I recently built a 4-stringer with equal-spaced strings and chromatically spaced frets. I have tuned it to "GDgd", which is an extension of the "GDg" tuning of my diatonically fretted cigar box stick dulcimers (strum sticks). The new string is on the high side. I also plan to play around with "ADad" tuning where the new string is the low string. With my old diatonic song tabs, most can be played on a single string, and this should hold true for the chromatic version with GDgd (or ADad) tuning. I'll add songs to this posting when I have them completed. The numbering of the frets will be different of course, and the nut will be "0" and the frets will be numbered accordingly and there will be no 6.5 fret to confuse matters.
===============================
Barbara Allen (Chromatic Version)
===============================
0 4 5 7 5 4 2 0
In Scar-let Town where I was born,
2 4 7 12 12 11 7
There was a fair maid dwel-ling.
11 12 9 5 7-9 7 4 0
Made ev-ry youth cry well a day.
2 4 7 9 7 4 0
Her name was Bar-bry Al-len.
In Scar-let Town where I was born,
2 4 7 12 12 11 7
There was a fair maid dwel-ling.
11 12 9 5 7-9 7 4 0
Made ev-ry youth cry well a day.
2 4 7 9 7 4 0
Her name was Bar-bry Al-len.
================
Additional Verses
================
There are many, many versions of this song; but here's one good version
as was recorded by Bob Dylan in 1988.
In Scarlet Town where I was born
there was a fair maid dwelling,
and her name was known both far and near,
and they called her Barbara Allen.
T'was in the merry month of may
the green buds they were swelling,
sweet William on his death bed lay
for the love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his man down to town
to the place where she was dwelling,
saying: master bids your company
if your name be Barbara Allen.
Slowly slowly she got up
to the place where he was lying,
and when she pulled the curtain back,
said: young man, I believe you're dying.
Oh yes oh yes I'm very sick
and I shall not be better
unless I have the love of one,
the love of Barbara Allen.
Don't you remember that night ago
that night down in the tavern,
you gave a toast to all the ladies there
but you slighted Barbara Allen.
Oh yes oh yes I remember it well
that night down in the tavern.
I gave a toast to the ladies there
but I gave my heart to Barbara Allen.
As she was walking in yonder field
She could hear them death-bells knellin'
And every toll seemed to say:
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen
The more they tolled the more she wept
til her heart was filled with sorrow
She said: "sweet William died for me today,
I will die for him tomorrow."
They buried her in the old churchyard,
they buried him beside her.
And from her heart grew a red red rose
and from his heart a brier.
They grew they grew so awfully high
till they could grow no higher,
and there they tied a lover's knot,
the red rose and the brier.
========================================
Boil Them Cabbage Down (Chromatic Version)
========================================
4 4 4 4 5 5
Went up on a moun-tain
4 4 4 4 2 2
(To) give my horn a blow, blow.
4 4 4 4 5 5 5
Thought I heard my true love say,
4 4 2 2 0
"Yon-der comes my beau."
Went up on a moun-tain
4 4 4 4 2 2
(To) give my horn a blow, blow.
4 4 4 4 5 5 5
Thought I heard my true love say,
4 4 2 2 0
"Yon-der comes my beau."
Chorus:
4 4 4 4 5 5
Boil them cab-bage down, down.
4 4 4 4 2 2
Turn them hoe-cakes 'round, 'round.
4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5
The on-ly song that I can sing is
4 4 2 2 0
Boil them cab-bage down.
Boil them cab-bage down, down.
4 4 4 4 2 2
Turn them hoe-cakes 'round, 'round.
4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5
The on-ly song that I can sing is
4 4 2 2 0
Boil them cab-bage down.
================
Additional Verses
================
Additional Verses
================
Possum in a 'simmon tree,
Raccoon on the ground.
Raccoon says, you son-of-a-gun,
Throw some 'simmons down.
(Chorus)
Someone stole my old coon dog.
Wish they'd bring him back.
He chased the big hogs thru the fence,
And the little ones thru the crack.
(Chorus)
Met a possum in the road,
Blind as he cold be.
Jumped the fence and whipped my dog
And bristled up at me.
(Chorus)
Butter-fly, he has wings of gold.
Fire-fly, wings of flame.
Bed-bug, he got no wings at all,
But he gets there just the same.
(Chorus)
Raccoon on the ground.
Raccoon says, you son-of-a-gun,
Throw some 'simmons down.
(Chorus)
Someone stole my old coon dog.
Wish they'd bring him back.
He chased the big hogs thru the fence,
And the little ones thru the crack.
(Chorus)
Met a possum in the road,
Blind as he cold be.
Jumped the fence and whipped my dog
And bristled up at me.
(Chorus)
Butter-fly, he has wings of gold.
Fire-fly, wings of flame.
Bed-bug, he got no wings at all,
But he gets there just the same.
(Chorus)
========================================
Bonnie George Campbell (Chromatic Version)
========================================
5 2 0 0 2 5 7 5 7 9
High up-on Hie-lands and laugh up-on Tay,
5 2 0 0 2 5-7 9 7 9 12
Bon-nie George Camp-bell rade oot on a day,
14 12 9 12 9 7 9 7 5 2
Sadd-led and brid-led and read-y rade he,
5 2 0 0 2 5 14 12 9 7
Hame cam' his guid horse but nev-er cam' he.
High up-on Hie-lands and laugh up-on Tay,
5 2 0 0 2 5-7 9 7 9 12
Bon-nie George Camp-bell rade oot on a day,
14 12 9 12 9 7 9 7 5 2
Sadd-led and brid-led and read-y rade he,
5 2 0 0 2 5 14 12 9 7
Hame cam' his guid horse but nev-er cam' he.
================
Additional Verses
================
My barn is to build, my baby's unborn,
But Bonnie George Campbell will never return.
Well, high upon Highlangs, low upon Tay,
Bonnie George Campbell rode out on one day.
All saddled all bridled and booted rode he,
And home came the saddle, but never came he.
Home came the saddle all bloddy to see,
And home came the good horse, but never came he.
But Bonnie George Campbell will never return.
Well, high upon Highlangs, low upon Tay,
Bonnie George Campbell rode out on one day.
All saddled all bridled and booted rode he,
And home came the saddle, but never came he.
Home came the saddle all bloddy to see,
And home came the good horse, but never came he.
====================================
Home on the Range (Chromatic Version)
====================================
0 0 5 7 9 5 4 2 10 10 10
Oh, give me a home where the buf-fa-lo roam
9 10 12 5 5 5 4 5 7
Where the deer and the an-te-lope play
0 0 5 7 9 5 4 2 10 10 10
Where sel-dom is heard a dis-cou-rag-ing word
10 10 9 7 5 4 5 7 5
And the skies are not cloud-y all day
Oh, give me a home where the buf-fa-lo roam
9 10 12 5 5 5 4 5 7
Where the deer and the an-te-lope play
0 0 5 7 9 5 4 2 10 10 10
Where sel-dom is heard a dis-cou-rag-ing word
10 10 9 7 5 4 5 7 5
And the skies are not cloud-y all day
CHORUS:
12 10 9 7 9
Home, home on the range
0 0 5 5 5 5 4 5 7
Where the deer and the an-te-lope play
0 0 5 7 9 5 4 2 10 10 10
Where sel-dom is heard a dis-cou-rag-ing word
10 10 9 7 5 4 5 7 5
And the skies are not cloud-y all day
Home, home on the range
0 0 5 5 5 5 4 5 7
Where the deer and the an-te-lope play
0 0 5 7 9 5 4 2 10 10 10
Where sel-dom is heard a dis-cou-rag-ing word
10 10 9 7 5 4 5 7 5
And the skies are not cloud-y all day
================
Additional Lyrics
================
How often at night when the heavens are bright
With the light from the glittering stars
Have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours
(Chorus)
Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free
The breezes so balmy and light
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright
(Chorus)
Oh, I love those wild flow'rs in this dear land of ours
The curlew, I love to hear scream
And I love the white rocks and the antelope flocks
That graze on the mountaintops green
(Chorus)
With the light from the glittering stars
Have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours
(Chorus)
Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free
The breezes so balmy and light
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of the cities so bright
(Chorus)
Oh, I love those wild flow'rs in this dear land of ours
The curlew, I love to hear scream
And I love the white rocks and the antelope flocks
That graze on the mountaintops green
(Chorus)
===============================
Old Black Joe (Chromatic Version)
By Stephen Foster, 1860.
===============================
0 4 5 7 7 7 9 12 11 9 7
Gone are the days when my heart was young and gay,
0 4 5 7 7 7 9 7 5 4 2
Gone are my friends from the cot-ton fields a-way,
0 4 5 7 7 7 9 7 11 9 7
Gone from this earth to a bet-ter land I know,
12 11 12 14 11 12 9 7 9 4 2 0
I hear their gen-tle voi-ces cal-ling, "Old Black Joe".
Gone are the days when my heart was young and gay,
0 4 5 7 7 7 9 7 5 4 2
Gone are my friends from the cot-ton fields a-way,
0 4 5 7 7 7 9 7 11 9 7
Gone from this earth to a bet-ter land I know,
12 11 12 14 11 12 9 7 9 4 2 0
I hear their gen-tle voi-ces cal-ling, "Old Black Joe".
Chorus:
7 4 7 7 4 7 7 7 9 12 11 9 7
I'm co-ming, I'm co-ming, for my head is ben-ding low,
12 11 12 14 11 12 9 7 9 4 2 0
I hear them gen-tle voi-ces cal-ling, "Old Black Joe".
I'm co-ming, I'm co-ming, for my head is ben-ding low,
12 11 12 14 11 12 9 7 9 4 2 0
I hear them gen-tle voi-ces cal-ling, "Old Black Joe".
================
Additional Lyrics
================
Why do I weep, when my heart should feel no pain,
Why do I sigh that my friends come not again.
Grieving for forms now departed long ago.
I hear their gentle voices calling "Old Black Joe"
(Chorus)
Where are the hearts once so happy and so free?
The children so dear that I held upon my knee
Gone to the shore where my soul has longed to go,
I hear their gentle voices calling "Old Black Joe"
(Chorus)
Why do I sigh that my friends come not again.
Grieving for forms now departed long ago.
I hear their gentle voices calling "Old Black Joe"
(Chorus)
Where are the hearts once so happy and so free?
The children so dear that I held upon my knee
Gone to the shore where my soul has longed to go,
I hear their gentle voices calling "Old Black Joe"
(Chorus)
==============================
Old Joe Clark (Chromatic Version)
==============================
7 9 10 9 7 5 4
Old Joe Clark, he had a house
7 9 10 9 7
Eigh-teen stor-ies high
7 9 10 9 7 5 4
Ev-'ry stor-y in that house
4 0 4 2 2 0
Was filled with chic-ken pie
0 0 4 7 5 4
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
0 0 4 2 0
Fare ye well, I say
0 0 4 7 5 4
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
0 4 2 2 0
Good-bye Bet-sy Brown
Old Joe Clark, he had a house
7 9 10 9 7
Eigh-teen stor-ies high
7 9 10 9 7 5 4
Ev-'ry stor-y in that house
4 0 4 2 2 0
Was filled with chic-ken pie
0 0 4 7 5 4
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
0 0 4 2 0
Fare ye well, I say
0 0 4 7 5 4
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
0 4 2 2 0
Good-bye Bet-sy Brown
================
Additional Verses
================
There are dozens of different verses for this song, as well as several
versions of the chorus. If the following doesn't satisfy you, search the
Internet w/Google or other search engine for more verses.
Old Joe Clark’s a fine old man
Tell you the reason why
He keeps good likker ’round his house
Good old Rock and Rye
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
Fare ye well, I say
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
I’m a going away
Old Joe Clark, the preacher’s son
Preached all over the pain
The only text he ever knew
Was High, low, Jack and the game
Old Joe Clark had a mule
His name was Morgan Brown
And every tooth in that mule’s head
Was sixteen inches around
Old Joe Clark had ayellow cat
She would neither sing or pray
She stuck her head in the butermilk jar
And washed her sins away
I went down to Old Joe’s house
He invited me to supper
I stumped my toe on the table leg
And stuck my nose in the butter
Now I wouldn’t marry a widder
Tell you the reason why
She’d have so many children
They’d make those biscuits fly
Sixteen horses in my team
The leaders they are blind
And every time the sun goes down
There’s a pretty girl on my mind
Eighteen miles of mountain road
And fifteen miles of sand
If ever travel this road again
I’ll be a married man
Tell you the reason why
He keeps good likker ’round his house
Good old Rock and Rye
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
Fare ye well, I say
Fare ye well, Old Joe Clark
I’m a going away
Old Joe Clark, the preacher’s son
Preached all over the pain
The only text he ever knew
Was High, low, Jack and the game
Old Joe Clark had a mule
His name was Morgan Brown
And every tooth in that mule’s head
Was sixteen inches around
Old Joe Clark had ayellow cat
She would neither sing or pray
She stuck her head in the butermilk jar
And washed her sins away
I went down to Old Joe’s house
He invited me to supper
I stumped my toe on the table leg
And stuck my nose in the butter
Now I wouldn’t marry a widder
Tell you the reason why
She’d have so many children
They’d make those biscuits fly
Sixteen horses in my team
The leaders they are blind
And every time the sun goes down
There’s a pretty girl on my mind
Eighteen miles of mountain road
And fifteen miles of sand
If ever travel this road again
I’ll be a married man
==================================
Polly Wolly Doodle (Chromatic Version)
==================================
5 7 9 9 5 5 7 9 9 5
Well I went down South for to see my Sal,
5 7 9 9 9 9 10 10 9 9 7
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
4-5 7 7 4 4 7 7 4
M-y Sal, she is a spun-ky gal.
7 7 12 12 12 12 10 10 7 7 5
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
Well I went down South for to see my Sal,
5 7 9 9 9 9 10 10 9 9 7
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
4-5 7 7 4 4 7 7 4
M-y Sal, she is a spun-ky gal.
7 7 12 12 12 12 10 10 7 7 5
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
Chorus:
5 7 9 5 7 8 5 7 9 9 10 9 7
Fare the well, fare the well, fare the well my Fair-y Fay
4 5 7 7 7 7 4 4 4 5 7 7 7 7 4 4
For I’m go'n to Lou-si-an-na for to see my Su-si-an-na.
7 7 12 12 12 12 10 10 7 7 5
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
Fare the well, fare the well, fare the well my Fair-y Fay
4 5 7 7 7 7 4 4 4 5 7 7 7 7 4 4
For I’m go'n to Lou-si-an-na for to see my Su-si-an-na.
7 7 12 12 12 12 10 10 7 7 5
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
================
Additional Verses
================
Oh, my Sal, she is a maiden fair
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
With curly eyes and laughing hair
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Oh I like watermelon and I have for years
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
I eat watermelon because it gets upon my ears
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Oh, a grasshopper sittin' on a railroad track
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
A pickin' his teeth with a carpet tack
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Behind the barn, down on my knees
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
I thought I heard a chicken sneeze
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Oh he sneezed so hard with the whooping cough
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
He sneezed his head and his tail right off
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
With curly eyes and laughing hair
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Oh I like watermelon and I have for years
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
I eat watermelon because it gets upon my ears
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Oh, a grasshopper sittin' on a railroad track
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
A pickin' his teeth with a carpet tack
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Behind the barn, down on my knees
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
I thought I heard a chicken sneeze
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
Oh he sneezed so hard with the whooping cough
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
He sneezed his head and his tail right off
Sing-ing "Pol-ly Wol-ly Doo-dle" all the day.
(Chorus)
======================================
Pub With No Beer, The (Chromatic Version)
======================================
12 12 12 11 14 12 7 4 2 0 2 9
The pub-li-can's an-xious for his quo- ta to come
9 9 7 11 9 7 2 2 2 4 5 4
There's a far a- way look on the face of the bum
12 12 12 11 14 12 7 4 2 0 2 (2) 9
Now the maid's act-ing cran-ky and the cook's act'n queer
9 9 7 11 9 7 2 4 5 4 2 0
It's a ter-ri-ble place 'round a pub with no beer
The pub-li-can's an-xious for his quo- ta to come
9 9 7 11 9 7 2 2 2 4 5 4
There's a far a- way look on the face of the bum
12 12 12 11 14 12 7 4 2 0 2 (2) 9
Now the maid's act-ing cran-ky and the cook's act'n queer
9 9 7 11 9 7 2 4 5 4 2 0
It's a ter-ri-ble place 'round a pub with no beer
================
Additional Verses
================
The dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits
But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates.
So he races for cover, and cringes in fear
It's no place for a dog, 'round a pub with no beer.
The stockman rides in with his dry dusty throat.
He strides to the bar, pulls a wad from his coat.
But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer.
The swaggie rolls up smothered in dust and flies.
Throws his swag on the floor, wipes the dirt from his eyes.
He looks at the barman, he says 'What's this I hear
I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer!"
Old Billy the blacksmith, first time in his life
He's gone home cold sober, to his darling wife.
He walks in the kitchen, she says "you're early my dear."
He breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer.
But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates.
So he races for cover, and cringes in fear
It's no place for a dog, 'round a pub with no beer.
The stockman rides in with his dry dusty throat.
He strides to the bar, pulls a wad from his coat.
But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer.
The swaggie rolls up smothered in dust and flies.
Throws his swag on the floor, wipes the dirt from his eyes.
He looks at the barman, he says 'What's this I hear
I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer!"
Old Billy the blacksmith, first time in his life
He's gone home cold sober, to his darling wife.
He walks in the kitchen, she says "you're early my dear."
He breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer.
================================
The Wild Rover (Chromatic Version)
================================
5 5 7 5 5 0 9 9 7 9 10
I've been a wild ro-ver for ma-ny a year
10 10 12 9 9 9 7 5 0 9 7 5
And I spent all my mo-ney on whis-key and beer.
5 5 7 5 5 0 9 9 7 9 10
And now I'm re-turn-ing with gold in great store
10 10 12 9 9 9 7 5 0 9 7 5
And I ne-ver will play the wild ro-ver no more.
Chorus:
4 5 7 7 4 0 9 9 9 7 9 10
And it's no, nay, ne-ver. No, nay, ne-ver no more,
9 10 12 9 5 4 2 0 0 9 7 5
Will I play the wild ro-ver, No ne-ver no more.
================I've been a wild ro-ver for ma-ny a year
10 10 12 9 9 9 7 5 0 9 7 5
And I spent all my mo-ney on whis-key and beer.
5 5 7 5 5 0 9 9 7 9 10
And now I'm re-turn-ing with gold in great store
10 10 12 9 9 9 7 5 0 9 7 5
And I ne-ver will play the wild ro-ver no more.
Chorus:
4 5 7 7 4 0 9 9 9 7 9 10
And it's no, nay, ne-ver. No, nay, ne-ver no more,
9 10 12 9 5 4 2 0 0 9 7 5
Will I play the wild ro-ver, No ne-ver no more.
Additional Verses
================
I went to an alehouse I used to frequent,
and I told the landlady me money was spent.
I asked her for credit, she answered me "nay,
such a custom as yours I could have any day".
(Chorus)
I pulled from me pocket a handful of gold,
and on the round table it glittered and rolled.
She said "I have whiskeys and wines of the best,
and the words that I told you were only in jest".
(Chorus)
I'll have none of your whiskeys nor fine Spanish wines,
For your words show you clearly as no friend of mine.
There's others most willing to open a door,
To a man coming home from a far distant shore.
(Chorus)
I'll go home to me parents, confess what I've done,
and I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they forgive me as oft times before,
I never will play the wild rover no more.
(Chorus)
and I told the landlady me money was spent.
I asked her for credit, she answered me "nay,
such a custom as yours I could have any day".
(Chorus)
I pulled from me pocket a handful of gold,
and on the round table it glittered and rolled.
She said "I have whiskeys and wines of the best,
and the words that I told you were only in jest".
(Chorus)
I'll have none of your whiskeys nor fine Spanish wines,
For your words show you clearly as no friend of mine.
There's others most willing to open a door,
To a man coming home from a far distant shore.
(Chorus)
I'll go home to me parents, confess what I've done,
and I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they forgive me as oft times before,
I never will play the wild rover no more.
(Chorus)
Comments