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If You Gotta Go, Go Now (or Else You Gotta Stay All Night)

Bob Dylan

RockMedium for beginners5 chords

How to play it

Fingering diagrams for the shapes in this song. × = don't play, ○ = open string.

G
C×
D××
D7××
F#Diagram coming soon

Chords & lyrics

Chord names sit directly above the word where you change.

Text size
 
              From 'The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3) 1991. 
 
 
 
 
G             C/G 
Listen to me, baby, 
        G                  C/G 
There's something you must see. 
G                 C/G 
I want to be with you, gal, 
   G/D                D7(/F#) 
If you want to be with me. 
 
 
 
                  G      C/G  G 
But if you got to go, 
C/G      G      C/G  G 
It's all right. 
                  C      G 
But if you got to go, go now, 
   G/D           D7(/F#)  G 
Or else you gotta stay all night. 
 
 
 
G             C/G 
It ain't that I'm questionin' you. 
         G                  C/G 
To take part in any quiz. 
G                 C/G 
It's just that I ain't got no watch 
     G/D                D7(/F#) 
An' you keep askin' me what time it is. 
 
 
 
                  G      C/G  G 
But if you got to go, 
C/G      G      C/G  G 
It's all right. 
                  C      G 
But if you got to go, go now, 
   G/D           D7(/F#)  G 
Or else you gotta stay all night. 
 
 
 
G                 C/G 
I am just a poor boy, baby, 
    G                  C/G 
Lookin' to connect. 
G                 C/G 
But I certainly don't want you thinkin' 
        G/D                D7(/F#) 
That I ain't got any respect. 
 
 
 
                  G      C/G  G 
But if you got to go, 
C/G      G      C/G  G 
It's all right. 
                  C      G 
But if you got to go, go now, 
   G/D           D7(/F#)  G 
Or else you gotta stay all night. 
 
 
 
G                 C/G 
You know I'd have nightmares 
    G                  C/G 
And a guilty conscience, too, 
G                 C/G 
If I kept you from anything 
      G/D                D7(/F#) 
That you really wanted to do. 
 
 
 
                  G      C/G  G 
But if you got to go, 
C/G      G      C/G  G 
It's all right. 
                  C      G 
But if you got to go, go now, 
   G/D           D7(/F#)  G 
Or else you gotta stay all night. 
 
 
 
G                 C/G 
 
It ain't that I'm wantin' 
    G                  C/G 
Anything you never gave before. 
G                 C/G 
It's just that I'll be sleepin' soon, 
      G/D                D7(/F#) 
It'll be too dark for you to find the door. 
 
 
 
                  G      C/G  G 
But if you got to go, 
C/G      G      C/G  G 
It's all right. 
                  C      G 
But if you got to go, go now, 
   G/D           D7(/F#)  G 
Or else you gotta stay all night. 
 
 
Enjoy! 
          
 

Details

Rating

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Chord set

G · C · D · D7 · F#

Practice tip

Loop the first two chords slowly until the change is clean, then add the rest.