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Steve Cantrell
Jun-28-2005, 6:16pm
I'd never heard this one before, but I recently ran across it on the Compton/Long show on Bluegrass Box--if you don't have it, download it--awesome stuff. Anyway--if anyone should know this tune could I get a hand with the chord progression? I think it would be a great one for my local jam but I've got to work it up first. Thanks much.

Steve Cantrell
Jun-29-2005, 7:35pm
I hope this isn't a breach of board rules, but I'm bumping this up and hoping for the best.

Brian Ray
Jun-29-2005, 8:46pm
I asked about this tune previously (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=3;t=20413;hl=lizzy)... but I too am not sure of the actual chords.

Steve Cantrell
Jun-29-2005, 8:53pm
You're right. That whole CD has been my mental soundtrack for the past few weeks, that song in particular. I'd love to be able to take that one to the jam next week.

KevinM
Jul-05-2005, 4:32pm
Here's what Mike had to say about that tune- I emailed him a while back about it, and I am sure he won't me posting the essence of his reply:

"The song "Sweet Lizzie" comes from a Document CD I have here on Tommie Bradley/James Cole groups. The configuration is known as "James Cole's Washboard Four". I thought it was a good enough tune to warrant further exploration, and found it to be a legitimate jazz number that was adopted by the washboard band. The song was originally written by Will Harris and Victor Young under the title "Sweet Sue". You will find several good versions of it done jazz band style, Bennie Goodman for one. The version you heard us fooling with was done in a different
key and only included the body of the tune. There is a long "...and here's the reason why" section at the first that a lot of songs in the 30's had, sort of a set-up if you will. It was not included in Cole's version."

But of course if you are as devoted a listener to those bluegrassbox recordings of C&L as I am, you already knew the waters run deep in there. You need to annotate these recordings there is so much depth.

Steve Cantrell
Jul-05-2005, 6:06pm
This is what he told me:
"Sweet Lizzie" is a take off of the old jazz standard "Sweet Sue", except
without the customary windup at the front. It is played out of C major. Here
are the chords:
The song starts in on the '5' chord, or G.
G G G7 G7 C C C C (2X)
C C7 F D G7 G7 C/G C
These chords represent the downbeat. Full measures. There is what we refer
to as a 'split bar' in the next to last measure. The only other thing I
might mention is that there might be confusion over the sound you hear in
the lead over the chords played in the section of C chord shapes. The melody
line suggests playing the relative minor to C major, that being A minor. But
that chord is not played by the rhythm section. Sort of the Monroe treatment
there, in that the chord changes do not necessarily reflect the lead line. I
think this makes such a simple melody more interesting to listen to. Have
fun."
Looks like we're on the way, Kevin.