Bob Dylan - Scarlet Town: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Scarlet Town" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

   Cm
In Scarlet Town, where I was born
There's ivy leaf and silver thorn
The streets have names that you can't pronounce
A#                 G
Gold is down to a quarter of an ounce

The music starts and the people sway
Everybody says, "Are you going my way?"
Uncle Tom still workin' for Uncle Bill
Scarlet Town is under the hill.

Scarlet Town in the month of May
Sweet William Holme on his deathbed lay
Mistress Mary by the side of the bed
Kissin' his face and puttin' prayers on his head

So brave, so true, so gentle is he
I'll weep for him as he would weep for me
Little Boy Blue come your blow horn
In Scarlet Town, where I was born.

Scarlet Town, in the hot noon hours,
There's palm-leaf shadows and scattered flowers
Beggars crouching at the gate
Help comes, but it comes too late

By marble slabs and in fields of stone
You make your humble wishes known
I touched the garment, but the hem was torn
In Scarlet Town, where I was born.

In Scarlet Town, the end is near
The Seven Wonders of the World are here
The evil and the good livin' side by side
All human forms seem glorified

Put your heart on a platter and see who will bite
See who will hold you and kiss you good night
There's walnut groves and maplewood
In Scarlet Town cryin' won't do no good.

In Scarlet Town, you fight your father's foes
Up on the hill, a chilly wind blows
You fight 'em on high and you fight 'em down in
You fight 'em with whiskey, morphine and gin

You've got legs that can drive men mad
A lot of things we didn't do that I wish we had
In Scarlet Town, the sky is clear
You'll wish to God that you stayed right here.

Set 'em Joe, play "Walkin' the Floor"
Play it for my flat-chested junkie whore
I'm staying up late, I'm making amends
While we smile, all heaven descends

If love is a sin, then beauty is a crime
All things are beautiful in their time
The black and the white, the yellow and the brown
It's all right there in front of you in Scarlet Town.


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#

Guitar chord A#

Cm

Guitar chord Cm

G

Guitar chord G

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Scarlet Town" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Scarlet Town" by Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan Song List