I Hung My Head

Song

#----------------------------------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. #

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

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Subject: Sting, I Hung My Head

Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 17:30:36 -0000

From: Earthman <clivem@earthman.demon.co.uk>

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----I Hung My Head by Sting.-----|

-From the album Mercury Falling.-

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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.