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Thread: Little Maggie Question

  1. #1

    Default Little Maggie Question

    Hi folks.

    First of all, I can't recall ever posting a question like this. If I'm doing in the wrong place, I apologize.

    To my ears, the song 'Little Maggie' (as sung by Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs etc) is just two chords. If you are playing it in the key of 'A' for instance, the second played chord would be a 'G' chord. No other chords in the song.

    Recently, someone advised me (suggested that I might be a tone-deaf moron) that instead of just dropping the chord a whole step...lets say again A to G, the real chord there in this case is Em, not G. Also I'm told that immediately before returning to the original chord...A in this case, a brief E7 should be there to resolve back to A.

    None of this sounds right to me. I'm thinking maybe there are other versions/chord progressions of this song that I'm not familiar with. Trying to find a definitive answer through Google, Lyrics, Tabs, Chords etc leads to even fuzzier conclusions.

    Any help with this song? And is there any reliable place to find answers to these 'chord' questions?

    Thanks,

    Clark

  2. #2

    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    I always turnaround to the 5. I don't play the 6m I play the 7 chord.

    G F G D G
    Yonder stands Little Maggie, with dram glass In her hand.

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  4. #3
    Registered User Ky Slim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    GGFFGDGG is probably the most common way of doing it.

    I think that your "someone" who advised you might be hearing this: GGFDmGDGG. Sometimes the banjo might kind of do a walk down from the F chord and I guess it could be heard as a Dm or a D chord. I don't think it would be played with that Dm or D emphasized every time around but people do play things differently.

    Shame on this "someone" if they really "suggested you were a tone def moron." That song could be 2 chords in my opinion but most people use three.

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  6. #4

    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Quote Originally Posted by Ky Slim View Post
    Shame on this "someone" if they really "suggested you were a tone def moron."
    No Ky Slim, no one actually said it. That was just my interpretation

    A few of the guys I jam with have 'their way' and that is the only way as far as they are concerned. Most of 'em are really well-meaning, good-hearted old buzzards though. And come to think of it...not much older or crankier than I am!

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  8. #5
    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Hey, Flatrock, I'm with you on this. 2 chords. Throwing in the Em and E7 makes the song sound real sweet, which I don't like. The two chord version sounds nice and rough and in your face. But I first heard this tune from the Kingston Trio, so I guess I am just as much an old fuddy duddy as anyone else.

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  10. #6
    Registered User Ky Slim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    I gotcha Flatrock. We joke around about "sneaking in the minor chord". I always like it when somebody does it when it's unexpected and gives you this sly look like "ya like that?" like they did you a favor.

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  12. #7
    Chu Dat Frawg Eric C.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    We've always done it out of G, with an F chord thrown in there, turning around with a D. Have fun!

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  14. #8

    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric C. View Post
    We've always done it out of G, with an F chord thrown in there, turning around with a D. Have fun!
    Thanks Eric.

    Maybe it's like 'In the Pines'. You guys are thinking 'Cobain' and I'm thinking 'Monroe'. Differn't but fun either way.

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  16. #9
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    If I'm not mistaken Stanley brothers recorder it with Dm as Ky Slim said. These old tunes are played differently depending on which side of the ridge you live on. I've found that the main thing is for the whole band to play the same chords at approximately the same time.

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  18. #10
    Professional Green Horn WmBuoymaster's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Old post but it answer what I was looking at online.

    Father in law plays this in G on banjo as does my mother in law on flat top. So..it was only natural that when I asked him for a good song my teacher can help me with and have a F chord in it, "Little Maggie son!".. " That's what you need to play" is what he said. Haha. So this leads me to me question...

    I know what the chords are but I'd like to have a melody tabliture in G also. Since there are a TON of version, can anyone pass me or help me find something? All the ones out there are in A that im finding and i cant copy paste into a program to tranpos. I pretty much want to print 2 copies and hand my teacher 1. He did ask me to do this other wise I'd be looking for the sheets from him.

  19. #11
    Professional Green Horn WmBuoymaster's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Thanks in advance!
    The new Guy!

  20. #12
    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Here's a simple one.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	LM.abc.tef.pdf 
Views:	229 
Size:	8.2 KB 
ID:	154116
    dunno why the thumbnail is black but it opens ok
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

  21. #13
    Professional Green Horn WmBuoymaster's Avatar
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    Default Re: Little Maggie Question

    Quote Originally Posted by HonketyHank View Post
    Here's a simple one.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	LM.abc.tef.pdf 
Views:	229 
Size:	8.2 KB 
ID:	154116
    dunno why the thumbnail is black but it opens ok
    Sweet!!!!! Thanks man!

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