Lyr/Chord Req: Bound to Lose (Holy Modal Rounders)

Subject: Chord Req: Same Old Man & Bound To Lose
From: GUEST,Big Sky
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 01:35 AM

I've been listening to Holy Modal Rounders, but what are the proper tunings for Same Old Man & Bound To Lose? I'm assuming they're the same tuning. Thanks!

Subject: Lyr Add: BOUND TO LOSE (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Sep 17 - 01:55 PM

I can't help with chords or tunings, but I can do lyrics, and it seems these have never been posted at Mudcat before, so we might as well have them here. My transcription from Spotify:


BOUND TO LOSE
"Traditional"
As recorded by Holy Modal Rounders on "1 & 2" (1998).

Sailin' down the river
To New Orleans
To New Orleans
Bet my money by the gamblin' rules
Goin' from town
Town to town
Town to town
Come and lay your dollar down
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Riverboat gambler's bound to lose

Here comes Susie
With her hair piled high
With her hair piled high
Sister Sue keeps a-watchin' her eye
Hookers and hustlers
Follow her around
Follow her down
Come and lay your dollar down
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Riverboat gambler's bound to lose

Wheelin' an' a-dealin'
'Round she goes
Around she goes
Where she stops, nobody knows
Listen, good people
If you want the news
If you want the news
A riverboat gambler's bound to lose
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
A riverboat gambler's bound to lose

Rouge on faces
Fancy clothes
Those fancy clothes
Money comes, and the money goes
Moon and stars
Sometimes I feel
Sometimes I feel
He's not, she's not, it's not real
It's not real
It's not real
It's not real
He's not, she's not, it's not real
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Bound to lose
Riverboat gambler's bound to lose

[Very nearly the same lyrics are sung by:
Paul Geremia on "Hard Life Rockin' Chair" (2000),
Peter Tork & Shoe Suede Blues on "Cambria Hotel" (2007), and
Grandpa Banana on "Just Trying to Break Even" (2011),
and there are several other songs with the same title.]

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chord Req: Same Old Man + Bound To Lose
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Sep 17 - 02:32 PM

Lyrics to the Holy Modal Rounders' version of SAME OLD MAN have been posted in another thread, here. There are other versions in that thread, too.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chord Req: Bound to Lose (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: leeneia
Date: 07 Sep 17 - 11:25 AM

Here's a recent verse:

Stop at Player Service
Ask them for a card,
Ask them for a card.
Ask them for a Blackjack Basic Strategy card.
It's free and on the level;
It's a basic strategy card.
Bound to lose,
Bound to lose.
But you won't lose as much as you would otherwise.

(This may be the first occurrence of the word 'otherwise' in a folk song.)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chord Req: Bound to Lose (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 20 - 12:58 PM

Steve used standard tuning for the two tunes. Though his guitar is tuned below 440, Same Old Man is in G. That's a start, eh?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chord Req: Bound to Lose (Holy Modal Rounders)
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Jun 23 - 11:57 AM

I don't know about the original key, but I play it standard tuning, capo on the third fret, using A Em and E, with some ascending bass notes on the Em. like this:

                  A
Sailin' down the river
          Em
To New Orleans
(bass notes)Em
To New Orleans
       E                     A
Bet my money by the gamblin' rules