FLATPICKERS, STRUMMERS, FINGERPICKERS ALL WELCOME! FREE for private study or students only!
I posted this study over on APM Forum and I am hoping to draw some players into this song and study. You may want to respond and work it here or on the APM forum. I will try to check back to answer questions best I can. Click to visit APM Thread on this same topic
BEGIN:
Goal: Strum these chords along with Doc Watson's performance. Master the chords and changes and learn to fingerpick it later.
I really find this song fascinating because Doc puts such a bouncy swing to it. It's classic Doc Watson. This tune uses chords I play all the time in many other C country blues and ragtime songs. In this case he has a capo on the 3rd fret. So when you play a C chord shape it's actually making a E flat chord sound. What I found fun was just strumming the chords along while Doc fingerpicks the song. I still have a strong belief that you must master the chords and changes before moving into the fingerpicking aspect of the song. YMMV.
I'm hoping this thread might become a sort of group study. If anyone wants to talk about this song, learn or explore the details of Doc's style and the arrangement maybe we can all become a little better. I hope many NON fingerpicking folks will take a jump into this song and strum the chords. You can also use your thumb and bare fingers to strum. Whatever works best for you. I just want to master the chords first. I may be subject to corrections since I just picked this one out by ear today for entertainment only. This is only for study purposes.
Click to Play MP3 sample of Doc Watson's performance (low quality) size 1.6mb
Click to Play Video of me explaining the chord sequence strumming version - size 5mb (WMV)
Click to Play Video of me slowly and roughly fingerpicking the song my way size 2.8mb (WMV)
CAPO on 3rd Fret!
6-5-4-3-2-1 ---- string #
----------------
SEQUENCE USED AS INTRO AND TURNAROUND
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
4-x-6-5-6-4 F shape with pinky added 2nd string
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
x-3-5-5-5-6 A7 shape
5-x-3-5-4-5 D7 shape with bass thumb wrapped over (optional)
6-5-3-3-3-4 G7 shape
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
SEQUENCE USED FOR VERSE and TURNAROUND INCLUDED AT END
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
x-6-5-6-4-3 C7 shape
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
4-x-6-5-6-4 F shape with pinky added 2nd string
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape 4 more beats
x-3-5-5-4-3 Am shape
5-x-3-5-4-5 D7 shape with bass thumb wrapped over (optional)
6-5-3-3-3-4 G7 shape
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
x-6-5-6-4-3 C7 shape
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
4-x-6-5-6-4 F shape with pinky added 2nd string
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
turnaround again
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
4-x-6-5-6-4 F shape with pinky added 2nd string
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
x-3-5-5-5-6 A7 shape
5-x-3-5-4-5 D7 shape with bass thumb wrapped over (optional)
6-5-3-3-3-4 G7 shape
x-6-5-3-4-3 C shape
=========================================
==============
LYRICS with emphasis on where chord changes are locatingNow (C) folks let me tell you bout a (C7)travelin man his (F)home was down in Tenne(C)ssee
(C)He made his livin stealin (Am)chickens and (D7)everything else he could (G7)see
(C)One day the sheriff got behind(C7) that boy… (F)made him take to the (C)road
Aint (F)never been a passenger (C)train that run so (A7)fast that (D7) Joe couldn't (G7)get on(C)board
(C)Travelin (C7)Man Oh Lawd he (F)musta been a Travelin (C)Man
(C)Travelin (Am)Rambalin Man He was the (D7)swiftest in the (G7)Land
(C)Gambalin (C7)Rambalin Joe They (F)knowed him in every (C)town
He (F)wouldn't stay put no he (C)wouldn't give (A7)up and I (D7)guess he never (G7)settled (C)down
They sent that feller to the spring one day fer ta fetch a pail a water
The distance from the spring to the house it was 16 miles and a quarter
He got the bucket of water alright but stumped his toe as he fell down
He went to the house and he got another bucket caught the water fore it hit the ground
Travelin Man Oh Lawd he musta been a Travelin Man
Travelin Rambalin Man He was the swiftest in the Land
Gambalin Rambalin Joe They knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put no he wouldn't give up and I guess he never settled down
He hoboed the great Titanic thought he travel the ocean blue
And when he seen that ice berg acoming right offa that ole boat he flew
The rest of the passengers they hollered and laughed said lookey what a great big fool
But while that boat was a sinking Joe was shootin crap in Liverpool
Travelin Man Oh Lawd he musta been a Travelin Man
Travelin Rambalin Man He was the swiftest in the Land
Gambalin Rambalin Joe They knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put no he wouldn't give up and I guess he never settled down
will add it to the list. :D
Thanks, Adrian
"Life Is Beautiful,
Life Is A Struggle,
Life Is A Beautiful Struggle" - Mos Def
UPDATE!
Thanks for all the input, emails etc. Added the E7 I was missing and some other corrections in the sequences of chords. I think this one is more correct. Also used a "0" to indicate where the capo holds the 3rd fret to make the chords easier to read. Any other requests or suggestions just let me know. I hope everyone that likes the tune will try to learn these chords. Play it without a capo too.
====================
UPDATED VERSION BELOW
Click to Play MP3 sample of Doc Watson's performance (low quality) size 1.6mb
Click to Play Video of me explaining the chord sequence strumming version - size 5mb (WMV)
Click to Play Video of me slowly and roughly fingerpicking the song my way size 2.8mb (WMV)
CAPO on 3rd Fret!
6-5-4-3-2-1 ---- string #
----------------
SEQUENCE USED AS INTRO AND TURNAROUND
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
4-x-6-5-6-4 F shape with pinky added 2nd string
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
x-0-5-5-5-6 A7 shape
5-x-0-5-4-5 D7 shape with bass thumb wrapped over (optional)
6-5-0-0-0-4 G7 shape
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
SEQUENCE USED FOR VERSE and CHORUS just do the turnaround at the end to complete it.
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
x-6-5-6-4-0 C7 shape
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape 4 more beats
x-0-5-5-4-0 Am shape
5-x-0-5-4-5 D7 shape with bass thumb wrapped over (optional)
6-5-0-0-0-4 G7 shape
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
x-6-5-6-4-0 C7 shape
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
0-5-5-4-6-0 E7
turnaround again
4-X-6-5-4-4 F shape
4-x-6-5-6-4 F shape with pinky added 2nd string
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
x-0-5-5-5-6 A7 shape
5-x-0-5-4-5 D7 shape with bass thumb wrapped over (optional)
6-5-0-0-0-4 G7 shape
x-6-5-0-4-0 C shape
=========================================
==============
LYRICS with emphasis on where chord changes are locatingNow (C) folks let me tell you bout a (C7)travelin man his (F)home was down in Tenne(C)ssee
(C)He made his livin stealin (Am)chickens and (D7)everything else he could (G7)see
(C)One day the sheriff got behind(C7) that boy… (F)made him take to the (E7)road
Aint (F)never been a passenger (C)train that run so (A7)fast that (D7) Joe couldn't (G7)get on(C)board
(C)Travelin (C7)Man Oh Lawd he (F)musta been a Travelin (C)Man
(C)Travelin (Am)Rambalin Man He was the (D7)swiftest in the (G7)Land
(C)Gambalin (C7)Rambalin Joe They (F)knowed him in every (E7)town
He (F)wouldn't stay put no he (C)wouldn't give (A7)up and I (D7)guess he never (G7)settled (C)down
They sent that feller to the spring one day fer ta fetch a pail a water
The distance from the spring to the house it was 16 miles and a quarter
He got the bucket of water alright but stumped his toe as he fell down
He went to the house and he got another bucket caught the water fore it hit the ground
Travelin Man Oh Lawd he musta been a Travelin Man
Travelin Rambalin Man He was the swiftest in the Land
Gambalin Rambalin Joe They knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put no he wouldn't give up and I guess he never settled down
He hoboed the great Titanic thought he travel the ocean blue
And when he seen that ice berg acoming right offa that ole boat he flew
The rest of the passengers they hollered and laughed said lookey what a great big fool
But while that boat was a sinking Joe was shootin crap in Liverpool
Travelin Man Oh Lawd he musta been a Travelin Man
Travelin Rambalin Man He was the swiftest in the Land
Gambalin Rambalin Joe They knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put no he wouldn't give up and I guess he never settled down
One more follow up video on this one to include the corrections to the chords. Please just let me know your feedback on how YOU are playing this and any progress. Thanks for taking part in this little study.
