When the Levee Breaks (vocal)

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Listen to the song— a recording linked by the tab’s author

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How to read this tab — notation key

+: Blow note
−: Draw note
b or ': Half-step bend
bb or '': Two half-step bend
bbb or ''': Three half-step bend
(###): Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *: Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab

(Originally by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie.  The Led Zeppelin version is tabbed.)


-5 -4   6   6    6
If it keeps on rainin'

6   6      6   -4  -4
Le-vee's goin' to break

-5 -4   6   6    6
If it keeps on rainin' 

6   6      6   -4  -4
Le-vee's goin' to break 

 3'   4  -4 -4   -4
When the Le-vee breaks 

 -3   -4  -3  -2  -2   -2
I'll have no place to stay



 6    6   -5 6   6
Mean old   le-  vee 

  6   -5  6   -6  -5   6
Taught me to weep and moan

6    6 -5  6   6
Mean old   le-vee 

  6    -5 6   -6   6   6
Taught me to weep and moan

 -4  -4  4   -4   4   -4  4
Got what it takes to make a 

  6   4    4   -2   -2   -2
Moun-tain man leave his home

-3'  -2   -3'  -2   -3'  -2
Oh, well, oh, well, oh, well



 -8   7   -8  -8   -9   7
Don't it make you feel bad

 -8     7     7    7    7    7  -8   7
When you're tryin' to find your way home

 7   -8    7 6  -8   -9  -8 -8
You don't know which way to go?

-8  -8     -8    -9   -8
If you're goin' down south

 -8  -8  7   -8  7  7
They got no work to do,

-8   7      7     7   6   7  7  -7
If you're going north to Chi-ca-go

-8 7 -7   -8 7 -7  -8 7 -7   -5 6
  Ahh,      ahh,     ahh,     ahh



  6      6    -7   6
Cryin' won't help you 

   -5    -5   -7 -5  6   6
Prayin' won't do you no good

  6      6    -7   6
Cryin' won't help you 

   -5    -5   -7 -5  6   6
Prayin' won't do you no good

 -2  -3' 4  -4    6
When the le-vee breaks 

-4 -4  -4   4  -3' -2
Ma-ma, you got to move


-7 6
 Ooh



 6   6    -7
All last night 

 6  6  -5  -7  6   6    6
Sat on the le-vee and moaned

-8   7    -7 6
All last  night

-5  -5  6  -7  6   6    6
Sat on the le-vee and moaned

   7  7     -8  -8 -8 -8
Think-in' 'bout my ba-by 

-8  -8  7  -7  6
And my hap-py home

7 -5
 Oh

6 -5 -4   6 -5 -4   6 -5 -4   -5 -6
  Ahh,      ahh,      ahh,     ahh

6 -5 -4   6 -5 -4   6 -5 -4   -5 -6
  Ahh,      ahh,      ahh,     ahh

 -8     -9   -8 -9  -8 7  -7
Going, goin' to Chi- ca-  go 

  -8 -9  -8 7  -7
Going to Chi-ca-go 

 -9 -8 -9  -8  -9    -8   7
Sor-ry but  I can't take you

 -9    -8    -9    -8   7
Goin' down, goin' down now

 -9    -8    -9    -8   7
Goin' down, goin' down now

 -9    -8    
Goin' down...

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