Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)

Subject: chord re: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: GUEST,dexter
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 11:33 PM

O.K. so, way back before I could play guitar, I heard a Leadbelly song about Jack Johnson and the Titanic. After learning to play, I've been yearning to play that song. I found the lyrics recently with the help of the Mudcatters, but I'm trusting my foggy memory for the chords and the tune. Would anyone mind sending me in the right direction?
Thank you,
Dex

Subject: RE: chord re: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Jan 03 - 11:47 PM

The lyrics are HERE in the DT. The following chords are from The Leadbelly Songbook (Oak, p. 26).

It was [C]midnight on the sea[G7]-
Band playing, [C]"Nearer My God to Thee"[G]-
Cryin' fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well[D7]-
It was [C]midnight on the sea[G7]-
Band playing, [C]"Nearer My God to Thee"[G]-
Cryin' fare thee, Ti-[D7]tanic, fare thee well[G]-.

~Masato

Subject: RE: chord re: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: GUEST,dexter
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 12:05 AM

thank you thank you thank you thank you

dex

Subject: RE: chord re: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: belfast
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 10:01 AM

Unless I am greatly mistaken the chords given above do not fit Leadbelly's Titanic. This is what I would use:
C / C7 / F / C /
C/ / / G7 / / /
C / C7 / F / C /
C / G7 / C / / /

And if I'm wrong I'm surre someone is gonna tell me pretty damn quick.

Subject: RE: chord re: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 10:37 AM

Thanks, belfast. I was mistaken about the first [C] (also on line 4). It should have been [G] like this:

It was [G]midnight on the sea[G7]-

Subject: RE: chord re: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 11:35 AM

Sorry guys but you're BOTH RIGHT.

Leadbelly's use of the "E" note (in the key of G that's a sixth) for the word 'MIDnite' really DOES imply that the four chord (C) should be played. But 'implications' can sometimes be misleading. He doesn't stray from the '1' chord. Remember Leadbelly often PLAYS the melody while SINGING it.

It's the same thing that's happening in "Hesitation Blues" (when played in a major key). Take the line "I never been to heaven...." It's really just that sixth again. You CAN go to the four chord, and it sounds fine, that's just not what Huddie's doing.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Chord Req: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: GUEST,dexter
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 10:44 PM

Thanks for setting things straght. That first progression just was not jiving with my foggy memory, and it was really scaring me; I didn't think I had destroyed THAT many brain cells.
Thanks again,
Dex

Subject: RE: Chord Req: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 12:49 AM

Love that third verse:

Jack Johnson want to get on board,
Captain said, "I ain't haulin' no coal."
Cryin' fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well

Here's a quote from the White Star Line in 1911:

"The OLYMPIC and TITANIC are not only the largest vessels in the world, they represent the highest attainments in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering; they stand for the pre-eminence of the Anglo-Saxon race on the ocean."

We read it at the Belfast Transportation Museum.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Chord Req: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: belfast
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 11:16 AM

There is a verse missing, I think, from the digitrad version.

"All the black people dance with joy
Never lost them a girl nor a boy"

Possibly the compilers of the Leadbelly Songbook found it a little too strong but it amuses me.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: GUEST,Searchig for the lyrics of a song sang in Ti
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 10:21 AM

Hi everyone!
I was searching for the song sang in Titanic Chappel. It`s a Christian song that ends: "for those who`ll perish on the sea" or something like that, it`s very known. I`ve heard that song when I saw the Titanic movie with Kate Winslet and Di Caprio.
Do you know that song?
Can somebody give me the lyric of that beautiful Christian song? Or the name of it, at least.

I`m from Argentina and my e-mail is: [e-mail]

Thank you very much!

Subject: RE: Chord Req: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: Jeri
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 10:42 AM

ETERNAL FATHER, STRONG TO SAVE (Navy Hymn) (John Bacchus Dykes, William Whiting)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: leadbelly's 'titanic'
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 07:40 PM

It's a damned good hymn (juxtaposition intentional), but surely it has been adopted both by the wavy navy and the merchant fleet and the fishing fleet, so is no longer strictly navy.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: GUEST,titanic
Date: 27 Jan 08 - 07:54 AM

please send chord of titanic to me.

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: GUEST,FABoyle
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 05:05 PM

Masato listed the chords from the Leadbelly songbook, but remember that Leadbelly tuned his guitar down about two tones from concert pitch. While the songbook shows Titanic in the key of G, Leadbelly, though singing in G, was actually playing in a C fingering.

It was [C]midnight on the sea[C7]-
Band playing, [F]"Nearer My God to Thee"[C]-
Cryin' fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well[G7]-
It was [C]midnight on the sea[C7]-
Band playing, [F]"Nearer My God to Thee"[C]-
Cryin' fare thee, Ti-[G7]tanic, fare thee well[C]-.

Also, his C chord has the pinky on the third fret(G)of the high E string, and then slides up to the fifth fret (A) on midnight. On the G chords hes uses a similar pinky movement to make the chord alternate between G and G7.

Pete Seeger had an instruction record, "12 string guitar as played by Leadbelly" about 50 years ago. It would help if you can find a copy.
FAB

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: Genie
Date: 14 Apr 12 - 07:28 PM

Gotta refresh this thread today.

Lead Belly: Titanic

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: GUEST,lefthanded guitar
Date: 22 Nov 24 - 04:04 PM

Stefan Grossman has a great fingerpicking version of the song on YouTube. Usually I can catch what chords someone is playing by watching ,but on this I can't get one chord. . I see him starting with C, C7. but there's a point where he goes up to the fourth fret, I believe when you're singing "thee". Is anyone able to write out the chords the way he plays it? I'd like to play this version. Thanks

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: GUEST,PHJim
Date: 22 Nov 24 - 08:10 PM

I play it like this:

Titanic (Midnight On The Sea) - Lead Belly

'Twas [C] midnight on the [C7] sea, 
Band was playing, [F] "Nearer My God to [C] Thee" 
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee [G7] well
'Twas [C] midnight on the [C7] sea, 
Band was playing, [F] "Nearer My God to [C] Thee" 
Fare thee, Ti[G7]tanic, fare thee [C] well
 
Titanic, when it got its load,
Captain hollered, "All aboard"
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well 

Jack Johnson went to get on board,
Captain hollered, "I ain't haulin' no coal."
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well 

Titanic's comin' 'round the curve,
When it ran into that great big iceberg
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well 

Titanic was sinking down,
They put lifeboats all around.
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well 

Put lifeboats around,
Save the women and children, let the men go down.
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well 

Jack Johnson got the mighty shock,
Might 'a' seen him do the Eagle Rock.
Tare thee, Titanic, fare thee well 

When the women and children got on the land,
Cried "Lord have mercy on my man.
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well

'Twas midnight on the sea, 
Band was playing, "Nearer My God to Thee" 
Fare thee, Titanic, fare thee well

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: GUEST,PHJim
Date: 23 Nov 24 - 01:48 AM

One of my favourite versions:
Titanic - Mud Acres

Subject: RE: Chord Req: Titanic (Leadbelly)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Nov 24 - 09:45 AM

Thanks for the refresh!