Anyone have chords for Vincent Black Lightning?

[Darren Kern]

Thanks, I've spent a few minutes trying to figure it out on guitar but got stuck on a particular chord.. can't remember what any of them are now http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[csstanley]

It may be me, but it looks like he's doing a swing back and forth between a C chord and tapping the E string on G.

You should be able to swing something from that.

[duuuude]

Just noticed that the font is messing with the change placement, but you'll get the idea.

Found this on the web so it may or may not be correct, but it works for me:

A # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # D
Said Red Molly to James that's a fine motorbike,
D # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # A
A girl could feel special on any such like
A # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # D
Said James to Red Molly, well my hat's off to you
D # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #A
It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952
A # # # #E # # # # # # # # # # # # # D # # # #A
And I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems
E # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #D # # # # # # # #A
Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme
A # # #Bm # # # # # # #D # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # A
And he pulled her on behind and down to Boxhill they did ride

[csstanley]

On the Ricky Skaggs special for PBS a couple years ago. He did it in C.

But I don't know. I guess you could do it any way you like if your singing it.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Scotti Adams]

,,Ive never played it..Ive only heard it....it seems to be in the Key of C major...it holds in C..then F..then a Dm...thats pretty much the whole song....My ears havent ever failed me so Im pretty sure this is it.....of course there is always a first time for everything http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Martin Jonas]

For what it's worth, there are detailed guitar tabs of the original Richard Thompson version here (http://people.netcom.co.uk/r.kendrick/rt/guitar/tabs/rands/vincent.pdf). A bit tricky to play this on mandolin (t say the least), but the chords of that version are slightly more straightforward: (verse and chorus) G C G C G D C G D C G Am C C5 G (bridge) G G5 C5 Am F C5 Gsus G G5 C5 Gsus F G.

Martin

[Scotti Adams]

..and its probably safe to say that those are guitar positions with the guitar capoed at the fifth fret...allowing one to play a C chord in the G chord configuration...

[Darren Kern]

Thanks guys... I spent a few more minutes with it, and y'all are right- capo 5 and G, C, D and Am does the trick http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Jonathan Reinhardt]

Listen to RT on his "The Capitol Years" CD if you can. I learned alot from this, although I have heard him do it differently at other times, and have other versions in the library. I settled on key of D (no capo) for guitar, but haven't decided precisely the best key for me on mando yet. Del's version is just plain wonderful.
I don't change chords on the tail end of each line as soon as duuuude has posted - I let 'em hang ala Richard. The intro, break, and ending (up the neck and then down some) are very important to this song, so do study Richard's (and Ronnie's) instrumentals. I'll bet you can build one that is even more you, yet true (in spirit) to the original. With this song I think you just have to play it a few hundred times and you should have it pretty solid!!! It's a good song to know and pull out from time to time, but with discretion. It may be one of my least played songs after all that work.
good luck!!

rasa

[Darren Kern]

Rasa, thanks for the advice. I agree with you about playing it with discretion. I'm already thinking about backpacking a mando to my next Vulcan Rider's motorcycle get-together, I know they would like to hear that song http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[earthsave]

WE got a request to do this last night and the version we found on the web, our guitar player is a computer geek and brought it up on his laptop at the show, but the Key of A seemed a bit low to give the song energy. WE butchered it up pretty good.

Bumping it up a key or two should help... but then you gotta be able to sing in B or C. Dang Del and the boys makes it sound so easy.