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spanish johnny - dave bromberg cover


flatbaroque

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Discovered this song a couple of days ago.I heard it on Pandora and knew I wanted to learn it.No tabs online so I tried to work it out.I thought it was drop d...but couldn't get it to sound right.Finally worked out the e has been dropped to c.Because the song alternates between d and c chords this allows a drop d on the d chord by thumb fretting e string on 2nd fret and a drop c on the c chord by playing e string open.This gives a very eerie continuous drone.

Lyrics are special too based on an early 1900's poem by Willa Cater.Dave Bromberg's live version is a classic.I used my Martin OM...nice on these drop tunings...long scale.

 

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Discovered this song a couple of days ago.I heard it on Pandora and knew I wanted to learn it.No tabs online so I tried to work it out.I thought it was drop d...but couldn't get it to sound right.Finally worked out the e has been dropped to c.Because the song alternates between d and c chords this allows a drop d on the d chord by thumb fretting e string on 2nd fret and a drop c on the c chord by playing e string open.This gives a very eerie continuous drone.

Lyrics are special too based on an early 1900's poem by Willa Cater.Dave Bromberg's live version is a classic.I used my Martin OM...nice on these drop tunings...long scale.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOchp40tVro&feature=c4-overview&list=UUZrXjgVD9vHgM6GffzUhRGQ

 

Sounds complicated c>f>s>g.?

 

I can't get the video to keep playing, FB, so I will have to listen when everyone gets off the mainline later....maybe you can reduce you video output settings so i can listen - Phony tony's run all the way through? Might just be an iPad thing again?

 

 

BluesKing777.

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"Sounds complicated c>f>s>g.?....."

Cheers BK, not quite following the above.Not sure if your ipad is typing something funny? Just standard tuning low E dropped to C.

Yea sorry about the file size, its big..I set the Zoom to the lowest setting but it's still hi def.I'd be happy to see my visage blurry as long as the sound was ok but it doesn't give that option.

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Feckin brilliant again FB .....

 

never heard the song or the singer.before..but what a song.I prefer your version much more than the live yoobtube clip I watched of Mr Bromberg

 

i have been lookin for a progression for one of my songs for a while..and I think this is it...ha...your helping me out lots lately owld mucker

 

good on ya

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Thanks Sal good that you got to see DB... whoops I had to edit this cause I thought DB was no longer with us...Not sure who I was thinking of...Dave's still here - a true all rounder in the guitar world.

 

BBG thanks for the Neil rattler...great song!

 

Prairie, maybe the string gauge on the J-200 was too light to handle the drop?

The chord is a form of g - I fret it like this 75700x I think.I wasn't sure exactly how DB played it but that seemed to work.

 

Del there is some sweet symmetry in you pinching some of those chords...I came to this song using Pandora...the free online radio streaming thingo...so you type in an artist and it plays that artist and what it deems to be similar artists...i'd typed in Bert Jansch...first song that came on was Blues run the game...then this one came on.I only got into Bert through you and BBG, who gave me CD recommendations.

There's almost one of your bloody zen koans there "The Eternal Wheel of Bertie"

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I tried that dropped C thing last night on my J-200; sounded terrible - way too slack for some reason. Maybe it's a Martin song; guess I'll try it on my 28 and see what happens. I/quote] The J200 is long scale, so should be able to better handle the low tuning. What kinda strings you got on it? Maybe if you took the low E up a gauge? Ah-- point had been covered. There you go.

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Rambler you seem to play a lot a these older and a bit unknown songs - good o

Totally by accident, FB. I was following Bromberg because of the Gary Davis connection --blues. I tracked down My Own House, and there was... Spanish Johnny. Such a great song. It's cut from the same cloth as Norman Blake's Bill Grey, only better. I could pick it, kinda, but didnt have the vocal, not like y'all. Cheers, R
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Thanks PM and Rambler for having a listen.

PM it's a good song, probably only lacking a bloke buying a dog from a gypsy [smile]

 

 

 

 

Don't knock it man, many a man has bought a dog from a pikey..... The dog probably sold them clothes pegs, robbed them, then nipped off home, but didn't mean it didn't happen. :D :D

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I like this rendition a lot. You make it sound authentic and serious. Songs like this are not intended to make people get-up and dance and feel bubbly and good. They're intended for people to listen to and think about things that are serious: like life and death. Real nice job on this, FB.

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FB: I did, and while I love it when you and Bromberg do it, I haven't yet found a way to love it when I do it. Over the years I've gotten soft and lazy and regressed to lights over mediumsit
. PS -- have you tried just changing the bass string? I play a hybrid set on all my gits, lights with mediums on the hi and lo Es (Ive heard that called 'true medium'). Gives you some girth where you need it but leaves the middle more mallable. Id especially recommend it for the J200--- the extra pull would help get the top moving, wouldnt have to dig in as much (there's lazy and lazy, when you think about it).

 

As for the pick on the song, get that alternating bass going for the pulse, the rest will fall into place. R

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