Tag: cmj

Steel Guitar Rag

Jim,


In D

Original key of E

Farewell Blues

Jim,

You're Still On My Mind

Jim,

—Jeff Daniels 1959

The jukebox is playin' a honky—tonk song
One more, I keep sayin', and then I'll go home
What good will it do me, I know what I'll find
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

The people are dancin' and havin' their fun
And I sit here thinkin' about what you have done
To try and forget you, I've turned to the wine
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

Alone and forsaken, so blue I could cry
I just sit here drinkin' till the bottle runs dry
What good will it do me, I know what I'll find
An empty bottle, a broken heart and you're still on my mind

Verse:

I I IV IV
V V I I
I I IV IV
V V V I

 

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

Jim,

—Bob Dylan

Clouds so swift, Rain won't lift
Gate won't close, Railings froze
Get your mind off wintertime
You ain't goin' nowhere

Chorus:
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

I don't care, How many letters they sent
Morning came and morning went
Pick up your money, And pack up your tent
You ain't goin' nowhere

Buy me a flute, And a gun that shoots
Tailgates and substitutes,
Strap yourself, To the tree with roots
You ain't goin' nowhere

Genghis Khan, He could not keep
All his kings, Supplied with sleep
We'll climb that hill no matter how steep
When we get up to it

Chorus and Verse:

|: I IIm IV I
I IIm IV I :|

 

When Your Phone Don't Ring

Jim,

—Hank Cochran

Tonight when you lay lonely in your king size bed
With a hunger inside you can feel
I'll be the empty spot laying next to you
And when your phone don't ring it'll be me

Chorus:
It'll be me not calling you crying like I used to do
Crawlin' on my hands and knees
It'll be me not on the phone begging let me come back home
When your phone don't ring it'll be me

And tonight it'll be my car not in your driveway
You'll wonder where on earth I could be
It'll be my footsteps you don't hear in your hallway
And when your phone don't ring it'll be me

(not Frank Cochran):
Tonight I'll be unfriending you on Facebook,
No IM's, texts or tweets you'll get from me,
It'll be my email that don't show up in your inbox,
And when the phone don't ring it'll be me

Verse:

I IV V I
I IV V I

Chorus:

IV I V I
IV I V I

 

Tennessee Waltz

Jim,

—Pee Wee King

I was dancing with my darling to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced him to my loved one
And while they were dancing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darling the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

¾

I III7 I7 IV
I VIm II V
I III7 I7 IV
I V I I
I III7 IV I
I VIm II V
I III7 I7 IV
I V I I

 

Sitting Alone In the Moonlight

Jim,

—Bill Monroe

A:
Sitting alone in the moonlight
Thinking of the days gone by
Wondering about my darling
I can still hear her saying goodbye
B:
Oh the moon grows pale as I sit here
Each little star seems to whisper and say
Your sweetheart has found another
And now she's far, far away

¾

A:

|: I Ib I I
IV V I I :|

B:

|: IV V I I
IV V I I :|

 

Shady Grove

Jim,

—Traditional

Garcia/Grisman Version

Peaches in the summer time, Apples in the fall
If I can't have the girl I love, I don't want none at all

Chorus:
Shady Grove, my little love, Shady Grove, I know
Shady Grove, my little love, I'm bound for Shady Grove

I wish I had a banjo string, Made of golden twine
Every tune I'd play on it, I wish that girl were mine

I wish I had a needle and thread, As fine as I could sew
I'd sew that pretty gal to my side, And down the road I'd go

Some come here to fiddle and dance, Some come here to tarry
Some come here to fiddle and dance, I come here to marry

Every night when I go home, My wife, I try to please her
The more I try, the worse she gets, Damned if I don't leave her

Chorus and Verse (minor):

Im VII Im Im
III VII Im – VII Im

Doc Watson Version:

Chorus:
Shady Grove, my little love, Shady Grove I say
Shady Grove, my little love, I'm a bound to go away

Cheeks as red a a blooming rose, And eyes are the prettiest brown
She's the darling of my heart, Sweetest little girl in town

I wish I had a big fine horse, And corn to feed him on
And Shady Grove to stay at home, And feed him while I'm gone

Went to see my Shady Grove, She was standing in the door
Her shoes and stockins in her hand, And her little bare feet on the floor

When I was a little boy, I wanted a Barlow knife
And now I want little Shady Grove, To say she'll be my wife

A kiss from pretty little Shady Grove, Is sweet as brandy wine,
And there ain't no girl in this whole world, That's prettier than mine

Bill Monroe Version:

Coffee grows on white oak trees, The river flows with brandy
The rocks on the hill all go where they go, And the girls love 'lasses candy

Chorus:
Shady Grove, my little miss, Shady Grove my darlin'
Shady Grove, my little miss, I'm goin' back to Harlan

Oh I guess you think my pretty little miss, I can't live without you
I'll let you know before I go, If I hear a little about you.

Every time I go that road, It's always dark and cloudy
Every time I see that girl, I always tell her howdy

Chorus and Verse:

I I I I
I I V I

 

Ragged But Right

Jim,

—Riley Puckett (mostly)
I come here to tell you people I'm ragged but right
I'm a thief and a gambler I get drunk every night
Get a porterhouse steak three times a day for my board
That's more than any loafer in this town can afford

Got a big electric fan to keep me cool while I sleep
A little baby girl plays around at my feet
I'm a ramblin' gambler and I'm drunk every night
I tell you boys, I'm ragged but right.

Bridge:
I go everywhere, I don't pay no fare
I can ride a freight train just anywhere
If I win or lose I don't get the blues
It's gamblin' and roamin' for me.

I hopped on a freight train in North Caroline
Rode down to Atlanta and bought me some shine
Went into a card game with 39 cents
And came out with enough for another month's rent.

I got an ol' lazy hound dog who brings me my shoes.
He sleeps at my feet and we drink the same booze
Oh he's a tramp and a rounder, he leads a dirty life
I tell you people we're ragged but right.

Verse:

I V V I   I7
IV   IV#º I   VI II V
I V V I   I7
IV   IV#º I   VI II   V I

Bridge:

I I I II   V
I IV I   V I


 
—The Greenbriar Boys' version
Well I just come here to tell you people I'm ragged but right
A thief and a gambler and I'm drunk every night
It's three porterhouse steaks each night and day for my board
More'n any flatfoot in your town can afford

Well it's a big electric fan to keep me cool while I sleep
A pretty little woman just to tickle my feet
I'm a rambler a gambler and I'm lit up every night
I'm a rootin' tootin' dope fiend, but right.

Bridge:
Oh, I go everywhere, I don't pay no fare
I can ride a freight train most everywhere
If I win or lose oh, I don't get the blues,
Oh a ramblin' joker that's me.

I got an ol' lazy hound dog who brings me my shoes.
He sleeps at my feet and we drink the same booze
Oh he's a rambling gambler, he gets drunk every night.
I tell you people we're ragged but right.

My house is bought with pawnshop tickets, red, white and blue
My clothes are made from zebra skins right out of the zoo
I got a mess of mash right in the back, I made it myself
And the hearts of all my girlfriends lyin' right there on the shelf

Well now I've sung my song, and I've given you a taste,
I'd like to linger longer but I got to make haste,
I'm always wheelin' and dealin' with plenty of feelin' and high as a kite,
I tell you folks I'm ragged but right.

I hopped on a freight train in North Caroline.
Rode down to Atlanta and bought me some shine.
Went into a card game with 39 cents,
And came out with enough for another month's rent.

Well you may think I'm bragging but don't get me wrong
I can't run for office while I'm singing this song
I'm a thief and a gambler and I'm drunk every night
I tell you boys I'm ragged but right.

'Cause I'm a ramblin' man, a gamblin' man, and Lord, am I tight!
I just called to tell you that I'm ragged but right.

Mr. Spaceman

Jim,

—Jim McGuinn

Woke up this morning with light in my eyes.
And then realized it was still dark outside
It was a light coming down from the sky
I don't know who or why

Must be those strangers that come every night
Those saucer shaped lights put people uptight
Leave blue—green footprints that glow in the dark
I hope they get home all right

Chorus:
Hey, Mr. Spaceman won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman won't you please take me along for a ride

Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
Had flies in my beard, my toothpaste was smeared
Over my window, they'd written my name
Said, so long, we'll see you again

Verse:

|:  I II V I  :|

Chorus:

V IV IIm I
V IV V I