Greg Brown's music and chords/tabs

lueders
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Sun May 26, 2013 4:31 pm

Hey Bob,

I have been tinkering with/trying to work out a bit of Telling Stories once again. I BELIEVE I have made some headway on the noodlier parts of the song...but who knows I've been wrong before. lol! B)

At any rate....I BELIEVE I know the Key he's in, the chords used, and the main runs and fills he uses in this tune. See what ya think?

P.S. How is Laughing River coming?







issaquahbob
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Mon May 27, 2013 1:01 pm

Good notes and comments there. It sounds like the way I've been working on it too. I am tuned down one full step so as I played along with you I found I was capo up to actually 7 but that's not important. I think we are on the right track with this one for sure and between the two of us and maybe the folks you mention we'll get it nailed down. I will continue messing with it but am not a total purist (my own worst enemy) so often stop short of trying to get it exact. I have soooo many songs I want to play that I often dilute my efforts by just being satisfied with being able to play it close (but no cigar) to the way Greg (or other favs like John Prine...) play their songs. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to show visually what you are doing too. It helps. I may have to try recording myself sometime with the video and posting. Was yours taken with just a phone? I have found that you can get pretty decent recordings just with a phone if there isn't too much other ambient noise to interfere.

Laughing River - getting close to finishing it. Got sidetracked over the weekend with some stuff as often happens. I will try to get it posted asap. I have both a D and a G version of this one that I've been working on and have tried, at least with the G version, to show how I'm playing some of the finger variations. Watched him play it on Hackelbarney Tunes DVD and can see that what I've got will end up just being an approximation but that should be at least a start for others to build on. I'd forgotten about the great songs he played on that and will be using the DVD to work on Poor Backslider, only using the C/G/D pattern rather than what I submitted years ago to the Steidl site.

Am also working on at least one other Greg song (Hillbilly Girl) since that is another one with nothing online. It is a simple song chord wise but getting the nuances (devil in the details) may be the hard part.


lueders
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Mon May 27, 2013 2:00 pm

Yep, i reckon an iPhone would work...Upload that sucker to YouTube and paste the link in here...it should work like gangbusters.
It doesn't have to be good quality...just something we can work from...as you put it: a starting point, notes etc. etc

As I tinker around with it I am picking some more bits and pieces...but I definitelyneed help nàiling down that picking pattern, as it changes throughout the song and is quite busy in places...


issaquahbob
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Tue May 28, 2013 1:33 pm

Ok, rather than my usual 'keep modifying till I get it perfect' here is a D version of Laughing River. Will try to get the G version posted later.


issaquahbob
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Tue May 28, 2013 1:35 pm

Try it again -


issaquahbob
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Tue May 28, 2013 1:36 pm

Not sure why it did not upload to post so will try to just paste in the word document

Laughing River – Greg Brown – capo approx. 3
D G* A D D* D

D D* D A D D* D
I'm goin away, 'cause I gotta busted heart.
D D* D A D Bm
I'm leavin' today, if my TravelAll will start.
G A7 D D* D
And I reckon where I'm headed, I might need me different clothes
D D* D A A7 D D*D
Way up in Michigan, where the Laughing River flows.
D D* D A A7 A* D

D D* D A D D* D
Twenty years in the minor leagues--ain't no place I didn't go.
D D* D A D Bm
Well I gotta few hits, but I never made the show.
G A7 D D* D
And I could hang on for a few years, doin what I've done before.
D D* D A A7* D D*D
I wanna hear the Laughing River, flowin' right outside my door.
D D* D A A7 A* D

D D* D A D D* D
My cousin Ray, said he's got a job for me.
D D* D A D Bm
Where the houses are cheap, and he knows this nice lady.
G A7 D D* D
He said she even saw me play once, said she smiled at my name.
D D* D A A7* D D*D
Well upon the Laughing River, could be a whole new game.
D D* D A A7 A* D







D D* D A D D* D
So goodbye to the bus, good bye to payin' dues.
D D* D A D Bm
Goodbye to the cheers, and goodbye to the booze.
G A7 D D* D
Well I'm trading in this old bat, for a fishing pole.
D D* D A A7* D D*D
I'm gonna let the Laughing River, flow right into my soul.
D D* D A A7 A* D

D D* D A D D* D
I'm goin away, 'cause I gotta busted heart.
D D* D A D Bm
I'm leavin' today, if my TravelAll will start.
G A7 D D* D
And I reckon where I'm headed, I might need me different clothes
D D* D A A7* D D* D
Way up in Michigan, where the Laughing River flows.
D D* D A A7* D D* D
Way up in Michigan, where the Laughing River flows.
D D* D A A7* D G D (slowed at end)
Way up in Michigan….


NOTES:
Harp at the end of each verse, looks to be a G harp if capo on 5 playing in D.
Underlined words are where emphasis goes to keep song cadence
D* is (x10032)
A* is (002222)
G* is (320033) – other G chords can be played like this or just 3-finger G (320003) as desired
A7 is either (002023) or (002223) or G shape in 5th fret


lueders
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Tue May 28, 2013 10:58 pm

Cool Bob, I appreciate your efforts. Haven't played through it yet but looks like pretty good. :)


issaquahbob
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Wed May 29, 2013 12:14 am

Thanks. It feels like it's pretty close to me but I think I prefer playing in G so I'll also post that here. I can get most of the same sounds and the voicing works better for me there. Also, I do think I have the harp key wrong for the D guitar key though. I was just playing with it in G with capo on 3 just a while ago and a Bb works perfectly. Have not yet gotten it to sound great yet but I know that is the harp key. Based on that the D capo on 3 is more likely an F harp so I'll have to test that out later. Here is the G version:

Laughing River – Greg Brown – capo approx 3 for voicing
G C D G G* G

G C G D D* G G* G
I'm goin away, 'cause I gotta busted heart.
G C G D D* G Em
I'm leavin' today, if my TravelAll will start.
C D7 D* G G* G
And I reckon where I'm headed, I might need me different clothes
G C G D D7 D** GG*G
Way up in Michigan, where the Laughing River flows.
C G D D7* G G*G

G C G D D* G G* G
Twenty years in the minor leagues--ain't no place I didn't go.
G C G D D* G Em
Well I gotta few hits, but I never made the show.
C D7 D* G G* G
And I could hang on for a few years, doin what I've done before.
G C G D D7 D** G G* G
I wanna hear the Laughing River, flowin' right outside my door.
C G D D7 D** G G* G

G C G D D* G G* G
My cousin Ray, said he's got a job for me.
G C G D D* G Em
Where the houses are cheap, and he knows this nice lady.
C D7 D* G G* G
He said she even saw me play once, said she smiled at my name.
G C G D D7 D** G G* G
Well upon the Laughing River, could be a whole new game.
C G D D7 D** G G* G


G C G D D* G G* G
So goodbye to the bus, good bye to payin' dues.
G C G D D* G Em
Goodbye to the cheers, and goodbye to the booze.
C D7 D* G G* G
Well I'm trading in this old bat, for a fishing pole.
G C G D D7 D** G G* G
I'm gonna let the Laughing River, flow right into my soul.
C G D D7 D** G G* G

G C G D D* G G* G
I'm goin away, 'cause I gotta busted heart.
G C G D D* G Em
I'm leavin' today, if my TravelAll will start.
C D7 D* G G* G
And I reckon where I'm headed, I might need me different clothes
G C G D D7 D** G G* G
Way up in Michigan, where the Laughing River flows.
G C G D D7 D** G G* G
Way up in Michigan, where the Laughing River flows.
G C G D D7 D** G C G (slowed at end)
Way up in Michigan….


NOTES:
Harp at the end of each verse, looks to be a Bb harp if capo on 3 playing in G. If tuned down 1 step, capo 5
On the C usually just hold the pinky on little e string 3rd fret as a C/g
Underlined words are where emphasis goes to keep song cadence
D* is (000210)
D** is (000202)
G* is (320013)


issaquahbob
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Wed May 29, 2013 10:23 am

Apologies that that spacing is off on both the G and D version of the chords. Cut/paste does not always do this justice. If I could figure out the upload I'd do the word version. Until I can figure out that I am happy to forward to anyone who gives me their email either or both in a word doc.


issaquahbob
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Sat Jun 01, 2013 12:35 am

If anyone is interested I'm trying to finalize the chord sheets for Freak Flag. Need some work in just a couple places and it will be ready to share for those interested.


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