Hit The Road Jack Tab

by Ray Charles
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Capo: no capo
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1 contributor total, last edit on Oct 14, 2016
We have an official Hit The Road Jack tab made by UG professional guitarists.
Check out the tab
This is my first post here, and I'm not exactly sure about the credits.
I believe Ray wrote this himself.  If anyone knows better, let me know.
I'll hold off before posting this to Nevada.
 
Enjoy --
 
 
   TITLE:  HIT THE ROAD, JACK          Written by  :  Ray Charles
                                       Arranged by :  Bob Longmire
 
 
   MAIN RIFF (aka Chorus):  (**)
 
                                        (1)          (2)
   E -0---0-|-------------|-------0--0-|-0--0--5--5-|-8--8--5-0----|
   B -------|-1-----------|-1--3-------|------------|--------------|
   G -------|----2------2-|------------|------------|--------------|
   D -------|-------------|------------|------------|--------------|
   A -------|-0--0--------|------------|-0--0-------|-8--8---------|
   E ---0---|--------3--3-|-1--1--0--0-|-------3--3-|-------0----0-|
 
 
          (3)             (4)                                (5)
   E --------------------|-------0----|------------|----------0----|
   B ----0h1-------------|-1--3-----1-|----1--0----|-1--1--0-------|
   G ---------2-----2----|------------|-2--2--0----|-2--2--1-------|
   D --------------------|------------|----2--0----|-3--3--2-------|
   A ------0--0----------|------------|-0--0-------|---------------|
   E ------------3--3----|-1--1--0--0-|-------3--3-|-1--1--0-----0-|
 
 
   (**) Repeat this a few times as needed.
 
 
[Verse]
 
              (6)                  (7)
   E --5--5p3--0-----------------|--------------0------|
   B -------------1--3--1--3--1--|--3-----4------------|
   G ----------------------------|---------------------|
   D ----------------------------|---------------------|
   A -----0----0-----------------|---------------------|
   E ----------------3-----3-----|--1-----1-----0---0--|
 
                         (8)                      (9)
   E --0--0-------------|------------|-5--5--5--5--5--0----0--|
   B --------3--1-------|-1----------|------------------------|
   G --------------2--2-|----2--2----|------------------------|
   D -------------------|------------|------------------------|
   A -----0--0----------|------------|----0--0----------------|
   E -----------3--3----|-1--1--0--0-|-------------3-----3----|
 
                                                     (10)
   E --------0----|-0-0----------|----------0-----|
   B --3--4-------|------3--1----|-1--------------|
   G -------------|------------2-|----2--2--------|
   D -------------|--------------|----------------|
   A -------------|---0--0-------|----------------|
   E --1--1--0--0-|---------3--3-|-1--1--0-----0--|
 
   (**)  Sandwich in between main riffs
 
   NOTES on main riff:
 
   (1)  Leave no fingers on the fretboard here.  Get into position
        for the next two-note chord.
 
   (2)  Using the higher F is a form of cheating, but when played up
        to speed the octave change is hidden.  This is the main trick
        of the piece.
 
   (3)  The measure actually starts with the hammered-on C.  I didn't
        include the bar only because it looked hard to read that way.
 
   (4)  It takes extra practice to move the left index finger from
        the second-string C to the sixth-string F.  Same as bar 2.
 
   (5)  This is the same high E as the first note in the main riff, so
        you can see that the timing is not exact.  I hope you can get
        the idea through the feel of this rather than exact notation.
 
   NOTES on Verse:
 
   (6)  Set the left index finger on the second-string C now, and use
        the pinky for the D.  The ring finger can handle the bass G.
 
   (7)  Same as note 4.
 
   (8)  Use a full first-fret barre to fret both the second and sixth
        strings.  Keep the ring finger on the A while changing this.
 
   (9)  Syncopate the bass with the melody here.
 
  (10)  The second verse has an extra 4 bars.  Make it up as I'm getting
        tired of doing this.
 
   FINGERING:
 
   I find it easier to use the pinky to fret the low G on the first
   four measures, and to use the thumb for the F. (Please don't flame
   this part; I have had lessons but sometimes expediency prevails over
   theoretical technique.)  This keeps the right hand in a good position
   for doing both melody and the step-down bass.
 
 
   [CRDPRO]
 
Main Riff (aka Chorus)
 
   Hit the [Am] Road Jack [G] and [F] don'tcha come [E] back
   No [Am] more no [G] more no [F] more no [E] more,
   Hit the [Am] Road Jack [G] and [F] don'tcha come [E] back
   No [Am] more  [G]  [F] [E]
 
         "What'd you say"
[Chorus]
 
[Verse 1]
 
   Old [Am] woman old [G] woman, oh you [F] treat me so [E] mean,
   You're the [Am] meanest old [G] woman that I [F] ever have [E] seen,
   Well I [Am] guess if [G] you say [F] so [E]
   I'll [Am] have to pack my [G] things and [F] go [E] *that's right*
 
[Chorus]
         "What'd you SAY?!?!"
[Chorus]
 
[Verse 2]
 
   Now [Am] Baby, listen [G] Baby, don't you [F] treat me this-a [E] way
   'Cause [Am] I'll be [G] back on my [F] feet some[E]day,
   *Don't [Am] care if you [G] do, cause it's [F] under[E]stood,*
   *You [Am] got no [G] money, and you [F] just ain't no [E] good*
   Well I [Am] guess if [G] you say [F] so [E]
   I'll [Am] have to pack my [G] things and [F] go *that's [E] right*
 
[Chorus]
         "What'd you SAY?!?!"
[Chorus]
 
Coda
 
   Repeat [Am] [G] [F] [E] ...
 
   "Well ...
    Uh, whud jou say?
    I didn't understand you.
    You can't mean that ...
    Aw now Baby, Please.
    What you tryin to do to ME!?"
 
    And Fade.
 
 
 
************************************
 
| h  Hammer-on
| p  Pull-off
 
************************************
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Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles
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"Hit The Road Jack"
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4 comments
Jordyj4
This is a simpler tab I made for the intro just to make it easier on myself :) : E|--0----------------------------0-0--5-5--8-8--5-0| B|----1-3-1-----------1--33-3----------------------| G|----------2-2-----2------------------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| E|-------------------------------------------------| E|--0----------------------------------------------| B|----1--3-----------1--33-3-----------------------| G|-----------2-----2---------2--2------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| E|-------------------------------------------------|
0
Drell*
Instead of: Am - G - F - E then play following chords instead: Am - Am/g - F7 - E7 (correct chords)
0
benedict16th
Percy Mayfield wrote Hit The Road Jack, Ray Charles only performed and recorded it. :) Ben
0