I Hung My Head

 #----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------# 
 #This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the # 
 #song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. # 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------# 
 # 
  
 Subject:         Sting, I Hung My Head 
    Date:         Sun, 26 Oct 1997 17:30:36 -0000 
    From:         Earthman  
  
   
  
 ---------------------------------| 
 ----I Hung My Head by Sting.-----| 
 -From the album Mercury Falling.- 
 --------------------------------- 
  
 This song is in 9/8 time, but having said that the guitar part is straight eighth notes all 
 the way through, so it's not tricky at all once you get used to the groove of it. 
  
  
 Capo on 1st fret. All fret positions relative to capo. 
 Chord names shown as sounded with capo. 
  
  
 Intro: 
  
   Bb                 Eb                 G                  Eb 
 F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------| 
 C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|----3-------------| 
 Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|--2---------2---2-| 
 Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------------|0---------0-------| 
 Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---| 
 F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------| 
 Repeat. 
  
 Verse 1: 
   Bb                 Eb                 G                  Eb 
 F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------| 
 C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|----3-------------| 
 Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|--2---------2---2-| 
 Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------------|0---------0-------| 
 Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---| 
 F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------| 
   Early one morning  with time to kill  I borrowed Jeb's    and sat on the hill 
 						rifle 
  
  
   Bb                 Eb                 G                  Eb 
 F |------------------|------0-2---------|------------------|------0-2---------| 
 C |------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|----3-------------| 
 Ab|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|--2---------2---2-| 
 Eb|--2---------------|0---------0-------|----4-------------|0---------0-------| 
 Bb|0---------0-------|--------------2---|--4-----------0---|--------------4---| 
 F |--------------2---|------------------|2---------2-------|------------------| 
   I saw a lone rider crossing the plain I drew a bead on   to practice my aim 
  						him 
  
  
   Cm                 Fadd4/A            Fadd4              Bb 
 F |------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| 
 C |------2-3---------|------2-3---------|------2-3---------|------0-2---2---2-| 
 Ab|----4-------4---4-|----4-------4---4-|----4-------4---4-|----2-------------| 
 Eb|--4---------------|--2---------------|--2---------------|--2---------------| 
 Bb|2---------2---0---|------------------|------------------|0---------0---2---| 
 F |------------------|4---------4---2---|0---------4---0---|------------------| 
   My brother's rifle went off in my     a shot rang out    across the land 
 				hand 
  
  
   Eb                 G                  Bb                 Eb 
 F |------0-2---------|------------------|------------------|------0-2---------| 
 C |----3-------3---3-|--------2---------|------0-2---------|----3-------3---3-| 
 Ab|--2---------------|------2-----2---2-|----2-------2---2-|--2---------------| 
 Eb|0---------0-------|----4---------0---|--2---------------|0---------0-------| 
 Bb|--------------2---|--4---------------|0---------0-------|--------------2---| 
 F |------------------|2---------2-------|--------------2---|------------------| 
   The horse he kept  the rider was dead I hung my head     I hung my head 
 	running 
  
 That's it for the guitar. It just repeats the intro between verses, and repeats the last two 
 bars of the verse at the end of verses 2-4. 
  
 Verse 2. 
 I set off running to wake from the dream 
 My brother's rifle went into the stream 
 I kept on running into the salt lands 
 And that's where they found me, my head in my hands 
 The sheriff he asked my why had I run 
 And then it came to me just what I had done 
 And all for no reason, just one piece of lead 
 I hung my head, Ihung my head. 
  
 Verse 3. 
 Here in the courthouse the whole town is there 
 I see the judge high up in his chair 
 "Explain to the courtroom what went through your mind 
 And we'll ask the jury what verdict they'll find" 
 I said "I felt the power of death over life 
 I orphaned his children, I widowed his wife 
 I beg their forgiveness, I wish I was dead" 
 I hung my head, I hung my head. 
  
 Verse 4. 
 Early one morning with time to kill 
 I see the gallows up on the hill 
 And out in the distance, a trick of the brain 
 I see a lone rider crossing the plain 
 He's come to fetch me, to see what they done 
 And we'll ride together til Kingdom come 
 I pray for God's mercy for soon I'll be dead 
 I hung my head, I hung my head.