The solo guitar tab (chord melody) for “Midnight Special” is available for download as a PDF. The arrangement of the song is in the style of Travis Picking.

Midnight Special

“Midnight Special” was first commercially recorded in 1926 by Dave “Pistol Pete” Cutrell. In 1934, Lead Belly recorded a version of the song.

According to John and Alan Lomax in their book, Best Loved American Folk Songs “Midnight Special” was about a train, The Midnight Special, that passed by a prison in Louisiana. The superstition was that if the “ever-loving/ever-living light” of the train shined on you, it meant you would soon be free.

The video below demonstrates the solo guitar arrangement of “Midnight Special.”

Midnight Special – Guitar Tab

In this solo guitar arrangement of “Midnight Special” I used an alternating bass line in the style of Travis Picking. For more information on this technique see Two Travis Picking Patterns.

It’s always good to be able to play the chords and melody first before attempting a solo arrangement. I’ve included chord diagrams and the melody is the high notes notated on the tablature.

Download “Midnight Special” Guitar Tab (2 Pages) as a PDF

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Midnight Special – Lyrics

The lyrics were first recorded in print by Howard Odum in 1905.

Let the midnight special
Shine its light on me
Shine a light on me,
Let the midnight special
Let the midnight...
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Ever loving light on me.

Yonder come miss Rosey,
How in the world do you know,
How in the world do you know ?
Well, I know her by her apron
And the dress she wore.
Umbrella on her shoulder,
A piece of paper in her hand,
She gonna tell old John
She want back her man,
She want back her man.

Let the midnight special
Let the midnight special
Shine its light on me
Shine a light on me.
Let the midnight special
Let the midnight...
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Ever loving light on...

If you ever go to Houston,
Yeah, you better walk right,
You'd better not gamble
And sure thing better not fight.
The next thing you know
The sheriff gonna arrest you
And some judge send you down
And you can bet your bottom dollar
Lord, you'll be chain gang bound,
Chain gang bound.

Let the midnight special
Let the midnight
Shine its light on me
Shine, shine, shine, shine,
Let the midnight special
Shine on,
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Shine on me, yeah.

Let the midnight special
Shine, shine, shine,
Shine its light on me
Shine, shine on me,
Let the midnight special
Way into midnight,
Shine its ever-loving light on me
Way into midnight, baby,
Let the midnight special
Waah...

For more information about the history and lyrics of “Midnight Special” we the Wikipedia article on the subject here.

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