Yeah! I've been having a go at some bluegrass,
This is a great easy song which I first heard when watching the hillarious film "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" starring George Clooney. I love country and I've especially grown to love bluegrass. That crazed look in Georges eyes as he performed it (er mimed I think) was just brilliant.
The song uses easy chords if you put a capo on fret 3 but it is not quite the right key. If you put the capo on fret 1 and use an E, A and a barred B instead you get a closer key to the original but the barre for B being on fret 3 and a stretch to the D G and B strings fret 5 for your other fingers is not so easy for beginners. Anyway try both versions, see what you think.
As for the strumming pattern, I got it by listening to Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring the great Dan Tyminski playing the song on CD and jamming along with them. It took a while but I was in there with them. Great fun, especially with the DGAD breaks after the choruses where you can improvise your strumming.
Anyway I'll attach a link to a youtube video of this if I can find one to give you an idea
(CAPO: 3rd fret)
Intro: D A D
Intro Chorus:
(D)In constant (A)sorrow through his (D)days
Verse 1:
(D)I am the man of constant (G)sorrow
I've (A)seen trouble on my (D)days
I bid farewell to old (G)Kentucky
The place where (A)I was born and (D)raised
Chorus 1:
The place where (A)he was born and (D)raised
--Break--> D G A D
Verse 2:
(D)For six long years, I've been in (G)trouble
No pleasure (A)here on earth I (D)find
(D)For in this world, I'm (G)bound to ramble
I have no (A)friends to (D)help me now
Chorus 2:
He has no (A)friends to (D)help him now
--Break--> D G A D
Verse 3:
(D)hey it's fair the well my old true (G)lover
I never (A)expect to see you (D)again
(D)For I'm bound to ride that northern (G)railroad
Perhaps I'll (A)die upon this (D)train
Chorus 3:
Perhaps he'll (A)die upon this (D)train
--Break--> D G A D
Verse 4:
(D)You can bury me in some deep (G)valley
for many (A)years where I'll be (D)laid.
and you may learn to love (G)another
while I am (A)sleeping in my(D)grave.
Chorus 4:
while he is (A)sleeping in his (D)grave
Break: D G A D
Verse 5:
(D)Maybe your friends think I'm just a (G)stranger
My face you'll (A)never see no (D)more
(D)But there is one promise that is (G)given
I'll meet you (A)on God's golden (D)shore
Chorus 5:
He'll meet you (A)on God's golden (D)shore
Here's the video link:
Dan Tyminski, Alison Krauss and Union Station
and the George Clooney Soggy Bottom Boys just for fun link:
Have fun as always,
Chris
The guitar is all right John but you'll never make a living out of it! (John Lennon's Aunt Mimi)
Great, Chris! I am a huuuuuuuuuuge fan of the Coen Bros......I love every one of their films! This song is a particular favourite - I tried to work it out one time and gave up, pre-GN days........now I'm going to have to learn this!
My favourite film was Fargo.......until we got stuck in Minneapolis Airport for 12 hours on the way back from Texas....the accent lost a little of its novelty that day.....but I've grown to love it again.....
In OBWAT, I loved the way they accidentally recorded a hit single - Man Of Constant Sorrow - and bumped into a thinly-disguised Robert Johnson......
I don't know what Joel and Ethan drink, but mine's a double.......!!!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I love this song. I keep trying to find other music that sounds like this, but it seems like a lot of Union Station is slower stuff. This song is just awesome.
Thanks guys,
You is both officially intergrated! :D :D :wink: :wink:
Chris
The guitar is all right John but you'll never make a living out of it! (John Lennon's Aunt Mimi)
That there tab's bonafide! :lol:
Thanks Chris! I've always loved that song. I've been thinking of riggin' up a tin can to go around my mic to try and emulate that sound for the vocals. One day.........
Thought I might send you guys here for the intro. http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0051699
Although it does seem that the tuning is in dropped D.
Nice job Chris :wink:
D'ya want to jam with this one at the weekend ???
Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=686668
I think the Tyminski version is actually in DADGAD capo'ed on the 3rd fret to F. There's a tab floating around on the internet somewhere...
John A.
They say only a pawnshop guitar can play the blues. An eBay one does it better. A guitar's bound to feel unloved if her owner plasters pictures of her over the internet for all to see and then sells her off to the highest anonymous bidder.
Awesome Job, Chris...
Love this song and love the movie. I wasn't a Clooney fan until I saw this movie and saw his comedic genius. I've looked for a tab or chord for this song for ages, but haven't found one, until now.
Cheers, Kenny
Chris,
Thanks for the post. I've been playing along with the YouTube vid and your chords for the past few days since you posted. Lots of fun.
Steed
Chris,
I had never seen the film that this song came from until last night and now I have I will definitely have to give it a go.
I have found loads of different arrangements for it, mostly in F which sounds quite good but I have also found one in DADGAD here http://www.fretplay.com/tabs/s/soggy_bottom_boys/i_am_a_man_of_constant_sorrow-tab.shtml which if you can be bothered to change your tuning is well worth the effort.
Nice one. :wink:
Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=686668
Glad you finally saw it Rod,
It has to be in my top ten of great films.
Just to let everyone know I have edited the original post because the previous links to the Youtube clips now only go to a message from youtube that the clips have been deleted for copyright reasons. So I have added two more links to similar clips on youtube. The Dan Tyminski one is probably better because Alison Kruss gives a good intro to the background of The Soggy Bottom Boys and there are good closeups of the guitar playing, also some good onstage banter as well.
Hope these clips last a while on Youtube.
Chris
The guitar is all right John but you'll never make a living out of it! (John Lennon's Aunt Mimi)
can anyone give me hints on the strumming pattern for this song?
