Hi all
I was asked to play this tune, out of the blue, last week-end, with a group I was sharing the gig, and since I have actually never played it before, I decided to study it a little further, so I would be a little better prepared for the next time (there's no better motivator, than the fear of screwing up in public).
Once again, Weenie Campbell proved to be a great resource.
Thanks for Johnm to point to the surprising major key melody on Buell Kazee's version. That sure is a unique take on the tune. I found out, that according to Wikipedia Kazee's 1927 version was preceded with one by Eva Davis in 1924, and Ernest Stoneman in 1925.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hardy_(song)
The Stoneman version was posted earlier in this thread by Lastfirstface, see p. #1. What's interesting is that the earliest known recording by Eva Davis is also sung in the major key, although she does this a little differently, going up to the to the octave root note, and using the major VII note more as a passing note against the IV chord, so the effect is much less striking than in Kazee's version.
It sounds to me, like the Stoneman version is combining these two approaches: the violinist seems to play the melody in major key as I've described above with Eva Davis' case, but Stoneman seems to sing it in the mixolydian mode, with the bVII note.
Anyway, some other noteworthy versions might be by from Clarence Ashley:
SOLO
John Hardy was a desperatin' man, and he
Carried a gun ever' day
He killed him a man at the Shawnee Town
But you oughta seen John Hardy gettin' away
You oughta seen old Johnny gettin' away
BANJO INTERLUDE
John Hardy come tippin' down the street one day
With a .44 gun in his hand
"Kill me a man at the Shawnee Camp",
But they slapped John Hardy back in jail
They slapped old Johnny down in jail
BANJO INTERLUDE
Says, "I don't want your fifteen cents
With your quarter in my change.
All I want is my .44 gun,
Gonna shoot out another man's brains,
Gonna shoot out another man's brains."
BANJO INTERLUDE
Says, "It's where did you get your high-heeled shoes,
And your dress you wear, so fine?"
Got my shoes from a real good man,
Got my dress out of a driver in the mines,
Dress out of a driver in the mines."
BANJO INTERLUDE
John Hardy was a brave young man
And he carried a gun and a knife
Do you think I was at the Shawnee Camp
When he took the other man's life,
When he took the other man's life?"
BANJO INTERLUDE
John Hardy said to his dear little wife,
Says, "Go back home and stay.
Kill me a man at the Shawnee Camp,
Got to make my get-away,
Got to make my get-away.?
BANJO INTERLUDE
HUMMED VERSE
by Frank Fairfield:
Here's a guitar version by Leadbelly. I like how he sticks with only two chords the IV and I.
I noticed that there is also a tendency (although I don't know how widely spread, or how recent) to play the tune in a minor mode, more precisely in Dorian mode, where you have Im, IV7, and Vm chords. Pete Seeger does one such version here, I think, although he plays what sounds like a major I chord between the choruses, if I'm not mistaken.
Here's Pat Conte playing what i believe is a Dorian version, with a banjo. It's a little hard to hear what he plays for a IV chord, but I think it sounds like a major IV7 chord on his instrumental breaks:
Anyway, I'm again thankful for what I found out about the song here, and I hope that some of you might enjoy my thoughts.
Here's a (subjective) playlist I made on YouTube, with the songs discussed in this thread + a few more. I might add to it, if there is more discussion here or elsewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNEJV1lNKyyXO_vva4xmc5UKgwHS7ZvCnCheers
Pan