Cannonball Blues - 11 bar?

[kvk]

Found this page on the Carter Family Tune "Cannonball Blues" http://betty.hypermax.net.au/cannonballblues.htm
I'm trying to figure it out.
Intermixing the chords with lyrics doesn't do it for me. I gotta see the measure blocked out; particularly for the instrumental part. I tried doing it here--
(click the link) http://users.rcn.com/kvk/cannonball.html

I'm trying to figure out if I counted it correctly. That look right? Is it 11 bars and just sounds funny cause some of the lyrics don't start right on the downbeat or did Mabel stick in some extra beats somewhere?

[acousticphd]

I haven't heard the Carter version, but two other related versions I know (Cannonball Blues, and McKinley Blues/White House blues) each have 12 bars. #There are lots of variations in the words and verses used; those you're looking at just need some pauses and sustaining notes to fit the 12 bars, for eg:


Oh,
1. / # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # /
Listen to the train ....
2. / # # # # # # #/ # # # # # # # / # # # # # #/
coming down the line,
3. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # # / # # # # # #/
trying to make up...........
4. / # # # # ##/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # # # # / #
all of her lost time, from Buffa-
5. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # /
lo .......#.............#.....to Washing-
6. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # # /
....ton. (G7)
7. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
©
8. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
(G)
9. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
©
10. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
(G) (D)
11. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
(G)

[acousticphd]

And I don't know why my "C" chords came out looking like "copyright" symbols....

[acousticphd]

I haven't heard the Carter version, but two other related versions I know (Cannonball Blues, and McKinley Blues/White House blues) each have 12 bars. #There are lots of variations in the words and verses used; those you're looking at just need some pauses and sustaining notes to fit the 12 bars, for eg:


Oh,
1. / # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # /
Listen to the train ....
2. / # # # # # # #/ # # # # # # # / # # # # # #/
coming down the line,
3. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # # / # # # # # #/
trying to make up...........
4. / # # # # ##/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # # # # / #
all of her lost time, from Buffa-
5. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # /
lo .......#.............#.....to Washing-
6. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # # /
....ton. (G7)
7. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
©
8. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
(G)
9. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
©
10. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
(G) (D)
11. / # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/ # # # # # #/
(G)

[Hog on Ice]

And I don't know why my "C" chords came out looking like "copyright" symbols....

Jeff, it's the same thing that converts the smiley symbol (a colon and a close parenthesis into a . A "c" in parenthesis is converted into a ©. There are others, but I don't think they'd be confused with chord notation.

You can turn it off by unchecking the "Do you wish to enable emoticons" checkbox on the left side of the reply editor before you post the message.

c~

[GVD]

If you get the chance listen to Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas's version of this classic on the "Yonder" CD.

GVD

[AlanN]

No sure it's the same tune, but I have on old Larry Sparks show where he ***picks*** this. Has the deft Randy Jones on mandy.

[Moose]

I believe this number is also on one of the Flatt 'n Scruggs "live at....." albums. I saw them do it live - years ago. Earl played a small Gibson!! - also using it on their Gospel numbers. What a group! - What wonderful music!

[acousticphd]

If you get the chance listen to Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas's version of this classic on the "Yonder" CD.

I definitely 2nd that recommendation; I learned the Cannonball Blues version from that CD. Another cool variant is the version of McKinley Blues, by Norman Blake, Tut Taylor, and a bunch of others. I taped this off the radio and don't know the recording offhand.

[kvk]

You sure as heck confused me as it looks like the verse you scored has 18 bars, six lines of three bars each.

I tried counting it out again and I get 12 bars for the verse and 10 for the instrumental refrain at the end of the verse (this is counting the G7 measure with the three hits at the beginning of the instrumental as the last bar of the verse). This is from 1962 Jerry Garcia version from a scratch old coffee house recording.


<span style='font-family:Courier'>Verse:
G G G G
&#124; Wash up my &#124; shirt and my &#124; dirty over &#124; alls. I'm &#124;

G G C C
&#124; riding on that &#124; train that they &#124; call the cannon &#124; ball. Honey &#124;

G D G G7
&#124; babe, &#124; I'm leaving &#124; you. &#124; / / / &#124;


Instrumental refrain at end of verse:
&#124; C &#124; C &#124; G &#124; G7 / / / &#124;

&#124; C &#124; C &#124; G &#124; D &#124;

&#124; G &#124; G &#124;

(the "/" indicate the hits that kick off the instrumental refrain.)

See that train it's comin' down the track.
Takin' me away but it ain't a bringin' me back.
Now I'm gone, I'm solid gone.


Gonna up North. I'm gonna go next fall.
If my luck don't change, I won't be back at all.
Honey, babe, I'm leaving you.

My babe done left me, she even took my shoes.
I ain't got nothing but them dirty no good blues.
Now She's gone, She's solid gone.

See that train it's comin' down the track.
Takin' me away but it ain't a bringin' me back.
Now I'm gone, I'm solid gone.</span>