Rose Tattoo
View chords used in this chart
CAPO: 2
Intro: F E Am
verse 1
F
The sun's gonna rise and in my cold green eyes
E7
Is the hell that I’ve been through
Am F
What I learned tonight, is that this world ain’t right
E7 Am F E7 Am F E7 Am
And the devil’s got a rose tattoo
verse 2
F
Eight-fifty-one, we arrived at the club
E7 Am
I was wearing my last good dress
F
My man had bet everything he could get
E7 Am
And I was trying to get us out of the mess
F
At nine o’clock I made my walk
E7 Am
Like a tigress to the stage
F
And the people would stand like I was worth ten grand
E7 Am
And not singing for minimum wage
verse 3
F
Ten minutes in, they were passing the gin
E7 Am
And the club became a roar
F
My man was having a ball, but all I recall
E7 Am
Is his face when he looked toward the door
F
I was going to town when a hush came down
E7 Am
The dance floor became a tomb
F
A woman stepped in, she was small and slim
E7 Am
But her presence filled the whole damn room
verse 4
F
My man went pale like a torn up sail
E7 Am
As the woman walked right past me
F
Her dress was grey like a stormy day
E7 Am
And it flowed like a restless sea
F
I went flat on a note, I was watching her throat
E7 Am
She wore a necklace of pure jade
F
And her sleeve hung down off one side of her gown
E7 Am
To show a rose down her shoulder blade
Bridge
F
I lost sight of her and the rest was a blur
Am
As I sang and paced the stage
F
Eleven-o'-one, I was finally done
E7
And I sprung like a cat from a cage
F
He was gone from there, so I searched everywhere
Am
Till I found a girl I knew
D F
She said, "He left your show about an hour ago
E7 Am F E7 Am F E7 Am
With a woman with a rose tattoo"
Verse 5
F
I walked the street till I was dead on my feet
E7 Am
And I hit every joint I knew
F
I heard a man say, "I saw that woman in grey
E7 Am
I think her name is Penny LaRue"
F
Where she’s been and what’s her sin
E7 Am
No one in New Orleans knows
F
All they can tell, is she’s an angel from hell
E7 Am
With a tattoo of a rose
Verse 6
F
I said a prayer, let down my hair
E7 Am
I was now in the bad part of town
F
It was 3am and I followed some men
E7 Am
To a club called the Underground
F
I stepped inside, I could feel the vibe
E7 Am
There was danger in the room
F
And a whole lotta sin, sweat and skin
E7 Am
And the smell of cheap perfume
Verse 7
F
But through the lusty display was a woman in grey
E7 Am
Smiling like she knew
F
When she turned around, where her dress hung down
E7 Am
Was a shoulder with a rose tattoo
F
I saw the love she’d deprived me of
E7 Am
He was standing in that restless throng
F
When suddenly, he noticed me
E7 Am
But something just a-felt all wrong
Bridge
F
I heard a shout, a knife came out
Am
My man got in the way
F
He was dead as a door before he hit the floor
E7
While the band continued to play
F
I tried to scream, but like a horrible dream
Am D
There was nothing I could do
F
Time died, a siren cried
E7 Am F E7 Am F E7 Am
I saw a flash of a rose tattoo
Verse 8
F
I’m on the curb with a cop named Herb
E7 Am
Trying to sort out this mess
F
It’s five-twenty-five, I feel barely alive
E7 Am
And I’m wearing my last good dress
F
The sun’s gonna rise and in my cold green eyes
E7 Am
Is the hell I’ve been through
F
What I learned tonight, is that this world ain’t right
E7 F E7 Am
And the devil’s got a rose tattoo
How to play Rose Tattoo
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is F. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.