Chords:Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem-T.Sands

Subject: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wri
From: threelegsoman
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 07:40 AM

I am usually pretty good as working out the chord progressions to songs for myself, but this one has me stumped. Watching the Irish Rovers video is no help as I cannot work out a lot of the chords they are using. I would be grateful for help with this from mudcatters as I have not been able to find them on a site anywhere else.

Thanks in anticipation,

Tony

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YouTube

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: threelegsoman
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 07:42 AM

My description of the title was cut short, it should have read
"Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem" written by Tommy Sands

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 20 Nov 12 - 06:43 AM

This is what I hear, not "a lot of chords":

Verse (first half initially missing):
D D D D
G D D A
G D D Bm
D D D A A

D D D D
G D D A
G D D Bm
D D A D

Chorus:
G D Em7 Bm
D D A D

The Em7 briefly resolves into something like Em+6.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: threelegsoman
Date: 20 Nov 12 - 07:51 AM

Thank you very much Grishka that seems to fit well. I can give it a go now.

Kind regards from the Isle of Man,

Tony

Subject: Lyr Add: BUSHES OF JERUSALEM (Tommy Sands)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Nov 12 - 01:11 PM

Since we don't have the lyrics posted at Mudcat, I might as well add them here:


DOWN AMONG THE BUSHES OF JERUSALEM
(Tommy Sands)

Come listen, gentle Christians, and good Jews and Gentiles too,
And all denominations; a song I'll sing to you.
It's all about a young man, a rebel through and through,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem,
    Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.

Born of honest parents, and below a shinin' star,
The word went round the country and they came from near and far.
The royal fam'ly worried he might undermine their pow'r,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.
They slaughtered all the children, ev'ry one that they could find,
Just that they'd be sure that they would kill the rebel child,
But somehow he deceived them, all the soldiers fierce and wild,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem,
    Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.

He grew into a strappin' lad and helped around the home,
But voices they kept callin' and he was inclined to roam.
The losers and the boozers he would count among his own,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.
"As far as I can see, you see," the Pharisee did say,
"You know your Bible fairly well; you'll make a priest someday,
But you better toe the line, me boy, or there'll be hell to pay."
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem,
    Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.

He met the Mary Magdalene; a lovely girl was she.
"Oh, look who's comin' now," they said, "the girl of no degree."
"I'd rather have her near me more than your hypocrisy,"
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.
He went into the churches and he saw the shinin' gold,
And people there were starvin' wi' the hunger and the cold.
He talked about injustice; "Just be careful," he was told.
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem,
    Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.

"Well, if you are a rebel and no Judas," he did say,
"Come burn the Roman Empire down; we'll change the flag today."
"It's the human heart I'm changin'," this young rebel he did say.
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.
We're takin' him to Calvary; it's easier, you see,
Than try an' turn the other cheek and love thine enemy.
We're loyal to our own crowd, to our scribes and Pharisee,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem,
    Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
    Down among the bushes of Jerusalem.


[Tommy Sands recorded it under the title BUSHES OF JERUSALEM on his album "To Shorten the Winter" (2006). Bohola (Jimmy Keane and Pat Broaders) also sing it on their album, "Bohola" (2008).]

Written by Tommy Sands
As sung by The Irish Rovers on "Another Round" (2005) and "Merry Merry Time of Year" (2011)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: threelegsoman
Date: 21 Nov 12 - 07:48 AM

Thanks Jim, I already had the lyrics, it was the chords I needed.
Have them now and will be uploading my version tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 21 Nov 12 - 09:23 AM

In a later Irish Rovers concert, the beginning of the last verse seems to run

"Well, if you are a rebel, man," old Judas he did say,

which makes more sense to me. It would not be the first time that slips in the lyrics have been left in a published recording.

The text obviously follows a tradition, popular in the whole Christian world, to compare the frustrating fate of one's own ethnicity to the innocent suffering of Jesus. The part of the message about the other cheek is not equally popular; from time to time the conclusion goes to the contrary, since changing the human heart (of one's opponents) is proclaimed as hopeless.

Other religions have similar ambiguities, rooted in the "human heart". Peace and justice can certainly be achieved to some degree, but miracles and ressurections may not the best guides there, I am afraid.

Everybody can take good examples from successful peace processes.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: threelegsoman
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 04:36 AM

Thanks for all the help. I have now uploaded my version which can be found by following the link:

threelegsoman 'Down Among The Bushes of Jerusalem'

Subject: RE: Chord Req: 'Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem' wr
From: MartinRyan
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 04:45 AM

Hadn't heard this one before. Bit of a touch of Rye-rogerum about it!

Regards

Subject: RE: Chords:Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem-T.Sands
From: AnneMC
Date: 25 Dec 13 - 10:58 PM

Anybody know what reel the Irish Rovers play as a bridge or instrumental part between a couple of verses?

Subject: RE: Chords:Down Among the Bushes of Jerusalem-T.Sands
From: AnneMC
Date: 28 Dec 13 - 12:37 AM

Well, I found it after a long search - the reel is called The Foxhunt.