This song was written by Sonny Thompson, a piano player and - more important - also the
of the early Freddie King albums. He wrote this song for Freddie 1962, and like "Have
Ever Loved a Woman", "Hideaway" and other Freddie King songs they made a big impression on EC.
"I'm tore down", played by Freddy King, was recorded in Cincinnati, 1962, for the
label. It's a fast standard Blues in C, so all chords we need are C7(I) - F7(IV) - G7(V). Use
first C Blues fingering pattern starting at the 8th fret, add some notes from the major
as usual and you should get it.
The rhythm guitar is easy, you know that riff from the Blues Breakers album already:
C7 F7 G7I-------------------------------------------------------------------|II-------------------------------------------------------------------|II-----5-5-3-3-------------------------------------------------------|II-------------5-5------------3-3-1-1----------------5-5-3-3---------|II-3-3--------------------------------3-3--------------------5-5-----|II------------------------1-1--------------------3-3-----------------|I
Unsure about the notes? Don't find your scale? Well, play it at the 8th fret:
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II--------------------------------10-10-8-8-----------------12-12-10-10------------------|II-------10-10-8-8---------------------------10-10----------------------12-12------------|II-----------------10-10------8-8---------------------10-10------------------------------|II---8-8---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
But because bass notes sound much better, we don't use it...
The intro (according to the title "tore down" we go down the scale!):
I-----8--10b(11)-11b(13)11b---8------------------------------------|II--10---------------------------8-11-8-10----8---------------------|II---9-------------------------------------10---10-8b---------------|II-----------------------------------------------------10-8---------|II----------------------------------------------------------10------|II------------------------------------------------------------------|I 0:02
The fills between the vocals (rhythm see above) are a variation of this theme, like
I----------------------------------------------------|II--11b(13)--(13)rb11-8-------------------------------|II-----------------------10b(11)rb(10)p8----8---------|II---------------------------------------10---10------|~II----------------------------------------------------|II----------------------------------------------------|I 0:12
At 1:21 we have a nice solo using mainly the first and second fingering pattern of the C
scale, sometimes going into higher patterns. Listen especially to the major scale note
10th fret, B string - it adds another interesting colour to the sound.
I-------------------------11b------13-13-13-13b(15)-11b--------------------11-13--------|II------11-13-12/13-13-13--------13-----------------------13-13~-10---10-13--------------|II---12----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I 1:21
I-13b(15)-11b-------11-8-10----8------------------------------8---------8---------------|II-----------------8---------10---8--------------------------8---11b(13)------------8----|II----------------------------------10-9-------------10b(12)----------------10b(12)------|II---------------------------------------10----------------------------------------------|II------------------------------------------10-8-7---------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I1:29
I---------------------------------------8-------------------8---------------------------|II------------------------8----8-11b(12)----repeat---11b(13)---11b(13)-13-13-13----------|II--10b(12)rb10p8-10b(12)----------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I 1:36
I--13b(15)--11b-------------13b(14)rb(13)----------------11b--18-18-...-----------------|II----------------13~~-------12b(13)rb(12)-repeat--13-13-------fast striking-------------|II---------------------10----------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I1:42
I--15-18p15---------------------------------------------------------------8-------------|II-----------18-16b-------16\---18--(19)rb18-16-------16b----------------8---11b---------|II------------------17-17-------17--------------17-17-----17-17-14\--8h9-----------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I 1:55
I---8----11b-8h11p8----8----------------------------------------------------------------|II------8------------10----8----8----------------------------8-10-10---------------------|II---------------------------10---8b---------10--8h9-------8h9-10-10---8h9---------------|II-----------------------------------10-8-10---------10-10-----------------10-8----------|II------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-------|II---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I 1:57
After another vocal we have the end with the chords Db9-C9. That was it!
