Christer Svensson has compiled a list of the keys of all the Dylan songs featuring a harp on the official albums. Very impressive work! I haven't double-checked it, but it seems right. It is at the same time a great exercise in Dylan acronyms...
The list was updated dec 3, 2001
Below is a list of the harp keys used on Dylan's albums. If the harp key is the same as the guitar or piano or backing group (this is known as first position), I'll just write the key name. If he's playing in second (also known as cross) position, or if the song is in a minor key and he's playing in fourth position, I'll give you the "real" key first and then the harp key, divided by a slash. E.g. "G" means the song is in the key of G using a G harp. "G/C" means the song is in the key of G using a C harp in second aka crossed position. "Eminor/G" means the song is in the key of Eminor using a G harp in 4th position. Blues players sometimes use 3rd position, C harp in the key of D for example. I don't think I've heard Dylan use 3rd position, though.
So you'll use a G harp in 2nd position for playing in D if you want a bluesy sound. "Rita May" is one example. You can use the G harp in 4th position to play in E minor. That's the way he recorded "Sara". "Hurricane" is also 4th position, A minor on a C harp. In 1st position the key note is in holes 1, 4, 7 and 10, all blow notes. In 2nd position the key note is in hole 2 draw, and holes 3, 6 and 9 blow. In 4th position the key note is in holes 6 and 10, both draw..
These are the relationships between harp and backing for second and fourth positions:
Harp: G Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F F# 2nd pos: D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B C Db 4th pos: E F F# G Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb
"BOB DYLAN": YNG:C, TNY:G, MOCS:G, PP-O:G, GP:D/G, BLMFYD:A/D, FTB:C. Note: Dylan sings You're No Good in C but plays the solo in G on guitar using the C harp crossed. Pretty sophisticated.
"FREEWHEELIN'": BITW:D, GFTNC:Bb, BDB:A/D, DTTIA:E/A, BDD:G, TWW3B:Bb, CC:F/Bb, ISBF:G, HJAMOMC:G
"TIMES": TTTAA-C:G, WGOOS:C, OTMM:C, WTSCI:G, TLDOHC:E, RF:E/A
"ANOTHER SIDE": AIRWTD:A, BCB:G/C, COF:G, ISBF#10:G, TR:C, IDBY:D/G, BIPD:D/G, IAMB:G
"BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME": SHB:A/D, SBTM:A/D, MF:G/C, LMZNL:E, OB:E/A, OTRA:A/D, BD115D:G/C, MTM:F, GOE:G/C, IARM:E, IAONBB:E
"HIGHWAY 61": LARS:C, ITALTLITATTC:Ab/Db, FAB6:C/F, QJA:C, JLTTB:G/C, DR:E
"BLONDE ON BLONDE": RDW:F/Bb, PMT:A/D, VOJ:A/D, SOLOOUMK:F, IWY:F, MBA:E/A,
JLAW:E, MLYGYWAIGM:G/C, TLA:G/C, ASM:D, 4TA:E, O5B:A/D (Charlie McCoy), SELOTLL:D
(It’s very likely that Absolutely Sweet Marie was not recorded with a D harp in 1st
position but with a high G in 2nd position. Probably a Piccolo or Vest Pocket
harp (one of those "smaller Hohners" he mentions to Cynthia Gooding). Maybe
Charlie McCoy knows?)
"JOHN WESLEY HARDING": JWH:F, AIWOOM:F#minor/A, IDISSA:F, AATWT:C#minor/E, FLAJP:C/F, DE:A/D, IAALH:G/C, IPTPI:F, TWM:A/D, DATC:B/E, IBYBT:F/Bb
"NASHVILLE SKYLINE": NSR:C/F&C! Not at the same time, though...
"SELF PORTRAIT": Alberta 1&2:G/C, Early Morning Rain:C
"NEW MORNING": If Not For You:E
"MORE BOB DYLAN GREATEST HITS": last three:A/D, G, G/C
"PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID": Billy 1:G, Billy 4:A
"DYLAN": Lily Of The West:A minor/C, Can't Help Falling In Love: E/A
"PLANET WAVES": OANLT:F, TM:D, Hazel:E, STIABY:G, FY:D, FY:G/C, WS:A minor/C
"BEFORE THE FLOOD": Don't Think Twice:C, Just Like A Woman:G/C
"BLOOD ON THE TRACKS": TUIB:A, STOF:E/A, YABGN:G, IW:G, YGMMLWYG:E, LRATJOH:D, SFTS:E
"DESIRE": Hurricane:A minor/C, Isis:Bb/Eb, OS:G, Joey:G/C, BDB:G, Sara:E minor/G
"BUDOKAN": Love Minus Zero:D, Just Like A Woman:E
"SAVED": WCIDFY:Eb, AYR:G/C
"SHOT OF LOVE": ITS:A, EGOS:Eb
"INFIDELS": Jokerman:Bb/Eb, LTK:F#, MOP:Bb/Eb, DFAOMT:C/F
"REAL LIVE": IAMB:G, TUIB:A, GFTNC:G
"EMPIRE BURLESQUE": Dark Eyes:G
"DOWN IN THE GROOVE": LST:A/D, DINTE:A, UGITW:A/D, Shenandoah:G
"OH MERCY": EIB:E/A, MITLBC:F#minor/A, WWIYW:C#minor/E, SS:E
"UNDER THE RED SKY": Unbelievable:E/A
"BIOGRAPH": IKIWM:C, PS:D/G, M-UC:sounds like F#/B on my record-player, was probably recorded in G/C like the version issued on 45 rpm, IDBY:E, VOJ:A/D, YABGN:E, AL:G, IAONBB:D, CYPCOYW:G/C, Isis:A/D, UTM:E, BIITMFY:G
"BOOTLEG SERIES": HWAFOM:D, MOTS:G/C, TBMPMB:G, RGW:C, THNGB:G, KT:C, WDTL:G, WORW:G, POV:Bb, TJBPB:G, OAH:G, Moonshiner:E, Suze:E, MYBOMM:E, FA:G, SHB:A/D, IYGGGN:G/C, LARS:Db, ITALTLITATTC:Ab/Db, INFY:G, Wallflower:sounds like a low F#, probably recorded in G, TUIB:E, IW:E/A, IYSHSH:E, GL:G/C, Catfish:G/octave low C (Hohner 12- or 14-hole Marine Band) played by Sugar Blue, SGAHOMH:B, LPMC:G, FOP:B
"GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU": SOTOTW:E/A, TN:F
"WORLD GONE WRONG": Stack A Lee:C
MTV Unplugged:
Shooting Star: E/A
RDW: E/A
KOHD: A/D
"TIME OUT OF MIND": TTGTHBTCTD:Eb/Ab
Live 1966:
SBTM: C/F
4TA: E
VOJ: A/D
IAONBB: D
DR: D
JLAW: F
MTM: E
IDBY: E
BLMFYD: A/D
LARS: C
Live 1961-2000:
To Ramona: D
I Don't Believe You: E
It Ain't Me Babe: C
Mixed-Up Confusion:G/C, Corrinna Corrinna:F/Bb
If You Gotta Go, Go Now:G/C
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window:G/C
George Jackson:G, both acoustic and big band version
Rita May:D/G
Angels Flying Too Close To The Ground:A
Bangla Desh:
ITALTLITATTC: G/C
BITW: G
MTM: E
A Vision Shared:
Pretty Boy Floyd: G
Traveling Wilburys 1:
Handle With Care: G
Traveling Wilburys – She’s My Baby:
Runaway: Bbminor/Db
Nobody’s Child: Eb
Traveling Wilburys 3:
If You Belonged To Me: D
For Our Children:
This Old Man: C
Dylan as harp sideman:
Carolyn Hester:
I’ll Fly Away: E/A (both published takes)
Swing And Turn Jubilee: G
Come Back Baby: A/D (both published takes)
Harry Belafonte:
The Midnight Special: A/D (both published takes)
Three Kings And The Queen, with Big Joe Williams:
Sitting On Top Of The World: A/D
Wichita: A/D
Kings And The Queen Volume Two:
Big Joe, Dylan And Victoria: G/C
It’s Dangerous: G/C
Jack Elliott (Riverside Radio):
Acne: B (slowed down on CD, was C on original tape)
Jack Elliott:
Will The Circle Be Unbroken: D
Dick Farina & Eric von Schmidt:
(not absolutely certain if Dylan plays harp here)
Glory, Glory: G/C (two harps heard)
Overseas Stomp: C (prob. Eric)
You Can Always Tell: A/D (two harps heard)
Xmas Island: C/F (two harps heard)
Cocaine: C/F (two harps heard)
London Waltz: C and C/F (two harps heard, no harp behind Eric’s and Dick’s
vocals)
David Bromberg:
Sammy’s Song: Bb
Doug Sahm & Band:
Me And Paul: E/A
The Sir Douglas Band – Texas Tornado:
Tennessee Blues: G
Roger McGuinn:
I’m So Restless: G
Booker T & Priscilla Jones – Chronicles:
The Crippled Crow: G
David Blue – Com’n Back For More:
Who Love: E (Kreag Caffey?) and E/A (Bob?)
Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt:
Pledge My Head To Heaven: G
Sly & Robbie – Language Barrier:
No Name On The Bullet: A/G
(I’m almost sure, but he’s very low in the mix)
Warren Zevon – Sentimental Hygiene:
The Factory: G
Nanci Griffith – Other Voices, Other Rooms:
Boots Of Spanish Leather: A/D
Well, this should keep you busy for a while. If you get really good at it, who knows, you might get hired to play for someone who needs his lung-power for singing at the moment.
Feel free to ask me if something is unclear.