In the Pines, a more metal version.

This is based on Mark Lanegan’s version (called “Where Did You Sleep Did You Sleep Last Night”) from The Winding Sheet (recorded in 1989, 2 years before Smells Like Teen Spirit would make Cobain famous and 4 years before he would perform it for MTV).

Interestingly (to me, at any rate) Kurt Cobain performed guitar and secondary vocals on Lanegan’s version. When Nirvana performed it for Unplugged in New York, they were really covering Lanegan’s version and not Lead Belly’s version (which says “Black Girl, Black Girl, Don’t Lie to Me”).

Trivia Fun Fact: Cobain was a huge fan of the Screaming Trees and Mark Lanegan, which is why he performed on The Winding Sheet.

Another Trivia Fun Fact: Cobain says that the song was written by Lead Belly, but it wasn’t; it’s an old traditional song from my homeland (the Appalachians). The lyrics change depending on who sings it.

Tuning: Drop D (DADGBe).

The basics are just laid out; as the song gains more energy, start playing the power chord version (e.g., DAD, instead of D). It’s the same for every verse.

* = let ring out

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--3---0----0---7-----7-----5---0---3--------------------------------------
My girl, my girl, don't lie  to  me, 

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---3----3---7----7---7----5-----3---0-------------------------------------
Tell  me where did you sleep last night

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--3--3---0------0--0---7------7-----7---5---5--5--3-----------------------
In the pines, in the pines, Where the sun never shines
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---3---7---5---5-----3----2----0*----------------------------------------
I'd  shiver  all  the  night through

My Girl, My Girl, Don’t lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night?
In the pines, in the pines,
Where the sun never shines
I’d shiver all the night through

Her husband was a hard-workin’ man
Til a mile and a half from here
His head was found in a dried up well
And his body never was found

My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun never shines
I would shiver all night through

My girl, my girl, where will you go
I’m goin’ where the cold winds blow
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don’t ever shine
I would shiver all night through