Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)

Subject: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: GUEST,Iona-not-logged-in
Date: 01 Nov 15 - 12:47 PM

I'm looking for chords for this song, written by Nick Kier and recorded by the McCallmans.

The Song Of The Plough
(Nick Keir)
Turn, turn, the seasons turn
The children sport and play
But the ploughman's first to feel the wind
And the sun at the break of day

Just as the sun is rising so we must rise and plough
And tend and feed the plough-team that stands so still and proud
Their backs are strong as iron but their hearts are gentle and kind
And yoke them to the ploughshare and leave the farm behind

{chorus}

His hands are sore and calloused, he keeps them straight in line
His eye is sure and steady, his team well-matched and fine
The earth is hard and frosty as a mist comes from the sea
The open sky above him, the gulls for company

{chorus}

And when the land lies ready we'll scatter and we'll sow
And with God's help and sunlight the seeds shall surely grow
And when the harvest's ended we'll gather in the grain
A bushel for the springtime to sow the fields again

{Chorus}

And now the yoking's over, the long day's work is done
The horses are but shadows in the waning of the sun
The ploughman needs his sleep now for his back is weary and sore
Early he must rise again and to ploughing come once more


Source: http://mysongbook.de/msb/songs/s/songofpl.html

I'm new at guitar and can't pick out chords just by listening yet. Anybody got 'em? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: GUEST,Iona
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 03:56 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 30 Nov 15 - 04:29 PM

How soon do you need the chords and in what key?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: sleepyjon
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 08:14 AM

I listened to the McCallmans
on this link
and as best I can here's what they do.

They play in C chord shapes (which gives the accompaniment it's particular flavour) but with capo on the 4th fret so sounding in E. I've given the chords in C.

I don't know a recognised notation for this sort of thing so here's what I've done:

There are 4 beats in a bar: a bar is between | and |; to map onto what you hear, the start of the first verse would be: . . "Just| as the sun is | ri _ sing so |"

C = C major; Cm = C minor; C(G) would be C major with G at the bottom.

There are 2 issues:
- the chords for " . . stand so still and . . " in the first verse are not the same in all the verses.

- the chords for "Turn _ turn " in the chorus will sound rather bland because the harmony vocals are singing notes that are not in the chord whichever way you might look at it. (More about that if it matters!)

. . and finally:

Intro:
|C_G_|Am_Em_|F_G_|C_G_|

Versse
|C_CG_|C_F_|C_C(G)_|F_G_|
|C_C(G)_|C_F_|C_G_|F_G_|
|C_C(G)_|F_C_|Em(B)_Am_|Dm_G_|
|C_C()_|C_F_|C_G_|C_ _ _|
Chorus:
|F_G_|C_F_|C_C(G)_|C_G_|
|C_C()_|C_Am_|C_G_|C_ _ _|

. . I think!

SJ

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: sleepyjon
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 08:17 AM

Drat! - two sets of C() should have been C(G).
Sorry.

SJ

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 01 Dec 15 - 04:47 PM

Those are fine words, but I don't think much of the tune. Iona, try making up a new tune, one with easy chords that suit your own voice.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Dec 15 - 05:23 AM

I love the tune, both verse and chorus: the latter sounds fine without the harmonies too.
All a matter of taste!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: GUEST,Iona
Date: 09 Dec 15 - 09:44 PM

Whoa, hey! Refreshing a thread really pays off sometimes. Thank you so much, Jon! This is great. I can't wait to try out your chord transcription, and I'll let you know if I have trouble.

Leeneia, hee. Personally I love the tune. But I want to get to the point of understanding music to a degree where I *can* write my own tunes....

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Song of the Plough (Nick Keir)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 10 Dec 15 - 10:10 AM

That's a fine goal. Actually, creating a tune isn't hard. You just do it. The hard part is writing it down so it's preserved. But don't get discouraged, because reading music is not hard.

The hardest part is figuring out the timing (how long is each note?). But that skill will come in time.