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From: phillip@flagstaff.Princeton.EDU (Phillip Charles Saunders)

1952 VINCENT BLACK LIGHTNING        (Richard Thompson)
(capo 3rd fret, tuning=EBGDGC)
Transcribed in Nov/Dec 1993 Acoustic Guitar

                                       [start here between verses]
                                       [repeat these 2 bars............
E-|------3-------|------------------3-|-3h7--7-7p5p3--3h7-------3-----|
B-|-1s3----------|-------------3h5----|-------------------------------|
G-|--------------|--------------------|-------------------------------|
D-|------0-----0-|---0---0---0------0-|-----0------0------0-----0-----|
G-|-0-------0----|-0---0---0---0------|-0------0------0------0--------|
C-|--------------|--------------------|-------------------------------|

  .............................]
E-|-3h7---7-7p5p3--3---------3-|-3h7--7-7p5p3--3h7-------3-----|
B-|--------------5-------3h5---|-------------------------------|
G-|----------------------------|-------------------------------|
D-|-----0-------0-----0------0-|-----0------0------0-----0-----|
G-|-0-------0------0-----0-----|-0------0------0------0--------|
C-|----------------------------|-------------------------------|

                                                      [to coda last
time]
E-|-3----0---3---0----------------|----------0------0-----0--|
B-|--------------0------3---3s5-3-|------0---0-----3-----3---|
G-|---------------------2---2s4-2-|------0-----------0-----0-|
D-|----0-------0------0-------0---|----0-------0--4-----4----|
G-|-0------0-------0------0-------|-0------0-----------------|
C-|-------------------------------|--------------------------|


E-|---0----------------3-----|-3-------3-----------------|
B-|--0-----------------------|-----------------------0---|
G-|----0-------------------0-|-------------0-------------|
D-|-2----------------0---0---|----0------0------0------0-|
G-|-------2s4--2--0----------|-0-----0-------0-----0-----|
C-|--------------------------|---------------------------|

G                                          C
Said Red Molly to James that's a fine motorbike,
C                                     G
A girl could feel special on any such like
G                                             C
Said James to Red Molly, well my hat's off to you
C                                  G
It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952
G        D                           C        G
And I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems
D                              C                G
Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme
G      Am              C                                 G
And he pulled her on behind and down to Boxhill they did ride

Said James to Red Molly, here's a ring for your right hand
But I'll tell you in earnest I'm a dangerous man
I've fought with the law since I was seventeen
I robbed many a man to get my Vincent machine
Now I'm 21 years, I might make 22
And I don't mind dying, but for the love of you
And If fate should break my stride
I'll give you my Vincent to ride

Come down, come down, Red Molly, called Sergeant McRae
For they've taken young James adie for armed robbery
Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside
Come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside
When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left
He was running out of road, he was running out of breath
But he smiled to see her cry
Said I'll give you my Vincent to ride

Said young James. in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a 52 Vincent and a red headed girl
Now Nortons and Indians and Greeves won't do
They don't have a soul like a Vincent 52
He reached for her hand and he gave her the keys
He said I don't have any further use for these
I see angels and ariels in leather and chrome
Swooping down from heaven to carry me home
He gave her one last kiss and died
And he gave her his Vincent to ride.


   Coda
    G              C              G
E-|-----0-------------0--0--0-|-5s7--7--7--7--7--7---------------------|
B-|---0---------------1--1--1-|-6s8--8--8--8--8--8---------------------|
G-|-------0-----------0--0--0-|-5s7--7--7--7--7--7---------------------|
D-|-2-------------------------|------0--0--0--0--0---------------------|
G-|----------4--2--0----------|----------------------------------------|
C-|---------------------------|----------------------------------------|


Chord Shapes (using EBGDGC tuning):

G  X00033
C  002010
D  200232
Am X22210