Rock-A-Bye Rag  (Revision) By Merle Travis Transcribed from the 
Capitol lp "The Merle Travis Guitar"
 & TablEdited by M. Joyce
michaeljoyce@hotmail.com                                                            ,         6     i           @F0 
F0 F0  C0 F0  C0 F0 0  C0 F0        C  F   C  F   C  F   
C0 
F0  C0 F0 0  C0 F0     F  F   F  F    F   F   !F  !F   $	F0 @$	F0 $	0 $F0  %F0 @%F0 %0 %
F0  &F0 @&F0 &0 &F0  '  (   *F  @*F  *  *F   +F  @+F  +  +F   ,F  @,F  ,  ,F   -F  @-F  -  -F   0	F0  1F0 @1  1D3 1	I0  2F0  6F   7F   8F   9F  :D :I   <  <I0@=I0 >I0>I0>I0 ?I0`?I0?I0@CF8 CF8 @DF8 DF8 @EF8 EF8 FF8  GF8 `HI0 II0@JI0 KI0K
F  K	F  @OF8 OF8 @PF8 PF8 @QF8 QF8 RF8  SF8  T  TI0@UI0 VI0VI0VI0 WI0`WI0WI0@[F8 [F8 @\F8 \F8 @]F8 ]F8  ^f8 _F8 ``I0 aI0a
F0 @bI0bF0  cI0c
F0 @gF8 gF8 @hF8 hF8 @iF8 iF8  jf8 kF8  l  lI0@mI0 nI0nI0 oI0`oI0oF  @sF8 sF8 @tF8 tF8 @uF8 uF8 vF8  wF8  x	  xI @yI  zI zI  {I `{I {F  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8    I0@I0 I0I0I0 I0`I0I0@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  	  I0@I0 I0I0 I0`I0F0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8    I0@I0 I0I0I0 I0`I0I0@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 C8  F8 `I0 I0@I0 I0
F0 	F0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 C8  F8    I0@I0 I0I0ඈI0 I0`I0I0@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 `I0 I0
F0 @I0F0  ÊI0
F0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8    ́I @́I  ·I ·I  φI `φI F  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  	  ؁I @وI  چI چI  ہI `ہI F  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8    I0@I0 I0I0I0 I0`I0I0@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8 `I0 I0	F0 @I0F0  I0
F0 @F8 @F8 @F8  F8 F8 F8  
  I @I  I I I       I ` I  I @F8 F8 @Fx Fx @F8 F8 F8  F8 `	I 	F0  
I 
	F0 @I F0  I 
F  @F8 F8 @Fx Fx @F8 F8 F8  F8    I0@I0 I0I0I0 I0`I0I0@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 ` I0 !I0!F0 @"I0"F0  #I0#F  @'F8 'F8 @(F8 (F8 @)F8 )F8  *F8 +F8  ,  ,I0@-I0 .I0.I0.I0 /I0`/I0/I0@3F8 3F8 @4F8 4F8 @5F8 5F8 6F8  7F8 `8I0 9I09F0 @:I0:F0  ;I0;F0 @?F8 @@F8 @AF8 BF8  CF8 CF8  D	  DI @EI  FI FI FI  GI `GI GI  KF   LF   MF   NF  `PI  QI @RI  SI SF  S	F  YF8 @ZF8 ZF8  \  \I0@]I0 ^I0^I0^I0 _I0`_I0_I0cF8 dF8  eC8 eF8 fF8 `hI0 iI0@jI0 kI0k
F0 k	F0  s@8  t  tI0@uI0 vI0vI0vI0 wI0`wI0wI0@{F8 {F8 @|F8 |F8 @}F8 }F8  ~F8 F8 `I0 I0
F0 @I0F0  I0
F0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8    I0@I0 I0I0 I0`I0F  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  	  I0@I0 I0I0 I0`I0F  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8    I0@I0 I0I0ঈI0 I0`I0I0@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8 `I0 I0@I0F0  I0
F0 @F8 @F8  F8 F8 F8  )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8  F8 F8  @
n @
n@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8  0  0 F0 F0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  C4 F0 F0 @F8 @F8  F8 F8 F8 F0  0 F0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  C4 F0 F     @F8 @F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8       0  C4 @F   )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8  @     @F8 @F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8   F8 !F8  #@   $@  @)F8 )F8 @*F8 *F8 @+F8 +F8  ,F8 -F8  /F0 @/F0 /0 /F0  0F0 @0F0 00 0F0  4  @5F8 5F8 @6F8 6F8 @7F8 7F8  8F8  ;C0  <C0 @AF8 @BF8 @CF8 DF8 DF8  EF8 GF0 GF0 HF0 HF0  L  @MF8 MF8 @NF8 NF8 @OF8 OF8  PF8 QF8  U@0  V@0  X  @YF8 @ZF8 @[F8 \F8  ]F8 ]F8  _C0 _C0  `C0 `C0  d)  @eF8 eF8 @fF8 fF8 @gF8 gF8  hF8 iF8  j@0  l@0 @qF8 qF8 @rF8 rF8 @sF8 sF8  tF8  v0 @vF0 vF0 vF0  x0 @xF0 xF0 xF0  |  @}F8 }F8 @~F8 ~F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  I3  S:n I3  S:n@F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  C0 C0  C0 C0 C0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  @   @  @F8 @F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8 @F0  F0 @
F0 C0  F0 C0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 F0  F0 @F0 F0  F0 @F0 F0 @F8 @F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  0 C0 @F0 C0 @F0  F8 @     C0 C0  C0 C0     C0 C0  C0 C0  )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F0 @F0 0 F0  F0 @F0 0 F0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  0 F0  0 @F0 F0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  C0 F0 F4     @F8 @F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8  F0 @F0 F0 F0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F4 @F0 F4 F0    @F8 @F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F0 @ F0  EF0C $)  @%F8 %F8 @&F8 &F8 @'F8 'F8  (F8 )F8  ,@  @1F8 1F8 @2F8 2F8 @3F8 3F8  5F8  8  @=F8 =F8 @>F8 >F8 @?F8 ?F8  @F8 AF8 BI8 @CI8  DI8 DI8 DI8  EI8 `EI8 EI8 @IF8 IF8 @JF8 JF8 @KF8 KF8  LF8 `NI8  OI8 OF8 @PI8 PF8  QI8 QF8  T  @UF8 UF8 @VF8 VF8 @WF8 WF8 XF8  YF8 ZI8 @[I8  \I8 \I8 \I8  ]I8 `]I8 ]I8 @aF8 @bF8  cF8 dF8 dF8 `fI8  gI8 gF8 @hI8 hF8  iI8 iF8  l  @mF8 mF8 @nF8 nF8 @oF8 oF8  pF8 qF8 sI( @tI(  uI( uI( uI(  vI( `vI( vI(  x  @yF8 @zF8 @{F8 |F8  }F8 }F8 @I8 I8  I8 I8  I8 `I8 F8 8  C8 I8 @I8  I8 I8 F8  I8 `I8    @F8 @F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 @I8 I8  I8 I8  I8 `I8 F  )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 I8 @I8  I8 I8 I8  I8 `I8 I8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 `I8 F8  I8 @I8 F8  I8 F8    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 I8 @I8  I8 I8 I8  I8 `I8 I8 @F8 @F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8 `I8  I8 @I8  I8 F8    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 I( @I( I( I(  F( `I( I(    @F8 @F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 @I8 I8  I8 I8  I8 `I8 F8  )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 I8 @I8  I8 I8 I8  I8 `I8 I8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 `I8  I8 F8 @I8 F8  I8 F8    @F8 F8 @F8 F8      F8 C8    @F    @F F  F F @
F8 
F8 @F8 F8  F8 C8 `I     D  @F F  F @   F    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 C8 `I    D   D  @F F  F @   F @"C8 @#C8 $F8 $F8  %F8  &C  & @(F8 @)F  +F +F +F  ,  @/F8 /F8  0F8 1F8 2D   3D  `3I  3  @4F8 4F8 @5F 5F  6F @7   7F @;F8 ;F8 ;F8  <F8 >D  `?I  ?   @D  @AF AF  BF @C   CF  D   EF0  FF0  GF5 @G  G  JD  KD `KI K  LD  @MF8 MF8  OF @O   OF S   VD  `WI  W   XD  @YF8 YF8  [F @[   [F8  \)  @]F8 ]F8 @^F8 ^F8 @_F8 _F8  `F8 aF8 bI8 @cI8  dI8 dI8 dI8  eI8 `eI8 eI8 @iF8 iF8 @jF8 jF8 @kF8 kF8  lF8 mF8 `nI8 nF8  oI8 oF8 @pI8  qI8 qF8  t  @uF8 uF8 @vF8 vF8 @wF8 wF8 xF8  yF8 zI8 @{I8  |I8 |I8 |I8  }I8 `}I8 }I8 @F8 @F8 @F8 F8 F8  F8 `I8  I8 @I8 F8  I8 F(    @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 I( ( @I(  I( I(  I( `I( F(    @F8 @F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 I8 8 @I8  I8 I8  I8 `I8  )  @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F8  F8 `I8 8 I8 F8  F8 @I8  F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8  @8  F8  @8  @8    @F       D   0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F8 F8   	@F    D  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  D  `I    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F8 @ͽ   F8  D  `I    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 @ӽ   F8 @F@ @ D        @Fx Fx @F F  F F  F F   	@F    D  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  D@ `I    @Fx Fx @F8 F8  F F  F @   F  D  `I    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 @   F8 `I     D@ @      @F F @F F  F F  F F `I     D  `I    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 @   F8 @   `I     D     @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 `I     D      @ F8  F8 @F8 F8  F8 @   F  D  @   `I    @F F  	F 	F `
I  
   D  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 @   F8    @F F F  F    F FH  F @F    @F       D   0 @F8 F8 @F8 F8   F8  F8  !F8 !F8  " @"F  "  #D  @$F8 $F8 @%F8 %F8  'F 'F  (D  `)I  )  )D  @*F8 *F8 @+F8 +F8  ,F8 ,F8  -F8 @-   -F8  .D  `.I  .  .D  @0F8 0F8 @1F8 1F8  3F @3   3F @4F  4  4D   5   6  @6F8 6F8 @7F8 7F8  8F8 8F8  9F8 9F8  : @:F  :  ;D  @<F8 <F8 @=F8 =F8  ?F ?F  @D  `@I  @  @D  @BF8 BF8 @CF8 CF8  DF8 DF8  EF8 @E   EF8  FD  `GI  G  @HF8 HF8 @IF8 IF8  KF @K   KF `LI  L   MD  @M    N  @NF NF @OF OF  PF PF  QF QF `RI  R   SD  `SI  S  @TF8 TF8 @UF8 UF8  WF8 @W   WF8 @X   `XI  X   YD  @ZF8 ZF8  [  @[F8 [F8  ]F8 ]F8 `^I  ^   _D  @`F8 `F8 @aF8 aF8  cF8 @c   cF  dF  dD   e  @eF  e  @fF8 fF8 @gF8 gF8  hC8 hC8  iF8 iF8  jF  jD  @kF  k  @lF8 lF8 @mF8 mF8  nC nC  oF8 oF8  pD  `qI  q  @rC8 rF8 @sF8 sF8  tC8 tC8  uF8 @u   uF8  vD  `vI  v  @xF8 xF8 @yF8 yF8  zC zC  {F8 @{   {F8  !  &       @A  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8 F  F   C  C   C  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  @    @	 
`I    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F8 @   F8      @	 `I    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F8 @   F8  A  F   C  C  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F F F  F   F  @F   C  C  @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F F  F( @F( 
F( F(  F   F   F   F( @F( F( F(       @F  F  F0  F0  C0 C0  C  C0    @   `I    @F8 F8 @F F F  F  C0 F0 F0  C0 F0 F0    @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  @   @      @    `I     D  F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  0 C0  0 C0       @F8 F8 @F8 F8  F8 F8  F8 F8  @   @     `I    @   D   D  F0 @F8 F8  F8 F8  @    @   $C  $   %  %C  @&F8 &F8 @'F8 'F8  (F8 (F8  )F8 )F8  *C0 *	C0  +C0 +C0  ,C0 ,C0  0D  1D  @1   `1I  1  1D   2   @2F8 2F8 @3F8 3F8  4F8 4F8  5F8 5F8  6@0  7
@0  8@0 @<   `<I  <   =D   >!  @>F8 >F8 @?F8 ?F8  @F8 @F8  AF8 AF8  B  @BF  B  CD  @DF8 DF8 @EF8 EF8  GF GF @H    ID  II   J  `JI  J  JF  @KF8 KF8  MF8 MF8  ND  ND `OI  O  OD  @PF8 PF8 @QF8 QF8  SF @S   SF  TF   T  TF   Uf  Uf   Vf  @V  Vf  V   Wf  WF  Xf   YF Y"   ZF0 ZF0 [f0  \
F0 \F5  `F   `#  `F  `   af  af   bf  @b  bf   cF cf  df  eF   fF0 fC0  g
f0 g
c0  h
F5 h
c0 i
C5  l   m   n   o   p   q   r   s
   t
   u
  e Muted notes can be played by putting your left hand fingers on top of the fret instead of behind it. & Note Key Change to Bb (tonality is C) , Key of G Chord forms (tonality is Key of A) o Right hand picks high up over the fretboard with a touch of Bigsby vibrato on all held notes until Measure 70. N Note that Merle changes key back to G chord forms (A tonality with the capo). I Right hand plays high over the fretboard with a touch of Bigsby vibrato. 
 See Notes  E7             D7 (9)           
G              
	Eb7 im 7       	
D7               	
C#7 @  \    ]  	G6  b   c @  d 		E7   i   j    A9  @  p    q   D9  v   w @  x 	B7   }   ~    E7  @     !    
A7  1 %  2 @&  3


D                


Bb               
Bb (6)           	G7   <CH  @dC9(sus4) `  @OF7   EJ  @dD9   <C  <CG7 (9) d  CL C7 F	  @d	  F7 K	  IV 	  F7+5  	  -B	 C9  @  \    ] Bb  b   c @  dG 
   E9  sScan\Config3      A7                E9                  G                 F7                 E7     ,         A                D7    2O    2OG 1   <C1   6IEb9              C#7                E7               A               B7               Bb               	G6               
			E7               				A9  @  2    3 D7  8   9 @  :	
B7   ?   @  	E9  @  F    G A7  L   M @  NG7   S   T  F7  @   Z  !  [ 
E7  ` %  a @&  b
G  *  g *  h + D7  @/  n  0  o This is a Revision of my transcription of Merle's first recording of this tune.  I also have it on about three other radio transcriptions and each one is different.

Although I feel the transcription's notes were pretty close to the recording, it just didn't feel 100% to me.  Here's why:

Merle overdubs and to my ears, it wasn't necessary as the tune and the playing of it were just fine.  This is my first attempt at transcribing an overdubbed piece and it was difficult and frustrating.  I did the best I could, but I feel that possibly I guessed more than I should.  Because it was recorded before stereo lp's, separating the two parts at the end was a killer.

Merle plays one part of this version with a capo on the second fret, probably to make some of the stretches a little easier.  I believe that because it  uses every fret to the 15 (without a capo), it also complicates playing it.  If you don't need the capo to make the stretch, it's probably easier not to use it.  In my first attempt I had the second part without any capo, and Merle plays the lead in the first part.  Since then I've come to believe that Merle plays the second part with a capo on the 5th fret.  That would allow him to play the lead using the same chord forms as in the first chorus, but sound a third higher.  This makes it a lot simpler for Merle and for those of us trying to play it.

The chord diagrams are referenced to the capo as the nut and names are given per form instead of tonality.

I included more notes in the tab than I usually do, reserving long winded explanations for the Notes section.

Measures 70 - 85 and 94 - 101:  Merle plays these notes muted.  Because he plays banjo rolls p, p, i, p, p, i, it isn't so tough.  But if you play them p, i, m, p, i, m or like I do, p, i, m, p, i, a, it's a lot tough to mute and reach the strings.  I found that all of the notes are fretted.  If one places his fingers over the fret instead of behind it, it makes a nice mute and is pretty simple to do.  In fact, I often do it when I don't want to.

Measures 92 and 93:  These were the most difficult measures to figure out.  Due to the overdubbing and not having stereo recording at that time, the two guitars sort of blend.  This is the best I can do.

    c         0w #',16%).38=Merle's Super 400   c         0w   $).3      Overdub by Merle                                                                  001121110000=007:>899<>7F000P042S0/00000000000001EE4/111103'::::H<1000010@0020000000008V0000000Page &p / &n                                                                                                                    &c&2&t &c&6&s &r&3&m                                                                                                            &r&3&t - &3&s                                                                                                                   
