Alabama Rain

ALABAMA RAIN (Jim Croce)

Written by Jim Croce in the key of G in 4/4 time
Released on the album: Life And Times (1973)
Released as a single B-side in 1973 (ABC/Philips)
Fingerstyle version for single acoustic guitar
Alabama Rain on Wikipedia | Lyrics

 Studio Version

thumb: x             Hammer on: h             Bend up: V                   Play or don't: ()
index: a             Pull off: p              Bend down: Λ                 Break: b
dirty: b             Slide up: /              Fret but don't pick: !       Downward stroke: ↑
ring: c              Slide down: \            Staccato: :                  Upward stroke: ↓
pinky: d             Arpeggio: ~~~            Mute: m

To stabilize your picking hand, put your ring on the e-string in the red marked part
Red colored exclamation marks offer additional fretting information
Keep 1a pressed in the green marked part

chord image legend: x = fretted and played
                    o = fretted but not played

Picking patterns that fit most Croce songs in 4/4 time:
x - a - bc - a - x - a - bc - a
x - a - bc - x - a - bc - x - a
x - a - b - (x)c - b - a - x - a
x - a - b - x - c - b - x - a


INTRO

    G                     Csus2
e-------------3d--------------------3d-------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c--------------------3c-------|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
g--------0---------0-----------0---------0---|
D-------------------------!------------------|
A-------------------------3b-----------------|  info
E---3b---------------------------------------|  repeat tab 3x

1ST VERSE

... Lazy days in mid-July ...
... country Sunday mornin's ...
... dusty haze on summer highways ...
    G                     Bm                       Am                    Dsus2
e-------------3d---------------------2a--------|------------0---------------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c---------------------3b--------|------------1a--------------------3c--------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g--------0---------0------------4d--------4d---|-------2c--------2c----------2a--------2a---|
D-------------------------------!--------------|-------!-----------------0------------------|
A-------------------------2a-------------------|---0----------------------------------------|
E---3b-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|  repeat tab 2x
                          <-- full barré -->

... sweet magnolia callin' ...
    G                     Bm                       Am                    Dsus2
e-------------3d---------------------2a--------|------------0---------------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c---------------------3b--------|------------1a--------------------3d--------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g--------0---------0------------4d--------4d---|-------2c--------2c----------2b--------2b---|
D-------------------------------!--------------|-------!-----------------0------------------|
A-------------------------2a-------------------|---0----------------------------------------|
E---3b-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
                          <-- full barré -->
CHORUS

... Now and then I find myself ...
    Cmaj7                                    Bm7
e----------------------0-----------------|-------------------------2a-------------------|  picking pattern:
b-------------0-------------0------------|-------------3b----------------3b-------------|  x - a - b - x - c - b - x - a (2x)
g--------0---------------------------0---|--------2a-------------------------------2a---|
D-----------------2b---------------------|-------------------4c-------------------------|
A---3c--------------------------3c-------|---2a--------------------------------2a-------|
E----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
                                             <------------- full barré ------------->
... thinking of the days ... that we were ...
    Am7                                      Dsus2/B
e----------------------0-----------------|-------------------------0--------------------|  picking pattern:
b-------------1a------------1a-----------|-------------3d----------------3d--------3d---|  x - a - b - x - c - b - x - a
g--------0---------------------------0---|--------2c------------------------------------|  x - a - b - x - c - b - x - b
D------------------2b--------------------|-------------------0--------------------------|
A---0---------------------------0--------|---2b--------------------------------2b-------|
E----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|

... walking in the Alabama ...
    C          G/B        Am7        G            C                     Dsus2
e---0-----------------------------------------|-------------0---------------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b--------------3d---------1a---------0--------|-------------1a--------------------3c--------|  xc - a - xb - a - xb - a -xb - a
g---------0----------0----------0---------0---|--------0----------0----------2a--------2a---|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
D---------------------------------------------|---!----------------------0------------------|
A---3c---------2b---------0-------------------|---3d----------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------3c-------|---!-----------------------------------------|

... rain ...
    G                     Csus2
e-------------3d--------------------3d-------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c--------------------3c-------|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
g--------0---------0-----------0---------0---|
D-------------------------!------------------|
A-------------------------3b-----------------|
E---3b---------------------------------------|  repeat tab 1x

2ND VERSE (same tab as 1st verse)

... Drive-in movies, Friday nights ...
... drinking beer and laughin' ...
... somehow things were always right ...
... I just don't know what happened ...

CHORUS (same tab but now passing into the interlude)

... Now and then I find myself ...
... thinking of the days ... when we were ...
... walking in the Alabama ...
... rain ...
    G                     Csus2                  G                     Am7     G/B
e-------------3d--------------------3d-------|-------------3d----------------------------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c--------------------3c-------|-------------0-----------1a-------3d-------|  x - a - bc - a (3x)
g--------0---------0-----------0---------0---|--------0---------0-----------0--------0---|  xb - a - xb - a
D-------------------------!------------------|-------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------3b-----------------|-------------------------0--------2b-------|
E---3b---------------------------------------|---3c--------------------------------------|

INTERLUDE 

... We were only kids but then ...
    C                     Dsus2                  G                     Em
e-------------0--------------------0---------|-------------3d-------------------0--------|  picking pattern:
b-------------1a-------------------3d--------|-------------0--------------------0--------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g--------0---------0----------2b--------2b---|--------0---------0-----------0-------0----|
D---!---------------------0------------------|-------------------------------------------|
A---3c---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------|---3c--------------------0-----------------|

... I've never heard it said ... that kids can't ...
    Am                    Dsus2                  G                     Am7     G/B
e-------------0--------------------0---------|-------------3d----------------------------|  picking pattern:
b-------------1a-------------------3d--------|-------------0-----------1a-------3d-------|  x - a - bc - a (3x)
g--------2c--------2c---------2b--------2b---|--------0---------0-----------0--------0---|  xb - a - xb - a
D---!---------------------0------------------|-------------------------------------------|
A---0----------------------------------------|-------------------------0--------2b-------|
E--------------------------------------------|---3c--------------------------------------|

... fall in love and feel the same ...
    C                     Dsus2                  G                     Em
e-------------0--------------------0---------|-------------3d------------------0-------|  picking pattern:
b-------------1a-------------------3d--------|-------------0-------------------0-------|  x - a - bc - a (4x)
g--------0---------0----------2b--------2b---|--------0---------0----------0-------0---|
D---!---------------------0------------------|-----------------------------------------|
A---3c---------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------|---3c--------------------0---------------|

... I can still re ...
    A
e-----------------0------------------------|  picking pattern:
b------------2b--------2b------------------|  x - a - b - xc - b - a - x - a
g-------2a------------------2a--------2a---|
D-----------------2a-----------------------|
A---0----------------------------0---------|
E------------------------------------------|

... member the first time I told you I love you ...
    Dsus2             Dsus2/C            Dsus2/B          D/A
e--------0----0-------------0----0----|--------0-----0----------2b---2b↑---|----------|  picking pattern: (pick and/or strumm ad lib)
b--------3d---3d------------3d---3d---|--------3d---3d----------3c---3c↑---|----------|  x - abc - abc (3x)
g--------2b---2b------------2b---2b---|--------2b---2b----------2a---2c↑---|----------|  x - abc - a~~~
D---0---------------------------------|-------------------------------0↑---|----------|
A---------------------3c--------------|---2a----------------0--------------|----------|
E-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|----------|  ritardando
         ¼                 ¼                  ¼               ¼          <- info ->

3RD VERSE (same tab as 1st verse)

... On a dusty mid-July ...
... country summer's evenin' ...
... a weepin' willow sang its lullaby ...
... and shared our secret ...

CHORUS (same tab but now passing into the outro)

... Now and then I find myself ...
... thinking of the days ... that we were ...
... walking in the Alabama ...
... rain ...
    G                     Csus2
e-------------3d--------------------3d-------|  picking pattern: 
b-------------3c--------------------3c-------|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
g--------0---------0-----------0---------0---|
D-------------------------!------------------|
A-------------------------3b-----------------|
E---3b---------------------------------------|  repeat tab 2x

    G                     Csus2
e-------------3d--------------------0--------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c----------!---------3d-------|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
g--------0---------0-----------0---------0---|
D-------------------------!------------------|
A-------------------------3c-----------------|
E---3b---------------------------------------|

OUTRO

    C          G/B        Am7        G            C                     Dsus2
e---0-----------------------------------------|-------------0---------------------0---------|  picking pattern:
b--------------3d---------1a---------0--------|-------------1a--------------------3c--------|  xc - a - xb - a - xb - a - xb - a
g---------0----------0----------0---------0---|--------0----------0----------2a--------2a---|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
D---------------------------------------------|---!----------------------0------------------|
A---3c---------2b---------0-------------------|---3d----------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------3c-------|---!-----------------------------------------|

    G                     Csus2
e-------------3d--------------------3d-------|  picking pattern:
b-------------3c--------------------3c-------|  x - a - bc - a (2x)
g--------0---------0-----------0---------0---|
D-------------------------!------------------|
A-------------------------3b-----------------|
E---3b---------------------------------------|

Finish the song with a strummed G chord [3b2a003c3d]