Topic: Cherry Ball Blues

[Blue in VT]

Howdy all...

This is one of my all time favorite Mance Tunes..."Cherry Ball Blues"...also known as "Shake Shake Mama."  It has a very hypnotic feel to it and some funny lyrics.  I can't quite understand all of Mance's lyrics in the original so this is my take on a couple of the verses.  Like "Going Down Slow" this is done in Drop D but in the Key of A.  To match my vocals a little better I have a capo on the 1st fret.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8642363

I've been working on a very technical version of the classic rag "The Entertainer" which has been driving me crazy...so I set that aside for awhile and decide to record something that is more about feeling than technique.  I think a little of my frustration comes through in my singing and the drive of this tune... 

I need to work up a better ending though...

Enjoy!

Blue

[Norfolk Slim]

Catching up on some back porch posts....

I like this- its really atmoshpheric.  Id not thought of playing A in dropped D before either- I suppose its an obvious thing to try and there must be other examples- really nice way of getting some extra thump in the IV.

[Blues Vintage]

Nice playing and singing I can feel your searching for the lipscomb aura. Gotta love the metaphors in that song. I recorded this myself a while back. can't remember on wich tape I got it. I play it faster but not in dropped D.
You play a Larrivee OM guitar too!?

[Blue in VT]

 

Thanks guys....Its a great tune and being able to play that low D bass really adds a great quality to this tune.

Harry,

Yep I played this on my Larrivee OM-05MT!

Cheers,

Blue