Early/ mid 70's versions were up a 1/2 step from the 80's versions to accommodate the horns.
Roadrunner sounds simple can be deceptively tricky because the whole band has to be arrangement aware at all times......
Here is the 1982 version:
the slashes are just for separation and dont indicate actual beat or measure lengths, your on your own there
Intro Verse
E // E first inversion (meaning E with G# bass here on out known as E/G#)///A ////B 3Times
E// D// A // B
first (and second) solo section
B ////////////////////E // F#
B ////////////////////D //A
Verse: (on the verses (unlike the intro) you can play the E/G# just as a single note G# on 4th fret low E string... sounds best to slide up to it for the classic Jerry low end snap)
E //////E sus4//E///// E/G# /A
E///////E sus4////// E/G# /A
E ///// D// A //
E ///// D // A //
E ///// D// A //
E ///// D // A //
E //////E sus4//E///// E/G# /A
E ///// D // A // B
Second Solo same as first
then back to same verse structure above.....
3rd solo is this over and over and over:
B ////////////////////E // F#
and when you are ready to finish the solo make this the last time around:
B ////////////////////D //A
which goes back to another verse
Road runner is one of those tunes that sounds simpler than it is.
Someone is always playing the wrong "tag" at the wrong time
(the Tags in this song to me are 3 different ones: first is E/G#>A , second is D>A , third is the solo tag of E>F# ...)
someone always plays D>A when it should be E>F# or plays D>A when it should be G#>A
good luck!
Its just one of those tunes that has to be drilled into the head arrangement wise
.......................................................have you heard the one about the yellow dog?
