Covenant Woman

Words and Music by Bob Dylan
Released on Saved (1980)
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem


This is a song for the whole 1980 gospel band. The original key is F major. For guitar only there seem to be two possibilities:
Capo 3rd fret, chords of D major, or capo 5th fret, chords of C major.
I'm sure he plays one of these on the album, but I'm not certain about which one. I seem to hear a D minor chord type'ish sound in the second line, which would suggest the C major version, but then again, the D version gives the pleasant A major at the end, and the least awkward chords overall.


C        Am          Em                Dm
Covenant woman got a contract with the Lord
                                 Am        G
Way up yonder, great will be her reward.
C        Am     Em                     Dm
Covenant woman, shining like a morning star,
                                         Am    G
I know I can trust you to stay the way you are.
    F             Am
And I just got to tell you
     Bb      /c
I do intend
F       Am              Bb     /c
To stay closer than any friend.
F             Am
I just got to thank you
       Bb
Once again
                C       /Bb
For making your prayers known
/a /g  C  /Bb    /a  /g
Unto heaven for me
    C  /Bb  /a    /g  C    /Bb
And to you,    always,  so grateful
/a        /g   F
I will forever be.

| C . . G  |
I've been broken, shattered like an empty cup.
I'm just waiting on the Lord to rebuild and fill me up
And I know He will do it 'cause He's faithful and He's true,
He must have loved me so much to send me someone as fine as you.
And I just got to tell you
I do intend
To stay closer than any friend.
I just got to thank you
Once again
For making your prayers known
Unto heaven for me
And to you, always, so grateful
I will forever be.
Covenant woman, intimate little girl
Who knows those most secret things of me that are hidden from the world.
You know we are strangers in a land we're passing through.
I'll always be right by your side, I've got a covenant too.
And I just got to tell you
I do intend
To stay closer than any friend.
I just got to thank you
Once again
For making your prayers known
Unto heaven for me
And to you, always, so grateful
I will forever be.