Chords to "Traveling Down this Lonesome ROad"?

**FrDNicholas** · Jun-29-2012, 8:17am

Does anyone have a website that would give me the chords to this Bill Monroe song? I've got the words, but the way I'm hearing the chords didn't jive with the other musicians at our jam. I have googled it and found lots of sites with the lyrics, but none with the chords. THanks.

**AlanN** · Jun-29-2012, 8:35am

It basically stays on the I, with a passing V here and there. Just follow the vocal melody line.

**FrDNicholas** · Jun-29-2012, 9:34am

That's what I was hearing, but I'd like to have a printout so we could all agree at the jam session. Is there a website with the chords for this tune?

**Highlander** · Jun-29-2012, 10:40am

C Am
Slowly growing older
F G Am D
and I?ve said it all before
Dm G C
but I could need someone to talk to
Am
The sun still rises,
F G Am D
but things are not quite like they seem
Dm
I can't control myself
G *
awake or in my dream

CHORUS:
---------------------------------------------

Am G F
Going down that lonely road
C/E Dm G C
I wish I was going home
Am G F
I would do it all again
C/E Dm G C
if I just could be someone
C C/E Am
It's been like this for ages
F G Am
Cannot hear a word they say
F Am C
Crying on a sunny day

**Highlander** · Jun-29-2012, 10:41am

Another one, Key of D

D Bm
Slowly growing older
G A Bm E
and I?ve said it all before
Em A D
but I could need someone to talk to
Bm
The sun still rises,
G A Bm E
but things are not quite like they seem
Em
I can't control myself
A
awake or in my dream

CHORUS:

Bm A G
Going down that lonely road
D Em A D
I wish I was going home
Bm A G
I would do it all again
D Em A
if I just could be someone
D D Bm
It's been like this for ages
G A Bm
Cannot hear a word they say
G Bm D
Crying on a sunny day

**Highlander** · Jun-29-2012, 10:42am

Simply Google 'Chords, name of song', viola!

**FrDNicholas** · Jun-29-2012, 11:22am

Highlander, I appreciate your work there, but I am talking about a different song. I might have the wrong title, so please forgive me. The one I'm thinking of starts: I'm traveling down this lonesome road, or how I hate to go. The wind and storm are raging high and it's awful cold. My mind drifts back to you sweetheart.....

**FrDNicholas** · Jun-29-2012, 11:23am

Also, when I put chords and the song title into Google, I get sites that just have the lyrics, but no chords.

**swampstomper** · Jun-29-2012, 1:58pm

Highlander, your advice to Google is quite dangerous. There is all kinds of garbage on the internet. The so-called "bluegrass lyrics" sites all copy from each other and repeat the same mistakes. Same for chords and discographies. There *are* some good sources but one has to be careful. As for the Monroe "Travelling Down this Lonesome Road" it is indeed all I's and V's but there is plenty of opportunity to throw in a bVII on the way to the V, maybe that's what they're doing at your jam. The vocals really get some strange harmonies but the original chording is straight.

**Willie** · Jun-29-2012, 8:17pm

Daniel....I googled the song and along with the lyrics there is some u-tube videos on the right side margin and you can watch the pickers and see what chords they are making...I assume you know guitar chords as well as mnadolin chords...This is a very simple song and if you and your band are having a problem with it I wonder what you will do with some that have more difficult chord progressions...I don`t mean that to be smart but if you are in a band you should be able to figure this song out very easy....

Willie

**BradKlein** · Jun-30-2012, 12:53pm

This might be a good place to copy it. The band is playing in F, and you can see Mac barring the IV chord (Bb) and also sliding up the neck for the IV on the verse - he's playing the V chord (C) in first position.

And while you're at it - that tenor harmony is worth learning... and not so easy to get right.

**Mike Bunting** · Jun-30-2012, 2:32pm

Not to mention a great banjo solo, Bill Holden isn't it, on the banjo.

**FrDNicholas** · Jun-30-2012, 2:33pm

Brad, thanks that is a help. It's interesting that the lyrics Mac Wiseman is singing in this version differ from all the ones I found on the different websites. I'm sure over the years of playing a song, things change. I still wish there was a website devoted to Bill Monroe's music that would list the chords. Most of his songs I can hear the chord changes easily. Somehow this one escapes me. Oh well. Maybe I'll just go with the majority rules if I play this again at our jam session.

**AlanN** · Jun-30-2012, 5:31pm

Looks like that is Blake Williams on the 5-string. Good mando solo (no Loar).

**Mike Bunting** · Jun-30-2012, 5:52pm

Originally Posted by AlanN

Looks like that is Blake Williams on the 5-string. Good mando solo (no Loar).

I believe that you are correct. Thanks.

**mandolirius** · Jul-03-2012, 1:18am

It goes to the five the first time, the four the next two times then the five again.

In "F":

F/// C/F/
F/// Bb/F/
F/// Bb/F/
F/// C/F/

The Bb chords can be Bb7. I think the second one sounds good as a Bb7.

**Spencer** · Jul-03-2012, 4:12am

This song's a lot of fun to play on the mandolin, I've got our band going on it.

I always liked the fiddle work on the original a lot. Was that Chubby Wise or Vassar that played it, anybody know? I heard Vassar do it live it a jam session one time years later, WOW!

Spencer

**AlanN** · Jul-03-2012, 6:39am

This is one of them tunes that, unless the vocalist/guitarist can do it right, is best left to those that 'own' it. Other tunes that fall into this are Tennessee 1949, Rocky Top, Misery River, etc. These numbers will always be held up to the originals.

**mandolirius** · Jul-03-2012, 12:39pm

Originally Posted by Spencer

This song's a lot of fun to play on the mandolin, I've got our band going on it.

I always liked the fiddle work on the original a lot. Was that Chubby Wise or Vassar that played it, anybody know? I heard Vassar do it live it a jam session one time years later, WOW!

Spencer

Chubby.

**Joe Parker** · Jul-03-2012, 7:54pm

My favorite version of this tune is by the Dreadful Snakes. Blaine Sprouse on the fiddle and Roland White's mandolin playing are a real treat and the harmony vocals of Roland and Pat Enright are just plain strong! I never get tired of this record!

**onassis** · Jul-04-2012, 6:22am

So, on what recording would I find a Monroe version? Searching on Spotify, the only one I found was by Missy Raines - awesome version, I just like to hear the original whenever possible.

**BradKlein** · Jul-04-2012, 11:11am

It's on collections including "All the Classic Releases" and the Bear Family sets. But here's a discography with original release info.

**onassis** · Jul-04-2012, 1:59pm

Thanks, Brad! Much appreciated.

**mingusb1** · Jul-11-2012, 9:51am

I've always liked that song a lot.

As Alan said the singer/guitar player has to know and control songs like this for them to be right. One thing that I see a lot at jams is a song that hangs on the 1 chord can really fool some players. Some pickers are just so eager to put in a chord change! Anyway, that fiddle kick on the youtube link with Mac and Bill tells you all you need to know about the changes!

Lonliness and Desperation is another example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNSEiWXGPp8

Snappy mando break there Ronnie!

Z

**AlanN** · Jul-11-2012, 10:40am

Thanks for putting up that L&D clip, don't believe I had seen that one before. Great number, a very good version was done up by Mike Garris some years ago, with an excellent mandolin solo by one Marc McGlashan from the Baltimore area. Ronnie M was on a few cuts, as well. Also, Dawg.