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Lyr/Chords: Playing Right Field (Willy Welch)-PP&M

24 Apr 00 - 11:06 PM (#217408)
Subject: Chord req: Right Field
From: GUEST,Angel

Can anyone help me with the chords to "Right Field" by Peter, Paul and Mary? I have the lyrics but need the chords.

Thanks, Angel

25 Apr 00 - 03:12 PM (#217774)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: jeffp

I have this on tape at home. If I get some time this evening, I'll try to figure them out. Meanwhile, I'm refreshing the thread so if someone already has them, maybe they'll save me the trouble. (grin)

Angel, maybe you could post the words you have. I'd appreciate it.

jeffp

25 Apr 00 - 04:35 PM (#217830)
Subject: ADD: Right Field (PP&M)
From: Joe Offer

Here are the lyrics, from http://www.peterpaulandmary.com
-Joe Offer-

Right Field
Willy Welch, copyright 1986 Playing Right Music

Saturday summers, when I was a kid
We'd run to the schoolyard and here's what we did
We'd pick out the captains and we'd choose up the teams
It was always a measure of my self esteem
Cuz the fastest, the strongest, played shortstop and first
The last ones they picked were the worst
I never needed to ask, it was sealed,
I just took up my place in right field.
Playing...

CHORUS:
Right field, it's easy, you know.
You can be awkward and you can be slow
That's why I'm here in right field
Just watching the dandelions grow

Playing right field can be lonely and dull
Little Leagues never have lefties that pull
I'd dream of the day they'd hit one my way
They never did, but still I would pray
That I'd make a fantastic catch on the run
And not lose the ball in the sun
And then I'd awake from this long reverie
And pray that the ball never came out to me
Here in...

CHORUS

(whistle a variation of Take Me Out To The Ballgame...)

Off in the distance, the game's dragging on,
There's strikes on the batter, some runners are on.
I don't know the inning, I've forgotten the score.
The whole team is yelling and I don't know what for.
Then suddenly everyone's looking at me
My mind has been wandering; what could it be?
They point at the sky and I look up above
And a baseball falls into my glove!

Here in right field, it's important you know.
You gotta know how to catch, you gotta know how to throw,
That's why I'm here in Right Field, just watching the dandelions grow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zslUua_jGy4

26 Apr 00 - 07:40 AM (#218157)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: jeffp

Thanks for the lyrics, Joe. I didn't get a chance to work on the chords last night. Maybe tonight will be less busy.

jeffp

27 Apr 00 - 09:25 AM (#218866)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: jeffp

Well, I gave it a try, but it wasn't as simple as I thought it would be. I didn't have much success, but I'll keep trying when I can.

jeffp

27 Apr 00 - 12:09 PM (#218933)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: Rex

Aw I guess I'm going to jump into the fray. If you play in a very nonprecise way this may help. I like the song but haven't played it. But in reading this I wondered, how hard can it be so I picked up a guitar. Playing in "G" works. G, C, and D. So the first line is the G chord with a bass regression of G, F#, E (open) back to G. Then "we'd go to the school yard..." that's a C chord with a bass regression on the A string of C, B, A then go to a D chord at the end of "here's what we did". Then the choosing the teams line is a C chord to D back to C to D. The "measure of my self esteem" line is the G regression again. The the line about the ones they pick first and last is the C to D to C to D again. Then from this you ought to be able to figure the chorus. If nothing else this should outrage the real guitar players in this group enough to jump in and have me dragged out of the village and stoned. I've not had any training on the guitar and can't tell you what the names of the chords with regressions really are. I just play it simply and try to find chords that sound right. Now I'll duck for cover!

Rex

27 Apr 00 - 01:34 PM (#218997)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: jeffp

Thanks, Rex. I thought it was something along those lines, but the tape I have (from a simulcast of PP&M's 25th Anniversary broadcast on Public TV) was just enough out of tune with my guitar to drive me absolutely crazy. What you describe is very similar to the guitar part to the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil." I'll have to give it a try again tonight.

jeffp

27 Apr 00 - 02:50 PM (#219052)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: GUEST,Angel

I really appreciate all your work trying to get the chords to this song. My friend will really appreciate it too.

Thanks, Angel

01 May 00 - 11:29 AM (#220788)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: Rex

Hmm, I've been hiding out in the bog the last few days. I guess the village didn't come after me with torches afterall. Glad some of you got some use out of this. Sure, I guess "Friend of the Devil" does use the same bass run.

Rex

19 Jun 01 - 08:57 PM (#487437)
Subject: 'Playing Right Field'
From: GUEST,Win Grace

Looking for the chords to "Playing Right Field" by Willy Welch so I can learn it to sing for my father's 80th birthday on Thursday, June 21st. I have the lyrics and a tape that I got from Wendy and Willy, but am having trouble figuring out all the chords. Any help appreciated! (Nothing like putting it off til the last minute!) Win Grace

20 Jun 01 - 09:20 AM (#487757)
Subject: RE: 'Playing Right Field'
From: jeffp

Click here for a thread containing lyrics and chords. I hope that's the one you want.

jeffp

20 Jun 01 - 11:44 AM (#487885)
Subject: RE: 'Playing Right Field'
From: GUEST,Win Grace

THANK YOU! Yes, this is the one I wanted. I'll work with the chord ideas from Rex -- I love that HOW HARD COULD IT BE idea! I had pretty much come up with the same chords with bass runs but was hung up in a few places. I had an F in there in a couple of places, too. Hmmmm. I'm playing this on the accordion and it's about 1/4 step out of tune with the tape which is scrambling my brain. I play Friend of the Devil on the accordion (My husband calls it Friend of the Devil polka.), so I was hearing the same runs, too. Hey this Mudcat thing is really cool. Thanks for helping! Win

20 Jun 01 - 11:58 AM (#487902)
Subject: RE: 'Playing Right Field'
From: jeffp

No problem, Win. Whereabouts do you live?

jeffp

20 Jun 01 - 04:20 PM (#488187)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: McGrath of Harlow

"Bass regression" - I'd never come across that term before for a bass run going down, but it seems a sensible thing to call it.

20 Jun 01 - 04:43 PM (#488208)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: Pseudolus

Just a couple changes in the above plus I threw in the chord changes where I happen to phrase them. this is a great song that never fails to please especially in venues where the audience is really into listening to lyrics!!!

Frank

[G]Saturday [G/F#]summers, when [Em]I was a kid
We'd [C]run to the [C/B]schoolyard and [Am]here's what we [D]did
We'd [C]pick out the [D]captains and we'd [C]choose up the [D]teams
It was [G]always a [G/F#]measure of [Em]my self esteem
Cuz the [C]fastest, the [C/B]strongest, played [Am]shortstop and first
The [C]last ones they [C/B]picked were the [D]worst
[C]I never [C/B]needed to [Am]ask, it was sealed,
I just [C]took up my [C/B]place in right [D]field.
Playing...

CHORUS:
[G]Right [G/F#]field, it's [Em]easy, you know.
[C]You can be [C/B]awkward and [Am]you can be [D]slow
That's why [C]I'm here in [D]right field
Just [C]watching the [D]dandelions [G]grow

Playing [G]right [G/F#]field can be [Em]lonely and dull
[C]Little Leagues [C/B]never have [Am]lefties that [D]pull
I'd [C]dream of the [D]day they'd [C]hit one my [D]way
[G]They never [G/F#]did, but [Em]still I would pray
That [C]I'd make a [C/B]fantastic [Am]catch on the run
And [C]not lose the [C/B]ball in the [D]sun
And [C]then I'd [C/B]wake from this [Am]long reverie
And [C]pray that [C/B]the ball never [D]came out to me
Here in...

CHORUS

(whistle a variation of Take Me Out To The Ballgame...)
(I have often thrown in a big yawn to set up the last verse.....just a thought.)

[G]Off in the [G/F#]distance, the [Em]game's dragging on,
There's [C]strikes on the [C/B]batter, some [Am]runners are [D]on.
I [C]don't know the [D]inning, I've for[C]gotten the [D]score.
The [C]whole team is [C/B]yelling and I [Am]don't know what for.
Then [C]suddenly [C/B]everyone's [Am]looking at me
My [C]mind has been [C/B]wandering; [Am]what could it be?
They [C]point to the [C/B]sky and I [Am]look up above
And a [C]baseball falls into my [D]glove!

Here in [G]right [G/F#]field, it's im[Em]portant you know.
You gotta [C]know how to [C/B]catch, you gotta [Am]know how to [D]throw,
That's why [C]I'm here in [D]Right Field, just [C]watching the [D]dandelions grow!

20 Jun 01 - 04:46 PM (#488211)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: Pseudolus

Oops, gotta remember to check my dates.....didn't realize how old the thread and teh erquest was....oh well, still a good song!

Frank

21 Jun 01 - 06:49 PM (#489239)
Subject: RE: Chord req: The Right Field
From: Rex

Hopefully Angel and JeffP are still around. Anyway, thanks for fleshing it out Pseudolus, I'll give it a go myself.

Rex

22 Jun 01 - 04:02 PM (#489917)
Subject: RE: 'Playing Right Field'
From: GUEST,Win Grace

Hi Jeff -- We live in Columbia, Missouri -- actually in southern Boone County near Columbia. I learned the song, sort of, and sang it for my Dad and the rest of the family yesterday for his 80th birthday and he LOVED it. He plays right field in an over 50 softball league.

The good news is that I e-mailed Willy Welch's agent and she got right with Willy, who sent me the real exact chords. I am going to try to send him a link to this thread so he can enjoy this dialogue over the chords.

thanks again, Win

22 Jun 01 - 04:22 PM (#489930)
Subject: RE: 'Playing Right Field'
From: jeffp

Very cool, Win. Here's a coincidence: I live in Columbia, Maryland! It would be great if you could pass along the chords that Willy gave you. Glad your Dad had a good time!

jeffp