Tore Down - Eric Clapton
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
#----------------------------------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. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: davies@ils.nwu.edu (Brian Davies)

I'M TORE DOWN by Sonny Thompson

From Eric Clapton's "From The Cradle" album.
Transcribed by Brian Davies (davies@ils.nwu.edu)
with an assist from John O'Callahan.

INTRO
(e) |---------------|-11~~~-13-11-|-8-------------------|----------------|
(B) |---------10h13-|-------------|---8--11-8-10---8----|----------------|
(G) |---------------|-------------|-------------10---10-|-8--------------|
(D) |---------------|-------------|---------------------|---10-8---------|
(A) |---------------|-------------|---------------------|--------10~~~~~-|
(E) |---------------|-------------|---------------------|----------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

I'm [C] tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
I'm [F] tore down, I'm almost level with the [C] ground. [lick]
Well, I [G] feel like this when my [F] baby can't be [C] found. [G]

I [C] went to the river [C] to jump in.
My [C] baby showed up and said, "I will tell you when."

Well, I'm [F] tore down, I'm almost level with the [C] ground. [lick]
Well, I [G] feel like this when my [F] baby can't be [C] found. [G]

I [C] love you babe with all my [C] heart and soul;
[C] Love like mine will [C] never grow old.
[C] Love you in the morning and in the [C] evening too.
[C] Every time you leave me I get mad with you.

Chorus

Twenty-four Bar Blues Solo

I [C] love you baby with [C] all my might;
[C] Love like mine is [C] out of sight.
I'll [C] lie for you if you [C] want me too.
I [C] really don't believe that your love is true.

Chorus

I'm [C] tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
Well, I'm [F] tore down, I'm almost level with the [C] ground. [lick]
Well, I [G] feel like this when my [F] baby can't be [C] found.

CADENZA 1--3----------------------------|
e |--------8-11p10p8-10p8-|-11---------------|
b |---8-10----------------|-----11--8--------|
g |-----------------------|-----10--9--------|
d |-----------------------|-----9---8--------|
a |-----------------------|-----10--10-------|
e |-----------------------|------------------|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4


The lick referred to above is:

LICK |--3--|
(e) |-13--11-----------------|
(B) |---------13p11----------|
(G) |---------------12-------|
(D) |------------------13-10-|
(A) |------------------------|
(E) |------------------------|
1 2 3 4

***************************************************************************
* Brian Davies (davies@ils.nwu.edu) * There are three kinds of lies: *
* Ph: (708)-467-1969 / (708)-733-9544 * Lies, damned lies, and release *
* Institute For The Learning Sciences * dates. *
* 1890 Maple Ave, Evanston, IL, 60201 * - guess who *
***************************************************************************
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
This song was written by Sonny Thompson, a piano player and - more important - also the
of the early Freddie King albums. He wrote this song for Freddie 1962, and like "Have
Ever Loved a Woman", "Hideaway" and other Freddie King songs they made a big impression on EC.

"I'm tore down", played by Freddy King, was recorded in Cincinnati, 1962, for the
label. It's a fast standard Blues in C, so all chords we need are C7(I) - F7(IV) - G7(V). Use
first C Blues fingering pattern starting at the 8th fret, add some notes from the major
as usual and you should get it.

The rhythm guitar is easy, you know that riff from the Blues Breakers album already:

C7 F7 G7
I-------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I-----5-5-3-3-------------------------------------------------------|I
I-------------5-5------------3-3-1-1----------------5-5-3-3---------|I
I-3-3--------------------------------3-3--------------------5-5-----|I
I------------------------1-1--------------------3-3-----------------|I

Unsure about the notes? Don't find your scale? Well, play it at the 8th fret:

I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I--------------------------------10-10-8-8-----------------12-12-10-10------------------|I
I-------10-10-8-8---------------------------10-10----------------------12-12------------|I
I-----------------10-10------8-8---------------------10-10------------------------------|I
I---8-8---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I

But because bass notes sound much better, we don't use it...

The intro (according to the title "tore down" we go down the scale!):

I-----8--10b(11)-11b(13)11b---8------------------------------------|I
I--10---------------------------8-11-8-10----8---------------------|I
I---9-------------------------------------10---10-8b---------------|I
I-----------------------------------------------------10-8---------|I
I----------------------------------------------------------10------|I
I------------------------------------------------------------------|I
0:02

The fills between the vocals (rhythm see above) are a variation of this theme, like

I----------------------------------------------------|I
I--11b(13)--(13)rb11-8-------------------------------|I
I-----------------------10b(11)rb(10)p8----8---------|I
I---------------------------------------10---10------|~I
I----------------------------------------------------|I
I----------------------------------------------------|I
0:12

At 1:21 we have a nice solo using mainly the first and second fingering pattern of the C
scale, sometimes going into higher patterns. Listen especially to the major scale note
10th fret, B string - it adds another interesting colour to the sound.

I-------------------------11b------13-13-13-13b(15)-11b--------------------11-13--------|I
I------11-13-12/13-13-13--------13-----------------------13-13~-10---10-13--------------|I
I---12----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
1:21

I-13b(15)-11b-------11-8-10----8------------------------------8---------8---------------|I
I-----------------8---------10---8--------------------------8---11b(13)------------8----|I
I----------------------------------10-9-------------10b(12)----------------10b(12)------|I
I---------------------------------------10----------------------------------------------|I
I------------------------------------------10-8-7---------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
1:29

I---------------------------------------8-------------------8---------------------------|I
I------------------------8----8-11b(12)----repeat---11b(13)---11b(13)-13-13-13----------|I
I--10b(12)rb10p8-10b(12)----------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
1:36

I--13b(15)--11b-------------13b(14)rb(13)----------------11b--18-18-...-----------------|I
I----------------13~~-------12b(13)rb(12)-repeat--13-13-------fast striking-------------|I
I---------------------10----------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
1:42

I--15-18p15---------------------------------------------------------------8-------------|I
I-----------18-16b-------16\---18--(19)rb18-16-------16b----------------8---11b---------|I
I------------------17-17-------17--------------17-17-----17-17-14\--8h9-----------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
1:55

I---8----11b-8h11p8----8----------------------------------------------------------------|I
I------8------------10----8----8----------------------------8-10-10---------------------|I
I---------------------------10---8b---------10--8h9-------8h9-10-10---8h9---------------|I
I-----------------------------------10-8-10---------10-10-----------------10-8----------|I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-------|I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
1:57

After another vocal we have the end with the chords Db9-C9. That was it!
Song info
Tore Down
Eric Clapton
2001
  • Rock
  • Pop Rock
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