If I was to have just one wish and I knew that wish was to come true, I would wish... I would wish that everyone in this world would love me just like I love everyone in this world. Man, what a cool world this would be! - Mississippi John Hurt, quoted by Dick Waterman, Sing Out! , February/March 1967
Hi all, I think that most musicians in the style choose to play a given song out of one particular playing position or tuning, but there are some instances of players re-recording a song and playing it in a completely different position/tuning than that in which they first recorded the song. I thought it might be interesting to note such instances here. Just to get the ball rolling, one I encountered recently in the course of transcribing a song for a lesson is Pink Anderson's "Every Day of the Week". The version I had previously transcribed was from one of the three volumes on Prestige Bluesville devoted to him, and he played it out of E position in standard tuning. I had a student request a transcription of the version he did on the split album with Rev. Davis, "Gospel, Blues, and Street Songs", and I found out when listening to that version that Pink played the song out of G position in standard tuning there. Can folks think of other instances of players recording the same song out of two or more different playing positions on different occasions? All best, Johnm
John Hurt played "Corinna" out of both C and D position, if I remember right. Also there's Spanish and Vestapol versions of "If You Don't Want Me, Baby."
Mance Lipscomb played "You Rascal You" out of C and D both, and also "Louise," I believe out of drop D and E (I'll have to double check that one). Misremembered that last one. He did play "See See Rider" out of C and E also.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2016, 12:52:27 PM by banjochris »
Hi all, Snooks Eaglin did a version of "Driftin' Blues" in F position in standard tuning on his old "New Orleans Street Singer" album on Folkways, and when the album was issued in a CD version a few years back, they included an alternate version Snooks recorded at the same sessions that he played out of E position in standard tuning. They are pretty different from each other. All best, Johnm
Booker White recorded The Panama Limited in Vastapol, then later recorded Streamline Special, which is more or less the same song, in Crossnote. A small change maybe, but still different. RL Burnside recorded Going Down South a number of times in E position, but there is footage of him in the early 70?s playing a swinging version which I?ve seen described as A minor. It?s in the Fat Possum ?You See Me Laughing? documentary.
Rev Gary Davis plays Slippin' 'til my Gal Comes in Partner out of C (if I'm not mistaken) on Disc 2 At Home 1962-67 and out of E on a recording from Columbia University 1958-59
Rev Gary Davis plays Slippin' 'til my Gal Comes in Partner out of C (if I'm not mistaken) on Disc 2 At Home 1962-67 and out of E on a recording from Columbia University 1958-59
Those are both in E position, but in the performance on At Home and Church, his guitar (a 12-string) is tuned low.
Hi all, Furry Lewis recorded "I Will Turn Your Money Green" in Spanish on his first recording of it, but later on the Prestige-Bluesville recordings played it in his EAEGBE tuning (though tuned low). All best, Johnm