Bob Dylan - Tough Mama: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Tough Mama" 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.

D     Bm
Tough Mama
A
Meat shakin' on your bones
D    Bm
I'm gonna
A
Go down to the river and get some stones.
Bm                                  A
Sister's on the highway with that steel-drivin' crew,
Bm                           F#m     Em         G
Papa's in the big house, his workin' days are through.
 C     G
Tough Mama
A
Can I blow a little smoke on you?

Dark Beauty
Won't you move it on over and make some room?
It's my duty
to bring you down to the field where the flowers bloom.
Ashes in the furnace, dust on the rise,
You came through it all the way, flyin' through the skies.
Dark Beauty
With that long night's journey in your eyes.

Sweet Goddess
Born of a blinding light and a changing wind,
Now, don't be modest,
you know who you are and where you've been.
Jack the Cowboy went up north
He's buried in your past.
The Lone Wolf went out drinking
That was over pretty fast.

Sweet Goddess
Your perfect stranger's comin' in at last.
Silver Angel
With the badge of the lonesome road sewed in your sleeve,
I'd be grateful if this golden ring you would receive.
Today on the countryside it was a-hotter than a crotch,
I stood alone upon the ridge and all I did was watch.
Sweet Goddess
It must be time to carve another notch.

I'm crestfallen
The world of illusion is at my door,
I ain't a-haulin'
any of my lambs to the marketplace anymore.
The prison walls are crumblin', there is no end in sight,
I've gained some recognition but I lost my appetite.
Dark Beauty
Meet me at the border late tonight.


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A

Guitar chord A

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

Em

Guitar chord Em

F#m

Guitar chord F#m

G

Guitar chord G

Bm

Guitar chord Bm

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 "Tough Mama" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Tough Mama" by Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan Song List