Chords Req: Big Time Woman from Way Out West

Subject: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Mudlark
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 04:31 PM

This seems like such a simple song, but I can't seem to find the right chords for the bridge...or whatever you call the place in the middle where the tune changes (Oh the way she treats those NY Men, etc.) Mea culpa if it's someplace simple...I spent good Mudcat time searching for chords last night, to no avail.

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: harpgirl
Date: 06 Jun 02 - 08:16 PM

I think it modulates, Mudlark...

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Mudlark
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 12:27 AM

"...it modulates, Mudlark." Love the alliteration, Harpgirl, but haven't a clue as to what that means...self-taught porch picker here, just hacking around trying to figure out something that sounds right! The first part works well with A...B7...E(7)...but after that I get lost...and as you might expect (given my teacher), my repertoire of chords is limited.

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 05:40 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Noreen
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 06:05 PM

Saying it modulates just means that it goes into a different key- which I think you'd already worked out for yourself!

Couldn't find any chords on Google, sorry, and I don't know the song or I'd have a go for you.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: GUEST,bubbajo
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 06:08 PM

try a search at http://www.roughstock.com/cowpie/songsnf.html

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: harpgirl
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 06:19 PM

...listen to Leon Redbone's version here, Mudlark, if you haven't already. I've always sung it but when I get a chance, I'll sit down and see if I can figure it out on guitar. But some wizard should be able to do it faster....

http://music.deadbeatclub.com/country.htm

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 06:34 PM

Listening to harpgirl's link, it just goes to the relative minor. i.e. instead of 'A' (as you play it) go to F#m

Subject: Lyr Add: BIG TIME WOMAN FROM WAY OUT WEST (Crowley
From: Mudlark
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 06:54 PM

Thanks, everybody...will try F#m. Harpgirl...so THAT's what modulation means! Lots of great sounding titles, Bubbajo, at the link, even if I couldn't find BTW. I'm including words here, as it isn't in the directory...

BIG TIME WOMAN FROM WAY OUT WEST, Wilton Crowley

Who's that woman with a sparkling dress,
A diamond broacade on her chest?
She's a big time woman from way out west

Automobiles, a cozy home
But you always see her all alone
She's a big time woman from way out west

Oh, the way she treats those New York men
Oh, it's a sin
She keeps them asking the same darn thing all over again

Every fella has a winning smile
But she treats them all just like a child
She's a big time woman from way out west

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Noreen
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 07:23 PM

It's not the relative minor, Guest, it modulates into another major key.

I've worked out the progressions played on the recording linked to by Harpgirl, which goes as follows:

F...G...C...F // A(7)...D...G...C(7)

I'm having a bit more trouble transposing that into A, but I'll do it if no-one gets there before me.

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Noreen
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 07:29 PM

Done it:

A...B...E...A // C#...F#...B...E

(I'd worked it out to be that, theoretically, but was playing the wrong notes so it didn't sound right!)

Why does it remind me of George Formby's When I'm Cleaning Windows?!)

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Mudlark
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 02:56 AM

Noreen...thanks a lot for working on this. Oddly enough I can almost make the FGCF version work at the bridge, altho it doesn't quite sound right to me thru the "...all over again" part, but the ABEA version doesn't seem to work at all for me, except at a stretch the C#. I'll have to go back and listen to the recrd again, I guess...maybe I've been singing it wrong all these years...

And if the FGCF transposes correctly to ABEA, why doesn't the A7/D/G/C7 transpose to C7/F/B/E7? Prob'ly getting in over my head here, as I know nothing about music theory, so just ignore me...and thanks again for the chords.

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 06:44 AM

You're very welcome, Mudlark. You're right, more correctly I should have transposed to the 7ths, so the final version is as follows:

A...B...E...A // C#(7)...F#...B...E(7)As to why the A transposes to C# rather than to C, and the D to F# rather than F; give me a minute to phrase it comprehensibly...

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 07:38 AM

Hope this makes sense to you:

Transposing from F to A takes you up four semitones, so everything else has to go up four semitones too.

A to C is only 3 semitones, because there is only a semitone between B and C (no black note on the keyboard in between them), so go up another semitone to get to C#.

Likewise there is only a semitone between E and F, so D to F is only 3 semitones: go up another semitone to get to F#.

(I'd rather be explaining this with a keyboard in front of me- apologies if it doesn't come across well.)

Noreen

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: harpgirl
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 09:14 AM

...Lancashire lass/wizard nails it! Now I can play and sing it too. Thanks Noreen...hg

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Mudlark
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 04:22 PM

Thanks again, Noreen, for the explanation. I did take piano as a child, so understand the black key references and it makes perfect sense. Now if only I could PLAY those sharped chords! Obviously I need to take lessons frm you and Harpgirl....(vamping until guitar playing improves...)

Subject: RE: Need help w/chords: Big Time Woman
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Jun 02 - 09:42 PM

You're welcome, both :0)

Subject: RE: Chords Req: Big Time Woman from Way Out West
From: GUEST,Clarinet man in Colorado
Date: 29 Jun 10 - 05:55 PM

It's the same bridge as a zillion other songs - III7 2 bars, VI7 2 bars, II7 2 bars, V7 2 bars. All the chords a major, plain old 7th chords.