Learned from Old Blind Dogs Gab O' Mey CD...
I believe this is a Bothy Ballad which were extended stories told via songs which can sometimes be quite lengthy.
The liner notes said it's a night visiting song from Aberdeenshire.
Jim Malcolm tends to favor a DADGAD tuning (see bottom of page), however, it is possible to fake your way through this tune using just the first position chords and standard tuning. The MIDI file is done using standard tuning, note the bass line inverts a few chords along the way, I included a fragment of that and for educational purposes...
This tune has a wonderful modal quality...
Additional note this Old Blind Dog's version of this tune has a bit of a swing
feel to it which the MIDI file
I created (from the notation below -- I stripped the gif down to just a lead
sheet format for inclusion here) doesn't, however, it will help show where the
chords fit against the contour of the melody, and I included the lyrics below.
. Treat the strong eighth on the down beat a sort of a dotted eighth and the
weak (upbeat) as a sixteenth with less emphasis, i.e, it will make it swing.
An observation: when I listen to the recording, at least to my ears, Jim's strumming
pattern kind of reminds me a little of Led
Zeppelin's Battle of Evermore (On Led Zeppelin IV, aka
ZOSO album)...
discussion or questions CLICK HERE ;)
The chords are all in first position. I tend to play the inner four strings on the intro, which vamps between A minor and A sus 4 (played by placing pinky in the third fret on the B string while holding down a standard A minor chord voiced: open (A), middle 2nd fret (D), ring 2nd fret (G), and index 1st fret (B) (Chord tone names: Root A, Fifth E, Root (at octave) A, and minor third C)
Intro: Vamp on A minor (Beats 1 and 2) and A sus 4 (Beats 2 and 4)
(Amin) As I cam in by Monymusk
And (Fmaj) doon by Alford's dale
A (Amin) sad misfortune happened to me
And I (Fmaj) think nae shame to (Gmaj) tell
Chorus: (after each verse):
(Amin) Fal to too ril
(Emin) Fal to **(Fmaj) too ril --
(Dmaj) aye do
Hang on the D which will last for two full bars...
Note: I like the F here on beat four, and the chord
is implied by Buzzby McMillan's bass line on the recording, however,
if you wish to hang on E minor instead, either way works and Traditional and
Folk music is open to interpretation based on individual tastes and playing
styles.
Interludes stay A minor and then G As
note I like the F here, but you can omit and hang on Emin instead, either way works.
I gaed in by Monymusk
The moon was shining clear
And I held on to Lethendy
To see my Maggie dear
(Chorus)
I did gang when I did think
That a' were sleepin' soun'
But plague upon yon auld wife
For she cam' slinkin' doon
(Chorus)
Sae cannily she slipped the lock
And set the door agee
Then crawled upon her hands and knees
To see what it could be
(Chorus)
Then to the bells wi' a' her micht
Sae loud she made them ring
'Til faith, I thocht aboot my lugs (ears)
The biggin she would bring
(Chorus)
And when she saw I wouldna slip
She ran to her guidman Says,
"There's a lad into the hoose
And this I winna stand
(Chorus)
Optional -- Interlude and instrumental
Chords: A minor... Then move to G...
For it's a most disgraceful thing
It would provoke a saunt
To see a' the servant girls wi' lads
When the gentle anes maun want
(Chorus)
Providence has acted wrang
Sic pleasures for to gie
Tae ony servant lad or lass
Just working for a fee"
(Chorus)
The auld man, he cam ben himsel
And he pushed ben his heid Guidfaith,
I thocht it was a ghost
Just risen frae the deid
(Chorus)
He'd duddy drawers upon his legs
He'd on a cap o' white
And he'd a face as lang's my leg
And in his hand a ligh
(Chorus)
He's ta'en me by the shoulders broad
And pushed me out o' doors
Thinks I, my auld lad, I'll come back
When sleepin' gars (makes) ye snore
(Amin) Fal to too ril (Emin) Fal to too ril (Dmaj) aye do
(Amin) Fal to too ril (Emin) Fal to too ril (Dmaj) aye do
(Amin) Fal to too ril (Emin) Fal to too ril (Dmaj) aye do
Hang on Aminor, end on a G
Patrick MacFarlane's DADGAD page
Mark Hanson's DADGAD article on Accent on Music and
The Guitar Suite DADGAD chord chart by Adam Long.
You'll find links to other guitar as well as DADGAD sites from these...