Chord Req: Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark

Subject: Chord Req: Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark ?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Mar 17 - 11:07 PM

Hello kind forum members,

I'm trying to transcribe the acoustic demo of Sandy Denny's "By The Time It Gets Dark" off of the "I've Always Kept A Unicorn" compilation, but I'm having a hard time with the tuning.

Does anyone know definitively if this is in DADGAD? Or is this in a sort of open D with an F# at the top? (Side note: What sort of D tuning with a high F# are commonly used by folk guitarists?) Sometimes I hear a strummed D5 chord that you'd play with a middle finger on the second fret in DADGAD, but there's also some high A, G, and F# notes throughout that make me think it's not in DADGAD.

There's a guy on YouTube that's playing an arrangement in DADGAD, but although it sounds similar, he's not hitting those high notes. There's also Maartin Allcock, who sold a 1000-copy print run of "The Sandy Denny Complete Songbook" back 2005. Anybody have access to this and can tell me the tuning used in the version there?

I usually play bluegrass and Bill Frisell-esque americana jazz, but I'm new to folk with open tunings. I've played through some Nick Drake, Bert Jansch, and Martin Simpson TABs so far, but that's really it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time and expertise!

Subject: Lyr Add: BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK (Sandy Denny)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Mar 17 - 02:58 PM

I don't do chords, but I do lyrics, and it looks like the lyrics to this song have never been posted at Mudcat before, so we might as well have them here. Here's my transcription. This is a different recording than the one on "I've Always Kept a Unicorn" but I think it's close enough.


BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK
As recorded by Sandy Denny on "The Notes and the Words: A Collection of Demos and Rarities" (2012)

Baby, ev'ry cloud has a silver lining.
Baby, ev'ry dog really has his day,
And it matters to me to see you smiling.
Why don't we blow all your cares away?

Yesterday is gone and will be forgotten,
And today is where ev'ry new day starts.
Got to be free as the leaves in autumn.
You may be sad but it never lasts.

And maybe by the evening we'll be laughing.
Just wait and see all the changes there'll be by the time it gets dark.

We could go walking out in the sunshine,
Look at all the people out in the street,
Hurrying away to a business luncheon,
Waiting for a taxi for aching feet.

Light up your face, baby; let's get going.
Want to see a change in those weary eyes.
We'll have some fun, take a boat out rowing.
Why on earth should life be so serious?

And maybe by the evening you'll be laughing.
Just you wait and see all the changes there'll be by the time it gets dark.

And maybe by the evening we'll be laughing.
Just wait and see all the changes there'll be by the time it gets dark,
Mm, by the time it gets dark,
Mm-mm-mm, by the time it gets dark,
By the time it gets dark.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark
From: Reinhard
Date: 28 Mar 17 - 03:43 PM

According to Maartin's songbook it's DADF#AD

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark
From: michaelr
Date: 28 Mar 17 - 07:06 PM

How's that pronounced, then?

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark
From: GUEST
Date: 15 May 17 - 04:34 AM

I'm the original poster. Thanks to Reinhard for giving me the info from Maartin's book. Much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Sandy Denny - By The Time It Gets Dark
From: GUEST,Keith Danner
Date: 03 Jun 17 - 09:05 PM

The song appears to be capoed at the second fret, and in DADF#AD. I'm listening to the Yo La Tengo version, though.