0-------------------------------------------------------|
|-----0-------0-------0-----------------------------------------5-0--0-0x---|
|-------0-------0-------0------0-0-0x------x------x------x-x-x--5-0--0-0x---|
|-3-------2-------2------------0-0-0x------x------x------x-x-x--5-0--0-0x---|
|-------------------------0----0-0-0x------x------x------x-x-x--5-0--0-0x---|
|----------------------------3----------------------------------------------|
                    it was a          mean old fireman and a


|--------------------------------------------------------3------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------3------------------|
|----0----0----0---------------------------------------0-0-----0-----0------|
|----0----0----0---0-0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x---0-0-----0-----0------|
|----0----0----0---0-0-0-------------------------------0-0-----0-----0------|
|------------------0-0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x------------------------|
 low down engineer                                was a    cruel fireman and

                                                       *)
|--0---------------------------------------------------3--------------------|
|--1---------------------------------------------------3--------------------|
|--0-------------------0-----------------------------0-0-----0-----0-----0--|
|--2-------------------0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-0-0-----0-----0-----0--|
|----------------------0-----------------------------0-0-----0-----0-----0--|
|------------------------2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x------------------------|
 a   low down engineer                                   took my baby away

                      (*
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------0-0-0----0------------0----------------------------------------------|
|------0-0-0----0------------0------0-0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x--0--3--2--0-0-----|
|----0-0-0-0----0------------0------0-0-0------------------0--0--0--0-0-----|
|-/3-------------------3------------0-0-0-2-x-3-x-4-x-5-x--0--3--2--0-0-----|
            left poor me sitting here

                                                       *)
|--------------------------------------------------------------/12-12-12----|
|----------------------------------1----1----1----1----1-------/12-12-12----|
|-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----0----0----0----0----0---0-0-/12-12-12----|
|-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----2----2----2----2----2---0-0--------------|
|-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----0----0----0----0----0---0-0--------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 engineer blew the whistle and the   fireman rang the bell


|-/12-12-12-/12-12-12~------------------------------------------------------|
|-/12-12-12-/12-12-12~------------------------------------------------------|
|-/12-12-12-/12-12-12~-12\-0-/3-0-------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------0-0-0--0--0--0-0----0----0----0----0------|
|----------------------------/3-0-0-0-0--0--0--0-0----0----0----0----0------|
|---------------------------------0-0-0--0--0--0-0----0----0----0----0------|
                                       well the   engineer blew the whistle

                                                         (*
|---------------------------------------------------------3-3h5-5-5-3-3-3-3-|
|--------10-s-12--/12--/12--/12---------------------------3-3---3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|--------10-s-12--/12--/12--/12-----0------------0-/3-0---0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|---0----10-s-12--/12--/12--/12-----0-------------------0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|---0----10-s-12--/12--/12--/12-----0------3-s-5----------------------------|
|---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
 and the                   fireman rang the bell


|-3-3-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3s5-5-5-5--5--5--5--0--0--0--------3s5-5-3s5-5-5-|
|-3-3-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--1s3-3-3-3--3--3--3--1--1--1---0----1s3-3-1s3-3-3-|
|-0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0---0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0---0----0---0-0---0-0-|
|-0-0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0---0-0-0--0--0--0--2--2--2---0----0---0-0---0-0-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
     my woman was on board          she was waving me farewell

           *)
|------------------12-12-----12-12-----12-12--------------------------------|
|-0--0-0-0-0---/12-------/12-------/12--------------------------------------|
|-0-/3-0-2-0---/12---------------------------/12~-12\-0------/3-0-/3-0-0-x--|
|-0--0-0-0-3-0---------------------------------------------------------0-x--|
|------------0------------------------------------------/3-0-----------0-x--|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


     (*
|-----------------------------------0-----0-----------0-----------0---------|
|---------------------------------1-------------1-----------1-----------1---|
|-0-----0-------------------0-3-3-------3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----|
|---------------------0--0--0-2-------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2-|
|---------2-3-4-------0--0--------------------------------------------------|
|---0h2---------0-2-0-------------------------------------------------------|


                               *)
|---------------------------------------7-s-6-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------/7----------------------------|
|--------0---------------------------------------7-/5~--5-3-5-5-/7--0-------|
|----------3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-/7~-------------/5~----------------------|
|-0------------------------------------------------/5~----------------0-0---|
|----0h2---3-x-4-x-5-x-2-x-3-x-4-x-/7~--------------------------------------|


 (*
|--------------------------0-0-3------------------------------0--5----------|
|--------------------------0-0-3------------------------------0--3----------|
|--------------------0--0--0-0-0------------------------------0--0----------|
|-------0------------0--0--0-0-0------------------------------0--0----------|
|-3-2-0------------0--------------------------------------------------------|
|----------0--3b-0----------------------------------------------------------|
                                 I'm gonna tell you what that      mean old


|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------0---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------0---2p0-3p0-4p0-5p0---0h2---0h3---0h4---0h5-----------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------2p0-3p0-4p0-5p0-0-h-2-0-h-3-0-h-4-0-h-5-----------------|
  train will do                                             I'm gonna tell


|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----0--3--3------3-------2----------0--0-0h2-0-0h3-0-0h4-0-0h5-2-x-3-x-4-x-|
|----0--0--0--------------0----------0--0-0---------------------------------|
|----0--3--3------3-------2----------0--0-0h2-0-0h3-0-0h4-0-0h5-2-x-3-x-4-x-|
 you         the mean old train will do


|-3-----------------------------------------5-5-3-----3-------3-------------|
|-3----------------------0-1--1--1--1--1--1-3-3-3-----3-------3------1--0---|
|-0----------------------0-0--0--0--0--0--0-0-0-0-----0-------0------0--0---|
|-0----------------------0-2--2--2--2--2--2-0-0-0-----0-------0------2--0---|
|------------------------0-0--0--0--0--0--0--------------------------0--0---|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    take your woman away     and shoot back       black smoke at you


|-3-3-3--5--5--5--2s3-3--3--3---3---3---3---3---3--2-2-3--3--3--3-----3-----|
|-3-3-3--3--3--3--2s3-3--3--3---3---3---3---3---3--2-2-3--3--3--3-----3-----|
|-0-0-0--0--0--0--0-0-0--0--0---0---0---0---0---0--0-0-0--0--0--0-----0-----|
|-0-0-0--0--0--0--0-0-0--0--0---0---0---0---0---0--0-0-0--0--0--0-----0-----|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                              take your woman away                 and shoot

                                       *)
|----3----3----3---------5--5--0--0--2-2-0-0--5-s-12~-----------------------|
|----3----3----3---------3--3--1--1--1-1-0-0--5-s-12~-----------------------|
|----0----0----0------0--0--0--0--0--0-0-0-0--5-s-12~---------------------0-|
|----0----0----0------0--0--0--2--2--2-2-0-0--5-s-12~---------------------0-|
|---------------------0---------------------------------------------------0-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 black smoke back at you                              take your woman away

        (*
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------0-1--0-------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------0-0--0----0-0-0-0-0--0---------0-----------|
|--0-----3---2---0----0----0-----0-2--0--0-0-0-0-0-0--0-----0-----2-0---0---|
|---------------------0----0-----0-0--0--0-0-0-0-0-0--0---------------------|
|--0-----3---2---0----0----0-------------0--------------------0---2-0-3-----|
 shoot black   smoke back at you                     let's go

                                            *)
|---------------------------------------5---5-----/12-12-12\----------------|
|---------------------------------------3---3-----/12-12-12\----------------|
|---------------------------------------0-0-0-0-0-/12-12-12\-x-0-x-0-x------|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-0-0-0-0-/12-12-12\-x-0-x-0-x------|
|-----------------------------------------0---0-0-/12-12-12\-x-0-x-0-x------|
|-4---5---2---3---4---5---2---3---4---5----------------------x-0-x-0-x------|



|-/12-12-12\-----------/7-7~-----------/7-7-7~-----------/12-12~------------|
|-/12-12-12\-----------/7-7~-----------/7-7-7~-----------/12-12~------------|
|-/12-12-12\-x-0-x-0-x-/7-7~-x-7-x-7-x-/7-7-7~-x-7-x-7-x-/12-12~-x-0-x-0-x--|
|-/12-12-12\-x-0-x-0-x-/7-7~-x-7-x-7-x-/7-7-7~-x-7-x-7-x-/12-12~-x-0-x-0-x--|
|-/12-12-12\-x-0-x-0-x-/7-7~-x-7-x-7-x-/7-7-7~-x-7-x-7-x-/12-12~-x-0-x-0-x--|
|------------x-0-x-0-x-------x-7-x-7-x---------x-7-x-7-x---------x-0-x-0-x--|


                                                 (*     *)
|-/12-12-12\-10-------/7-7-7~-----------------------3-h-5--|
|-/12-12-12\-10-------/7-7-7~---/5~--s--3\--------3--------|
|-/12-12-12\-10-x-0-x-/7-7-7~---/5~--s--3\------0----------|
|-/12-12-12\-10-x-0-x-/7-7-7~---/5~--s--3\----0------------|
|-/12-12-12\-10-x-0-x-/7-7-7~---/5~--s--3\---0-------------|
|---------------x-0-x--------------------------------------|

x

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