Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song

Subject: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,Gustav
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 07:09 PM

Hey

Do any of you know the chords or tab to Townes van zandts version of Cuckoo?

This is the version; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqk5aA6SPcc

Gustav

Subject: LYR ADD: The Coo Coo (as done by T. Van Zandt)
From: pdq
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 08:14 PM

The Coo Coo"

Oh, the Coo Coo, she's a pretty bird, and she warbles when she flies
But she never hollers "coo coo" till the fourth day of July.

Said Jack o'Diamonds, well Jack o'Diamonds, well I know you of old,
Honey you robbed me of my silver and out of all my gold,
All of my gold, all of my gold.

Well, Jack o'Diamonds, oh Jack o'Diamonds, oh I know you of old,
Honey, you robbed me of my silver and out of all my gold.

Said the cuckoo, she's a cruel bird, and she warbles when she flies
And every time that she passes, my true love says good-bye,
Well, says good-bye, well says good-bye,
Ooh, ooh, ooh, whoo, ooh ...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 09:31 PM

As I recall, the song has a two chord structure. In Am the other chord is Em.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,SirCoughsalot
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 09:35 PM

I play it Am and G. It's pretty simple. What makes the song is the fills that are played between lines.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 09:37 PM

Em is the relative minor of G. The TvZ version seems to avoid the major chord.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: pdq
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 09:54 PM

I think the original US version was by Clerence Ashley, 1929, who played it in A modal on the banjo.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 11:25 PM

Good eye/ear, pdq. (Great to see you posting and Merry Christmas, btw.)

The modal omits the third all together--and the third decides major or minor.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,Gustav
Date: 28 Dec 11 - 08:00 AM

Great!

You have any idea of how some of the fills are played tabwise?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: PHJim
Date: 28 Dec 11 - 10:49 AM

Townes seems to be playing in C# minor, probably Dm tuned one fret low or Am capo IV. You can get an approximation of his fill in Dm by pulling off the second fret of the 3rd string then playing the 4th string third fret then open. In Am it would be the same thing on the 4th and 5th strings. Use lots of hammers while you're singing.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,Gustav
Date: 28 Dec 11 - 06:14 PM

Its a bit tricky to get it right, if I play it with capo on forth - do I still play am and g?

Thanks for the answers by the way!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: PHJim
Date: 29 Dec 11 - 02:42 PM

Am and G will work as will Am and Em. You only need the capo IV to play along with the Townes recording. Otherwise just capo (or don't capo) to suit your vocal range.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Townes Cuckoo Song
From: GUEST,Gustav
Date: 30 Dec 11 - 08:02 AM

Sounds right, thanks Phjim