Key To The Highway by Eric Clapton guitar tab (text):

Key To the Highway

Eric Clapton and B.B. King

From the album Riding with the King



This tab is completely my own work. Its my first tab, so its not 100% accurate. Also, this tab does not show timings, so youll have to listen to the song for accurate timings.

This is an easy Clapton/King song that should give you more rhythm ideas and increase your repertoire of blues licks.  



Rhythm ideas:



The chord pattern is A, E7, F#m, A, E7, A

Here are some rhythm ideas that are used throughout the song:



e|-/9-9-9-9-9-9-9-----------10101010-----2-2-2-2-

B|-/10101010101010----------9-9-9-9------2-2-2-2-

G|-/9-9-9-9-9-9-9-----------9-9-9-9------2-2-2-2-

D|-----------------/11-10-9-9-9-9-9------4-4-4-4-

A|---------------------------------------4-4-4-4-

E|-----------------------------------0-1-2-2-2-2- etc etc

    A                       E7           F#m



There are countless variations on this theme throughout the song, so you can stick to the chord shapes shown or make up your own variations.



Chord pattern example: verse 1:

Ive got the key to the highway

A                     E7

    Be allowed that I do go

F#m

Gonna leave here runnin

      A 

   Walkins most too slow

E                    A (turnaround)



Heres a simple turnaround idea, which can be expanded upon if you like, although you dont have to include a turnaround at all.



e|-----------------

B|--5-3-2-1--------

G|-----------------

D|-----------------

A|-7-5-4-3-2-0-1-2-

E|-----------------



Heres an example of a fill thats sometimes used when changing from A to E:



A|---2-0-----

E|-0-----3-0-



Lead: This lead section is fairly accurate, although again timing is not shown. It isnt clear which parts Clapton or King play throughout this song.



Intro lead:

e|----------------------------12b14-12b14-12-10----------------

B|-12b14-12b14-12b14-12b14-12-------------------13-12----12----

G|----------------------------------------------------14----11-



e|---------------------12----------------------12-11-10----------

B|------12b14-12b14-15----12b14-12-------10-------------13h14----

G|-11-14---------------------------11-14-11-14----------------14-



e|-----------------

B|-7h8-5---------5-

G|-------7-5-5h6---



In the verses some parts are played after the sung parts, whereas other parts continue into the sung parts etc. Youll have to listen to the song to know when to play each bit. 



Verse 1 lead  Clapton sings

e|----------------------7-------------------

B|----------10---8b9-10---------10-10-------

G|-------6/9-------------9-7/11------11-----

D|----7-9------------------------------12---

A|-7-9--------------------------------------

E|------------------------------------------



e|-12b14-12-10-10------------9------------------------

B|----------------13-13-10-------------------------10-

G|-------------------------11---9p7p6---9------9-11---

D|----------------------------------------9h11--------

A|----------------------------------------------------

E|----------------------------------------------------



e|---------------------------------

B|-11/13-12-12-10--10-10/14--------

G|-x-------------11-----------12---

D|-------------------------14---14-

A|---------------------------------

E|---------------------------------



Verse 2 lead  King sings

In this verse there is hardly any lead guitar at all. For most of the verse the only lead guitar to be heard is this:

B|-10

G|-11

So you can improvise a lead using ideas from the licks in this tab. At the end of the verse there is a bit of lead:



e|------------------7/9----------

B|-13-12-12-10-10----------------

G|----------------9-----9-9-9-9-

D|-----------------------------9-

A|-------------------------------

E|-------------------------------



Verse 3 lead  Clapton sings



e|-------------------------------------------13b14-12-10-------

B|----------10-------------------------------------------13-10-

G|-------6-9---------------------------10----------------------

D|----7-9---------8-11b12r11-9---9-9/11------------------------

A|-7-9-------------------------11------------------------------

E|-------------------------------------------------------------



e|----97---------------------------------------------------5-7-5-

B|------------------------10-8------------------------5-----------

G|-11-----9----6-7-8-99-------9-7------------------6---4-6-------

D|-----------9---------------------10p7-10b11-7-7-----------------

A|----------------------------------------------------------------

E|----------------------------------------------------------------



Solo



e|-5-5--9-9-9-9-9-9-9---12b14-12-10-------------------------------

B|-55-1010101010101010------------14-13-12-10-----10--10--------

G|-6-6--9-9-9-9-9-9-9---------------------------9/11--10-11------

D|-7-7-------------------------------------------------------11---

A|-------------------------------------------------------------12-

E|----------------------------------------------------------------



e|-12b14r12-12-10-9-----------------------------12-10----------

B|------------------13-13-10-----10-12b14r12-10-------13-12-10-

G|---------------------------9-11------------------------------

D|-------------------------------------------------------------

A|-------------------------------------------------------------

E|-------------------------------------------------------------



e|--------------------------------------------------

B|-----------------14b16r14-14-10-8-7-------------5-

G|-12b13-11-9--7-9--------------------10-9--------5-

D|----------------------------------------11------6-

A|------------------------------------------12----7-

E|--------------------------------------------12----



Solo contd (GTR II) Note that the beginning of this solo can be used as a rhythm idea elsewhere in the song. The rhythm guitar plays this solo section, while the lead guitar plays the occasional note in the background.



e|-/9-9-9-9-9-9-9-----------10---10--10-12------2--------------------

B|-/10101010101010-----------9-9---10-----------2-----10-12b13-12b13-

G|-/9-9-9-9-9-9-9------------9------------------2-9/11---------------

D|------------------/11-10-9-9------------------4--------------------

A|----------------------------------------------4--------------------

E|-----------------------------------------122-2--------------------



e|------------------------------------------------------------------

B|-12b13-12b13-12b13r12-10h12p10-10-10-8----------------------------

G|---------------------------------------9------------------9-------

D|-----------------------------------------12-9h11------/11---12-11-

A|-------------------------------------------------12---------------

E|------------------------------------------------------------------



e|-------------------------------------------------------------------

B|-----------------------------------------------------------5---5-5-

G|----------------9-7/9-9-7/9-7/9-7-57/5------------------6---6-----

D|----------------------------------------7---77-55-44-2-------------

A|-12---------------------------------------0------------------------

E|---12-10-11-12-----------------------------------------------------



Thats pretty much it. Theres no need for me to tab out the last two verses, since you can make up / improvise your own lead using the many blues licks scattered throughout this tab. The outro is similar to the intro, but with minor variations.



Key to the tablature:

h = hammer-on

p = pull-off

x = mute string with fretting hand and play it

b = bend to next note to pitch of next note

r = release bent note to pitch of next note

/ or  = slide to next note



Lyrics:



I got the key

To the highway

Be allowed that I do go

Gonna leave here runnin

Walkins most too slow



Im goin back

To the border

Baby where Im better known

Because you havent done nothin baby

But drive a good man from home



When the moon

Beats on the mountain

Well then Ill be on my way

Im gonna roam the highway

Until the break of day



Oh give me one

More kiss darlin

Just before I go

Cos when I leave this time, little girl

I wont be back no more



I got the key (I got the key)

To the highway (To the highway)

Be allowed that I do go (I gotta go I gotta go)

Im gonna leave here runnin (Mmm-hmmm)

Walkin is most too slow.



Email me with any corrections/suggestions - metruccai@hotmail.com

JK