Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (Tom Paxton)

Subject: Wasn't that a party by the Irish Rovers
From: Asle, Norway
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 03:21 PM

Does anyone know the chords for that funny song? If so, post some hints, og send me an e-mail, [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 03:26 PM

Well, the song was written by Tom Paxton. I can't tell from your post whether you realized the lyrics are in our database and can be found by searching for party - or you can be lazy and click here. I hope somebody else can come up with the chords for you.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: WASN'T THAT A PARTY (Tom Paxton)
From:
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 03:31 PM

Whoops found it.

WASN'T THAT A PARTY Time: 2/2 Tenor: E Bass: C - D

CHORUS:

  1                 *        *   *
  Could've been the whiskey
  *                 *    *   *
  Might've been the gin
  *                 *             *          * 
  Could've been the three or four six-packs, I don't know
      17          *        * 
  But look at the mess I'm in
     *              4        *   *
  My head is like a football
    *                  1     *   *
  I think I'm going to die
  *        5      *     *
  Tell me, me oh, me oh my
  *             1      *    *
  Wasn't that a party
  
  
  1              *           *   * 
  Someone took a grapefruit
  *              *     *    *
  Wore it like a hat
  *     *       *        *       *
  I saw someone under my kitchen table
  57            *       *  
  Talking to my old tom cat
            *             4      *
  They were talking about hockey
      *               1     *
  The cat was talking back
  *          5          *          *
  Long about then every-thing went black
  *             1      *   *
  Wasn't that a party           (CHORUS)
  
  
      *                  4     *   *
  I'm sure it's just my memory
          *         1     *    *
  Playing tricks on me
        2       *      *      * 
  But I think I saw my buddy
          *       *           5     *
  Cutting down my neighbour's tree      (CHORUS)
  
  GO TO PAGE TWO
  
  NOTES:
  - Chords change on each verse - no pattern 
  - Last verse can be raised a whole tone
  
  WASN'T THAT A PARTY (PAGE TWO)
   
  
  *             4      *   * 
  Billy Joe and Tommy
       *                  1    *   *
  Well they went a little far
            2              *          *            *
  They were sitting in the back yard, blowing on a sireen
       *          *      5    *
  From somebody's police car
  
  
  *                 1     *    *
  So you see, Your Honour
  *             *     *    *
  It was all in fun
      *            *          *       *
  The little bitty track meet down on main street
      *       57         *          *
  Was just to see if the cops could run
            *            4       *    *
  Well they run us in to see you
  *               1      *     *
  In an alcoholic haze
    *        5         *      *
  I sure can use those thirty days
        *              1      *   *
  To re-cover from the party         (CHORUS)
  
  ENDING: CHORUS, REPEATING "wasn't that a party"
  
  SYMBOLS:
  - Asterisk (*) =  new measure, play same chord
  - Period (.)   =  1/8 note rest at start of a measure
  - Underline(_) =  sustain note into next measure
  
  CHORDS (Number System):
  - Example:     1    2    3    4    5    6    7
  - Key of C:    C    D    E    F    G    A    B
  - Detailed description: /pub/guitar/other_stuff/numbering_system.txt  
  - Submitted by:  Barrie McCombs ([e-mail])  

Line Breaks <br> and Preformat tags <pre> </pre> added.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: Susan A-R
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 10:17 PM

Hmmm, is that his companion song to Saturday Night? Always loved that one.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: raredance
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 10:35 PM

Just adding that the song is on the Tom Paxton album "New Songs For Old Friends" on the Reprise label.

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: GUEST,ME
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 02:57 PM

found this thread on the net as i was searching for chords to this Song. But got abolutely no clue about the thing with the stars over the lyrics. Damn aren`t there any "real versions"

As is understood i should match the chords from the bottom of the lyrics with the numbers above the words!
But what is ment by 57 for example is is like a G/B chord?

Please I really would like to play this song othis year.So please can somone help me out?

post or e-mail madmosesrulez#web.de (change the # with an @ just because the spamrobots cant find my mail. You got to be careful theses days)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: Peace
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 03:03 PM

"SYMBOLS:- Asterisk (*) = new measure, play same chord-
Period (.)   = 1/8 note rest at start of a measure-
Underline(_) = sustain note into next measure
CHORDS (Number System):- Example:   
             1    2    3    4    5    6    7-
Key of C:    C    D    E    F    G    A    B-
Detailed description: /pub/guitar/other_stuff/numbering_system.txt- Submitted by: Barrie McCombs ([e-mail])

from

www.azchords.com/i/irishrovers-tabs-5224/ wasntthataparty-tabs-143348.html

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: Willie-O
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 09:12 PM

To explain the numbering system: I've never seen this form of notation before but it makes sense, as long as you can figure out what key you want to sing it in.

Chords can be treated as notes of a scale, some are going to be major, some minor, and some are sevenths.

So the chart showing that C is 1, D is 2 etc. is just an EXAMPLE. The #1 chord/note aka the TONIC, is the name of the key you are playing in--obviously key of C in this example. But you can just as easily use G as 1, A as 2, etc, if you find that G is a better key for you to sing the song in.

The notation "57" means "fifth chord, played as a seventh"--so if you are playing in G, it's a D7. If you are in C, it's a G7.

The asterisks are like bar lines--they show how many bars to hold each chord for. Just keep on playing the designated chord until it changes. Looks like Wasn't that a Party is in 2/4 time, so you count two more beats for each asterisk.   

I know, when you say "aren't there any real versions", you would just like to see letter-named chords written out. But after you've sat through a few practices (specially band practices) where people keep saying, "I think you should try that in a different key", you will have scribbled so many chord names on the paper that you can't make any sense of it at all. So this system is worthwhile learning because it teaches an important priniciple of music. Many beginning musicians get fixated that whatever key a song is written in is the "right" key, and those are the only "right" chords. T'ain't so. The "right" key is the one that works best for the vocalist, and is achievable by the instrumentalists that are present. So a system like this, that shows the chords in a generic form, makes sense, you just need to get the hang of what the important chords are in any key.

In most folk music they are 1, 4, and 5, plus sometimes 2 (either minor or seventh) and 6 (minor).

Best
W-O

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't that a party by the Ir
From: Willie-O
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 09:17 PM

Whoops, just noticed the transcription describes the time sig as 2/2 not 2/4. Seems weird but OK. (2/2 means 2 beats to the bar, a 1/2 note equals one beat instead of the usual quarter-note to a beat. Fortunately everyone knows how the song goes already, this time sig seems odd cause it would slow down the tempo...a lot)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 10:00 AM

First let me thank you for your help now i should be able to play it. Maybe some of you have chords for "Bonny ship the diamond" in the Version from Gaelic storm. Its another Song i try to find, but wasn`t able yet.

If anyone has chords to this great song please tell me.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 10:35 AM

The numbering system used above for the chords is usually called Nashville numbering. You can see more details in the thread: Nashville Numbering System .

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 10:41 AM

Forgot to mention. Assuming that the version of The Diamond has its usual tune, you can find the chords in this thread: Chords Req: 'the diamond' sea shanty in D minor, the links at the top of the thread will also get you the complete words.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: open mike
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 10:42 AM

you should start a new thread to look for another song.

the saturday night song i remember was i
Another saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I've got some money 'cause I just got paid

I thought ir was by cat stevens
but i found on the web that it was by Sam Cooke
and also done by jimmy buffet.
it does sound more like more like old time rock and roll
that Cat Steven's original tunes..

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 06:12 PM

Find Tom's own Saturday Night song here.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: Peace
Date: 07 Apr 06 - 01:45 PM

Bonny Ship the Diamond

Words, chords and an mp3.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Wasn't That a Party (T Paxton)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Apr 06 - 10:20 PM

Joe's clicky no longer works

Wasn't that a party posted by Ferrara

I do like this song!

sandra