Intro Riff:
E -----------------------------------------0--
B -----------------------------------------0--
G --------------0--------------------------1--
D --2-2-2---4-------4---2------------------2--
A --------------------------2/3---0--------2--
E -----------------------------------2/3---0-- (hold last chord with lots of
reverb and tremolo)
Common Riff:
E ------0-----0-----0-----0--------------
B ---------------------------------------
G --3>4---3>4---3>4---3>4---3p2p0--------
D ----------------------------------2p0--
A ---------------------------------------
E ---------------------------------------
Solo Riff:
E
------------------------------------------------------------------------5----
B
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G
----------------------------0-----------------------1>7------------7---------
D
------------------------0-2---4-2-------2-----2------------------------------
A
--0-0---0-0-------2>4-------------4-2----------------------------------------
E
--------------------------------------0---0h4---0----------------------------
E
-4h5p4---7---5---4h5-----------10----10----10----10----10----10----10--------
B
-------------------------11>12----12----12----12----12----12----12----12>>>0-
G
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
D
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
A
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
V1:
(E) Now let me tell the story and I can tell it all
It's (B) about a mountain boy who ran (E) illegal alcohol
His daddy made the moonshine while he drove the load
And (B) when his engine roared, they called the highway Thunder (E) Road.
V2:
Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis town
Well the (B) revenuers chased him, but they (E) could not run him down
Just when they thought they had him, his engine would explode
And (B) he'd blow by like they were standin' still on Thunder (E) Road.
CH:
There was (A) thunder, thunder, (E) on that Thunder Road
(B) Thunder was his engine, white (E) lightning was his load
There was (A) moonshine, moonshine to (E) quench the ol' Devil's thirst
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first.
(Solo)
======Optional======
V3:
On the first of April, nineteen fifty-four
A (B) Federal man sent word he'd better (E) make his run no more
He said two hundred agents were coverin' the state
Which-(B)-ever road he tried to take, they'd get him sure as (E) fate.
V4:
Son, his Daddy told him, make this run your last
The (B) tank is filled with hundred-proof, you're (E) all tuned up and gassed
Now, don't take any chances, if you can't get through
I'd (B) rather have you back again than all that mountain (E) dew.
CH:
There was (A) thunder, thunder, (E) on that Thunder Road
(B) Thunder was his engine, white (E) lightning was his load
There was (A) moonshine, moonshine to (E) quench the ol' Devil's thirst
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first.
(Solo)
======End Of Optional======
V5:
Roarin' out of Harlan went the whippoorwill
He (B) shot the gap at Cumberland, and (E) screamed through Maynardsville
With G-men on his taillights, and roadblocks up ahead
That (B) mountain boy took roads that even angels feared to (E) tread.
V6:
Blazin' right through Knoxville, on down Kingston Pike
It was (B) just outside of Bearden, where they (E) made the fatal strike
He left the road at ninety, that's all there is to tell
The (B) Devil sent the moonshine and the driver straight to (E) hell!
CH:
There was (A) thunder, thunder, (E) on that Thunder Road
(B) Thunder was his engine, white (E) lightning was his load
There was (A) moonshine, moonshine to (E) quench the ol' Devil's thirst
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first.
Tag:
Yeah the (B) G-men they swore they'd get him, but the Devil got him (E) first.